Lady Palms, Delivered and Planted for SW Florida Shade
Lady palm is the clumping fan palm for shade, and it does well in SW Florida under trees, along north walls and in courtyards where sun-loving palms struggle. It grows slowly to 6 to 12 ft and builds a dense, bamboo-like screen. We deliver and plant 7 gallon lady palms.
- Light:
- Part to full shade; strong sun bleaches and burns the fronds
- Water:
- Moderate; keep evenly moist
- Salt:
- Low to moderate; keep it out of salt spray
Lady Palm sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Variety or form | Sizes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Lady Palm | 7 Gallon | A multi-stemmed 7 gallon lady palm, typically about 2.5 to 4 ft tall at delivery, for shaded beds and screens. |
| Rhapis Lady Palm | 7 Gallon | Also a 7 gallon clumping lady palm, listed under its genus name, with the same shade and care needs. |
Lady Palm in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 6 to 12 ft tall in a clump that slowly widens
- Light
- Part to full shade; strong sun bleaches and burns the fronds
- Water
- Moderate; keep evenly moist
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate; keep it out of salt spray
- Cold tolerance
- Fronds can burn near 30°F; tree cover helps, coastal Lee is usually fine, protect inland on frost nights
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Spacing
- 3 to 4 ft on center for a screen
- Florida native
- No, native to southern China
- Botanical name
- Rhapis excelsa
Where Lady Palm works in a SW Florida yard
Lady palm fills the shaded places other palms refuse: the north side of the house, under oaks, beside a lanai or in a courtyard. Planted 3 to 4 ft apart, the clumps knit into a textured, bamboo-like screen, and a single clump also works as a container specimen. Cast iron plant, ferns and philodendron share its light.
- Shaded privacy screens
- Courtyard and north-side beds
- Under oaks and tall trees
- Large lanai containers
How our crew plants it
Choose a spot with filtered or morning light, away from hot walls. Dig the hole 2 to 3 times as wide as the 7 gallon root ball and no deeper, at pot level. Mulch 2 inches deep off the stems and water in.
Keep the root ball moist while it roots, using the extra watering Lee and Collier allow on new plantings.
Care after planting
- Feed with a palm fertilizer, such as 8-2-12 with magnesium and micronutrients, in spring and again in October, because potassium, magnesium and manganese run short in our sandy soil.
- Keep the soil evenly moist and mulched through the dry season.
- Cut off only dead fronds and canes at the base, and thin crowded canes if the clump gets too thick.
- Protect clumps inland on frost nights.
What to watch for
- Strong sun bleaches the leaves yellow and burns the tips, and moving to shade is the only real fix.
- Scale and spider mites can show up on lady palms in dry spells, so check the undersides of fronds.
Lady Palm questions we hear
Does lady palm grow in full sun in Florida?+
No, it wants part to full shade. Strong Florida sun bleaches the fronds yellow and burns the tips, so plant it under trees or on the north or east side of a building. Morning sun is usually fine, while hot afternoon sun is what causes the damage.
Are lady palms safe for dogs and cats?+
Lady palm is listed as non-toxic to dogs and cats by the ASPCA, which makes it a safer palm choice than sago or cardboard palm. Still, chewing any plant can upset a pet's stomach, so keep an eye on a puppy that likes to nibble.
How fast does lady palm grow?+
Slowly. A lady palm adds canes and height gradually, so a 7 gallon clump gives you a head start over smaller pots. Growth improves with regular water, summer rain and palm fertilizer, and the clump thickens as new canes come up from the base.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Lady Palm
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.