Mature betel palm with areca nut

Credit: Luis Diego Garcia

Young betel palm in pot

Credit: Majat Dumat

Betel palm plantation

Credit: Sarangib

4 betel nuts

Credit: Tony Rodd

Areca catechu, the betel nut palm tree

Native to India and Malaysia, Areca Catechu enjoys great popularity throughout Asia. Its nuts are consumed for their stimulating properties. In Europe, like other members of the Arecaceae family such as mountain palm and groundsel, betel palm is appreciated for its decorative qualities.

How to recognize Areca catechu?

Areca catechu easily reaches heights of ten to fifteen meters in its natural environment. Some trees even reach thirty meters. Its slender stipe is grey at the base and green when young. Slightly ridged, it remains soft to the touch, unlike the trunks of other palms. The crown of leaves sits atop the tree.

Betel palm blades are symmetrical and scurved. They are distributed on either side of the central vein. Each leaflet resembles a bright green feather. Leaves can measure up to two meters long.

Areca catechu produces fleshy fruits, six centimetres in diameter, known as areca nuts or betel nuts. Orange or yellow in color, they contain a brown seed.

The areca nut is renowned for its stimulating properties. In Asia, it is mixed with betel leaves, lime and tobacco for chewing. However, its consumption is not recommended: chewing betel is thought to promote oral cancer. You can, however, add the flowers to your culinary preparations. They are edible and pose no health risk.

Our maintenance tips

Betel palms are easy to grow. To avoid killing them, you need to remember two things:

1. Palms need light. Be careful, however, not to expose it to full southern exposure: too much sun will burn its foliage.

2. Indoor palms like humidity, but hate excess water. Over-watering can rot the roots.

Watering

Water when the substrate is dry on the surface, for about three centimeters. Use non-calcareous water, such as rainwater, filtered water or mineral water.

Don 't let water stagnate in the planter or saucer, as it may rot the roots.

Spray

Your Betel palm appreciates high humidity. Spray the foliage with non-calcareous water at room temperature.

Repotting

In spring, transfer your Areca catechu to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.

Obtain a pot two to five centimetres larger than the previous one. It must be pierced to allow excess water to drain out.

Pour a bed of gravel or clay balls in the bottom to optimize drainage, followed by a layer of potting soil for green plants or Mediterranean plants. Plant the palm in the center and add substrate. Press down to remove air bubbles.

Fertilization

You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.

Apply green plant fertilizer to accelerate growth.

Cleaning

Photosynthesis is slowed down by dust accumulating on the leaves. To help your Betel palm make the most of its exposure, clean the foliage with a clean, damp cloth.

Dusting also helps prevent pest attacks.

Prune

Remove dry palms with a clean, sharp tool. Be careful; the leaves are sharp. Wear gloves to avoid injury.

Plantation

Once the last spring frosts have passed, you can plant.

Soak the rootball while working the soil. Choose a sunny spot sheltered from the wind.

Dig a hole 50 cm deep and 60 cm wide. Place gravel, pebbles or pozzolan at the bottom for drainage. Pour in a layer of substrate, made up of garden soil, universal potting soil and sand. Plant your Betel palm in the center, making sure that the rootball is level with the soil. If necessary, loosen the root ball.

Fill in the soil with a mixture of potting soil and garden soil and water for the first time. You can mulch the base with bark, pozzolan or gravel to retain moisture.

Seedling

Soak seeds in warm water for 48 hours.

Prepare a mixture composed of :

one-third potting soil for green plants ;
one third heather soil ;
one third perlite.

Fill a terrine or 1-liter pierced pots with this mixture. Sow the seeds, covering them with a centimetre of potting soil. Water the substrate regularly to keep it moist, and place your seedlings in a well-lit room with a temperature of at least 20 degrees. After a month, the seeds will germinate.

Cutting

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

Using your hands or a clean, sharp tool, separate one of the shoots that has formed at the base of the plant. Choose a young shoot with roots.

In a pierced pot, pour gravel or clay balls for drainage. Add a rich substrate, such as special cuttings soil or horticultural compost. Dig a hole using a pen or stake. Plant your young Areca catechu and tamp lightly.

Water to encourage rooting.

Diseases / Threats

Information

Family	Arecaceae - Arecaceae
Type	Areca - Areca
Species	Betel palm - Areca catechu
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade Shade
Substrats	Humus soil Sandy soil
Planting methods	Open ground In pots In tubs
Categories	Tree Fruit tree Interior
Tags	Fritillary Edible flower
Origins	South Asia Southeast Asia
Hardiness (USDA)	11b
Leaf color
Flower colors
Fruit colors