Chamaedorea Species, Cat Palm, Cascade Palm, Cataract Palm, Mexican Hat Palm

From elderly neighbors, I inherited a large potted specimen of Chamaedorea cataractarum 18 months ago. It had many brown tips, dead secti...Read Moreons within the base, bad soil and no new growth. I pulled it out of its pot and trashed the old soil. I surgically removed the dead divisions in order to keep just the vibrant, viable parts. I replaced the soil with a homemade mixture that included my own compost. The palm was placed on my shady patio, loving the rainfall and summer humidity. Improvement was immediately noticeable. New leaves began unfurling and multiplying and the overall tone of green was healthier. For each new leaf that opened, I removed one raggedy old leaf with brown tips (that had been trimmed repeatedly by the previous owner). I never knew the proper name for this Cat Palm until today when I submitted it to the Plant ID forum here at Dave's Garden website. It has two bloom stalks forming at the base. Although the Cat Palm will migrate back inside shortly, its summer vacation on the patio has been wonderful for its health. A very attractive houseplant in PA.

I have three cat palms in my home. I recently noticed that three seed stems have grown in the largest and oldest palm. Two are still gre...Read Moreen and the third was a brown color. After doing some research I found that these seeds are only viable when they turn brown. If the seed stems are removed from the plant before they are brown they will not germinate. Germination of viable seeds is 1 to 3 months at 82 to 90 degrees F. My other two palms have no seed stems appearing on them at this time as they are younger divisions of the original plant. I am going to plant the seeds that I have collected in a couple of weeks in my new greenhouse and see how well they will do.

Just picked up 3 gallon Cat Palm at good ol' Home Depot for $7 clams. They also have Arecas and Majesties but this was the only Cat they ...Read Morehad among the bunch. Hard to pass up for under $10.

I purchased my Cat Palm at a local "Membership only," large scale store.

I am disabled and mostly home bound.

...Read More> My caretakers re-potted it to a nice new large pot. But, they left part of the root ball exposed. And, the poor plant was fading away on that same side.

I ended up buying and PROPERLY, re-potting the Cat Palm in a same size pot out on my porch in like 100 degree heat. I even managed, I don't know how, considering it;s size, my partial paralysis, and the incredible heat, to get my baby back inside to its cozy shaded corner, just next to the glass wall in my condo.

Doing all this, I ended up hospitalized with a minor heat stroke.

To my surprise, they day I got home, about a week ago, my Cat palm gave me a welcome home present. It had said thank you, and had bloomed for me.

This made my entire ordeal worth the pain.