Rhapis Palms-Cultivated Species and Varieties
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r9891 MCKAMEY:RHAPIS L29 Principes,33(3), 1989, pp. 129-I39 Rhapis Palms-Cultivated Speciesand Varieties: Culture and Care of the Ladies Lvxtc McKeMrY Rhapis Gardens, P.O. Box 287, Gregory,';TX 78359 Rhapis, known as Lady Palms, can be to the modern world of cultivated plants. found in homes and gardens throughout However, several of these may be grown 'omisnamed the world. The widespread popularity of by Japanesehorticulturists as these multi-cane fan palms can be attrib- varieties" of R. excelsaand R. humilis. uted to their adaptability to a wide range Obviously, the genus needs further study of soils, climates, and environments. to establish complete order. This difficult Uniquely, they are the only ornamental project is being undertaken by Dr. John palms to have named varieties (cultivars) Dransfield and Laura Fitt of the Royal in green and variegatedforms. While four Botanic Garden, Kew. speciesare well known as elegant land- scapeaccents or indoor ornamentals,oth- CultivatedSpecies of RhaPis remain unknown to cultivation, await- ers Rhapis are some of the easiestpalms in remote areas of Southeast ing collection to grow, but each specieshas its own par- Asia. ticular environment and culture require- can be divided into two basic The eenus ments: no two can be cultivated alike. This robust Chinese subtropicals groups: the idiosyncrasy provides versatility to the Taiwan and'mainland which are native to genus; wherever you may live, at least one smaller Indochinese trop- China, and the of the species will thrive in your house or to regions in and around icals indigenous landscape. and Laos. Thailand Lady palms can be propagatedby divi- Rhapis excelsa and, Rhapis hutnilis sion or seed,depending on species.Rhapis oldest cultivated Chinese species, are the are dioecious, requiring both male and as prized ornamentalsin the Far recorded female plants for successful pollination. R. as early as the l7th Century. These East excelsa and R. subtilis seed are being by having large thick are characterized commercially produced; however, female on sturdy canes 3/+to lVa" to 3 leaves {2 R. humilis and male R. laosensis arc in diameter which gro\r more than B' cm) unknown in cultivation; as a result these (2.5 m) tal7.Rhapis subtilis fromThailand "20th speciesmust be propagated by division. andRhapis laosensisare century" species,being discovered and named by Rhapissubtilis Odoardo Beccari in I 9 I 0 and brought into "ThailandLady Palm" cultivation during the last two decades. Thesehave thinner. smaller leaveson nar- Rhapis sabtilis wastntroduced into cul- row canesless than 3/+"(2 cm) in diameter tivation by Watana Sumawongof Bangkok and seldom exceed B' (2.5 m) in height. during the late 1960s. At that time, Thai- Other specieswere named and described land Lady Palm was thought to be a min- by Beccari and Max Burret during the first iature form of R. humili.s and was distrib- half of this century, trut remain un-known uted under that name until 1984 when it 130 PRINCIPES lVoL. 33 'l'wo I. Two formslorms ofot KhaptsRhapis :subtilis 3' tall in Miami display the wide variation of leaf shapesin this species was recognizedby Dr. Dransfieldand Ms. Being a tropical, R. subtilis requires Fitt to be Beccari'sRhapis subtilis. high humidity and abundant moisture. Thailand Lady Palm is a small species' While all Rhapis can attract scaleinsects, seldomexceeding 6' (2rr,) ofheight. Canes this is the only species severely affected are narrow with neat smooth fiber, brown by spidermites. It hasa temperaturerange in color. Offshootshave stiff, brittle roots of 32oto 90'F (0'to 32oC), but prefers and sucker closeto the main cane' making 60" to B0oF. ThailandLady Palm thrives division almostimpossible. Since males and in humid, tropical climates, but seldom females flower prolifically, abundant adaptsto hot dry regionsor cool subtrop- amounts of seed are available. ical areas.It can be difficult as a house- At least two, if not three forms of R. plant. subtilisexist (Fig. l). The tallesttype has leaves with broad segmentswhich slightly Rhapislaosensis resembleR. excelsa.A secondform has "Laos LadYPalm" tiny canes,small leaveswith finely divided segments,and slowlygrows 2r to 3' (l m) First discoveredand namedby Beccari tall (see Principes, l7(I)). A third type more than 70 years ago, this small Lady appearsto be a combinationof the others. Palm was brought into cultivation during Cross pollination of these different forms the 1960s by the late David Barry of Cal- may cause the wide variation in seedlings ifornia. The few specimensin America are and mature plants. Unlike the blunt tipped all female divisions of his plants and they R. excelsa, all R. subtili.shave pointed have not yet been critically identified as leaf tips. R. laosensis. MCKAMEY: RHAPIS I I I , I $, { fine specimen of Rhapis laosensis,6' tall and 18 years old. Photo courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Garden. Canes are Dencil thin and as with R. standsalmosr 6' (2 m) tall (Fig. 2). Laos ,btrlrs.har e slick neat fiber.Thin leaves Lady Palm is relativelyeasy to divide,but rth wide segments curve downward pro- remains scarce in supply. Culture is not r,Jing a very graceful effect. One of the difficult thoroughly water when slightly i,lest cultivated specimens is displayed at dry and keep temperaturesbetween 30o -rirchild Trooical Gardens in Miami and and 90o F (-1" to 32" C). R. laosensis lvor. 33 LJZ PRINCIPES CaMornia' These are more than 60 3. Rhapis humilis at The Huntington Botanical Garden, San Marino, years old. growsbest in humid tropical areas,but will Only male plants are known in culti- must be by ud"pt to warm subtropical climates. yation; therefore, propagation division. Small container specimens under RhaPis humilis 6t tall are scarce since roots are brittle "slender LadYPalm" and slow to establish; as a result, clump divisions are more successful than single is the Native to China, this subtropical cane separations. tallest of all Rhapis, often exceeding lB' (6 m) in height. Large leaves with many Rhapisexcelsa narrow segments enveloP slender canes, "Large o'slender LadYPalm" and creating the name Lady Palm'" "MiniatureLadY Palms" Someof the first imported into America in the early I900s are still majestically Rhapis excelsa is the most well-known growing at The Huntington Botanical Gar- and widely cultivated species' easily adapt- sub- Jen in San Marino, California (Fig. 3). ing to most interiors and tropical or Primarily usedas towering landscapespec- tropical landscapes throughout the world. imens on the American west coast' R. It has a multitude of named varieties in humilis thrives in cool subtropicalclimates green and variegated forms. - with temperaturesfrom l8o to 90o F ( 7' Historically, R. excelsa have been used more than to 32" C). Those grown !n tropical regions as classic ornamental palms for the suffer in hot summer heat and can exhibit 300 years. They were cultivated by slow growth and loss of vigor. Japanese elite in the early 1600s, intro- r98el MCKAMEY:RHAPIS A. Lynn McKamey at one end of the serpentine hedge of Rhapis excelsa (Large Lady Palm) at Fairchild Tropical Gardens in Miami. B. Lynn McKamey and Paul Drummond at the other end of the same hedge. 'luced to Europe in 1774, and became Large thick leaves with blunt tips have "parlor :'rized American palrirs" during wide segments, giving R. excelsa its occa- "broadleaf rhe 1850s. The popularity of this species sional name lady palm." Its , an be attributed to its ease of care, dura- sturdy canes are covered with coarse, dark I'ility, insect resistance, and long life. brown fiber. This species tolerates tropical Rhapis excelsa consists of two groups: and subtropical temperatures from 20o to "Large :lre common Lady Palm" grown I00' F (-5o to 38" C) and will accept irom seed or divisions, and the highly both humid and dry climates. It is a prolific "Miniature :efined Lady Palms" devel- producer of rhizome offshoots which adds ,,ped by Japanese enthusiasts into named fullness and provides an easy method to .arieties by selective cloning. increase numbers by division. In addition, "Large The Lady Palm" can grow to seed is often available from Taiwan and :rrore than 14' (4 m) of height. Unlike R. should be available soon from growers in iumilis which has tall, slender clusters of Florida. -tems- R. excelsa clumps can gain enor- The green and variegated Japanesecul- :lous width, often having a diameter as tivars of Rhapis excelsa, collectively "ide as their height (see back correr). In known as Miniature Lady Palms, were ,939, Fairchild Tropical Gardens of Miami developed through selective cloning of :,lanted twelve single cane divisions 6' (2 choice, unusual specimens from Taiwan. :r) apart; today, these multi-cane palms Each named variety has a unique leaf shape -tand in a l0' to 12' (3 to 4 m) tall hedge and growth habit (see Principes lB(3) and "hich is more than 9' (3 m) wide and 80' 27(4)). Because of a preference for min- 16 m) long (Fig. a). iature plants, the Japanese propagate the lVor.33 I34 PRINCIPES T 'Tenzan'6'tall' right: /t. excelsa'Koban' 2Vz'tall' R' excelsa 5. Named varieties of Rhapis excelsa.Leftto 'Darumai Rhapis Gardens' atd' R' excelsa 3' tall' Photo by ,r891 MCKAMEY: RHAPIS Two examples of Miniature Lady Palms which stay very compact and bushy: on the left is R. excelsa 'Gyokuho'which rodaruma'more than eight yearsold and only 18" tall in a7" pot; on the right is R. excelsa is five years old and 12" tall in a 5" pot. Photo by Rhapis Gardens. "dwarf ' .,irest growing strains and further with culture and environment. In com- .,' palms by restricting rool systems in mercial production with B0% shade and :rv pots, using coarse sand or small gravel, subtropical temperatures, the slow growing :,d limiting fertilizer applications.