Rhapis excelsa ( Lady Palm ) is an evergreen fan palm tree that is native to China and Taiwan. This very popular palm is often grown indoors due to its compact size, beautiful leaves, and air purifying qualities. Lady Palms don’t enjoy direct sunlight so can be positioned anywhere inside the home. They are slow-growing and require little watering or fertiliser. When mature, they spawn pretty yellow flowers.
Suitable for Sub-Tropical and Tropical climates but are regularly grown indoors in temperate climates around the world.
Rhapis excelsa is also commonly known as Broadleaf Lady Palm or the Bamboo Palm.
Growth
Rhapis excelsa is a compact palm tree that reaches heights of up to 4 metres (15 feet) and 1.8 metres (6 feet) wide. It grows multi-stemmed clumps with glossy, palmate evergreen leaves that are divided into wide, ribbed segments. The leaf-ends are saw-toothed and attached to slender petioles that range from 20-60cm (8-24 inches) in length. As Lady Palms age, the sheaths fall, revealing the bamboo-like trunks.
When mature, this species produces a small inflorescence at the top of the plant with fleshy yellow flowers, each with three petals fused at the base. Rhapis excelsa also propagates easily via their underground rhizome offshoots.
When choosing a location for the Lady Palm, direct sunlight will often burn the leaves of younger plants or lighten the colour on those that have matured. Leaving them in shadier locations that receive indirect sunlight will produce a darker leaf colour.
Lady Palms do not tolerate frost or temperatures below 10°C / 50°F so are often grown in containers in colder climates so that they can be moved according to seasonal changes.
Note: Germination instructions can be found in the ‘Germination Instructions Tab’ below. Upon purchase you will receive these detailed instructions via email so that you have a permanent record.
FAMILY:
Arecaceae
CLIMATE:
Sub-Tropical, Tropical. Temperate when grown indoors.
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
15°C to 27°C / 60 to 80°F
SOIL TYPE:
Loamy, Well-draining.
LOCATION:
Part-Sun, Shade.
HEIGHT:
Up to 4 metres (14 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 1.8 metres (6 feet)
pH:
6.0-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Evergreen
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Low.
POLLINATION:
Pollinated by wind and insects. Male and female plant is required.
MATURITY:
7-8 years.
GERMINATION RATES:
80-85%
GERMINATION TIME:
Soak overnight and then between 4-6 weeks.
GERMINATION DIFFICULTY:
Medium
SEEDS PER KILOGRAM:
8000
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
No
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
EDIBLE:
No
SEED STORAGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) up to 2 years.
FACTS ABOUT RHAPIS EXCELSA (LADY PALM)
Rhapis excelsa has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
The genus name Rhapis is Greek and translates to English with needle while the species name excelsa is Latin for tall. Which is ironic because this species is known for its compact size which is why it is so popular as an indoor plant.
Lady Palm trees were first collected by the Japanese and grown in their Tokugawa shogunate palaces. The Japanese also planted the trees around military bases to help ward off people with ill will or bad intentions.
Rhapis excelsa was part of a 1989 study conducted by NASA aimed at measuring plants and their air purifying abilities. The study found that the Lady Palm was able to remove Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene, Xylene, Toluene and Ammonia from the air. The same study found that the Chamaedorea elegans was able to remove the same toxins.
