Looking for a life-sized houseplant to grace your living? Licuala grandis will tick all the boxes with its unique foliage and grand stature!
Native to Vanuatu islands, this rare palm features large, pleated foliage that resembles a handheld fan, certainly the reason behind its common name—Ruffled Fan Palm. If you wish to invite greenery with this ravishing houseplant, learn about growing Licuala grandis Indoors!
- Botanical Name: Licuala grandis
- USDA Zones: 10-11
- Grows well in indirect sunlight
- Does not appreciate sudden drafts
- Requires fertilizers during the spring season for the best results
- The gorgeous foliage offers air-cleaning properties
Learn about Growing Travelers Palm Indoors here
Licuala grandis Plant Profile
Interestingly, the uniquely designed leaves of Licuala grandis earned the title of Ruffle Fan Palm, Potato Chip Plant. The gorgeous palm is a perennial plant from the Arecaceae family that features huge, round, pleated leaves in a light green hue, each spreading to a diameter of upto 22 inches. So, if you are a fan of large-foliage houseplants, Licuala grandis must top your list!
In addition to its wonderful leaves, the Ruffled Fan Palm produces fragrant blossoms in early summer in a variety of colors, ranging from white to cream and yellow.
Propagating Ruffled Fan Palm Plant
Alike most palm cultivars, the easiest way to propagate Licuala grandis is by transplanting the root suckers. Get a healthy Licuala grandis and separate the suckers gently from the root ball. Make sure not to hurt the mother plant in the process. Water the plant thoroughly prior to 2-3 days to minimize root shock.
Prepare a pot of moist peat moss and plant the suckers in it. Ensure the newly potted plant gets dappled sunlight, and do not let the medium dry out at any cost. Also, the medium shouldn’t turn soggy, which will invite pest-related troubles.
Sowing Ruffled Fan Palm seeds in a moist medium is another option. However, the plant will take its sweet time of five to six months to sprout out. So, bringing a healthy plant from the nursery or multiplying its offset is a wiser choice!
Ideal Pot Size
The grand size of Licuala grandis demands a big container to hold the plant roots. An ideal pot size would be 1-1.5 feet deep and upto 1 foot wide. Considering the Ruffled Palm’s growing needs, make enough drainage holes at the bottom to keep the medium from getting soggy.
Get a sturdy neutral-toned, or showy container to match the aesthetics of this handsome houseplant.
Requirements for Growing Licuala grandis Indoors
Soil
Ruffled fan palm grows well in most soil types, but you must ensure that the soil is moist, rich in humus, and well-draining. To avoid root rot, ensure it doesn’t stand in water. A blend of perlite, vermiculite, coco peat, and sandy, loamy soil would be ideal.
The trick to a healthy Licuala grandis lies in the balance between good drainage and a moist medium. Make sure you get a growing media that covers both.
Water
The plant prefers to grow in a moist environment, so do not let the medium dry out completely. The watering requirements can differ from place to place, so if you belong to a warmer region, water the plant more frequently and do not let the soil dry out quickly. Also, ensure your container has drainage holes for letting the water out.
Temperature And Humidity
The ideal temperature range for growing Ruffled Palm indoors is 70-88 F or 21 to 31 C. However, the plant tolerates temperatures as low as 32 F or 0 C, below which the plant might show signs of cold shock and wouldn’t survive for long.
Licuala grandis appreciates high humidity of 60-70 %, so misting the foliage or using a pebble tray can be helpful.
Light
Ruffled Fan Palm grows best in filtered sunlight in the initial years and grows upto bask in full sunlight. Therefore, placing the plant according to its age will help it unfurl its natural beauty.
However, ensure to keep the plant away from prolonged exposure to the afternoon sun which might scorch the leaf edges.
Licuala grandis Care
Fertilizer
A slow-release fertilizer is good for your Ruffled Fan Palm during the growing months. Side-dress the plant with a granular houseplant feed every 4-6 weeks to keep the plant healthy and thriving.
Pests And Diseases
While growing the Licuala grandis palm plant as an indoor plant, spider mites, mealybugs, or aphids can be an issue. To handle these pests, spray the plant with an organic insecticide or soapy neem oil solution.
Also, wipe the wide leaves with a soapy water solution every alternate week to avoid the accumulation of dirt or debris on the surface.
Pruning
The large and glossy green can develop brown edges under low humidity, and prune them to restore their elegance. Use a pair of sterilized scissors or pruning shears to prune mature and aged leaves.
