Lady Palms

[wilsongbrown]

I know this is probably more of a 'garden' related subject, but I have several Lady Palms and would like to know, before I take to the backbreaking task of digging a hole and planting one in the ground, as opposed to a pot, does anyone know just how big these things are capable of growing? It's simply that they seem to grow quite quickly - up to 3m - in a smallish pot, but what about their natural habitat, the earth? Thanks

Edited August 23, 2009 by wilsongbrown

[rice555]

Hello wilsongbrown, do you mean this one?

http://www.jaycjayc.com/rhapis-excelsa-lady-palm/

rice555

[jaapfries]

Hello wilsongbrown, do you mean this one?

http://www.jaycjayc.com/rhapis-excelsa-lady-palm/

rice555

Hi Rice555; that is a very useful site (thank you) and a very apt description of this 'Lady-Palm'. In Thailand it is commonly known as "Jung" (pronounce: Tsjung).

We have a few hundred of them around our home. These can be grown in pots (fairly large) and Jung can grow to about 2.5~3 meters (in our experience). They do love their water and it is particulairly important to 'mist'-spray their stems, which have a natural 'absorption-material' around them. They don't really like total exposure to the bright sun, but rather semi-shade.

In fact; within the grouns of Cabbages & Codoms here in Pattaya, they have them growing under large trees in a sort-of "rain-forest" garden, where they thrive.

Beautiful trees/plants ! ! !

Cheers,

JGK/Pattaya

[jopham]

According to wikipedia, they grow to 4 meters

Cheers jopham

[wilsongbrown]

Thanks for the replies. I asked on a 'local' forum as most of the sites giving info on tropical plants usually concern growing in a non-tropical climate and cater mostly to those who would like to plant a banana tree in Basingstoke or Berlin.

I've just set a Fox palm free and hope it will spread its fronds and look as magnificent as some of the specimens around the 'hood, as opposed to the sad straggly creature it is now. Not by neglect by the way, I have many different palms, mostly potted, and all doing very well. On which note, if palms of any flavour don't divide (and they usually don't being pot bound), and they don't produce flowers, how to propogate them?

In the meantime, it's raining, the soil is more forgiving on the back, so will plant a Lady Palm and see how she goes.

Thanks

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Rhapis Excelsa aka Lady Palm

Origin Southern China

Mature Height 3M 10ft

Cultivation The small seeds are easy to germinate, but the young seedlings grow extremely slowly. Plants may also be grown from suckers from a parent plant.

Outdoors the Lady Palm will grow insun or shade, and in tropical, subtropical or warm temperate areas. A very adaptable palm, it shows some tolerance to cold.

Indoors Unsurpassed as a house plant, it is extremely tolerant of low light and dry air, though the plants should never be allowed to dry out.

If you can't grow these give up gardening.

There is also also a Slender Lady Palm Rhapis Humilis, mature height 3.6M 12ft tall.

[ChangMaiSausage]

Depends if she's a lady or a ladyboy other wise her palm should be about 3 across by 3.5 inch in height.

Sorry could not resist.