Chamaedorea amabilis

California

Description

This is a very slow-growing, thin-stemmed (1/4"/6cm), bifid-leaved palm. It can grow up to 8'/2.5m tall in a warm Mediterranean climate. The bifid leaves are 6"-10"/15-25cm long, have parallel sides and are markedly ridged and stiff. Most plants tend to only hold 3-5 leaves at a time.

Culture

This is one of the less cold tolerant palms that succeed in a Mediterranean climate with about a 10a-10b USDA climate (temps rarely below freezing) but not super hot (will not tolerate desert climates). It is very needy of moisture and humidity, requiring constantly moist, well-drained soil, and frequent misting in a dry, Mediterranean climate. Best, if affordable, to have reverse osmosis water to keep from brown-tipping the leaves badly. Brown tipping leaves also result from low humidity, hot, dry winds, and lack of watering. Snails like this palm and can shred it overnight. It likes no direct sunlight.