Lady palm
Rhapis excelsa
Also called Broadleaf lady palm and Rhapis
Houseplant · Ferns & palmsSlow, tough and long-lived — the palm that survives an office. Brown tips are almost always tap water, not thirst.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 9 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Medium indirect
- Feed
- Every 60 days
- Humidity
- Average
- Hardiness
- Tender — no frost at all RHS H2, to 1°C
- Size
- 2 m tall · 1.2 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Southern China and Taiwan
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Each blunt-cut leaf segment browns squarely across its tip — flush the pot through rather than feeding it more.Tip burn from salts · disorder