Question

palm fronds  

palm only stalk   Please help me identify this palm. I live in Belmont Ma, but received it as a gift from a Tampa Fl airport gift shop. It came as a very small plantlet with no real way for identification. Just stated Florida palm and grow instructions. I have tried to identify it for myself online, but hard to tell or sure. It is definitely a slow grower and sensitive to bright light, as I've lost a lot of fronds due to scorching. please help so i can care for it appropriately.

Answer
Courtney
Looks like an Areca palm. Type this name into your search engine and compare the pictures to your plant. Let me know what you think after comparing your plant to the pictures.
Watering it properly and doing other proper maintenance should help you take care of it and keep it healthy.
Water by weight. Put a saucer under the pot. Water and let the plant sit in the excess water for 5-10 minutes. After that time pour off any excess water in the saucer. Pick up or lean the pot. It should feel heavy. Don't water again until it feels considerably lighter in weight. You an also poke your finger into the soil to make sure it isn't too wet. Watering frequency depends on many factors(sun exposure, type of plant, wind, day temps, etc.). Plants die from too frequent waterings - not from too much water at one time. They can also die from being allowed to be too dry for too long.
You also need to add fertilize on a weekly to monthly basis during the growing season. Ask someone at a local garden center what to use and how to fertilize your plants.
Most indoor plants don't like to be moved a lot...They respond by dropping foliage and yellowing leaves. Most don't like direct sun lite either. Just a bright location...
Remove damaged leaves to make the plant function & look better...
Good luck...
Rick in southern NJ...