I've had pretty good luck with most Rhapis - but not with Super Dwarf. I know SDs barely qualify as palms in many palm lovers' eyes but they are so darn cute when they're healthy. My last has been in a slow decline for months. I once had two. When I get them they are lush and green, then they go south. I've tried to figure out what I'm doing wrong: too much light, too little light, overwatering, underwatering, fertilize or not, mix too dense. Nothing seems to work.

I unpotted the pathetic little thing and rinsed off the mix (palm/cactus soil with extra added perlite). I figured all the roots would be black and rotten - but not really, at least to my impaired eyes. Otherwise I had trouble seeing what was going with this palm. I placed it in a plastic cup filled with hydrogen peroxide which I hope will deal with any dead/diseased tissue.

A while later I removed it from the H2O2 and laid it on a towel for photos. I took the following photos of one side of the plant, then flipped it over for more pics. Can someone give me an idea what might be going on with this palm and suggestions on what I can do to reverse its death spiral?

Meg, Can you describe your growing conditions and fert regimen?

I have one of these at my house planted under a live oak that sucks all the water out of the soil. It is not exactly lighting the world on fire but it is still growing, albeit a bit yellow. Bright shade in semi rocky limestone muck sand, I water it when I remember. There are two more at the nursery in regular potting soil, fertilized with nutricote, in shade on an elevated bench. Irrigation every day. They look great.

Meg, Can you describe your growing conditions and fert regimen?

I have one of these at my house planted under a live oak that sucks all the water out of the soil. It is not exactly lighting the world on fire but it is still growing, albeit a bit yellow. Bright shade in semi rocky limestone muck sand, I water it when I remember. There are two more at the nursery in regular potting soil, fertilized with nutricote, in shade on an elevated bench. Irrigation every day. They look great.

Thanks for the info, Jerry. Mine are beginning to look a bit ragged and it will help.

Lee

I have 3 of these--I just moved one to the location of the other two because it was too dry to sustain itself. It didn't like the transplant but it is starting to coming back. The other two I have ZERO problems with. I think this is one of those palms you need to plant in shade where it gets plenty of water--simple grow for me.

Thanks for the responses. Jerry, I've been wracking my mind since I read your reply last night. I've not done anything that stands out to me. I kept my SD on the lanai where it received rain, irrigation and occasional supplemental watering with recycled water. In May I moved it into the back yard under shade of a large Chambeyronia. When it didn't look happy there I moved it to a plastic shelf unit tucked under a redneck, teddybear and Livistona. It shared the shelf with my Cham tenellas, Cham tuercks and a Rhapis subtilis seedling. I left them outdoors during a humid, rainy summer. By fall all but the Super Dwarf looked great. I don't remember this palm drying out at all.

I fed it and my other potted palms with time-release palm fertilizer (Lesco) last spring and need to do so again. I've supplemented that with Southern Ag Essential Minor Nutrients in granular form using measuring spoons/cups according to directions. I treat my potted palms a couple times a year with Merit to take care of pests. I'm finishing the fall treatment but haven't done the SD yet.

That's why I'm so befuddled and need sage, expert advice. I've tried to do right by it but results are dismal. I really don't want to lose yet another of these.

Meg - did it ever grow out of its funk?

Oh, it may be too late now two years later: But when I see those pics I think the problem was too soggy soil combined with wet feet. As a general rule for all potted Rhapis spp. (I owned seven different species): Use a very fast draining soil mix, water regularly, but don’t leave any water in the saucer, otherwise the tips of the leaflets will get wilted and the leaves can become yellow. – And most Rhapis spp. don’t like too much fert, therefore I give them only weaker portions than recommended.

3 hours ago, Pal Meir said:

Oh, it may be too late now two years later: But when I see those pics I think the problem was too soggy soil combined with wet feet. As a general rule for all potted Rhapis spp. (I owned seven different species): Use a very fast draining soil mix, water regularly, but don’t leave any water in the saucer, otherwise the tips of the leaflets will get wilted and the leaves can become yellow. – And most Rhapis spp. don’t like too much fert, therefore I give them only weaker portions than recommended.

It may be too late. However this is Meg and she would never give up on a palm she thought she could resurect. If she was successful, then I'm curious as to what corrective measures worked. 

Wow, a blast from the past. That particular palm is long gone. I am making my third and last try with one I got at last spring's Palm Beach sale. It's had its moments but now fall is here may be on the upswing. Time will tell I guess.

7 minutes ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Wow, a blast from the past. That particular palm is long gone. I am making my third and last try with one I got at last spring's Palm Beach sale. It's had its moments but now fall is here may be on the upswing. Time will tell I guess.

Is it also a potted palm? How many palms are planted together? (I would never plant more than two together in one pot.) And do you know the species? Could you post a pic?

Rhapis like organic fertilizers.

9 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

Rhapis like organic fertilizers.

… when they are planted in the ground. But potted palms …???

Pal, I took following photos of my Rhapis today. It is densely clustering and will reach about 5-6" tall. Most leaves are still strap, some are bifid. Eventually it will grow palmate leaves with 4-6 "fingers". A novelty palm but one easy to find room for. For now, I have no intention of planting it.

Rhapis Super Dwarf

21 hours ago, Pal Meir said:

… when they are planted in the ground. But potted palms …???

My potted Rhapis excelsa LOVES organic fertilizer. But it stays outside all year round (it' s become to tall to be accommodated inside a room). I agree however that the application of a stinking organic fertilizer would be totally incovenient inside a house. Besides there is also the possibility that other Rhapis spss respond differently to such fertilizers (btw a Rhapis multifida, to my knowledge, while still potted was amenable to this fertilizer)

11 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Pal, I took following photos of my Rhapis today. It is densely clustering and will reach about 5-6" tall. Most leaves are still strap, some are bifid. Eventually it will grow palmate leaves with 4-6 "fingers". A novelty palm but one easy to find room for. For now, I have no intention of planting it.

Rhapis Super Dwarf

Sweet palms!  But it looks to me as if there may be too many (?) palms planted together too tightly, although each "super dwarf“ will continue producing much more suckers. – I would use a loose "super fast“ draining soil mix (e.g. mainly ±coarse pine bark with LECA or so), which allows regular watering without becoming soggy. – Another question: Is it decided yet to which species this Rhapis may belong? I couldn’t find such infos. And there seem to be no seeds available in trade.

58 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

My potted Rhapis excelsa LOVES organic fertilizer. But it stays outside all year round (it' s become to tall to be accommodated inside a room). I agree however that the application of a stinking organic fertilizer would be totally incovenient inside a house. Besides there is also the possibility that other Rhapis spss respond differently to such fertilizers (btw a Rhapis multifida, to my knowledge, while still potted was amenable to this fertilizer)

Very happy looking Rhapis! And the tips of the leaflets are not wilted. For olfactory  reasons I prefer my mineral fert (COMPO®) indoors …

14 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Pal, I took following photos of my Rhapis today. It is densely clustering and will reach about 5-6" tall. Most leaves are still strap, some are bifid. Eventually it will grow palmate leaves with 4-6 "fingers". A novelty palm but one easy to find room for. For now, I have no intention of planting it.

Rhapis Super Dwarf

Hmmmmm, I've seen that handwriting before. Can't place the vendor's face and its torturing me. 

"Hmmmmm, I've seen that handwriting before. Can't place the vendor's face and its torturing me."

Ha! No clues from me except he belongs to IPS.

Pal, I'm told there are no seeds because all plants are female. My first two attempts to grow them failed before they flowered - if they flower at all. They are reproduced by dividing a clump. I'm on the fence about dividing this clump given my previous bad luck with this cultivar but I will consider that option over the winter. I have no idea what species it is either.