Alexandra palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae)
Care, watering, light and tips for Alexandra palm on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Arecaceae
- Difficulty: Moderate care
- Watering: every 3 days
- Light: Full sun
- Temperature: 15–40 °C
About Alexandra palm
The Archontophoenix alexandrae, commonly known as Alexandra Palm or King Palm, is an elegant, fast-growing palm native to Queensland, Australia. It is characterized by its smooth, ringed, grayish-green trunk and a crown of bright green, arching pinnate leaves with silvery undersides. It is ideal for tropical and subtropical gardens, either as a specimen plant or in groups, and can also be grown in large pots when young.
Native range
Queensland, Australia
Care tips
It requires bright indirect light or partial sun, especially when young, although it can tolerate full sun once established. Watering should be regular and abundant, keeping the substrate moist but not waterlogged, and slightly reducing it in winter. It prefers rich, well-draining, slightly acidic soils. A common mistake is insufficient ambient humidity, which can lead to brown leaf tips; it benefits from foliar spraying in dry environments.
How to save a dying Alexandra palm
- Warning signs
- Yellowing lower fronds, brown tips, slow/stunted growth. Black spots on trunk or leaves.
- First aid
- Check drainage and soil moisture. Ensure bright, indirect light. Apply fungicide for black spots.
- What kills it
- Overwatering leading to root rot. Intense cold, frost, or harsh direct sun.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if you act quickly. Remove damaged fronds, adjust watering and location to reduce stress.