Temperature
60–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Lady palm
Rhapis excelsa
Lady palm wants medium light and water every 8 to 14 days, once the top inch is dry. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Medium
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
A north window, or five feet back from an east one. One of the few palms that genuinely grows rather than merely survives in low light.
Water
Every 8–14 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 50%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 1 of 5: Scores 1 of 5: shade-tolerant, slow, and unbothered by dry indoor air. It is the palm to buy if others have died on you.
Habit
Clumping
Grows to 36–96 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
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Rhapis flabelliformus
- Non-toxic to cats and dogs
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
Light
Medium light. A north window, or five feet back from an east one. One of the few palms that genuinely grows rather than merely survives in low light.
Water
Every 8 to 14 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is 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 | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
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 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Scale insects this week
Propagation
Division in soil. Roots in 42 to 90 days.
| Preferred method | division |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil |
| Time to root | 42–90 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Rhapis flabelliformus Checked 2026-09-12.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Rhapis excelsa (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q164097 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Rhapis excelsa Accepted name; family Arecaceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Rhapis excelsa Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Aris riyanto, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0.
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