How To Grow A Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

The elegant, upright parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans) has been a popular houseplant since Victorian times. Strap-like green leaflets on feathery fronds grow 9 to 24 inches long. It’s great for filling an empty corner and can get by on lower light than other palms. Young plants will do nicely in a terrarium while small. Parlour palm trees are quite an easy plant to grow and care for, which makes them suitable for those new to growing indoors. They tolerate low light and colder conditions pretty well. They also don’t need a great amount of feeding or watering.

Parlour Palms are a great place to start for the beginner. They do especially well in 3-gallon pots (about 10″) in a northern exposure or foyer, where they show off their fine textured leaves. Because they are tolerant of lower light conditions and sensitive to too much water, they are prime candidates to be “loved to death,” either through overwatering or by getting too much direct sunlight. Resist the temptation.

Plant Info:

• Size: To 1 – 8 feet high and 1 – 3 feet wide
• Growing conditions: Medium to low light; 55 – 75°F; evenly moist soil