Rhapis excelsa, the lady palm, is an outstanding, small clustering palm for shady landscape or interiorscape use. It is considered cold hardy down to USDA zone 9A (see http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/). These palms have glossy, dark green palmate leaves with four to ten blunt-tipped leaf segments that grow atop slender (<1 inch) fiber-covered stems. Small, densely branched inflorescences arising from within the canopy eventually produce small white fruits. Lady palms spread by means of underground rhizomes, forming dense clusters and eventually thickets, up to 7 ft in height. They can be used in the landscapes as shrubs or as a screen, although plantings may require periodic removal of the suckers to keep the plants within bounds. They also do well in containers as patio plants, but eventually will become root-bound, requiring larger containers or the removal of some suckers. They are considered to be among the best palms for use under low light interiorscape conditions.

Fact sheet: Lady Palm

Planted in Nassau County Extension Demonstration Garden

Sold at Nassau County Master Gardener Plant Sale

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