Hi guys,

Was hoping someone could help, I have a parlour palm which I have had for 1.5 years and its been thriving and growing, never had any problems with it. Half of the leaves have suddenly started going brown and dying.. it's weird because theres new leaves coming out but half of the plant is going brown. I haven't changed watering pattern (reduced a little for winter months ofc) and theres been no change in position.

It was kind of hard to get pictures but tried my best, it looks worse in real life. Some of the browning leaves also have what looks like dusty-white patches on them.

Weird because two huge new leaves were coming out as you can see and also another one sprouted from the soil so it was doing so well!

Hoping someone can help.

Thanks all




Moved to the kitchen to get a better pic

Your parlor palm appears to have a mite problem, a very serious mite problem. Most likely false spider mites but regular mites could also be present. This has been happening for several weeks. Populations do build up fairly quickly due to their short lifecycle.
These are piercing/sucking insects that cause a tremendous amount of damage. They thrive in a dry humidity environment. You may need to use a hand lens of 10 power just to see them.

The attack is so widespread that control now is going to be next to impossible. Sorry to be so pessimistic. If you tried to spray them with a miticide, take it outside and spray it all over, 100%!!! If you miss spots, the mites will keep thriving. Three sprays minimum, a week to ten days in between sprays. In my attempts to grow palms, they seem to be "scale magnets".
They make systemic cures which are taken into the plants tissue. Cures are more complete that way.
A regular insecticide will not work. It has to be blended for mites!
Good luck.

The pot seems small in relation the the plant size.. to me.

BigBill said:Your parlor palm appears to have a mite problem, a very serious mite problem. Most likely false spider mites but regular mites could also be present. This has been happening for several weeks. Populations do build up fairly quickly due to their short lifecycle.
These are piercing/sucking insects that cause a tremendous amount of damage. They thrive in a dry humidity environment. You may need to use a hand lens of 10 power just to see them.

The attack is so widespread that control now is going to be next to impossible. Sorry to be so pessimistic. If you tried to spray them with a miticide, take it outside and spray it all over, 100%!!! If you miss spots, the mites will keep thriving. Three sprays minimum, a week to ten days in between sprays. In my attempts to grow palms, they seem to be "scale magnets".
They make systemic cures which are taken into the plants tissue. Cures are more complete that way.
A regular insecticide will not work. It has to be blended for mites!
Good luck.

Great advice, thank you. I'm bad at ID.

Only things I can add are to make sure to get the undersides of the leaves, the soil surface, and to not give up. Plants are very strong.
Basically, don't be surprised if it dies but it has a good chance so do what you can!

Those leaves look bad and should be cut, but the basic structure of the plant looks healthy.

sallyg said:The pot seems small in relation the the plant size.. to me.

Even though they're not in the bamboo family I think they grow similarly.

They do fine root-bound to a certain point.

I agree with Bill, it looks like a severe mite infestation. Look on the undersides of the leaves for webbing, the mites are very tiny, but the dried out speckly look of the leaves is a giveaway.
TBH I would throw it out, treating something like that is very difficult.

Humboldt said:

Great advice, thank you. I'm bad at ID.

Only things I can add are to make sure to get the undersides of the leaves, the soil surface, and to not give up. Plants are very strong.
Basically, don't be surprised if it dies but it has a good chance so do what you can!

Those leaves look bad and should be cut, but the basic structure of the plant looks healthy.

Thanks so much guys! I am going to have a go at saving it because why not!! I cut off some of he worse leaves yesterday and brought some miticide, gave it a good spray and will follow it up in 2 weeks! In the meantime do I water it as normal?

Really appreciate all the advice & help.

Yes, keep it watered as normal.

kniphofia said:
TBH I would throw it out, treating something like that is very difficult.

Close call but I'd probably go for the challenge and hopefully get some insight as to what does/doesn't work the next time it occurs.

I'd definitely try to isolate it if possible so they can't spread to other plants.

Most pesticides work very very quickly which is good.

What brand miticide did you use?

I've also seen recommendations of straight 70% rubbing alcohol, to 1/3-1/4 mix with water, applied gently with a paper towel.

Seems to be a well-regarded method.

I've had good luck just swabbing things right when they get going with rubbing alcohol and Q-tips.

I would wrap the pot in a plastic bag so I could turn the pot any which way and wash the bejeezus out of the leaves with a hose, shower, tub of soapy water, something.

Hi friends,

I am hoping to get some advice on my 1.5-year-old Parlor Palm. I have recently noticed some dark brown tips on the leaves. Upon inspection , I noticed this tiny round particles emerging out of the small draining holes (as pictured). Can I get some light on what they are ? And does that explain the brown tips of the leaves ? Thanks !

The brown tips could be a humidity issue. But I think the balls coming out from the soil are a type of soil fungus. It is harmless from what I understand though.

But your parlor palm looks far from dying. It looks good to me!

Many Chamaedorea palms are tropical highland plants, doing quite well in coolish temps. Under warmer and drier conditions, prone to spider mites, like a lot of indoor palms. Once accidentally left out a Bamboo palm in the Fall, Found it in late November after a snowfall, it was FINE.