Temperature
60–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Parlor palm
Chamaedorea elegans
Parlor palm wants bright indirect light and water every 7 to 10 days, once top inch dry. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Tolerates a dim corner. Never direct sun, which scorches the fronds.
Water
Every 7–10 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when top inch dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: The only common plant combining real low-light tolerance with being non-toxic. Browns at the tips in very dry air.
Habit
Clumping
Grows to 24–48 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says sources differ
- ASPCA
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · Unknown · Juice from the fruit may cause skin irritation.
These records do not agree. Both are reproduced above and linked; we do not adjudicate between them.
Light
Bright indirect light. Tolerates a dim corner. Never direct sun, which scorches the fronds.
Water
Every 7 to 10 days in a 6-inch pot, when top inch dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | top-water until draining |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | top inch dry |
Soil and potting
Standard potting mix with one part perlite added.
Repot roughly every 3 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Yellow leaves this week
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Mealybugs this week
- Scale insects this week
Propagation
Seed in soil. Roots in 60 to 180 days.
| Preferred method | seed |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 60–180 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Chamaedorea elegans Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Chamaedorea elegans Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q660200 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Chamaedorea elegans Accepted name; family Arecaceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Chamaedorea elegans Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: Tequila 13:54, 24 June 2007 (UTC), Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02