Rhapis excelsa

Common names

Lady Palm.

Curiosities

Rhapis means needle.

Origin

South of China.

Habitat

Morphology

A clumping, fan-leaved palm, which forms dense groups and reaches 3 m high as adult. Leaves are light green but turn yellowish when the plant grows at full sun. Between 5 and 8 segments per leaf. Slender trunks covered with brown fibres. From 4 to 10 leaflets in every side of the rachis. Small, globular, white fruits around 0.7 cm in diameter.

Climate

Tropical (shade) to temperate. This palm has tolerated temperatures down to –5.9ºC (21.4ºF, USDA Zone 9a).

Germination

Can be propagated by seed or by suckers. Fresh seeds germinate in around 3 months.

Growing

Slow growing but ideal as garden plant. Tolerates full sun in cold climates, but place best in shade or partial shade since irregular watering can cause water loss and leaf burning. Good as indoor plant, requires low light intensity. Several cultivars can be found. One of the few palms that can be grown as bonsai.