Emerald Palm – Chamaedorea elegans

Common Name: Emerald Palm, Chico Palm

Botanical Name: Chamaedorea elegans, kam-a-DOR-ee-a EL-e-ganz

Decorative Life: From about 7-25 days.

Availability: Year Round

Postharvest quality is not affected by the nitrate to ammonium nitrogen ratio used in fertilization practices during production.

• Member of the Arecaceae or Palmae (palm family).
• It is native to Mexico and Guatemala.
• Date, coconut and Washington palms are common relatives.

• Leaves are 10 inches long with fronds 1 inch wide in a pinnate arrangement.
• Classed as a monocotyledon, leaves mostly parallel veined.

55-60 F.

• Commonly used as an indoor plant. From the Greek “chamai” (on the ground) and “dorea” (a gift) meaning that the fruit hang low to the ground and are therefore easy to get.
• Members of this family provide the world with many products including food (coconut and oil), ornamentals, wax, fibers and beverages.
• While it can be grown in southern Florida, most of this crop is grown in Mexico and Guatemala for both economic and cultural reasons. Namely, even in southern Florida it can get too cold for this species.

Using C. erumpens, Fujino et al. (1981) showed that vaselife was increased from about 7 to 28 days in water simply by recutting the stems.