Indoor Plant Care - How to Houseplant Care

Rhapis Palm with Insect Problem Indoor Potted Palm Problem A recent email from Ernestine about a plant problem that needs a solution...  My Rhapis Palm has mealy bugs as there are white masses on leaves and stems.  I have sprayed with Confidor two or three times, but, the palm still has white areas on leaves and stems.  Could you suggest a better solution for me to attack this pesty little beast!!! Thank you for reading my notation. Ernstine, It sure looks like mealy bug but could possibly be some kind of scale. I personally would just wipe this off with a sponge or rag with some water/alcohol mixture or water/soap mixture. Another option is a hard spray from a hose to just rinse them off. This is best done outside, of course and must be repeated. Mealybugs are hard to get rid of and the only other things I might use would be Safers Insecticidal Soap or 1600 X-clude. Don’t know if they are available where you live but if you do use them, make sur...

Lady Palm - Rhapis excelsa If I had to choose which indoor palm plant is my favorite houseplant , it would be Rhapis excelsa palm . This lovely plant is a favorite with interior landscapers as it is hardy and will survive in lower light levels. It is also more cold tolerant than many other tropical indoor palms. Most types of fan palms are not well suited to life in the average home because of their tendency to spread out, requiring lots of space. While used in large interior landscapes, most fan palms tend to quickly outgrow any available space in smaller areas. Rhapis excelsa , or Lady Palm, has more of an upright growth making it a good choice for use in your home. It has glossy, dark green fronds and while it can be maintained in somewhat low light levels, it will look its very best in bright light with some morning sun. Read more about the care of this beautiful indoor palm...

Palm - Rhapis excelsa Palms make great indoor plants and they bring the essence of the tropics to any interior decor, adding a lush, green feel to the environment. Bamboo Palms, Neanthe Bella and Areca Palms are some of the more often used interior palms. The Parlour Palm, or Neanthe Bella Palm, has been used an an indoor plant for centuries and is quite adaptable to the conditions in the home. Most palms are easy to care for once they have acclimated to the home environment and should make a fantastic addition to your houseplant collection. Different palms have different growth habits and leaf types but one thing that is true of all palms is that the growth point is at the tip of each stem.  Read more about indoor palm plants and their care...