Parlor palm care guide

The parlor palm got its name from Victorian parlors, where it lived in dim rooms for decades. It is still one of the best palms for low light. It grows slow, stays a manageable size, and is safe for cats and dogs.

Light

Parlor palms grow in low to medium light, such as a north window or a few feet back from an east window. They are one of the few palms that handle a dim room.

Bright, indirect light makes it grow faster. Direct sun scorches the fronds.

Water

Water when the top 2 to 3 cm (1 in) of soil is dry. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer. In low light and in winter, it needs water less often.

Yellow fronds with wet soil mean too much water. Brown, crispy tips with dry soil mean too little. Read how to tell if a houseplant is overwatered or underwatered.

Soil and potting

Use a well-draining houseplant mix.

Parlor palms have fragile roots and like a snug pot. Repot every two to three years in spring, one size up, and disturb the roots as little as you can. See how to repot a houseplant step by step.

Humidity and temperature

Average room air is fine. Dry winter air browns the frond tips. Keep it away from heat vents.

Keep it between 18 and 27°C (65 and 80°F), and above 10°C (50°F).

Feeding

Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. Too much fertilizer browns the tips.

Pruning

Cut fully brown fronds off at the base. Trim brown tips with clean scissors, following the frond shape. Do not cut the top of a stem. Palms grow from the tip, and a cut stem will not grow back.

Several plants in one pot

A parlor palm from the store is often a dozen or more small palms planted together. That makes it look full. Leave them together. Pulling them apart damages the roots.

Propagation

Parlor palms grow from seed. They do not make pups or root from cuttings. You can split a crowded pot into two clumps in spring, but expect it to sulk for a while.

Problems

What you see	Most likely cause
Brown, crispy frond tips	Dry air, dry soil, or salts in tap water
Yellow fronds, wet soil	Too much water
Speckled fronds with fine webbing	Spider mites
Pale, bleached fronds	Direct sun
Lowest fronds turn brown	Normal aging

Pests

Spider mites love palms in dry winter air. Look for fine webbing between the fronds. Rinse the plant in the shower every few weeks. Mealybugs and scale can also show up.

Pet safety

The ASPCA lists parlor palm as non-toxic to cats and dogs. Cats love to chew the fronds, so it may not stay pretty, but it is safe.

Be careful with the sago palm. It looks a bit alike, it is not a true palm, and it is toxic to pets, even in small amounts.

Varieties

• Parlor palm is sold under one main name.
• ‘Bella’ is a compact type.
• Bamboo palm, Chamaedorea seifrizii, is a taller cousin with the same care.
• Cat palm, Chamaedorea cataractarum, has no trunk and fronds that grow from the soil.