Description
Rhapis – Lady Palm –
There 10-12 species of slow growing, long lived, dioecious, small, cluster stemmed palms, in this genus. They are found in shady tropical and subtropical and subtropical forest from Southern China to Thailand. From bamboo like stems covered with interwoven fibers eventually becoming bare and ringed, it carries light or mid green leaves, arranged in spirals or loose tufts at the stem tips forming fan shaped fronds. Each leaf is almost dived to the base into 2-10 or more lobes.. Bears small yellow shaped, 3 petaled flowers in short panicles between the leaves. The fruits are small berries, containing a single seed. Grow as a house plant.
Indoors, grow in soilless potting mix in bright filtered light. In the growing season, water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly, water moderately in winter. Pot on or top dress in spring. Protect from strong wind and frost.
Prone to stigma leaf spots, cersospora leaf spots, spider mites, and scale insects.
R. excelsa ‘Variegata’ – R. flabelliformis ‘Variegata’ – Miniature Fan Palm – Lady Palm – This slow growing, small, multi stemmed clump forming palm grows 5-15′ feet tall and wide. From erect, bamboo or reed like stems covered in brown interwoven fibers carries long stalked, deeply lobed, lustrous, dark green fronds with a white stripe, 8-12″ long, have 3-10 broadly to narrowly lance shaped finger like segment with blunt tips with leaf tips saw tips. Tiny, bowl shaped cream flowers are borne in panicles, to 5″ long, among the leaves in summer. Leaves may brown in full sun.
Zones 14-15
