A timeless classic, the Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) brings a soft, tropical elegance to any room with its slender green stems and arching, feathery fronds. Each frond is made up of dozens of fine, narrow leaflets, giving the whole plant a gentle, fountain like shape. A firm favourite since Victorian times, when it took pride of place in the parlour, it remains one of the most loved and easy going indoor palms around.

It is wonderfully undemanding and a brilliant choice for beginners or shadier spots. Group it on the floor for a lush, leafy corner, or keep a smaller one on a shelf or tabletop. It is a quiet, slow growing companion that asks for very little and gives a lot, with the bonus of being a natural air purifier. Mature plants may even produce sprays of tiny yellow flowers in good light.

Care at a glance

Light: Bright, indirect is ideal, though it happily tolerates shadier spots. Keep out of direct sun, which scorches the fronds

Water: Water once the top few centimetres of soil dry out. Take care not to overwater, and make sure the pot drains freely

Humidity: Copes with average room humidity, though the odd misting helps prevent brown tips

Temperature: Happy in normal room warmth above 18°C, with a minimum of 10°C in winter

Feed: A weak feed every few weeks through spring and summer, none in winter

Note: One of the good ones for pet households, as the Parlour Palm is considered non toxic to cats and dogs. As ever, we'd still discourage nibbling

Supplied in a plastic nursery pot. As a living plant, size and shape vary from one to the next, so yours will be one of a kind.