What is the best indoor palm tree?

[Palmtreedude69]

Recently one of my relatives who has autism visited me in South Florida and he really fell in love with palm trees and loved walking through my personal palm collection but he lives in zone 5b I am currently looking for the best low maintenance slow growing indoor palm I know to stay away from Ravenea rivularis I am thinking Cat palm or ponytail palm but thought to ask for more ideas. Any help appreciated!

[SeanK]

Spindle palms, Kentia palms, Lady (Rhapis) palms.

[PalmatierMeg]

7 hours ago, SeanK said:

Spindle palms, Kentia palms, Lady (Rhapis) palms.

Good choices. Also Chamaedorea spp: cataractum, radicalis, seifrizii. The first two should be easy to find/replace. If possible, stress to him the need to care for his palm because if neglected it will likely die. Provide him with a list of what his palm needs to stay healthy.

Not that it likely matters to you or him, but ponytail "palms" are not palms but caudiciform succulents.

[Silas_Sancona]

Bigger: Kentia ( Howea forsteriana ) Lady Palms ( Rhapis ) Chamaedorea ..Would go with C. microspadix rather than  the " fritzia " myself ( Often suffer mealy bug issues indoors ) ..and some other taller " understory " Chamaedorea sps that can handle lower lighting..

Smaller: Chamaedorea elegans  ...and of course,  ...the " Whale Tail " type Chamaedorea sps.

....Like these C. metallica..

Inside since late April ( ..Because spending the summer outdoors here would be like throwing them into the Oven )

Haven't missed a step..








Another great group of plants that can do pretty good inside that provide great tropical - looking foliage?  ..as long as they aren't shoved into a depressingly dark corner and kept moist < but not wet >? The Pachyneurium group of Bird's Nest Anthuriums..

An example of how they look:

A. schlechtendalii  on the left,  A. hookeri  ( ..or a ruffled form of A. plowmanii ) on the right..

[Palmtreedude69]

Thanks for all the advice I will see what palm I can get my hands on a kenita palm, lady palm,spindle palm, or some other tropical plants  i will update with photos when I get them!

[Dartolution]

@Silas_Sancona Where did you find the metallica? I can never seem to find these anywhere. 

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, Dartolution said:

@Silas_Sancona Where did you find the metallica? I can never seem to find these anywhere. 

Someone local had mentioned finding some in a Lowes location in Tucson back in Feb ..or March.. in a thread at the time, which spurred an immediate hunt for them in neighborhood locations..

Originally grabbed one, then returned for a second to up my chances at having at least one plant of each sex..  If i see any again, i may add one more.

At Lowes, look for the plants sold in nice, decorative ceramic pots in the house plant section w/ the " Urban Jungle " tag on them.

There was an Anthurium superbum on the same shelf as the palms at the time ( from them ) but passed on it because it looked quite weak. 

[Dartolution]

@Silas_Sancona I see "rare" plants at our local BB stores (including Anthuriums) from costa and urban all the time, just never see a metallica unfortunately! 

 

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Dartolution said:

@Silas_Sancona I see "rare" plants at our local BB stores (including Anthuriums) from costa and urban all the time, just never see a metallica unfortunately! 

 

I'd never seen any in my nearest neighborhood BBs which rarely stock anything even half interesting.. 

When the person who posted finding them while walking around a store in Tucson mentioned it, i knew there was a particular store located a little further away from the house to check out first since that location serves a broader customer base in that part of Chandler, and they always have -at least- some interesting finds in their nursery area.. Was where i'd found Plumeria from Jungle Jacks.  As suspected, that store didn't disappoint.

Went to another location i though might be worth checking into since it serves part of Tempe, thus, a pretty diverse clientele..  Nothing but the same boring stuff my neighborhood store carries    ..So back to the original store i went for the 2nd specimen, lol.

Waiting to confirm my suspicions but pretty sure i have at least 1 female plant between the two specimens ( 4 plants to each pot )

[SeanK]

About 20 years ago, the good, private nurseries were located on Baseline Dr, south of I10. Can't say if they remain, given two cycles of rampant real-estate development that have occurred.

[NorCalWill]

How much indoor space does your friend have? Kentias get pretty big over time.

A favorite little indoor palm of mine is Chamaedorea adscendens. It doesn't get very big and has nice, course, velvety green leaves.