MANILA, Philippines - Red Palms or Cyrtostachys lakka is also known as Maharaja Palm and Red sealing wax palm. The palm originated from Borneo and Pacific Islands of Malaysia. This beautiful feather palm is a favorite among the Chinese. The red scarlet color of the sheath and petiole gives it good Fung Shui character: imparts Luck and to ward off bad luck.
Red Palms come from the Swampy areas of Malaya. Being a palm that is used to water, it should be planted with the water around the root system. This is the main reason why Philippine landscapers fail in their designs. Filipinos tend to plant the Red Palms on dry soil.
Red palms planted on dry soil eventually get leaftip burns. The brown tips expand bigger with every subsequent fertilizer applications. Those planted in rainy spots tend to be healthier.
In horticultural production, Red Palms are produced in rice paddies. Two times a week, the growing areas are flooded to full field saturation for half a day and drained. Plants in this ebb and flow cycle grow very fast.
For Red Palms planted in dry locations and elevated soil conditions, 2 times daily watering of the root system to full drench is advisable.