Walton's Plant Library
 
shrub

Lady Palm

Rhapis excelsa

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Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) at Walton's Garden Center

Lady Palm

Lady Palm

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) at Walton's Garden Center

Lady Palm flowers

Lady Palm flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) at Walton's Garden Center

Lady Palm fruit

Lady Palm fruit

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  15 feet

Spread:  15 feet

Sunlight:  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  9b

Other Names:  Bamboo Palm

Description:

A graceful, slow growing palm that forms a dense cluster of slender, bamboo-like canes presenting deeply divided, fan shaped leaves; great in patio containers or framing entrances; avoid direct sun and frost

Ornamental Features

Lady Palm features showy panicles of yellow flowers rising above the foliage in mid spring. It has attractive green evergreen foliage. The deeply cut lobed palmate leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Lady Palm is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Insects
  • Disease

Lady Palm is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Hedges/Screening
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Lady Palm will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in partial shade to full shade. Keep it well away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Lady Palm makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Screening  Garden  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color  Texture  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features