Chamaedorea elegans

Chamaedorea elegans
Parlor Palm

Sold by the millions as cute miniature indoor plants in supermarkets and garden centers all over the world, this palm has probably been the quintessential indoor palm since Victorian times. Native to rainforest in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, it grows a solitary, canelike stem to about 2 m (7 ft.) tall, topped by a graceful crown of neatly pinnate, pale green leaves. Best suited for a shady spot indoors or in the subtropical/warm temperate garden.

germination comments by our visitors
For general germination instructions click here.

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

... are very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
Fresh seed of this palm is very easy to germinate. I collected myself 3 seeds from a trio of Chamaedorea elegans growing at a ground level patio in an inner position, under the building and after removing the seed fruit, i soaked them for 1 day and sowed them at high peat-low perlite mixture sold for ferns. I soaked this soil in water, half burried the seeds and covered the container tightly with sanitas wrap. The container was kept at 16-30C. In about 15 days, all three seeds had sprouted and subsequent growth was satisfying. One of the three however didnt make it as it hadnt developed a root at all, it directly pulled out a leaf...So check for root development before planting, if there is no root,leave it there with plenty of humidity and it may develop one...
Submitted on 22/10/2007 by Konstantinos Giannopoulos giannopouloskonstantinos@yahoo.com


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plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

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	• • • Write a plant cultivation comment and enter to win Euro (€) 50 worth of seeds • • • Please note: These comments are on how to cultivate the PLANTS once the seeds have germinated.

If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

Conifers for Gardens: An Illustrated Encyclopedia
by Richard L. Bitner

Hardcover - 448 pages
More than 1500 photographs

Our Rating:

Suitable for: all

Conifers for Gardens is intended to take away the element of uncertainty when you're choosing a plant that may alter your yard for years to come. Profusely illustrated with more than 1,500 crisp photographs and brimming with concise descriptions of both species and their numerous cultivars, this meticulously researched reference provides information - including size, appearance, hardiness, preferred growing conditions and susceptibility to pests and diseases - for almost every hardy conifer you're likely to encounter in the trade, whether it's a tried-and-true favorite or a connoisseur's treasure.

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