Repotting guide

When & how to repot Lipstick Palm (Cyrtostachys renda)

Also called Sealing Wax Palm, Rajah Palm, Red Sealing Wax Palm.

More about lipstick palm

About Lipstick Palm

Cyrtostachys renda · also called Sealing Wax Palm, Rajah Palm · tropical

Cyrtostachys renda is one of the world's most striking ornamental palms, famed for its brilliant scarlet-red crownshaft and leaf bases that glow like sealing wax. A clustering feather palm from the tropical swamps of Malaysia and Borneo, requiring warmth and very high humidity. True palms are generally non-toxic to pets.

Mature size: 3-10 m tall outdoors; 1.5-3 m in containers

Watch for — Root rot in cold/stagnant water: Although swamp-adapted, cold waterlogging causes rot; keep soil warm and provide some airflow.

How to tell lipstick palm needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For lipstick palm, watch for these signs:

Thick roots out of the drainage holes, or circling the surface and lifting the plant.
The pot dries out unusually fast and lipstick palm wilts between waterings it used to shrug off.
The plant is visibly top-heavy and tips over easily.
Stalled growth and small new leaves over a full season — though with a big specimen, top-dressing is often the better first response before a full repot.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot lipstick palm

Every 2–3 years; top-dress in the in-between years. Lipstick Palm's growth habit — clustering multi-stemmed feather palm with scarlet crownshaft — sets the pace. Cyrtostachys renda is one of the world's most striking ornamental palms, famed for its brilliant scarlet-red crownshaft and leaf bases that glow like sealing wax. A clustering feather palm from the tropical swamps of Malaysia and Borneo, requiring warmth and very high humidity. True palms are generally non-toxic to pets.

What size pot to step lipstick palm up to

Move up exactly one pot size. A heavy lipstick palm dropped into a vastly bigger pot sits in a reservoir of wet soil its roots cannot reach, which rots them and destabilises the plant. In the years between repots, lift off and replace the top 3–5 cm of soil (top-dressing) instead — it refreshes nutrients without the shock of a full repot.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot lipstick palm

Early spring, just as new growth restarts, is the ideal window for lipstick palm. The plant is moving into its strongest growth phase and re-roots into fresh soil quickly. Avoid repotting in winter dormancy or, for flowering plants, while it is in bud or bloom — recovery is slowest then and you risk dropping the flowers.

Step-by-step: repotting lipstick palm

Consider top-dressing first. If lipstick palm is not badly root-bound, scrape off and replace the top 3–5 cm of soil instead — far less shock for a big plant that hates moving.
Get help and one size up. For a full repot, choose a pot just one size larger. A heavy plant needs two people and a stable, free-draining pot.
Ease it out on its side. Lay the plant down, slide the pot off, and gently loosen the outer roots. Do not bare-root a mature specimen.
Repot at the same depth. Add fresh peaty, moisture-retentive, rich tropical mix beneath and around the rootball, keeping the original soil line. Firm it so the trunk is stable and upright.
Water and leave it put. Water thoroughly, then leave lipstick palm in the same spot and light — moving and repotting at once is what makes it drop leaves.

Aftercare

Leave lipstick palm in exactly the same spot and light it was in before — moving and repotting at the same time is what makes a big specimen drop leaves. Water it in well, then let the top of the soil dry before watering again so the larger volume of fresh soil does not stay sodden. Do not fertilise for about 4 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for lipstick palm

Lipstick Palm wants peaty, moisture-retentive, rich tropical mix. Use a rich compost high in organic matter with added peat or coir; unlike most palms this species is adapted to waterlogged, acidic peat soils. A pH of 4.5-5.5 (acidic) is preferred. Drainage holes are still important to prevent stagnant anaerobic conditions. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting lipstick palm — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot lipstick palm?

Every 2–3 years; top-dress in the in-between years for lipstick palm. Fully repot lipstick palm only every 2–3 years; in the in-between years just top-dress the top 3–5 cm of soil. Step up one pot size in spring with peaty, moisture-retentive, rich tropical mix. It is heavy and hates being moved, and a vastly oversized pot holds water against the roots and rots them.

What size pot does lipstick palm need?

When is the best time of year to repot lipstick palm?

Should you top-dress or fully repot lipstick palm?

For a big, heavy lipstick palm, top-dressing — replacing the top 3–5 cm of soil — is the gentler option most years, with a full repot only every 2–3 years. A mature specimen sulks and drops leaves when fully repotted, so do it as rarely as the roots allow.

Should you fertilise lipstick palm after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 4 weeks after repotting lipstick palm. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.