Rhapis excelsa

Common Name:
Lady Palm

Description:
Rhapis excelsa, commonly known as the Lady Palm, is a refined, slow-growing fan palm admired for its elegant, upright stems and lush, deep green foliage. Its graceful clumps form from multiple slender, bamboo-like canes, each topped with glossy, fan-shaped leaves divided into broad segments, creating a lush, tropical appearance. This palm is a popular indoor and shaded garden choice thanks to its high tolerance for low light and ease of maintenance. Lady Palms thrive in well-drained soil with consistent moisture and perform best in humid conditions, although they are adaptable to Melbourne’s climate when protected from frost. Outdoors, they prefer sheltered positions with dappled light or morning sun, making them ideal for shaded courtyards or understorey planting. Though slow to grow, they reward patience with year-round foliage structure and a long lifespan, adding lasting greenery to formal and informal garden settings.

Form:

• Shrub - Clumping / Grass-like / Mounding

• Shrub - Medium

• Indoors / Well lit

Mature Size:

• Height: 2 m

• Width: 1.5 m

Aspect:

• Part Shade

• Full Shade

• Indoors / Well lit

Flowering:

• Flowers in Spring

• Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:

• Cream

Key Attributes:

• Suitable for Pots

• Disease Resistant

• Suitable for Hedging

• Suitable for Topiary

• Perennial

• Low Maintenance

• Tolerates Indoor Conditions

Toxicity:
Non-toxic to humans and pets

Companion Plants:

• Aspidistra elatior

• Clivia miniata

• Fern species (e.g., Nephrolepis exaltata)

• Fatsia japonica

• Philodendron ‘Xanadu’