Adding an indoor palm to your home can be more than just for aesthetic purposes. A cat palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum) can aid your home by improving air quality, humidity, and oxygen.
The cat palm, also known as the cascade palm, is most notable for being an indoor palm. Native to Mexico and Central America, the palm can normally grow to be 3 feet indoors and 6 feet outdoors.
It enjoys bright indirect light and can tolerate drought. The dark green palm is known for filtering air and is effective against allergies and other ailments. The cat palm has multiple other benefits when you add one to your indoor living space.
Cat Palm Benefits
1. Filters Your Home Air
Cat palms and other indoor palm varieties can filter your home’s air. According to this research study, indoor palms can remove carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from your air and release clean oxygen.
By filtering the air, the cascade palm can produce new and clean air for your home, improving air quality.
2. Adds Oxygen to the Air
Cat palms naturally produce more oxygen in your home by filtering the air. Since palms also have many leaves and stems, the leaves will produce a significant amount of fresh and new air.
The indoor palm will give your home better air quality and positively affect your living environment with fresh air and more oxygen.
3. Can Improve Your Mental Health
The research study found that indoor plants and cat palms can effectively filter the air and improve one’s mental health. The cat palm can remove toxins and add oxygen. Because of this, the added oxygen can create a more productive and positive headspace.
Because of the added fresh air, cat palms can improve learning and productivity. The palm can also relieve negative feelings through the enhanced environment.
The added oxygen can even promote recovery from physical and mental strain.
4. Successfully Removes Toxins
Removing harmful toxins and dangerous particles from your home air can be very important. Having healthy and clean air can aid in your mental health and also your future physical health.
According to NASA’s indoor plant study, cat palms and other indoor palms can successfully remove dangerous particles such as formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia.
These pollutants can cause irritations and often lead to other illnesses. The cat palm can easily remove these particles and create clean, safe air.
5. Added Humidity to Your Air
Studies have found that indoor palms, like the cat palm, can increase humidity. The plants can release up to a quart of water vapor every hour. This added humidity is from a full-grown adult palm. If you get a young cat palm, it will release less, but as it grows it will eventually release more.
Dry air can allow viruses and diseases to survive longer in your home. If the air is too dry, it can decrease productivity and even affect sleep quality. A cat palm or any indoor plant can release humidity, help fight viruses, and even help you sleep better.
The palm can increase your work productivity and reduce your chances of becoming sick all by adding more humidity to your home.
6. Non-toxic to Dogs and Cats
Homeowners who own pets often worry about how toxic a plant may be to their animals. Many houseplants can harm cats and dogs and cause an added nuisance to your home.
The ASPCA has noted that the cat palm is non-toxic to cats and dogs. Other indoor palms are also safe for pets as they are normally quite safe.
You can have the added benefits like better air and more humidity and also not have to worry about your pet being harmed. This plant can easily benefit your home without harming your cats or dogs.
7. Great Beginner Plant
Cat palms are an excellent choice for beginner plant owners. They are easy to care for and can even tolerate drought for quite some time. They enjoy bright, indirect light. This can be obtained through a window or in a sunny corner of your home.
The cascade palm usually only needs to be watered around once a week when the soil is completely dry. However, since this plant is drought tolerant, you can wait to water it until the following week if you initially forget to do so.
You also only need to fertilize the palm once every other month. You can use a tropical palm fertilizer or a general fertilizer.
8. Fights Against Allergies
Cat palms and other indoor palms filter and improve air quality. Because of this, they aid allergy sufferers by removing harmful particles. By adding humidity to your home, the indoor palm can even lower your chances of allergic reactions to air particles like pollen.
9. Added Victorian, Sophisticated Style to Your Home
Since they were found, cat palms were used in Victorian times to show luxury and a sophisticated aesthetic. Today, while owning a houseplant may not be considered as luxurious as before, it still adds a modern and sophisticated style to your home.
The cat palm can add a lot of dark green and lush foliage. The added green can spruce up your home no matter the style you are looking for. Along with its benefits for your home air and being safe for your pet, this palm is a great plant to add to your home.
Related: Why Is My Cat Palm Dying?
