The broadleaf lady palm, or the Rhapis excelsa, is one of the easiest indoor plants to grow and care for. The indoor palm has been grown as a houseplant in China and Japan for over 500 years.
The broadleaf lady palm originated in China on the rainforest floor. It was later imported to Japan, reaching Europe and America. In Japan, it was planted around military soldiers to help “ward off” people with ill will or bad intentions.
Along with its historical purpose, the lady palm is also known for having many added benefits to your home. The palm’s fountain foliage can successfully remove harmful toxins from your home. The palm is also safe for pets and can even help allergy sufferers.
10 Lady Palm Benefits
The broadleaf lady palm, also called bamboo palm, has 10 amazing benefits for you and your home:
- Purifies the air
- Adds oxygen
- Removes toxins
- Boosts your mental health
- Adds humidity to your home
- Helps fight allergies
- Non-toxic to pets
- Low maintenance
- Impossible to kill
- Adds a subtropical style
1. Great Air Purifier
Research studies have found that lady palms, palm varieties, and indoor plants remove carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from your living space. Lady palms can easily create clean air in your home due to their natural ability to remove carbon dioxide.
2. Added Oxygen
The more leaves a plant has, the more oxygen it will produce from the carbon dioxide in the air. A lady palm can not only remove carbon dioxide from the air but also create oxygen. A lady palm can effectively create clean air to impact your living space positively.
3. Removal of Toxins From The Air
NASA has tested many indoor plants and their ability to filter toxins from their indoor environment. In NASA’s indoor plant studies, all palm varieties, including the lady palm, are among the top plants that can remove harmful chemicals and pollutants from your air.
A lady palm, including its sister plants, can remove formaldehyde, benzene, and ammonia. Because of their natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide, they can also remove harmful particles from your living space. Owning a broadleaf lady palm will help remove particles that can cause intrusive illnesses and sensory irritations like formaldehyde and ammonia.
4. Boosts Your Mental Health
With the removal of carbon dioxide and added oxygen in the air, a lady palm can positively impact your mental well-being.
According to a research study, adding oxygen and removing toxins will create a more productive workflow and headspace. The presence of a lady palm will relieve negative emotions while creating an improved learning and working environment.
5. Humidify Your Home
Some research studies have found that the lady palm, including other palm varieties, can increase the amount of humidity in the air. Palms can release almost 1 quart of water vapor per hour.
Dry air can cause some adverse reactions to your environment. If air is too dry, the spread of viruses can increase since they can survive for a longer amount of time. An environment that is too dry can also affect your productivity level and have a negative impact on your quality of sleep.
Owning a lady palm will allow you to sleep easier and have a higher work performance. It can also potentially save you from a common cold or other airborne viruses.
6. Helps Fight Allergies
According to Zyrtec, the lady palm can benefit allergy sufferers. The palm can successfully filter the air and improve the air quality to aid people during the allergy season.
Since they also humidify your home, the added water vapor can lower the chances of an allergic reaction. The lady palm can effectively remove harmful particles and create humid air to reduce allergic reactions and stuffy air.
7. Non-toxic to Pets
Lady palms are great for pet owners as they are non-toxic to cats and dogs. Many houseplants are harmful to pets and can cause adverse reactions if ingested. The ASPCA has even listed the lady palm as a safe plant for pets. The lady palm is a plant that you can add to your home without any worry about how it will affect your cats or dogs.
8. Low Maintenance
Lady palms are known as one of the easiest plants to own. They enjoy indirect sunlight and can even tolerate low light.
These plants can also handle most temperatures except for low winter temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The lady palm rarely needs fertilizer and only needs to be watered once or twice a week.
9. Hardy and Almost Impossible to Kill
Since the lady palm is low maintenance, if you forget about watering for one week, it will be able to survive until the next time you remember to water the plant.
It can also handle any potting soil, so if you mix up a ratio when repotting, it will not mind what it is potted in. The palm can also withstand any temperature and sunlight. However, too much direct sun may burn its leaves.
10. Historical and Subtropical Style
The lady palm has been used as an indoor plant in Asia, Europe, and North America for the past 500 years.
Because of its history in Japan, to aid military commanders with goodwill and protection from people with evil intent, this plant can add historical symbolism and value to your living space. Along with its benefits of cleaning the air and being non-toxic, the lady palm’s foliage can create a modern and subtropical aesthetic for your home.
Related: Why Is My Lady Palm Drying Out?
