Rhapis spp.

Arecaceae Southern China and Southeast Asia

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

HardinessZones 9–11

Overview

Rhapis spp. is a genus of about ten clustering fan palms in the family Arecaceae, native to southern China and Southeast Asia, with Rhapis excelsa and Rhapis humilis the most familiar in cultivation. Plants spread by underground runners into dense clumps of slender, upright canes 3-15 feet (0.9-4.5 m) tall and 0.4-1.2 inch (1-3 cm) thick, the canes wrapped in a coarse brown fiber. Each cane carries a crown of palmate leaves divided to the base into 3-10 stiff, blunt-tipped segments, deep green and glossy, 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) long. Small yellowish flowers appear in branched clusters among the leaves, usually with male and female flowers on separate plants, followed on female plants by small fleshy fruits. Growth is slow, with clumps widening gradually by suckering. The palms tolerate low light, indoor air, and a range of soils, but cold below about 20 F (-7 C) damages the foliage. Leaf tips brown in dry air, hard water, or excess fertilizer. Variegated and dwarf forms of Rhapis excelsa are grown as collector and container plants.

Native Range

Rhapis spp. is native to southern China, Taiwan, and parts of Southeast Asia, where the plants grow as understory palms in subtropical and tropical forest. Rhapis excelsa is known mainly from cultivation and is uncommon in the wild, while other species occur in shaded, humid woodland on well-drained slopes.

Suggested Uses

Grown as an understory and screening palm in shaded subtropical gardens and widely kept as a container and indoor plant, set 2-4 feet (0.6-1.2 m) apart in the ground. The slow, suckering clumps suit large pots, atriums, and low-light interiors. Dwarf and variegated forms are grown as specimen container plants.

How to Identify

Recognized by clumps of slender, upright canes covered in coarse brown fiber, each topped with fan-shaped leaves split nearly to the base into stiff, blunt-tipped, deep green segments. Rhapis excelsa has broad segments and canes to about 6-12 feet (1.8-3.7 m), while Rhapis humilis is taller and more slender with narrower segments. The fibrous canes and blunt leaf segments separate Rhapis spp. from Chamaedorea spp. and other indoor palms with feather leaves.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 15'

Width/Spread3' - 8'

Colors

Flower Colors

yellow

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Flowering is irregular in cultivation and most likely in spring to summer in warm conditions. Branched clusters of small yellowish flowers form among the leaves, usually with male and female flowers on separate plants. Female plants set small fleshy fruits where both sexes are present.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

deep green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 1-5 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

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

5-10 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plants grow in part to full shade on moist, well-drained soil and adapt to low indoor light, though brighter shade gives fuller growth. Water to keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, letting the top inch dry between waterings indoors. Leaf tips brown from dry air, fluoride or salts in water, and over-feeding, so soft water and light feeding reduce damage. The palms withstand temperatures down to about 20 F (-7 C); colder air burns the leaves. Spider mites and scale appear on indoor plants in dry conditions. Clumps are divided in spring to start new plants or limit spread.

Pruning

Cut away dead or browned leaves and spent flower stalks at the base. Whole canes that die back can be removed at ground level, since new canes arise from the spreading base. No routine pruning is needed beyond removing tired growth.