Unlike other palms, these plants aren’t all that tender. They can even handle a freeze now and then, which makes them ideal if you want to put a tropical-looking palm near a door or cold window.

It’s no wonder these plants were so highly valued that they were grown most notably by the wealthy and aristocratic people of Japan, throughout the past several centuries.

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If you want to bring a little lady palm elegance into your home, let’s get to it.

Here’s what this guide will cover:

As a true palm, these plants stand out from some of the other palm-like plants out there. But what makes them special is their hardiness and adaptability.

Ready to learn more? Here we go!

Cultivation and History

Elegant lady palm, aka bamboo or broadleaf palm, is a true palm that belongs to the Arecaceae family.

It’s known botanically as Rhapis excelsa, which means “tall needle” in Latin. However, lady palm certainly isn’t the tallest palm, despite its grand name. Standard plants can grow up to 10 feet tall outdoors, but they often stay under five feet when grown indoors.

It’s sometimes confused with the sago palm, which it is not related to, or the majesty palm, which it is.

Lady palms come from southeastern China, Taiwan, Laos, and Vietnam, but no one is exactly sure where it grows natively today, since there aren’t any known wild specimens.

This species made its way to Japan in the late 1600s, where plants were owned by the wealthy and aristocratic, and then to Europe in the late 1700s.

Today, it is

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