Potted palms

Tropical Bali vibe, old-world Victorian elegance, minimalist Nordic chic or ’70s indoor-plant craziness... all these styles are possible when you grow containerised palms, writes STEVE FALCIONI

Ijust love potted palms. They look great, are super versatile and don’t require much care. You can use potted palms to support a range of decorating styles, and either group them with other pot plants or use them for visual impact as a standalone feature. Potted palms can also serve a practical purpose by filling a gap under a tree where nothing will grow because of root competition, or creating an instant screen on patios or balconies and in pool enclosures. Many palms can be displayed indoors as well. I wasn’t kidding when I said they were versatile!

Just about any type of palm can be grown in a pot. Their secret weapon is a dense, fibrous root ball, which enables them to be happily confined in a container for extended periods. Some palms can grow quite large in the ground, however their size and growth rate are restricted in a container. There are many different palms to choose from, but here are 10 of the best for growing in pots.

1. Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa)

An excellent indoor palm with clusters of slender stems covered in dark, fibrous material and deep green leaflets. It will grow in low-light situations indoors, while outside it does best in a warm, shaded position with protection from frost. It can slowly reach 3–4m high.

3–4m T ST WT CT

2. Parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

A beautiful small palm with deep green fronds growing from a single stem.

It is commonly sold as a dense cluster of 4–5 young plants about 30cm high. Indoors, it prefers bright, indirect light, but it can also handle darker areas. Outdoors, it likes shade, warmth and regular watering. Over time, it can grow to 1m high or taller.

1m+ T ST WT

3. Elegant fan palm (Licuala peltata var. sumawongii)

A magnificent palm with large, undivided, circular fronds. Native to Malaysia and Thailand, it needs very warm to hot conditions. Position it indoors in bright, indirect light, or in dappled light outdoors. You must protect it from wind and frost. It slowly reaches 3–4m high in a large pot.

3–4m T ST WT

4. Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis)

Perfect if you’re going for a Mediterranean look, this tough, single to multi-stemmed palm with fan-shaped leaves thrives outdoors in full sun in regions with hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

It’s frost-hardy and wind-tolerant, but slow-growing, taking up to 10 years to reach 1.5m high.

1.5m A WT CT

5. Sealing-wax palm (Cyrtostachys renda)

Also called lipstick palm, this gorgeous plant is known for its multiple, bright red stems and contrasting green fronds.

It needs very warm, humid conditions to thrive, so unfortunately it’s not suitable for everyone. It grows best outdoors in full sun to semi-shade, and needs regular watering, reaching 2–3m high.

2–3m T ST 6. Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea seifrizii)

This elegant palm produces multiple stems, up to 3m high, that are thin and straight, like bamboo. Each stem supports many short fronds, creating a dense, leafy look that makes it useful for screening. It’s great indoors in a bright spot, or outdoors in dappled light, or full sun in very humid areas.

3m T ST WT

7. Metallica palm (Chamaedorea metallica)

An unusual palm with mostly fused, stripy green and silvery-grey fronds. It’s easy to grow inside in bright, indirect light, or in a warm, shady spot outdoors with regular watering, and reaches 1–1.5m high.

1–1.5m T ST WT

8. Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana)

A popular indoor plant since Victorian times, with classic arching fronds. It does best positioned in bright light, but can tolerate darker conditions and even handle cold rooms (no wonder the Victorians loved them). Outside, young plants need regular watering and shelter from hot sun and winds. It slowly grows to 2–3m high in a pot.

2–3m WT CT

9. Dwarf date palm (Phoenix roebelenii)

A tough little palm for an outdoor spot in full sun. Reaching up to 3m high, it produces a rough trunk and long fronds with sharp spikes at the base. Keep those spikes in mind when positioning the pot.

3m T ST WT CT

10. Golden cane palm (Dypsis lutescens)

This popular palm featuring clumps of yellow canes with light green fronds grows up to 2m high in containers. Indoors, it needs bright light to thrive. Outdoors, it can handle full sun if it gets plenty of water and humidity, otherwise semi-shade is best. Protect it from frost.

2m T ST WT CT