Parlour palm

Chamaedorea elegans

In other languages: Bergpalm (Nederlands) · Palmier de salon (Français)

The parlour palm comes from the rainforests of southern Mexico and Guatemala, where it grows as a small palm in the shade of tall trees. It is a graceful little palm with thin green stems and feathery fronds of narrow, fresh green leaflets. In the shops several plants are usually grown together in one pot, so you get a full clump straight away. Indoors it rarely grows taller than 1–1.5 m and it grows slowly, which makes it suitable for a living room, a desk or a bedroom. It tolerates lower light than most palms and has therefore been a popular houseplant since the 19th century.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Partial shade or shade
tolerates little sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Potting soil
Hardiness
Houseplant
min. 12 °C
Size
1.2 m
tall, 0.6 m wide

Key facts
Height	1.2 m
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous

Identify

Parlour palm: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Small palm with thin, upright stems, 60–150 cm tall and 40–60 cm wide indoors.
Leaves: Feathery fronds 40–60 cm long, with 10–20 pairs of narrow, fresh green leaflets; gently arching.
Stems: Thin, green and ringed, like a bamboo cane; each stem has a single growing point at the top.
Flowers: Even young plants sometimes produce branched sprays of tiny yellow balls; of no ornamental value.
Growth: Slow: a few new fronds a year, from the heart of each stem.

Plants: April–May

In your garden

Why grow it?

One of the few palms that does well in low light.
Stays compact and grows slowly: suitable for small rooms, a cabinet top or a desk.
Evergreen and fresh all year round, with a tropical look.
Easy to look after as long as the compost stays lightly moist and the air is not too dry.
Considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Parlour palm: where does it grow best?

Bright light to partial shade without direct sun: a spot 1–3 m from a window is ideal.
It also tolerates fairly dark spots, but grows more slowly there.
A warm room of 18–24 °C; never below 12 °C.
Away from radiators and draughts: warm, dry air causes brown tips and spider mite.

Light: Bright, out of direct sun or low light
Potting soil: Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost
Acidity: Acid or neutral
Watering: Moderately
Size: 1.2 m tall, 0.6 m wide
Temperature: Minimum 12 °C

Goes well with

Cast-iron plant: Broad, dark leaves next to the airy palm fronds, in a spot with little light.
Boston fern: Also likes humid air and partial shade.
Calathea: Patterned leaves at the foot of the palm, with the same need for humidity.
Peace lily: White flowers and glossy leaves in the same partial shade.

Maintenance

Parlour palm: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

Repot in April–May, every 2–3 years, when roots grow out of the pot.
Choose a pot with a drainage hole, only one size larger: palms do not like a lot of loose compost around their roots.
Use compost for palms or foliage plants, with some perlite for good drainage.
Set the plant at the same depth as before and work carefully: palm roots are sensitive and break easily.
Water after repotting, let it drain well and wait a month before feeding.

Care

Watering: Keep the compost lightly moist: water when the top 2 cm are dry. Never leave water standing in the saucer.
Humidity: Mist the leaves when the air is dry, especially in winter, or stand the pot on a tray of wet gravel.
Feeding: From April to September, houseplant feed at half strength once a month.
Leaves: Give the plant a lukewarm shower now and then: this removes dust and keeps spider mite away.
Repotting: Every 2–3 years in April–May; in between you can replace the top layer of compost.

Tip: It tolerates lower light than most palms. Keep the compost lightly moist and mist it when the air is dry, or spider mite will move in.

Parlour palm: when to prune it?

When: No pruning is needed. You can remove fully brown fronds at any time of year.

How:

Cut fully brown or yellow fronds off at the base, close to the stem.
If you like, trim brown tips following the shape of the leaf, without cutting into the green part.
Remove spent flower sprays if you do not like the look of them.

Caution: Never cut off the top of a stem: a palm has only one growing point per stem, and without its top that stem dies.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division: In April–May, carefully split a full pot into two or three groups of stems with roots and pot them up separately. It does not always succeed; keep the divisions warm and lightly moist.
Seed: Fresh seed at 25–30 °C in moist compost under plastic. Germination takes weeks to months; the seedlings grow slowly.

Parlour palm: how does it get through the winter?

Keep the temperature above 12 °C, preferably 15–20 °C; it is not hardy at all.
Water less in winter, but do not let the root ball dry out completely. No feed.
Central heating dries the air: mist the leaves regularly or use a tray of wet gravel.
In winter, move it a little closer to a window as the days are short, but never against cold glass or in a draught.

Diseases and pests

Spider mite: Fine yellow speckles on the leaves and webbing underneath, especially in dry air. Shower the plant with lukewarm water and raise the humidity.
Brown leaf tips: Caused by dry air, too little water or, on the contrary, waterlogged roots. Mist, check the compost and let the pot drain well.
Mealybug: White, woolly tufts in the leaf joints. Remove them with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirit or a cloth and soapy water.
Yellow leaves: Caused by direct sun or too much water. Move the plant out of the sun and let the compost dry a little between waterings.

Through the year

January: Little water, mist regularly. No feed.
March: Growth resumes. Water a little more.
April: Repot if needed. Start feeding.
May: Repot or divide. Feed.
June: Feed. Lukewarm shower against spider mite.
August: Feed. Water and mist more often in hot weather.
September: Last feed.
October: Less water. Move away from the radiator.
December: Rest. Mist regularly and check for spider mite.

You and this species

Did you know?

The name parlour palm dates from the 19th century, when this little palm stood in the formal front rooms of middle-class homes.
In Mexico and Central America the leaves of Chamaedorea palms are harvested from the wild for the floristry trade.
The name Chamaedorea comes from Greek and roughly means ‘gift on the ground’, because the fruits hang within easy reach.

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