Rhapis excelsa

Family. Arecaceae or Palms.

Homeland of the plant. China and Taiwan.

Description. Rhapis tall is a multi-stemmed palm that is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. At the top of each stem, up to 2.5 m high, there are 5 - 10 pinnate, wide fan-shaped thin leaves. Young leaves are dissected into 1 - 2 drooping lanceolate segments, adults are already 10 or more, each from 20 to 60 cm long and about 2.5 cm wide. The leaves are glossy, dark green. The species is dioecious, divided into male and female individuals, but has no external differences. The flowers are white, fleshy, with 3 petals, collected in a small inflorescence at the top of the plant, arranged in a spiral. Ripe fruits are fleshy and white. It grows slowly, forming dense clusters of thin, slender stems. There are variegated forms.

Height. The plant reaches a height of 2 - 4 m.

Care at home

Temperature conditions

A very unpretentious indoor palm tree, it grows easily in a temperature range from 6 to 37 °C.

Lighting

The indoor plant does not tolerate direct sunlight and is shade-tolerant, although it grows better in good light. 

Care

Remove the lower leaves with clean, sharp scissors. Keep the shape compact by pruning, otherwise the shoots will reach 4 meters in height. With proper pruning, you can grow a bonsai-style rapis that is only 30 cm high.

Substrate

One of the reasons for the popularity of this palm is its ease of cultivation. Rhapis adapts very easily to a variety of soil types, although neutral to slightly acidic soils with good drainage and sufficient organic matter are ideal. 

Feeding

Apply a balanced fertilizer at half strength once a month with caution; overfeeding will likely harm the tree.

Purpose

The broadleaf palm looks very elegant in offices, hotels, residential areas and greenhouses. This hardy plant is ideal for growing indoors. 

Flowering time

It blooms extremely rarely in cultivation.

Air humidity

It tolerates any air humidity, but in the warm season it is better to spray regularly. Do not expose rhapis to cold drafts.

Soil moisture

Water generously throughout the summer, ensuring perfect drainage. In winter, watering is reduced to once a month or once every two weeks, depending on the temperature. Do not allow water to stagnate at the roots - rot will appear. In winter, allow the top layer of soil to dry out between waterings. 

Transfer

Transplantation is carried out as it grows - annually, in spring. It is better to use transshipment, since the sensitive root system takes a long time to recover from damage. Adult specimens are transplanted every 3-4 years.

Reproduction

Propagation by seeds requires a lot of time - up to 7 years. Typically, daughter shoots are used for propagation at any time of the year. 

Pests and diseases

Palms grown in direct sunlight will usually have yellow-green leaf tips if they have been overwatered. Rhapis can be grown in full sun, but only if watered thoroughly and frequently. Wipe the leaves with a damp sponge occasionally. The genus is sensitive to fluoride and other chemicals in tap water, causing the leaf tips to turn brown.

Sometimes mealybugs, aphids and thrips, scale insects, and spider mites appear on rhapis. 

Note

Rhapis effectively purify indoor air of various toxins, including ammonia, formaldehyde, xylene, and carbon dioxide.