Butia capitata - Jelly palm

The Butia capitata - Jelly Palm is a beautiful plant that, due to its unique shape, transforms any room or garden into a piece of paradise.
In this article we will explain almost everything about the care of the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm.
Where best to place and water the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm, and of course all other useful information about the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm.

The Butia capitata - Jelly Palm likes a sip of water

For almost all plants, watering is an important part of the plant's survival and growth. The Butia capitata - Jelly Palm is certainly no exception! In this chapter, you will find all the necessary information so that you can provide your Butia capitata - Jelly Palm with moisture in the right way.

Summer

During the summer it is very important that this plant, when it is outside, is kept well moist. Especially during the warm days it should be watered every day, so that the root ball is well moist. On the less warm days this can sometimes be skipped for a few days. This is so important because otherwise the plant 'drinks' moisture from its leaves, causing it to become dry and eventually die. This should of course be prevented.

Winter

When winter is just around the corner, the rules are reversed! If the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm is outside, it must remain dry so that the moisture does not freeze and damage the plant. The Butia capitata - Jelly Palm does not suffer from a dry root ball during this period, it is in a kind of hibernation!
When the plant is kept indoors during the winter it should be kept slightly moist, so not soaking wet (as in summer), but just so that the root ball feels slightly damp.

General rules

In addition to the above guidelines, it is best to follow these rules:

First, give the plant a little water. If the soil is dry within 2 days, it means it needs a little more water. Adjust the amount of water until it still feels slightly moist between 2 and 5 days after watering, and almost dry after 5 days. If it feels very wet after 5 days, wait until it is almost dry and water again, but reduce the amount.

Spraying

We recommend that you spray the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm weekly with water. However, we do not recommend this during hot summer days, so that you do it either in the evening after sunset, or on days when the sun shines little, because the water droplets bundle the incoming sunlight into small points that become very hot. These cause the leaves to dry out, or even burn through.
Apart from the detrimental effect of bright sunlight on wet leaves, misting has beneficial effects for your Butia capitata - Jelly Palm. Namely, it removes dust from the leaves, allowing them to better absorb sunlight and appear more beautiful, and it prevents certain types of pests.

Where is the best place to place the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm?

For many plants it is important to determine the right place where it can stand best. A lot or little sun, sheltered from the wind, in the shade at certain sun positions… all this makes a difference for the development of the plant. In this chapter you will find what is best for the Butia capitata - Jelly palm.

Light

The Butia capitata - Jelly Palm is a plant that likes a fair amount of sunlight. It likes to be in full sun or half shade, taking in all the light. Is it indoors? Then it wants a spot near a window or where there is some light. The Butia capitata - Jelly Palm requires at least 1 to 3 hours of direct sunlight per day

Wind

Make sure that the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm experiences as little wind as possible. Wind can damage the leaves, causing them to die off more quickly. A little wind is no problem.

Temperature requirements

During the day minimum -18 ℃
At night minimum -18 ℃

Repotting, why and when?

Repotting a Butia capitata - Jelly palm with a root ball that has grown through has a few advantages. Namely, the plant grows faster when the roots have the space. The plant can also withstand lower temperatures better with a larger root ball. It can then absorb moisture from the soil better and is therefore stronger and more stable.

General rules

When the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm has taken root (often every 2-3 years) we recommend repotting it in the spring. If it is always indoors, it does not matter. If it is outdoors, it is not a problem to repot it in the summer, but we advise against it in the autumn and winter, because it will not grow and take root optimally then. This can make it somewhat weak, and possibly suffer damage from frost.

When you choose to repot your Butia capitata - Jelly Palm, choose a nice pot that is twice the size of the root ball. Place a layer of hydro grains at the bottom of the new pot, for better moisture control. It will thank you for that. Fill this layer with some Mediterranean potting soil. This type of soil ensures that the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm roots optimally and is fed. Then you can place the root ball on the ground. Make sure that the top of the root ball is slightly below the edge of the pot. Aim for a difference of 2 to 6 cm. This difference ensures that the water does not run off the root ball when you water it.
Every year you should replace the top layer of soil, because it hardens and 'wears out' in nutrients, due to regular watering and because of the sunlight on the upper edge of the root ball.

Provide the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm with good nutrition

During the summer and spring periods your Butia capitata - Jelly Palm needs to be fed well. Unfortunately, a good soil type is not enough for this. It certainly helps in certain needs of the plant. But to keep the leaves nice and deep green and strong, we recommend supplementing the nutrition with the specialized food [florentus]. Pokon is often recommended by other shops, but we advise against it, because .... Florentus is a product based on natural nutrients from many different sources, a mix of organic, vegetable acids and pure concentrates. It is the perfect 'fertilizer' for plants. Your plant is very grateful for this nutrition and will reward you with shiny deep green leaves and healthy strong roots.
If you want to give your plant that little bit of extra luxury, we also recommend supplementing florentus with [Plant Ultra]. This provides a few extra useful nutrients that the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm loves. They are not essential, but do help with root growth and extra health and strength of the palm.

When the leaves change color

The leaves can get black leaf tips. This can mean that too much water has been released. Brown or yellow leaves can mean that too little water is being released. We then recommend checking this and possibly adjusting the watering. We also recommend making the plant a bit more beautiful by simply cutting off the ugly tips with scissors.

It is also possible that the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm has been moved from a place with a lot/little light to a place with a different amount of light. This can also cause the leaves to discolour. The new leaves will be more resistant to direct sunlight.

How and when to prune the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm?

The leaves of the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm will eventually wither. If this is the case with a leaf, you can simply cut the stem near the trunk. It is not a problem to cut off an entire leaf with the stem of the plant. This is the way the plant forms its trunk.

How can I propagate the Butia capitata - Jelly Palm?

Many plants are easy to propagate by e.g. cuttings or harvesting and planting the seeds. The Butia capitata - Jelly palm propagates only by seed.