Livistona Rotundifolia – Footstool Palm

Also known as the Table Palm or Fan Palm. Livistona rotundifolia is a very attractive and elegant palm with large, shiny, fan shaped leaves and thorny stems.

The Footstool Palm adapts to indoor living extremely well, being undemanding and tolerating some degree of neglect. Brown leaf tips are commonplace and are often trimmed back by the growers to maintain a greener look.

The Footstool Palm is smaller than most other palms, but can still grow up to 2m indoors and will certainly add a tropical, green element to your living space.

Horty Hints

Wave goodbye to the dry! A common problem with this palm is its tips drying out and turning brown. Mist frequently or place in a high humid environment away from frequent traffic.

Remove any brown leaves to encourage healthy growth. The thorns on the spine are sharp, so take care when handling or wear gloves.

If brown tips do develop, trim as required but avoid cutting into any fresh green foliage as this will cause more browning near the cut.

Light

Livistona rotundifolia prefers bright, indirect light but can also do fine in partial shade. Avoid direct sunlight however as this may scorch the plant.

Watering

Maintain moist soil conditions at all times. Allow the top of the soil to become slightly dry before watering. Palms don’t like boggy conditions so do not overwater.

Temperature

The Footstool Palm thrives in normal household temperatures: between 18-24°C. Make sure to always keep this plant above 13°C. Avoid cold draughts.

Humidity

This palm prefers higher levels of humidity. Stand on a pebble tray and mist regularly. For an added boost, pop it beside the shower to soak up some steam.

Feed

Feed occasionally at half-strength during the warmer months. Do not feed during the winter.

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Height & Growth Rate

The footstool palm is a very slow growing palm, rising to an ultimate height between 4 and 8 metres, however indoors this is more likely to be around 2 metres.

Toxicity

This palm is non-toxic, however the thorns on the stems can be sharp. Take care when handling.

Air Purifying

Palms clean and improve air quality by filtering airborne toxins from the surrounding environment.

Origin

Livistona rotundifolia is native to South East Asia and New Guinea.

Please note: images show how this plant may look at various stages of maturity. The size you choose may look different.

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