Parlor Palm Tree (Chamaedorea elegans): Identification, Care, and Growing Guide

The parlor palm tree (Chamaedorea elegans) is likely the most widely grown indoor palms in the world.

This palm will easily do well for you, when you know its specific light, moisture, and other health needs. Our guide shows you all you need to know about the parlor palm, including:

• Light requirements
• Proper watering and humidity needs
• Pruning practices
• Common problems and solutions

What Is a Parlor Palm Tree?

Chamaedorea elegans is the Parlor Palm's scientific name.

Its native habitat is in the rainforests of Southern Mexico, Belize and Guatamala. It grows below the taller trees, making it a small understory palm in these tropical forests. 

It’s often called an “easy houseplant.”

Parlor Palm Tree Quick Facts

C. elegans is about the most popular indoor palm throughout the world.

• Common Names: The most usual is parlor palm. But is also called Neantha bella, Good-luck palm and Bella.
• Mature Height: Indoors it gets about 4ft/1.8m, but can double in size outdoors.
• Growth Rate: It is naturally a slow-grower, indoors even more slowly.
• Light Preference: Because of its rainforest origins, it won't tolerate full sun - instead low amounts of dappled sunlight is all it needs.
• Indoor Suitability: Excellent
• Indoors VS Outdoors: It can do well with either placement, although most like it potted into an indoor container. Outdoors it is suited for USDA zones 10b-11.
• Pet Safety: The fruit is an irritant with oxilate crystals in the pulp. As long as your pet doesn't eat the fruit it's fully safe. 

Why is It Called a Parlor Palm?

During the Victorian era in England, houseplant fever began when amateur naturalist Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward designed a container (the Wardian case) with a controlled environment that kept plants alive.

This allowed live plants to be successfully shipped around the world. Victorians began growing exotic plants indoors.

Parlors were decorated with potted palms. Chamaedorea elegans became a favorite because it tolerated low light inside their dark homes, it was adaptable to container growing and it had a compact size compared with many palms.

People began calling it the "Parlor Palm."

Basic Care Requirements for a Parlor Palm

Remember to consider its origins for this Palm Species' natural needs.

Then it can stay healthy and attractive indoors or out for many years. When treated like any old tropical plant, it can slowly decline.

Imagine being a small Chamaedorea elegans growing beneath all these taller trees in a rainforest.

Here's a quick reference guide for Chamaedorea elegans indoor care. Much of this also applies to caring for Parlor Palms Outdoors.

Care Factors

• Lighting: Bright, filtered indirect light. Reflected, but away from a window indoors. Underneath taller plants or on the north side of a building outdoors.
• Watering:  Water when top 1–2 inches of soil are dry. Potted indoors, soil should be well aerated and evenly moist - avoid sogginess. Outdoors it needs consistent watering in well-draining soil - think of its rainforest habitat.
• Humidity: Moderate range from 40–60% if possible.
• Soil: Think of rainforest soil, typically humus-filled. Add coconut coir to the potting medium, and incorporate some into outdoor soil.
• Fertilizing: Liquid fertilizer can work for potted palms. For outdoors, scatter controlled release pellets every 6 weeks in spring and summer.
• Pruning: None needed, it drops its old fronds.

See our full guide to Growing Palms Indoors for more detailed care.

How to Identify a Parlor Palm

Many small-sized palms can look similar, especially those potted for sale (which are often mislabeled). Here are the Parlor Palm Tree traits.

TRUNK

Solitary, with a single slender (barely 1-in/2.54cm thick) light green stem. Trunk has dark greens rings, bamboo-like.

Potted C. elegans may seem clustering, but they're not. Nurseries often plant at least three seeds to a pot. That makes it seem to have spreading multiple trunks. But each trunk is a separate palm.

LEAVES

Arching pinnate (feather) fronds get up to 3ft/90cm long - depending if in or outdoors. Narrow spear-shaped leaflets (about 20-40 of them) grow opposite each other along a smooth central stem (rachis). Light to medium green in color, depending on lighting and Palm Tree Fertilizer Used.

GERMINATION

Separate male or female plants.

An orange-red, upright, branching flower stalk (inflorescence) produces yellow flowers. Which source the tiny, black fruits.

IDENTIFICATION CONFUSIONS

Some other Chamaedorea species look similar:

• C. cateractarum (Cat Palm) is clustering, spreading out like a hedge outdoors.
• C. costaricana (Costa Rican Bamboo Palm) also clusters. Much taller than elegans, it can attain 20ft/6m. Trunk coloring is opposite, dark green with light green rings.
• C. radicalis is more cold-hardy. Has a crownshaft & orange/red fruit.
• C. seifrizii clustering dark green trunks (vague crownshaft) are taller, to 12ft/4m. Trunk rings are faint. 

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How Fast Does a Parlor Palm Grow?

Just as they did in the rainforest understory, a parlor palm is naturally slow growing.

Indoors it usually achieves 2–6in/5-15cm per year. Outdoors, in a more natural environment it will grow a little bit faster. Either way, Chamaedorea elegans can take years to reach full size.

But it's good to note this normal rate keeps them compact. One reason they're well suited to indoor container growing.

Can Parlor Palms Grow Indoors or Outdoors?

Although a parlor palm is more popular for growing indoors - just like in their Native Habitat they do fine with proper placement and care.

Growing Parlor Palms Indoors

Very easy, some say they seem almost indestructible.

Growing Parlor Palms Outdoors

Outdoors find a shadier spot for your parlor palm. Like under the crown of a tall tree.

It's only suitable for USDA zones 10b-11. It won't tolerate temperatures under 35^oF/1.7^oC. So if you get freezing winter temps, it's a no-go.

Good soil with humus, as in a rainforest, would be helpful. And regular watering.

Some plant several young plants together in an area as a ground cover.

C. elegans growing well beneath taller trees.

Growing Parlor Palm Indoors vs Outdoors

INDOORS:

• Very slow Growth rate
• Height about 4-6ft/1.2-1.8m
• Light: Indirect & filtered from a nearby window
• Humidity: Suprisingly tolerates lower levels

OUTDOORS:

• Slowly, more quickly than indoors
• Height up to 8ft/2.4m
• Light: Bright, filtered indirectly shaded from sun
• Humidity: Naturally higher than indoors

Parlor Palm outdoors in a botanical garden.

Common Parlor Palm Problems

Watch for anything on your parlor palm tree that doesn't seem right. Parlor palms are generally reliable indoor palms, but Problems Can Appear. For instance, you could see:

• Yellow leaves
• Brown leaflet tips
• No growth
• Fluffy white webs on leaflets

POSSIBLE CAUSES:

Yellowing Leaves – Most often from overwatering, with roots sitting continuously in overly wet soil.

Brown Leaf Tips – Probably from dry air, fertilizer salt buildup, or inconsistent watering. See more about Brown Leaflet Tips on a Parlor Palm.

Slow or Weak Growth – Often related to very low light. While parlor palms tolerate shade well, they grow best in bright indirect light.

White Webs on Leaflets - Spider mites are common attackers, expecially indoors.

Are Parlor Palms Toxic to Pets?

Parlor palms are generally considered non-toxic to both cats and dogs.

Even so, chewing on leaf stem or fruits exposes them to sap and pulp. These areas contain calcium oxalate crystals. If swallowed They Can Cause Mild Toxicity with stomach irritation in some animals.

REFERENCES
Keogh L. (2017, May 17) The Wardian Case: How a Simple Box Moved the Plant Kingdom. arboretum.harvard.edu/arnoldia-stories/the-wardian-case-how-a-simple-box-moved-the-plant-kingdom/

Frequently Asked Questions About Parlor Palms

Final Perspective: Why Parlor Palms Could Fail

It’s rarely because they are “difficult.” Parlor palms are one of the easiest indoor palms to grow and maintain.

They fail because:

• They are treated like generic tropical foliage.
• They are overwatered in low light.
• They are over-fertilized in winter.

Understand their understory palm nature, their native home. Then they'll become dependable, long-lived indoor palms.