Palms For California

Pronunciation: RAY-piss mull-TIFF-ih-duh

Common Name: Finger Palm

Rhapis multifida is an excellent palm for the shadier and warmer areas of California though its cold hardiness is unfortunately not on par with the more common Rhapis species. Some consider this a dwarf form of Rhapis humilis. But this palm does have known native populations in China and possibly Vietnam. This is a particularly beautiful palm for both indoor and outdoor use with very dainty leaves and a nice height limitation. It does very well as an outdoor potted plant as well.

Appearance and Biology Habit: clustering with a crown of 10-20 leaves per stem Height: 6' Trunk: multiple; 1/2" thick; covered with a fine fibrous weave and old leaf bases; lower stems sometimes are cleaner showing smooth, dark green ringed stems Crownshaft: none Spread: 3'+ Leaf Description: palmate; deeply divided to nearly the petiole; leaflets narrow and pointed; semicircular leaves; about 16-26 leaflets per leaf; some forms have only 3-4 wider leaflets per leaf Petiole/Leaf bases: very thin; 8"-12" long; unarmed; un-split leaf bases, usually retained on stems being trapped by fibrous weave Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: 8" long; branched; yellowish Fruit: 1/2"; spherical

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 27F Drought Tolerance: low Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: slow Soil Preference: adaptable Light Requirement: filtered sun to partial sun (full sun possible near coast in some areas) Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: none Transplants?: moderate toleration Indoor?: does fairly well as indoor, but tends to brown tip a bit Availability: rare but generally can be found at some palm specialty nurseries