Are golden cane palms fast growing? | 5 ways to grow them faster

Golden cane palms are not the fastest growing palm and will grow around 12 inches in height each year. This means they can take 20 years to reach 20 feet high. They will grow new stems quickly however and will only take 2-3 years to spread out to start to form a screen. For a slower growing palm that looks great against green leaves the golden cane palm is a great choice.

This article will explore all you need to know about the golden cane palm including how fast they grow and how you can help them to grow faster.

How fast golden cane palms grow

Golden can palms will row around 12 inches across the growing season with most of that growth being added over the warmer months. In sub-tropical climates this occurs during spring and summer where the humidity and temperature both rise.

They will grow multiple yellow stems, similar to the way bamboo grows. They will add both heigh and grow more stems as they grow, filing out and they can form a screen if trimmed well.

Remove extra stems to get the plant to focus its growth on increasing the height and width of a few main stems. Otherwise, you can leave the plant to grow in a clump and it will increase its width by bushing out.

Allowing more stems to grow will slow the growth in height of the golden cane palm but you should still expect a good 10 or more inches of growth if it is watered well.

How long until golden cane palms reach full height

For a golden can palm that reaches a growth rate of 12 inches each year or around 1 foot to keep it simple. This means it will take 20 years to reach 20 feet or 30 years to reach the ultimate large size of 30 feet.

While the palms will put a lot of growth on in the warmer months, this will grind to a halt when it is cool and it will seem like your palm is doing nothing. When the Spring weather arrives it will shoot up, but not in the same way that bamboo does.

By the time your palm grows up it will have strong stems and a large canopy. You can keep it small by trimming back the palm fronds and removing extra stems. The older stems will be replaced with new ones which can be left to grow or cut off to limit the palm’s size.

How to get a golden cane palm to grow quickly

1. Regular water

The key to a rapidly growing golden cane palm is lots of water over the warmer months. Golden cane palms love regular water with the chance to dry out between watering. Check the soil around your palm and give it a deep and thorough water when it feels dry 2 inches below the surface.

Golden cane palms grow a mat of roots near the surface of the soil which absorb the most water and nutrients. Make sure they are thoroughly watered however to encourage them to grow a balanced root system which will increase stability and help them to reach damp soil deeper down.

2. Mulch

Mulch is particularly important if you want to grow your golden cane palm faster. Mulch that sits around the root zone of your palm, over the shallow feeder roots will help to keep the soil moist for longer. This will give your roots the best chance of absorbing the water before it evaporates on warm days.

Use a 2-3 inch layer of a mixed tree mulch or a bark mulch that contains both leaf matter, stems and bark. The mix of green and brown will help to feed the soil bacteria and worms which will break down the organic matter releasing the nutrients into the soil and to the plant.

3. Full sun

Growing your golden cane palm in full sun will give it the best chance of growing fast. The stems will go a dark golden color and the green leaves will photosynthesize efficiently.

While golden cane palms will grow in part or almost full shade, they will grow quicker when they get lots of sun. Pair this with lots of water and a feed of pelleted chicken manure in the Spring and you will have the fastest growing palm in the neighborhood.

4. Fertilizer to help golden cane palms grow fast

A dose of a well balanced fertilizer is important for golden cane palms. I like to use an organic or natural fertilizer like pelleted chicken manure or fish emulsion. A pelleted chicken manure will slowly release nutrients to the palm.

Liquid fertilizer like fish emulsion can be added 3-4 times over Spring and early Summer. This will feed the palm and help it to grow bright green leaves that highlight the golden stems.

5. Climate

Golden cane palms will grow fastest in tropical weather so if you live in the tropics or sub tropics this palm is a great choice. Golden cane palms love humidity over the warmer months and thrive on warm days and warm nights.

This tropical palm come from Madagascar which explains a lot about its favorite climate. Tropical rainforests are littered with the original golden cane palms and they will look right at home in a tropical style yard design.

I have recently planted my golden cane palms in a narrow space because they will grow slowly and I can keep them trimmed to fit.

Are golden cane palms fast growing? | Summary

Golden cane palms are not the fastest growing palm out there but if 1 foot of growth per year is what you are looking for then they are a great choice. A slower growing palm can be great for pots as you won’t have to re-pot them as often.

More water, light and humidity will help this palm thrive and allow it to reach its maximum growth speed and height. Golden cane palms are a beautiful, easy to grow palm that are good if you are a beginner or experienced gardener.

Happy planting.