How to distinguish between Areca palm and Hawaiian coconut

Differentiate from growth habit

Areca palm prefers warm, humid, semi-shady environment, but is afraid of cold, so it must be grown indoors in the north and can be grown outdoors in the south. It grows slowly in the seedling stage, has lush branches and leaves, and remains evergreen all year round.

Hawaiian coconut prefers a bright and caring environment and is not afraid of the cold. When grown outdoors, it should not be exposed to too much light and should be shaded.

Distinguish from appearance features

Areca palm, stem: It is yellow-green with turquoise spots on it. The stem is smooth, cylindrical, and wider at the base.

Leaves: The leaves of the Areca palm are lush and evergreen all year round. The leaves are smooth, slender, and hard. They are bright green, the petioles are yellow, and the whole plant grows in a feathery shape.

The flowers of the Areca palm grow under the leaf sheaths in the form of panicles. The flowers are small, golden yellow and grow spirally on the spikelet axis.

Hawaiian coconut, stem: Its stem is like bamboo, with segments. The segments are very short, the middle of the stem is hollow, but slender, and new buds grow on the stem in a creeping state, and there are no branches.

Leaves: Hawaiian coconut has few leaves, which are dark brown and shiny, growing on the upper part of the stem, growing in a pinnate shape, without petioles, and with straight branches.

The flowers of Hawaiian coconut are pink and grow on the upper part of the stem in the leaf axils. The flowering period is from February to March.

Okay, the editor has told you how to distinguish them, you’ve learned something new!