Areca palm and its benefits

What is areca?

It belongs to the plant family Arecaceae which, has almost 50 species. Members of this family provide us with many useful products such as coconut, oil, wax and fibers. They are also used as ornamental purposes. The most commonly known one is Areca-Palm or Areca Catechu

Other names?

The scientific name of areca catechu is Chrysalidocarpus lutescens. It is also called butterfly palm or yellow palm. It has green, long; feather shaped and pointed leaflets on each shoot. The leaflets can be up to a hundred on each.

How to grow areca at home or in the garden?

It can also be grown as indoor plant with special care. They need indirect but bright sunlight to grow well. If they are kept in direct sunlight the leaflets turns yellow. But with proper care areca can complete their full life span of up to 10 years.

When you plan to buy a small areca plant to be grown at your indoors, then you must be ready to take some steps to grow them properly otherwise they won’t survive. The first thing is to place them where direct sunlight cannot hit them rather light can reach them from a window or barrier at the south or west side.

You need to water them often to keep the soil moist for them. It is better to fertilize them because this plant needs proper nutrients throughout the summer or spring. Fertilizers should be labeled as safe. Better to dilute it before using.

Trimming the Areca plant would also be good but the trimming should be done carefully. The container of the plant should be tight enough to hold it properly when it grows bigger.

What are the benefits of the Areca palm?

• These palms are good air purifiers. They can remove toxins from the air if you keep them indoors. The most common indoor toxins are acetone, toluene and xylene which are emitted from indoor furniture, nail paints, detergents, wall paints, petroleum products etc. These toxins have serious health problems if they are continuously inhaled so areca is the best solution to remove all such toxins from the air.
• It absorbs toxins from the air and hence it provides us with fresh air which eventually helps our nervous system. 
• It increases the indoor beauty so it is used as ornamental.
• Areca nut, which is the seed of this palm, also has many health benefits.

Areca nut or betel nut?

The seeds of this plant are known as areca nut or betel nut. These seeds are eaten in many regions of the world, especially Asia and South pacific region because of their health properties. The most common benefits of the areca nut are as follows.

• It can help you if you have a sore throat. Betel nut has been beneficial in treating sore throat.
• Best in treating back pain 
• Betel nut is very useful in treating worms inside the human body
• It can relieve digestive troubles such as diarrhea 
• It also stimulates the functioning of nervous system.

So areca is considered to be the magic palm, having many health benefits as well as best decoration item for indoors.

Learn more about palms

We have written a few blogs about different types of palms. Here are some of them:

• Pineapple Palm (Phoenix canariensis)
• Areca palm and its benefits
• Palmspear
• Cocos nucifera: Facts to know
• Cordyline australis plant profile:
• Attalea Speciosa: A brief plant profile
• Begonia luxurians plant facts