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Plant care

Nihoa Palm (Nihoa Loulu) care

Pritchardia remota

Also called Nihoa Palm, Nihoa Loulu.

RHS H2USDA 10-12Pet-safeIndoor Up to 5-10 m tall in habitat

Watering rhythm

10-21days

When the top 5-7 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-21 days

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Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Very free-draining rocky or sandy mix

Humidity

30-60%

Temp

15-32°C

Pet safety

Pet-safe

Mature size

Up to 5-10 m tall in habitat

Care at a glance

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Evolved on a bare, rocky, windswept island with relentless tropical sun. Requires full sun in cultivation. Deep shade is completely unsuitable. Coastal and exposed open positions closely match its natural habitat. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for nihoa palm — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering nihoa palm: when the top 5-7 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-21 days. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Highly drought-tolerant; adapted to the sparse, unpredictable rainfall of Nihoa Island. Deep, infrequent watering is best. Overwatering is the main risk in cultivation. Ensure extremely free-draining conditions; the root zone must never be waterlogged.

Soil and pot

Nihoa Palm grows best in very free-draining rocky or sandy mix. Best in gravelly, sandy, or rocky free-draining soil with minimal organic content. In containers, use cactus or palm grit mix with added perlite. Tolerates alkaline or neutral pH up to 7.5. Good drainage is the single most critical requirement. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Nihoa Palm sits happiest at around 30-60% humidity and 15-32°C (59-90°F). Adapted to the arid, exposed conditions of a small rocky island. Tolerates and prefers low humidity. Does not require misting. Excess humidity with poor ventilation can encourage fungal problems in cultivation. If you keep the room above 15 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed nihoa palm sparingly. Minimal feeding required; this species evolved on nutrient-poor rocky island soils. Apply a very dilute balanced palm fertiliser once in spring only. Over-feeding produces weak, lush growth poorly adapted to this species's character. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on nihoa palm in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Root rot from overwatering — The main risk in cultivation; treat this species like a succulent palm and water very sparingly.
  • Fungal diseases in humid climates — Poor air circulation combined with humidity can cause leaf spots; improve ventilation.
  • Scale insects — Can occur on stems and fronds; treat with horticultural oil.
  • Slow growth — Very slow-growing even by palm standards; do not rush with fertiliser or over-watering.
  • Wind tolerance as a benefit — Unlike most palms, this species is adapted to strong winds; does not need shelter from it.

Companion plants

Nihoa Palm pairs well with Agave sisalana, Opuntia cochenillifera, and Portulaca oleracea. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Propagate by fresh seed at 24-28°C in a well-drained, lean compost. Germination is slow and irregular, typically 3-8 months. Seeds must be sourced from legitimate conservation programmes; this is one of the world's most endangered palm species. No vegetative propagation possible. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Nihoa Palm is pet-safe. Pritchardia remota is a true palm (Arecaceae). The genus is not listed as toxic by the ASPCA, and true palms as a family are generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Nihoa Palm care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Pritchardia remota?

Pritchardia remota is most commonly called Nihoa Palm, but it is also known as Nihoa Palm, Nihoa Loulu. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Nihoa Palm apply identically to anything sold as Nihoa Loulu.

How much light does nihoa palm need?

Nihoa Palm grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Evolved on a bare, rocky, windswept island with relentless tropical sun. Requires full sun in cultivation. Deep shade is completely unsuitable. Coastal and exposed open positions closely match its natural habitat.

How often should I water nihoa palm?

Water nihoa palm when the top 5-7 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 10-21 days. Highly drought-tolerant; adapted to the sparse, unpredictable rainfall of Nihoa Island. Deep, infrequent watering is best. Overwatering is the main risk in cultivation. Ensure extremely free-draining conditions; the root zone must never be waterlogged. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is nihoa palm toxic to cats and dogs?

Nihoa Palm is pet-safe. Pritchardia remota is a true palm (Arecaceae). The genus is not listed as toxic by the ASPCA, and true palms as a family are generally considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.

What USDA hardiness zone does nihoa palm grow in?

Nihoa Palm is rated for USDA zone 10-12 and RHS hardiness H2. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Nihoa Palm deep-dive guides

Every aspect of nihoa palm care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

Nihoa Palm qualifies for 8 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Nihoa Palm is also commonly called Nihoa Palm or Nihoa Loulu.