The exotic Majesty Palm can grow anywhere between 20-40 ft (6-12 m), and the fronds can grow up to 8 ft (2.4m) in length.
But not everybody has this much room in their house, so you have to perform pruning for size control.
Pruning the Majesty Palm is the easiest step of plant care for this Palm variety.
This article explains the detailed steps involved in pruning the Majesty Palm.
Table of Contents
How to Prune a Majesty Palm?
Start the process by sterilizing the pruning shears or scissors with alcohol or neem oil to reduce the risk of a bacterial infection or pest damage. Remove all the yellow, brown, or dead leaves that are dry. If you want to shape the crown, remove the fronds from the lower part because these are the old, mature fronds. Remember never trim green fronds even if only a small portion of the leaves is green because this is a slow-growing Palm.
Pruning a Majesty Palm
Most growers prune the Majesty Palm for size control, aesthetics, and to fight disease or bugs.
But in my opinion, pruning is an essential part of Majesty Palm care because it redirects the plant energy to new and healthy growth.
Infections by pests or diseases are mostly indicated by the change in leaf color. So if you notice that the leaves are turning brown or yellow, inspect the reason behind it before cutting the fronds.
But if pruning is the last resort, follow the steps given below.
Tools
The first step is to gather the necessary tools and sterilize them in isopropyl alcohol. These tools include using either a pair of gardening scissors or pruning shears and hand gloves.
After sterilizing, make sure the blades of your cutting tools are sharp because dull blades can damage or shock the plant.
Removing Leaves
Start the pruning by getting rid of brown or yellow leaves. To have more new growth at the plant’s top part, focus pruning on the lower area.
If you are pruning for size control, you can trim few more fronds from any location where you want to encourage growth. Otherwise, removing the damaged leaves is enough.
Pests
While pruning, carefully examine all the leaflets and fronds for any pest damage and treat your Palm with neem oil in case of infection.
Also, it’s better to isolate the diseased plant from the healthy ones to prevent cross-infections. You can trim all the infected leaves to reduce the infection risk.
If you are wondering when is the best time for pruning a Majesty Palm, I would recommend spring or autumn. These seasons have the most ideal weather since there are fewer chances of drought stress.
Tips for Pruning a Majesty Palm
- Removing any yellow, brown, or dying leaves will not only enhance the appearance of your plant but also makes room for new growth.
- Make sure you cut the fronds or leaflets at 45 degrees angle. This is important for water retention.
- You can cut the fronds at a distance of 3 inches (7.62 cm) from the trunk of the Palm.
- Pulling or cutting too close from the trunk can damage tissues and even cause infection.
- If you notice any crowded areas on your plant, lightly trim the leaves for better airflow. This reduces the risk of fungal infection.
- You can also remove the flowers or fruits as this will focus the energy on leaf growth.
- Avoid removing healthy green leaves because this slow-growing plant takes several months to regrow them.
- Avoid aggressive pruning as it can kill the Palm or hinder growth.
- Immediately dispose of the infected fronds. Keeping them near healthy plants increases the risk of infection.
- Avoid pruning fronds that still have some green pigment in them. The healthy leaves will naturally recycle the nutrients from these discolored fronds.
- Always sanitize your gardening equipment before and after pruning the Majesty Palm.
- Avoiding trimming more than one-third of the leaves. Most growers believe that Majesty Palm grows a certain number of fronds per year, so trimming unnecessarily can impact the beauty of the Palm.
- If the fronds are continuously yellowing or dying, revise your care schedule. Your Palm might be suffering from watering issues.
- For brown tips, remove only the tips and leave the healthy green part.
- Trim all the dried fronds while you’re pruning to encourage new growth.
Healthy Growth of Majesty Palm
Majesty Palm or the Ravenea Rivularis grows symmetrically with feather-like fronds.
But, did you know that this is a vulnerable plant in its native area that so many plant lovers are trying to save this species by cultivating it as a houseplant?
Majesty Palm is a slow grower, so even if you follow all the care instructions, it grows only 1 foot per year on average.
Careful pruning can increase the size of your Majesty Palm as it encourages new growth. But before you start pruning, it is important to understand how to help your plant stay healthy.
I have summarized the plant care requirements for Majesty Palm below.
Water
Never let the soil for this plant dry out completely. Depending on the atmosphere, you might have to water it every other day to maintain the moisture in the soil.
But drainage holes are a must; otherwise, the roots will be infected.
Light
To help this variety reach its maximum size, expose it to 6-8 hours of bright sunlight.
Fertilizer
To further enhance the soil condition and nutrient content, fertilize your Majesty Palm every 2 or 3 months in spring and summer. Never fertilize in winter.
Humidity
50% or more humidity is a must for this tropical houseplant.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pruning a Majesty Palm
Should I prune Majesty Palm fronds with brown spots?
In my opinion, it is best to remove any fronds that have discoloration and brown spots because these indicate a pest infection. Removing them is important to stop or reduce the spread of the infection on your plant.
Can I use the pruned fronds of Majesty Palm for compost?
It is an environment-friendly practice to reuse plant leaves in your garden. I would highly suggest for you to use the fronds for your compost pile. But if your Majesty Palm was infected with a disease or pests, it is best to get rid of the leaves.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.