Pygmy date palm

Phoenix roebelenii

In other languages: Dwergdadelpalm (Nederlands) · Palmier dattier nain (Français)

The pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) comes from South-East Asia, including Laos, where it often grows near water. It is a graceful palm with a single slender trunk and a crown of softly arching, glossy dark green, feathery fronds of 60–100 cm. It grows slowly and reaches about 2 m indoors. It is related to the true date palm but stays much smaller and has sharp spines at the base of the leaf stalks. As a houseplant it is a classic that immediately gives a bright corner a tropical feel.

Caution: Beware of the long, sharp spines at the base of the leaf stalks: they can prick and cause small wounds. Wear gloves when repotting and pruning and do not put the plant in a busy walkway or in a young children’s play corner.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Potting soil
Hardiness
Houseplant
min. 10 °C
Size
2 m
tall, 1.5 m wide

Key facts
Height	2 m
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous

Identify

Pygmy date palm: how do you recognise it?

Growth habit: Slow-growing palm, usually with a single slender trunk, about 2 m tall and 1.5 m wide indoors.
Fronds: Feathery, 60–100 cm long and gracefully arching, with narrow, soft, glossy dark green leaflets.
Trunk: Slender and brown, marked with scars of fallen fronds.
Flower and fruit: Small, creamy-white flower clusters on separate male and female plants, rarely indoors. Small purple-black fruits of about 1 cm.
Spines: Long, sharp spines at the base of the leaf stalks (modified leaflets).

Plants: April–May

In your garden

Why grow it?

A graceful, feathery crown that gives any bright corner a tropical feel.
Stays small for a palm and grows slowly, so it fits the same spot for years.
Tolerates sun and a bright spot better than many other houseplants.
Evergreen and fairly easy to look after.
Lovely as a specimen in a large pot, and on a sheltered terrace in summer.

Pygmy date palm: where does it grow best?

As bright a spot as possible: a south-, east- or west-facing window with a few hours of sun, or light half shade. In low light the fronds become long and floppy.
Free-draining palm or potting compost with about a fifth of sand or perlite; acid to neutral.
Warm: 18–28 °C in summer, 12–18 °C in winter. Never below 10 °C.
A sturdy pot with drainage holes and room around the plant, out of draughts and away from radiators. Allow for the spines.

Light: Sunny or bright, out of direct sun
Potting soil: Multi-purpose compost or airy, humus-rich compost
Acidity: Acid or neutral
Watering: Moderately
Size: 2 m tall, 1.5 m wide
Temperature: Minimum 10 °C

Goes well with

Dragon tree (Dracaena): The same bright spot and a sturdy, upright shape.
Yucca: Also loves plenty of light and drier compost.
Bird of paradise (Strelitzia): Large, tropical leaves next to the fine feathers of the palm.
Elephant bush (Portulacaria): A sunny spot and sparing watering, like the palm in winter.

Maintenance

Pygmy date palm: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

Repot in April–May and only when the roots fill the pot, usually every 2–3 years: palms do not like their roots disturbed.
Wear gloves: the spines on the leaf stalks are sharp.
Choose a sturdy pot with drainage holes, one size larger, and put a layer of clay pebbles at the bottom.
Use palm or potting compost with a fifth of sand or perlite for a free-draining mix.
Set the plant at the same depth as before, fill in and firm gently. Water and keep it out of strong sun for the first few weeks.

Care

Water: Keep the compost lightly moist in summer: water as soon as the top 2–3 cm are dry, until it runs out of the holes, and empty the saucer. Less in winter: the compost may dry out further. Never leave it standing in water.
Feeding: From April to September every 2–4 weeks, half a dose of palm or houseplant feed. Not in winter.
Light: It tolerates some sun, but get it used to it gradually. Turn the pot now and then for an even crown.
Humidity: It likes slightly more humid air. A tray of clay pebbles or an occasional mist helps, especially in a heated room in winter.
Fronds: Dust the fronds with a damp cloth or rinse them in the shower. Wear gloves.

Tip: Put it in the brightest spot, with a little sun if you like, and keep the compost lightly moist in summer and drier in winter. Wear gloves: the spines at the base of the fronds are sharp.

Pygmy date palm: when to prune it?

When: A palm is not pruned into shape. Cut off only fronds that are completely brown and dry, at any time of year.

How:

Wear gloves because of the spines.
Cut off only completely brown, dry fronds, close to the trunk, with clean, sharp scissors.
Do not cut off green or half-green fronds: the palm still draws nutrients back from them.
For a single brown tip, cut off just the tip and leave the green part intact.

Caution: Do not damage the growing tip in the heart of the crown: a palm without its growing tip forms no more new fronds.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed: Palms cannot be grown from cuttings, and division is rarely possible with this species. Sow fresh seed in spring: 1–2 cm deep in moist, sandy seed compost at 25–30 °C and in the light. Germination is slow, often 2–3 months or more; pot on seedlings only when they have a few leaves.

Pygmy date palm: how does it get through the winter?

Not hardy: the minimum temperature is 10 °C. It overwinters indoors.
Put it in the brightest spot and keep it cool (12–18 °C), away from radiators and draughts.
Water much less: the top layer may dry out further, but never the whole rootball. Do not feed from October to February inclusive.
The air in a heated room is dry: watch out for spider mites (see Problems).

Diseases and pests

Brown leaf tips: Dry air, hard water, too much or too little water or salt build-up. Use rainwater, flush the compost through and cut off only the brown tip.
Spider mites: Fine webbing and pale fronds in dry air. Shower the plant, raise the humidity and repeat; cut off badly affected fronds.
Scale insects and mealybugs: Brown shields or white fluffy patches on the leaf stalks and between the fronds. Wipe them off with a cotton bud dipped in soapy water and repeat weekly.
Yellow lower fronds: Old, lower fronds turn yellow naturally, but a lot of yellow means too wet, too dark or a nutrient shortage. Adjust watering and light and give a palm feed.

Through the year

January: Rest: bright, 12–18 °C, little water.
February: Rest. Watch for dry heating air and spider mites.
March: More light. Slowly start watering a little more again.
April: Repot if needed (wearing gloves). Start feeding.
May: Repotting still possible. Growth: water regularly. From mid-May you can acclimatise it outdoors in a sheltered spot.
June: Growth. Water regularly, feed every 2–4 weeks.
July: Growth. Check for pests.
August: Growth. Keep feeding.
September: Last feed. Bring indoors when it turns cooler.
October: Indoors before nights fall below 10 °C. Water less.
November: Rest: bright and cool.
December: Rest. Keep away from radiators.

You and this species

Did you know?

It belongs to the same genus as the true date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), but stays much smaller.
The species name roebelenii honours Carl Roebelen, a plant collector who made the palm known in Europe.
There are male and female plants: only female plants bear fruit, and indoors that rarely happens.

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