Best indoor palms: palm trees to grow indoors
Best indoor palms: palm trees to grow indoors
Palms have shone as indoor plants since their introduction to indoors back in the 19th century, when there was a craze for lush, leafy house plants. But for all their elegance, are palm trees good indoor plants? Good news - many are remarkably resilient to life indoors. Indeed, Chamaedorea elegans is known as the parlour palm as it does so well indoors and once graced any fashionable ‘parlour’. The best indoor palms are compact but offer lush foliage interest.
However, not every palm takes to the indoor life. Palms have a reputation for thriving on neglect and tolerating low light, but for a vigorous, healthy indoor palm, you need a position in bright light but not direct sun. Most indoor palms are slow growing, so need infrequent repotting into a larger container making them low-maintenance. Fronds (the name for palm leaves) can become dusty, so regular dusting to keep fronds dust-free is a must.
Water when the potting mix feels dry – palms do not like overly wet or waterlogged conditions, Watering is generally reduced in winter as temperature and light levels fall. Palms prefer a free-draining potting mix with an application of slow-release fertiliser (Flower Power recommends Searles Palm Food) in spring, or liquid feeding each month from spring to late summer. Watch out for scale, mealy bug, fungus gnats and palm dart, which is a small butterfly whose larvae (caterpillars) can damage palms. All palms benefit from a spell outdoors in a warm sheltered spot that’s out of direct sun (which can burn fronds). Remove old or damaged fronds by cutting off at the base of the stem.
Flower Power's 5 Best Indoor Palms
Here are five standout palms for your indoor plant collection.
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Best Indoor Palms: Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)This palm is so popular indoors that it has been given the name of ‘parlour’ palm. It is a multi-trunked, compact palm that grows to around 1.5m high with attractive, bright-green fronds. The parlour palm grows naturally in the rainforests of Southern Mexico and Gautemala, so it prefers a warm and humid situation. Mist leaves from time to time if indoor conditions are dry. Repot when the plant fills its space. Clumps can also be divided to form two or more new plants. Pet safety: According to the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plants list, the parlour palm is non-toxic for dogs and cats. |
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Best Indoor Palms: Rhapis Palm (Rhapis excelsa)Also multi-trunked, the rhapis palm is a long-lived plant for indoors or for a sheltered outdoor garden on a balcony or courtyard. You may also hear it referred to as the lady palm. It has dark green, fan-shaped fronds and is slow-growing, so can remain in the same container for many years. It eventually reaches 3-4m high. It is native to Vietnam and China. For added interest, look for variegated forms. Pet safety: According to the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plants list, the rhapis palm is non-toxic for dogs and cats. |
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Best Indoor Palms: Golden Cane Palm (Dypsis lutescens)This is one of best indoor palms for low-light areas. It is multi-trunked, forming clumps of attractive, golden stems. The long, fine fronds are bright green to golden-green. It can reach 6m high, but is usually much smaller in a container. The golden cane palm is native to Madagascar. Pet safety: According to the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plants list, the golden cane palm is non-toxic for dogs and cats. |
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Best Indoor Palms: Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana)Native to Lord Howe Island off the New South Wales mid-north coast, the kentia palm, has a single trunk and elegant mid-green fronds. It can reach 6m tall but is much smaller indoors in a container. Pet safety: According to the ASPCA's toxic and non-toxic plants list, the kentia palm is non-toxic for dogs and cats. |
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Best Indoor Palms: Cascade Palm (Chamaedorea atrovirens)This is a dense, multi-trunked palm with dark green feathery fronds. It does well indoors or on a shaded balcony garden and works well as a green backdrop to other indoor plants. Cascade palms grow to around 2m high. It is native to Mexico and Central America. Pet safety: The cascade palm is not generally known to be toxic to dogs or cats. |