A palm for the spot where no palm should grow: small, slow and content with little light. The Victorians already kept it in their parlours.

What it does for you

The parlour palm is one of several palms that are easy indoors and tolerate fairly low light¹. It grows slowly and stays compact – usually 30–60 centimetres². The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic for cats and dogs³.

Origin & history

It grows wild from Mexico to Honduras⁷, in the shade of larger trees in the rainforest². A study in south-eastern Mexico harvested leaves from wild populations: they stayed roughly stable, but heavier harvesting meant fewer fruits⁸.

In Victorian times it took pride of place in the parlour – hence its name². NC State also lists it as neanthe bella palm⁴; Neanthe bella is a synonym of its botanical name⁷.

Caution

The ASPCA lists the parlour palm as non-toxic for cats and dogs³. For people the sources differ: UNL lists it as non-toxic⁹, NC State as low in toxicity – the only problem it names is skin irritation from the fruit juice⁴. We use the more cautious rating. The fruit pulp of a number of palms contains calcium oxalate crystals; for most Chamaedorea, wear gloves when handling the fruits¹⁰.

Care

Light. Bright, indirect light is best; in partial shade it grows more slowly. Direct sun scorches the fronds². It even manages away from the window¹.

Water. Water when the surface is dry, ideally with rainwater at room temperature; hard tap water can turn the fronds brown. Don't leave it standing in water for long, and water less in winter² – as a rule of thumb about once a week in summer.

Temperature & humidity. Ideal is 20–27 °C from spring to autumn; it tolerates cooler winters². The RHS growing guide names 10 °C as the lower limit², its palm guide and Clemson give 16 °C as the winter minimum for this palm^1,11 – to be safe, keep it above 16 °C. On humidity the sources differ: from no need for high humidity² and low to medium⁴ to moderate to high (Clemson, for parlour palms)¹¹ and "humid conditions are necessary"¹ – medium is a fair middle. Dry air browns the tips; regular misting helps and deters spider mites².

Soil, pot & repotting. Light, free-draining, peat-free ericaceous (acidic) compost with some grit². Repot in spring once the roots are crowded, only a couple of centimetres bigger – too big a pot risks root rot². Every other year is enough⁴; for palms in general, Clemson says every two to three years¹¹. In the years between, replace the top 5 cm of compost with fresh¹.

Feeding. A balanced liquid feed once a month from spring to autumn². For palms in general, the RHS says fortnightly¹, Clemson two to three times a year with slow-release palm fertiliser¹¹. Too much fertiliser browns the leaf tips¹¹.

Extras

The parlour palm is dioecious: black fruits only form when female flowers are pollinated by a male plant². Only mature plants flower¹², bright light may encourage it², fruits rarely form indoors⁴.