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Chamaedorea elegans

dwarf mountain palm

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
© RHS 2003
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  • Other common names dwarf mountain palm
    parlour palm

  • Synonyms Chamaedorea pulchella
    Neanthe bella

  • Family Arecaceae

  • Genus Chamaedorea are evergreen palms with slender, solitary or clustered stems bearing large leaves which may be pinnate or shaped like a fish tail; insignificant flowers are borne in panicles or spikes below the leaves, followed by small fruits

  • Details C. elegans is an evergreen palm, with slenderly stalked, pinnate leaves to 60cm in length, with up to 40 linear leaflets. Tiny yellow flowers are borne in terminal panicles, only on mature plants

  • Plant range Mexico to Guatemala

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H1A

Colour

Sunlight

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect East-facing or South-facing or West-facing or North-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Sand

    Sand

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureWell-drained

  • SoilChalk, Clay, Sand, Loam

  • pHAcid, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 1.5-2.5 metres

  • Ultimate spread 1-1.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 10-20 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow under glass in a loam free compost in full light but with protection from strong sun. In the growing season water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly. Water sparingly in winter

Propagation Propagate by seed sown at a temperature of no less than 25ºC

Suggested planting locations and garden types Architectural Patio & Container Plants

How to care

Pruning No pruning required

Pests Prone to glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects and thrips

Diseases False smut may attack leaves

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Chamaedorea elegans

dwarf mountain palm

Buy from £8.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £8.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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