Palm Leaves Turning Brown

Hi There,
I bought a what I believe is a Majesty Palm for my office workspace about 3-4 months ago. I replanted into a similar size pot..but it doesnt have holes in the bottom (I’m going to repot back into one with holes). Anyway, the tips of all my leaves are turning brown! A dry brown, with yellow around the brown, & the leaves seem to appear blotchy yellow as well. It seems to be happening to the newer fronds first..it is also still growing new fronds, but they appear to be going slightly brown before even opening up. I did notice the plant had spider mites a few weeks back, have treated the plant for them, & they are gone now. I was watering once the top layer of soil was dry, but am now watering slightly more often. Please help! This is so sad!

Hi Christina,

The soil of a Majesty Palm should be consistently moist but not soggy. Never let a Majesty Palm dry out or sit in water. Brown tips usually means the plant needs more water and yellow tips mean the plant has been over-watered. Water when the top 25% of the soil has dried out. Be sure there are drip holes in the bottom of the pot and that the pot is only an inch or two larger than the root ball. Never allow the plant to sit in the excess water.

Looking at the leaves, I think the plant  has spider mites; that is why the leaves have that blotchy yellow appearance.

Spider mites are hard to see with the naked eye, and may appear only as small red dots. They are more often recognized by the gritty feel of the leaf when you run your finger down it’s length, or by the appearance of discolored leaves due to the sucking action of the mites. The best way to prevent spider mites is to keep your plants clean and dust free. Treat spider mites by spraying with insecticidal soap. Mix 5 tablespoons of insecticidal soap in 1 gallon of water. Spray both sides of the palm leaves.  Repeat the application every four to seven days for a month.  Neem oil can also be used.

You can read all my care tips for a Majesty Palm in the Popular Houseplant section of the website.

https://www.houseplant411.com/houseplant/majesty-palm-how-to-grow-care-guide-ravenea-rivularis