Licuala Mapu Soil

[Tropical Toni]

I have a little Licuala Mapu that has been slowly declining in my greenhouse cabinet. 🥲

 

After doing a bit of reading I think the issue is the soil. I think what caused the decline of the palm was water logged soil, so the leaves started showing browning on the edges & then eventual death to some leaves. 

I am not typically an overwater-er so I am surprised I ran into this issue ! I think also what the main culprit was inside the cabinet the pot has drainage holes on the bottom & sits in a tray of water (which I add to increase the overall humidity in the cabinet) - so the pot has been waterlogged for quite some time !

 

Anyways, I have been trying to figure out a good soil mix. I read that 2/3 pine bark, 1/3 seramis is good. But I don't have seramis where I am located. What are some alternatives ? I was thinking 2/3 pine bark with maybe a gritty soil, like succulent type soil ? thoughts ?

 

Also when repotting, I think I'll use a clay pot (sounds ironic, but will help with the over watering issue). Also when repotting, I am not sure how root sensitive these palms are, but I want to remove the old water logged soil from the roots. I am thinking of using a hose to gently do so. 

[Jdash]

you can look into what all the tropical anthurium and orchid people use for their soil. Also i believe some people use tree fern substrate with orchid bark and either some organic substrate in there or nutricote for more tropical forest plantae. if you're in cali, look into black volcano rock or pumice too!

[happypalms]

Tricky situation you’re palm is in, they are very temperamental mapu and root sensitivity is extremely important, dont break them or tease them apart to much. 
Overwatering and stagnet Stale soil is the problem no oxygen in the soil. I have gotten a few mapu from the growers up north sent to me, and they are all in a scoria rock mix almost a succulent mix only larger rock based.  If it was my palm I would remove from the pot and gently hose away the soil on a cool day. Then my medium would be coco coir perlite about 50/50 with a handful of good quality potting mix and even a bit of crushed up larva pebbles from hydroponic shops. In Australia I would use a crushed up rock we call blue metal or crusher dust it gis called. Place the palm in a shaded place with humidity and instead of sitting in a tray of water I would put rocks in the tray of water and then place the palm on top of the rocks with just about half a centimetre of container in the water in among the rocks. It’s a tender palm mapu. You have a sick little baby and it needs TLC but not fussing over, dont fertilise your palm either let it recover.