Parlour Palm
Chamaedorea elegans
The parlour palm is a small, slow-growing palm with arching, feathery fronds that tolerates lower light than most palms. It is one of the easiest palms for desks, shelves and dim corners.
Photo: Bachelot Pierre J-P · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Bright indirect light, Low light
Watering
Moderate
Water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry; never let it sit in water.
Soil
Well-drained, peat- or cocopeat-based mix; pH 5.5–6.5.
Temperature and humidity
12–30 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed every two months in spring and summer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed, division
Remove brown fronds at the base.
Parlour palm is not toxic to people, cats or dogs.
Top Cultivation Tips
Pots usually contain several seedlings together.
Keep out of direct sun.
Brown tips mean dry air or salty water.
Check for spider mites in dry weather.
Common problems
Brown leaf tips
Dry, brown, crisp tips on the leaves of houseplants, caused by dry air, uneven watering or a build-up of salts and minerals.
How to treat it →PestMealybugs
White, cottony insects that hide in leaf joints and under leaves, weakening plants and spreading easily to neighbours.
How to treat it →DiseaseRoot rot
Roots decay in waterlogged soil, so the plant wilts and yellows even though the soil is wet.
How to treat it →PestSpider mites
Tiny sap-sucking mites that thrive in hot, dry conditions, causing speckled, dull leaves and fine webbing.
How to treat it →
