Looking for specific name of my palm

11 years ago

Anyone know the exact name of my palm? It's at least 25 years old and was my mom's until she passed away 14 years ago. I've had it since and was wondering the exact name of it. Don't think it's anything exotic as I remember buying it with her as a wee plant at the grocery store. Pictures I see of palms show them to be multi stemmed where as you can see, mine is on a single stem as the lower leaves have fallen off throughout the years. Also speaking of that, will it eventually become top heavy and should I air layer it or keep as is. This plant is very special to me and I don't want to take any chances

This post was edited by rosebuddy on Sun, Jan 27, 13 at 17:14

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Comments (12)

plantomaniac08
11 years ago
That's Chamaedorea elegans, AKA Parlour Palm. The way it looks is normal as it is a palm. Looks good for its age!

Planto
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
11 years ago
Looks great to me!!

Parlor Palm indeed..

The size and the shape of your palm looks wonderful.. no need to do anything to this beauty especially thinking of airlayering? No way!! The whole idea for having a palm is to enjoy the look of the natural trunk. People would pay lots of money to have a palm like that!!! Let it be a beautiful palm as is!!!

Your mother left you a beautiful "exotic" gift and it takes many years to have a trunk like yours. Always cut the dead fronds and enjoy your gorgeous gift!!!

Sorry for your loss...

Whatever you are doing.. keep doing it!!

Great job!!!

Laura
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Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
11 years ago
That's fantastic!! Double everything said above for me. Whatever you're doing, keep doing it! Does it ever make yellow balls (flowers?)

These are usually potted with multiple individuals in a pot, grown from seeds that way, but as individuals, these palms only have one trunk with leaves at the top. Yours looks perfect as single pot!
rosebuddy
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for all the replies, made me feel real good that Mom's plant is looking healthy and happy. I was a bit worried about it becoming top heavy, but sounds like that is the natural way of it. It does make the yellow flower balls often. Thanks again for the replies! I no longer have to say it is some sort of palm when people ask.
plantomaniac08
11 years ago
rosebuddy,
Glad to help! Would you be able to show us a photo the next time it blooms?

Planto
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
11 years ago
rosebuddy

I have same palm and I did air layer it.

I am not saying you should do it.
It looks very nice the way it is (better than one I have).

The reason I had to do it - my palm was over 8feet tall & hitting the ceiling. The trunk was also very skinny (much thinner than yours) and it was top heavy. Bamboo sticks could not support it properly. So I did air layer it succesfully, to make it fit the house. It is approx. 4feet tall now.
It is 43yrs old...So just in case yours gets too tall, it can be done. Rina
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
11 years ago
Rina, you rock!
marguerite_gw Zone 9a
11 years ago
rosebuddy, when next it has those yellow flowers, check in the evening and see if they are scented. I had one whose flowers were evening scented, I wrote about it here years ago, the scent is very sweet and somewhat like lily of the valley, if I recall rightly. The palm we have now though quite old has never flowered, maybe it will soon and I can see if they too have scent.
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
11 years ago
Hi Rosebuddy!!

I would love to see a picture of your Palm in bloom!!

We love to seen such healthy palms/plants like that and i will say again how impressed i am to see a beauty like yours!!

Rina is correct about air layering when it does get to tall, but your tree looks so good right now that i wouldn't do anything to it. When it gets to tall for your house, like Rina's, then there is the next step.

Rina... I can't believe you have had your palm for 43 years.. How Awesome is that? I have loved palms for many years now and the oldest potted ones are about 15 years old and the ones in ground are about 20 years old. I would love to see a pic of your Parlor Palm if you would like to share? Love these palms!!!

Take care,

Laura
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
11 years ago
Laura

I bought it year my son was born for $0.29, it was just tiny plant in 2" pot (so now you all know how old I am, lol).
It's on 'loan' at my sons for a while, will take photo when I get chance. Rina
rosebuddy
Original Author
11 years ago
Just cut off the yellow balls plus a lower leaf before I took this picture. The balls have never done anything more than dry up and fall to the floor which is why I cut them off before they get too dry. Do they ever actually flower into anything more than balls? Maybe I'm cutting them off too early, or don't have the proper setting for them to do more.
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
11 years ago
Palms are (usually? always?) dioecious, so an individual is either male or female. As such, the flowers are usually the indicator of a tree's sex. You're right about them doing nothing on a lone tree, without another tree of opposite sex to make pollination possible, nothing can come of them. If one has a female tree that is pollinated, there can be seeds. There is never more of a bloom than the yellow ball phase, but when they are pollinated and become seeds, the yellow balls gradually turn very dark, and take much longer to fall off, the stalk might change colors.