Indoor Palms, what's growing in your house?

[phatmiata]

Hi guys,

Just got some nice looking Rhapis excelsa (Lady Palms) to use indoors for better air quality. Wondering if anyone else is using plants for air quality, or just for nice tropical looks indoors. If so, what are you growing, and do you have any tips or tricks to keep the plants healthy since they dont get much sun, if any indoors? Please post some pictures if you have some so that i can get some ideas of other palms to use indoors. thanks!

[JASON M]

Well, I have many neanthe bellas. I have 4 majesties, and then one little first-leaf-phoenix dactylifera.

[Kailua_Krish]

I have Christmas palm, Lytocaryum w., Kerriodoxa, and Syagrus shizo. growing indoors; all seem to do well!

-Krishna

[Trópico]

Trachycarpus nanus at work. Still is a strap leafer, coworkers think it's a Sabal palmetto.

[peachy]

I have the usual array of indoor palms but the 2 best performers indoors for me are Chamaedorea oblongata and Pychosperma bleeseri. On the other hand, the worlds most popular indoor palm, the kentia, always die on me in a matter of months. (or less) I honestly think sometimes its just the position and the history of the individual palms. Ravena glauca seem very happy as a houseplant for me too..

Peachy

[markpeters77]

Hey,

I've got Rhapis growing indoors and they do well, but are slow growing. They're quite a few feet away from a SW facing window and only get sun late autumn/winter/early spring when the sun's lowest in the sky. I've also got 3/4 leafers of Kerriodoxa, Joey altifrons and Chamaedorea metallica a bit closer to the window which have it brighter but still out the sun during summer and all are doing really well - the Chamaedorea's a very steady grower, faster than I'd have thought. On the windowsill is a Dypsis decaryi seedling that's now putting out it's 3rd pinnate leaf and loving the sun, and a Syagrus litoralis which is growing really steadily but hating the sun - tho that's another topic!

I think the secret to keeping any plant indoors is understanding the conditions the plants are adapted to and replicating them as best you can. However, as is frequently discussed here, plants are very adaptable given time and it's always good to experiment.

Happy growing!

[phatmiata]

Is anyone here using grow lights? or just standard house lights, or have them sitting in the window? My house is surrounded by large oaks, so its very hard to get sunlight into the windows, depending on the season its next to impossible at times.

[Kai]

In my living room I have for tropical looks among others:

-Lytocarium weddellianum (4x)

-Lytocarium hoehnei

-Cocos nucifera (3x)

-Verschaffeltia splendida (2x)

-Johannesteijsmannia altifrons (2x)

-Many Syagrus species

-Some Attalea species

-Astrocaryum vulgare

-Pritchardia pacifica

-Beccariophoenix sp. eastern

-Salacca zalacca

-Beccariophoenix alfredii

-Licuala mapu

-Licuala orbicularis

I don't use artificial lights but I place different species further or closer to a large south-facing window, depending on their light requirements.

Also the humidity is high in my living room as a result of an aquarium. I think if the humidity was lower the cocos and some other species would get into trouble.

[peachy]

Well, I have many neanthe bellas. I have 4 majesties, and then one little first-leaf-phoenix dactylifera.

Jason, Neanthe bella is an old incorrect name for Chamaedorea elegans...or Parlour Palm for the common name.

Aunty Peachy

[Alberto]

Howea forsteriana,Joannesthijsmania altifrons,Lytocarium wedelianum,Chamaedorea elegans, Livistona rotundifolia

[Rafael]

Raphis excelsa (growing a lot, far from window) and howea fosteriana.

And my complete potted palm collection, from late December to early March, in an exterior closed spot.

Edited June 13, 2010 by rafael

[Gileno Machado]

At the moment, let's see...a large clump of Rhapis, a 3 meter tall Cyrtostachys renda, the ancient bottle from seed (photo), a big Licula peltata summawongi from seed, a midsize Vershaffeltia splendida, 2 bluish Cycas angulatas, 2 Lytocaryum, 3 Macrozamias of different species and a tall Chamaedorea metallica, plus some three dozen first leafers of some 12 species...