Palms For California

Pronunciation: RAY-piss eck-SELL-suh

Common Name: Lady Palm, Bamboo Palm

Rhapis excelsa is a very commonly grown palm all over the world, and turns out to be a very good palm for many areas of southern California, both indoors as well as outdoors. This native to both Japan and China has an amazing degree of versatility in terms of handling desert climates, as well as coastal climates, chilly areas, and areas with very low light (such as indoors). Some could argue this is the most versatile palm there is. Numerous dwarf and variegated cultivars exist and highly prized.

Appearance and Biology Habit: suckering with crowns of dozens of fan leaves Height: 6' Trunk: multiple; 1" thick; covered with dense weave of fiber and tiny leaf bases; much of stem has live leaves for much of its length (if watered well) Crownshaft: none Spread: 3'-15'+ Leaf Description: palmate; deeply divided to petiole forming 3-7 leaflets; spoke-like half-circles; leaflet ends end abruptly with flat ragged edge (premorse); 2' long; deep green and shiny Petiole/Leaf bases: fine, arching; unarmed; 12"-16" long Reproduction: dioecious Inflorescence: 8"-10" long; white flower Fruit: 1/2", spherical, white Seed:

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 22F Drought Tolerance: moderate Dry Heat Tolerance: good Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: low Growth Rate: very slow to slow with age; some cultivars exceptionally slow growing Soil Preference: very widely adaptable Light Requirement: full sun to full shade Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: indoor often plagued with mealy bugs; outdoor in full sun tends to look blanched or yellowy in hot, inland areas Transplants?: good Indoor?: excellent- one of the very best indoor of all palms Availability: commonly available at many standard nurseries; numerous cultivars and variegated forms much more difficult to find and costly, but many available from on line nurseries