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Chamaedorea seifrizii
Bamboo Palm
Mexico, Central America (Yucatan Peninsula, Honduras, Guatemala)
Growing Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones
10 - 11These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.
What's my zone? →Frost Tolerancetender
Overview
Chamaedorea seifrizii is a clumping evergreen palm reaching 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) tall and 4-7 feet (1.2-2.1 m) wide. Stems (canes) bamboo-like, slender at 0.4-0.6 inch (1-1.5 cm) in diameter, dark green with prominent yellow ringed nodes; clumps produce 5-15 stems from a central rhizome mass. Foliage pinnate, with 14-25 pairs of dark green leaflets per leaf; leaflets linear, 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) long and 0.4-0.8 inch (1-2 cm) wide. Plants are dioecious; male and female flowers borne on separate plants, in branched panicles 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) long emerging from leaf axils. Male flowers yellow, female flowers green, both small (0.1-0.2 inch / 3-5 mm). Fruits black drupes 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm) borne on female plants only, ripening over 6-9 months. Suited to indoor cultivation; tolerates 50-200 foot-candles (500-2,000 lux), at the lower limit of palm light requirements. Cold damage occurs at 30°F (-1°C); plants are killed by exposure to 25°F (-4°C) or below.
Native Range
C. seifrizii is native to lowland tropical forests of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, occurring in shaded understory at 0-2,000 feet (0-600 m) elevation. Cultivated worldwide as an indoor ornamental and as a tropical landscape plant in zones 10-11.Suggested Uses
Grown as an indoor floor plant in low- to medium-light interior locations; container plants reach 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 m) tall in pots of 10-15 gallons (38-57 L). Massed at 4-5 foot (1.2-1.5 m) spacing in tropical landscapes for screening or understory cover (zones 10-11). Tested in the NASA Clean Air Study (1989) for indoor air quality alongside several other tropical foliage plants.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6' - 10'
Width/Spread4' - 7'
Bloom Information
Year-round flowering possible in tropical conditions; main flushes in spring and summer in subtropical climates. Indoor specimens flower irregularly throughout the year if minimum temperatures stay above 65°F (18°C). Individual flowers last 1-2 weeks; total bloom on a clump extends 4-6 weeks per flush. Fruit set requires both male and female plants in proximity for wind- or insect-pollination.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
Yellow (male) or green (female)Foliage Description
Dark greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 1-6 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Water deeply when the top 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of soil is dry; reduce watering in winter and during low-light conditions. Apply a balanced houseplant fertilizer at quarter-strength monthly from March through October; cease feeding in winter. Spider mites infest foliage in low humidity; humidity above 40% reduces incidence. Mealybugs and scale insects appear in dust-laden indoor environments; foliar wiping with a damp cloth removes pests and reduces dust on stomata. Bamboo Palm tolerates lower light than most palms, surviving at 50 foot-candles (500 lux) but flowering only above 200 foot-candles (2,000 lux). Leaf tip browning indicates fluoride or chlorine sensitivity in tap water; bottled or filtered water reduces tip damage.Pruning
Remove dead or yellowing fronds at the base of the petiole during routine maintenance; cut individual canes at ground level once they decline, as canes do not regenerate from the cut tip. Crown thinning is not needed; plants self-regulate cane density. Spent flower stalks may be cut at the base after flowering to direct energy into rhizome growth.Maintenance Level
lowContainer Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons