How to grow Parlour palm

Chamaedorea elegans · parlor palm

A small, slow-growing palm with feathery fronds, usually sold as a clump of several stems in one pot. A popular, easy houseplant since Victorian times that copes with the low light of most rooms.

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Family	Arecaceae
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Soil for sowing	from 10 °C
Where it grows	At home

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 10 days	20…27 °C	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 44 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 74 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 104 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 134 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 164 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 194 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 20 days	10…27 °C	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright but indirect light is best; partial shade is fine, but growth is slower. Direct sun, especially in summer, scorches the fronds, and too little light turns them yellow.

Soil

Light, fast-draining acidic (ericaceous) compost, for example three parts ericaceous compost to one part perlite. Repot only when the roots are crowded, into a pot just a couple of centimetres wider.

Care

Water when the surface of the compost has dried, preferably with rainwater at room temperature, and never leave the plant standing in water; water less in winter. Hard tap water can brown the leaves. Mist the leaves now and then, since dry air browns the tips, and wipe off dust. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser once a month from spring to autumn. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Pests and diseases of Parlour palm

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.