Add a tropical touch to any room with this tall, beginner-friendly houseplant.
It may even bear clusters of yellow flowers in the spring if it gets enough light.
This palm typically grows to about 3 or 4 feet tall indoors but can grow taller in ideal conditions.
Credit: Mike Jensen
If you dont have a bright spot, dont despair.
Parlor palms have been known to adapt to low-light conditions and may grow well in shaded or north-facing windows.
Avoid using very deep or very large containers.
Credit: Mike Jensen
Parlor palms have shallow root systems and like to be snug in their pot.
Outdoor-grown parlor palms should be planted in the spring.
Place the plant in the hole and hold it steady as you backfill with soil halfway.
Credit: Paul Craft
Water the surrounding soil well and continue filling the hole.
Parlor Palm Care Tips
Parlor palms are very forgiving, which makes them excellent houseplants for beginners.
But this adaptable plant also tolerates low light and can thrive in spaces with east- or north-facing windows.
Credit: Paul Craft
If your outdoor soil lacks nutrients, enrich it with well-decomposed compost prior to planting.
Parlor palms like moist (but not wet) soil and are drought-tolerant once established.
These palms don’t like sitting in wet soil, so be sure to dump any water-filled saucers.
Outdoor parlor palms should be watered regularly when planted in well-drained soil but be careful of overwatering.
They will not tolerate sitting in waterlogged soil.
If the weather is fair and warm, indoor parlor palms can be moved outdoors in the summer.
Just be sure to protect them from direct sun, which will scorch their leaves.
Choose a shaded outdoor location and water daily in hot, dry conditions.
Move your plant back indoors when night temperatures fall below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Freezing conditions are likely to cause irreparable damage or death.
Pruning
Parlor palms are slow-growing plants and arent likely to need pruning at all.
In fact, too much pruning may kill the plant.
Trim away dead or diseased fronds but avoid cutting the plant from the top.
If it becomes rootbound, you’ll see roots coming out of the bottom of the pot.
To check, lift the plant from its pot to peek at the roots every few months.
A much larger container could cause transplant shock.
Fill in the air pockets by tamping down the soil as you work.
If necessary, you’re free to stake your palm to keep it steady.
Water immediately and deeply and place the plant back in a bright, warm location.
Parlor palms can also have issues with aphids, scale, whiteflies, and mealy bugsespecially when grown outdoors.
If need be, you’re able to add some stabilizing stakes.
If you have palm parlor seeds or your palm produced seeds, you could collect them.
Change the water daily and watch for the seed coats to crack.
The Bella is a compact parlor palm that remains under 4 feet tall for a long time.
Bamboo palm is a small, slow-growing multi-trunk palm with an upright shape that makes a good houseplant.
It can also be grown outdoors in zones 911.
Outdoors, it is hardy in zones 911.
Cat palms are easygoing, low-maintenance plants that offer a lot of flourish for such little care.
In fact, they are a popular choice among first-time houseplant growers who appreciate its forgiving, adaptable nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Indoors (and with proper care) parlor palms can live for several decades.
Outdoor-grown parlor palms may live even longer if the plant is well-maintained and growing conditions are favorable.
Parlor palms (like many of theChamaedoreapalms) are slow growersespecially when grown in containers as houseplants.
Evaluate your watering schedule and adjust accordingly.
