Foxtail Palm Growing and Plant Care Guide

  • By: admin
  • Date: September 6, 2022
  • Time to read: 6 min.
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What Is Foxtail Palm?

The Foxtail Palm (Wodyetia bifurcate is) is a small tree with an elegant, feathery crown like the tail of a fox.

A relative of the more common Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), foxtails also have long segmented leaves but are distinguished by their spiky appearance and bright-yellow coloration.  The variegated version has green and yellow stripes instead of solid yellow coloring.    

Foxtail palms are native to Australia, where they grow in seasonally dry areas near the coast or in desert scrubland. They prefer full sun exposure even when young and will tolerate dry conditions once established if kept well watered.

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Foxtail Palm Care & Maintenance:

Foxtail palms are slow-growing and easy to take care of once they are well established. The plant’s appearance is naturally loose and airy, so pruning should be kept to a minimum. Trim only when necessary to maintain its natural form and shape or during the winter months if it looks too tired.  

 Light Requirements:

Foxtails will thrive in full sun conditions but can also adapt to partial shade. It requires a couple of hours of direct sunlight each day.

When grown indoors, it prefers strong light on a patio or balcony with access to at least four hours of direct sunlight daily.

Temperature & Humidity:

Because foxtail palms are native to humid tropical areas, they do not tolerate cold temperatures well. If your area has unpredictable winters then you will want to protect your palm from frost and freeze damage by growing it indoors or planting it in an area that is warmer than the surrounding landscape.    

In USDA hardiness zones 9-11 it is best kept outdoors year-round in warm climates like that found in Southern California, Texas, Florida, and Hawaii.

If you live in USDA zone 8 or colder then try to move your plant indoors during cold winter months when temperatures fall below freezing for two consecutive nights at least.

If the weather is mild enough to allow a palm tree outdoors year-round then simply cut off any dead leaves and branches which appear brown.  Use pruning shears if you need to remove larger sections of the plant.   Pests & Diseases:

Foxtail palms are not prone to disease or pests unless you have introduced one into the environment accidentally. If so, treat it immediately before it causes further damage to any other plants in your collection.   

Fertilizing Requirements:

Fertilize foxtail palms once a month in the spring and summer months to help them grow. Be sure to feed them with a slow-release fertilizer or one that does not burn plant roots so growth will be sustained for years to come. Outdoor plants should be fertilized twice a year in March and September.    

Once a week; apply 8-10 drops of a balanced fertilizer solution per gallon of water around the base of the palm. Mix well to dissolve completely and water it in thoroughly.  

Potting and repotting Requirements:

Foxtail palms can be grown in as small of a container as six inches wide and several years old. A larger pot will allow the plant to grow faster and healthier so repot your palm tree every 2-3 years.   

Outdoor plants should be transplanted into pots that are at least 18 inches in diameter but if you plan on moving it indoors then try one that is approximately 30 inches in diameter instead.

Foxtail Palm Propagation:

Foxtail palms can be propagated by seed or cuttings. If they are grown from a seedling then it will take anywhere from 3-5 years for the plant to reach maturity and begin bearing fruit. 

Propagation is best done in late summer or early fall so that new plants have time to grow strong enough to survive the winter months.

The propagation process for foxtails is similar to many other palm species:

Uproot is a healthy branch containing leaves about 6 inches long with at least 1/3 of its tip intact. Dip the end in rooting hormone and plant into a container filled with dampened soil made from 2 parts potting soil mixed with one part perlite.

Fill around the base of the stem with more of the soil/perlite mixture. The roots will form at or below the collar.

If you want to remove any leaves from the bottom half of the cutting, remove 1/3 and leave a portion still intact on top. Plant in a location that receives plenty of light but is sheltered from strong wind or cold temperatures for best results.

Water it regularly and keep in a warm environment until new growth appears and then gradually move it outdoors if there are no signs of leaf damage or death after several months.

To make your own foxtail propagation container simply take four 10 inch pots (make sure they have drainage holes) stack them together and fill with moistened potting soil mixed with sand or perlite by 50% and 50%.

After your plant has reached about three feet tall, you may want to separate the top from the lower part. Split the clump by cutting it in half as far down as possible so that each of the pieces contains branches with leaves on them.

The remaining parts can be used for new cuttings or repotted outdoors if desired.  

Foxtail Palm Problems:

The only real problems faced by foxtail palms are the same as many other outdoor plants.  

Foxtails can develop infestations of scale insects which may cause leaf yellowing in some instances. They are easy to treat with insecticidal soap or a hard spray of water.  Scale will be visible if you look for brown patches on the upper surface of the leaves or stems.

   If your palm is too large to reach the top, use a long stick or pole (about two feet) and hold it against the trunk while you squirt on both sides where you see any insects and their white egg sacs attached to the plant’s exterior.

One problem that is more common to indoor environments than outdoor ones is spider mites. Look for webbing on the undersides of leaves or a fine dusting all over the plant.  

If you are sure that your plant is affected by spider mites then mix up homemade horticultural oil to treat it with and spray both sides of each leaf thoroughly.  Water it in well and be sure to give your palm lots of light to help promote new growth while waiting for those bugs to die off. 

A follow-up application after another week should do any trick if your palms continue to have problems with this issue.

Foxtail palms can also fall victim to root rot caused by over watering, especially during winter months when there is less water available for most plants anyway because of shorter daylight hours. 

When in doubt, it is best to water your foxtail palms deeply once a week and let the soil’s surface dry out between watering.  They prefer humidity levels of at least 50% so be sure to mist them every few days if you are having problems with this issue as well.  

The biggest problem that most people have when growing their own tropical plants indoors is too much sunlight combined with improper or inappropriate temperatures. 

Having either one of these issues alone can cause stress to the plant on its own but together they become fatal very quickly! Keep in mind that just because flowers appear on your plant doesn’t mean that it is getting enough light for the leaves below those flowers. 

  When growing any tropical flowering plant, be sure to read the tag that came with it before you make any assumptions on how much light is really required.

   Inadequate lighting is one of if not the most common reasons for plant death in many instances and is acceptable when growing indoors but a sin outside especially in tropical climates where even filtered sunlight can benefit these plants.

Check your houseplants regularly to ensure that their temperature does not get too low at night or too high during the day.  

Just because they are inside doesn’t mean they don’t need air circulation just like we do and becoming accustomed to either an excessively cold spot or a hot one will kill them almost as fast as complete neglect would!

 

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