Parlour Palm

This small palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is a very easy-going house plant and is known for its air cleaning properties.

All plants need light, but this palm will thrive in quite low light – most rooms in the house will be suitable, even offices. Your plant will be happy at a normal room temperature, and if it gets really hot in the summer you can mist it to cool it down.

In the spring and summer when the plant is growing it will need to be watered fairly often to stop the compost from drying out, but in the winter when the plant is resting you may only need to water once or twice a week. You might like to feed it every month with ordinary houseplant food.

You should expect your plant to grow slowly to up to three feet high. It’ll be a little while before your plant needs repotting but when it does choose a 2L or larger pot and an ordinary potting compost.

Problem solving

Brown tips to the leaves are the result of a dry atmosphere, try giving you plant a good misting and water more regularly.