Rhapis humilisSlender Lady Palm

The Rhapis humilis, or Slender Lady Palm, is a suckering clump palm of slender cane-like stems, each wrapped in coarse brown fibre and topped with fan leaves divided into narrow drooping segments. It is finer and more relaxed in the hand than the better-known broadleaf lady palms.

It is a shade plant first and last, and it is specified for light wells, shaded courtyards, understorey screening beneath larger trees, and interior atriums where a soft green screen is wanted in low light.

Specifications

• Height3 to 5 metres
• Width2 to 3 metres (clump spread)
• Native toSouthern China, and known chiefly from long cultivation
• FoliageFan leaves divided into narrow drooping segments, on slender canes wrapped in brown fibre; evergreen
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilPrefers humus-rich, free-draining soils
• LightPartial shade to full shade; scorches badly in hot direct sun
• WaterModerate; regular and even, and never allowed to dry out completely
• ClimateThrives in subtropical and warm temperate regions and tolerates light frost

Additional Features

• FormSuckering multi-stemmed clump of slender fibre-wrapped canes
• UsesIdeal for shaded courtyards and light wells, understorey screening beneath larger trees, and interior atrium planting
• SpacingPlant 1.5 to 2 metres apart for a continuous screen
• Low MaintenanceRemove spent fronds and thin old canes at the base; no other routine work
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound, with scale and spider mite the usual interior concerns
• Frost ToleranceTolerates light frost, which extends its use well beyond the tropics
• VersatilityWorks as an exterior screen, an understorey clump or a long-term interior specimen

Slender Lady Palm is the palm to use where there is not enough light for anything else with fronds.