How to Grow Palms Indoors

With one of these in your home or office, we won’t blame you for indulging in a little California dreamin’—no matter where you live.

Choose a palm variety that grows well indoors.
Place palms in bright, indirect light.
Plant them in Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix.
Water palms when the top inch of soil is dry.
Feed them with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Houseplant Food.
Prune dead foliage to keep palms looking beautiful.

Did you know that palm trees aren't actually trees? They're basically giant grasses! That's why, once they've done a bit of initial growing, they'll certainly continue to get taller but won't get much wider at the base. Plant trivia aside, palms are fantastic houseplants since most varieties are easy to grow. All types lend a tropical flair to just about any room, so you can have summer or beach vibes right inside your home.

Here's what you need to know to grow palms indoors.

Which Palms to Grow Indoors

One of the best indoor palms is the parlor palm. It's pretty slow growing, but almost ridiculously easy to care for. It needs less light than many other types of palms, so you can enjoy it just about anywhere in the house—other than a closet, of course! Bamboo palms, lady palms, Kentia palms, and Chinese fan palms are also good choices for growing inside your home. Ponytail palms and sago palms make great indoor plants as well; however, despite their name, they’re not true palms.

Where to Grow Palms Indoors

Indoors, most palms like evenly moist soil and bright, indirect light. Growing near a west- or south-facing window (but not where the sunbeams will directly hit the plants) is a great choice. Palms grow best with a bit of humidity in the air, too, and away from cold blasts of air from doorways or drafty windows, or hot, dry air from heating vents.

How to Repot Palms Indoors

Choose a pot with drainage holes that’s no more than 1-2 inches larger than the root ball of the plant.
Fill the container about ⅓ full with Miracle-Gro® Tropical Potting Mix, which is formulated to provide the drainage that palms and other tropical plants need—important, because most palms will develop root rot problems if their roots are kept constantly wet.
Remove the palm from its original container and place it in the new pot so the top of the root ball is about an inch below the top of the container.
Fill in around the root ball, making sure the "root initiation zone" (the area where the roots grow out of the bottom of the stem) is covered with soil but not buried deeply.
Water well and allow it to drain.
Place a saucer under the pot to catch any remaining drips and find a good spot for the plant.

How to Water Palms Indoors

Palms are the Goldilocks of plants—they like soil that’s not too moist, not too dry, but just right. Once they’re established, water indoor palms when the top inch of soil is dry. If you let the soil dry out completely, the leaf tips will begin to turn brown, and they won’t green up again. Don’t let palms sit in saucers of standing water, either, as that is a sure path to root rot.

In most cases, if the tips of your palm leaves are turning brown, your plants either need to be watered more or the air around your plants is too dry. However, if the leaves are turning yellow, make sure that you’re not overwatering.

How to Feed Palms Indoors

Indoor palms can be picky about what’s for dinner, so give them something they’ll be sure to love: Miracle-Gro® Tropical Houseplant Food. Formulated especially for tropical plants, including palms, it has all of the micronutrients tropical plants need, like magnesium, iron, and manganese, to help promote palm leaf growth. Be sure to follow all of the directions on the label.

How to Prune Palms Indoors

While you really can’t prune palm trees for size—if you cut off the top of the plant, it’s toast—you can prune off dead leaves to keep the plant tidy. Know, though, that many species have spines and pointy leaves that will poke you if you’re not careful.

Palms aren't just for the tropics—they make a great addition to your houseplant collection! Start by choosing the right palm, then care for it using these tips. You're going to love the breezy vibes indoor palms add to your space.