Rhapis Species, Finger Palm, Jade Empress, Slender Lady Palm

Be aware that Rhapis humilis is not happy in Texas and hates the long, hot summers. They do well in winter here, but quickly lose stamin...Read Morea in the hot months.

Best to enjoy them in California where they love the mild year around temperatures.

This palm survived unscathed the 2010 winter in Pensacola, FL which included a low of 19.3 and nearly two weeks of below frezing every ni...Read Moreght. No damage of any kind. It was unprotected and living within ten feet of my Roebelini which is toast.

2011 winter update June 4, 2011

Not the plants fault but mine. In January in preparation for a hard freeze I watered the bed that this plant was in and forgot to turn off the sprinkler. My plant was totally covered in ice. It looked ok after the thaw but eventually all trunks experienced spear pull. As I write this in the first week of June there is some hope. One trunk has pushed a new spear. There is a new trunk coming up in the clump. Lastly about two foot away from the clump two new trunks are pushing up. I have not read about this being a habit of this plant so I will watch it close and make sure it is what I think it is.

This is the Rhapis species grown in all the local botanical gardens as showpieces are against architecture as it is very sun tolerant and...Read More elegant. Unlike the more common Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa) this one doesn't yellow in full sun. It also differs in that it grows much taller, has more finely split leaves and the leaflets end in points rather than premorse ('cut' as though with pinking shears). Also it is one of the few palms that only have males- no females are known. So this one can only be propagated by division. All other species of Rhapis can also be propogated from seed germination, though usually most are similarly divided. It is a suckering palm that spreads slowly, usually 6"-12" at the most from the original stem, until a tall, clumping palm is created. This species is often crossed with other Rhapis (still makes pollen) for a variety of unusual and attractive looks.

Finding this palm for sale is more problematic that it is for the ubiquitous Rhapis excelsa. I have only seen it for sale very rarely. And it is costly.

It performs moderately well as an indoor plant, but is certainly not as well suited for indoor life as its more common relative, Rhapis excelsa. It has a much greater need for bright light and less tolerance for the excessively dry indoor environment.