Lady Palm
1 entry found.
Lady Palm
Common Name: Lady Palm, Bamboo Palm (Dwarf or Slender Lady Palm)
Botanical Name: Rhapis excelsa (R. humilis) (RAY-pis)
Decorative Life: Years.
Post Harvest Care:
- Leaf yellowing can be a major problem, often due to nutrient imbalances such as low iron, which in turn may indicate high growing media pH.
Harvest Instructions: Other than having a smaller growth habit, R. humilis also grows better in cooler climates than R. execelsa.
Family Roots:
- Member of the Palmae (palm family).
- Originally from China, Japan.
- Relatives include many palms like date, coconut and oil.
Personality:
- Classed as a monocotyledon, leaves mostly parallel veined.
- Fronds (fern leaves) are fan-like, forming clumps.
- Stems are covered with fibrous leaf sheaths.
Availability: Year-round.
Flower Color: Not applicable.
Storage Specifics: Chill sensitive, store above 55F.
Tidbits:
- The specific epithet name "excelsa" means tall.
- Rhapis: Greek for needle but the application of this meaning to this species is not obvious other than in possible reference to the narrow leaf segments.
- Members of this family provide the world with many products including food (coconut and oil), ornamentals, wax, fibers and beverages.
- Will generally grow well in light levels bright enough to read a newspaper in comfort.