Majesty Palm
Ravenea rivularis
Also called majestic palm
Long, arching, feathery fronds from a clump of slender stems, like a small grove. Known for looking grand, and for being a fussier palm indoors.
1.5/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
: Bright shade
Close to a bright window, but out of its sun
Close to a bright window but out of its sun, which scorches the fronds: a few feet back from a south, east, or west one, or right beside a north one. It manages medium light for a while; a dim corner yellows it.
It won’t settle for a dim corner: in low light the fronds yellow and it slowly declines (NC State Extension lists too little light among the causes of yellow leaves).
A few feet back from a south or west window, or right beside an east one, suits it best. Turn the pot now and then so it fills out evenly.
: Weekly+
Every 3-5 days in summer, 5-8 in winter; evenly moist
Every 3-5 days in summer and 5-8 in winter keeps the soil evenly moist, the way a riverbank palm likes it. Letting it dry out yellows the fronds, and so does a pot left standing in a flooded saucer.
Water until it runs out the bottom, then empty the saucer. Check the soil every 5-7 days or so and water as soon as the surface starts to feel dry; soil that dries out, or stays soggy, yellows the fronds.
Gone for a while? A week is its limit: soak it the day you leave, and for anything longer, ask a friend to water it.
: Giant
5-10 feet tall in time; it can’t be cut back to size
Long fronds fountain out from a clump of stems that can slowly reach 5-10 feet indoors. Each stem grows only from its center, so it can’t be cut back to size; give it a spot with headroom.
Growth is slow indoors, far slower than in the wild. Each stem grows only from its center, so it can’t be cut back to make it shorter; just cut off a frond once it has browned or yellowed all the way, close to the stem.
: Pet & kid safe
Nothing harmful for dogs and cats, and likely kids too
- DogsSafe
- CatsSafe
- KidsNot yet rated
The ASPCA lists majesty palm as non-toxic to dogs and cats. For kids, UC ANR counts most houseplant palms as nontoxic, though it doesn’t name this one.
Kids too: UConn Extension counts most palms as safe, the fishtail palm being the exception.
Cats and dogs: The ASPCA lists it as non-toxic.
Kids: No child poison-centre listing names it.
: Humid
Warm, humid rooms; dry winter heat invites mites
Warmth suits it, 60-85°F and away from cold drafts, with humid air of 50% or more. Dry winter heat is where it struggles and invites spider mites; a humidifier nearby helps most.
- Temperature
- 60-85°F
- Humidity
- 50%+
: Spider mites, scale
Spider mites under the fronds; scale on the stems
Its main pest is spider mites, which speckle the fronds and leave fine webbing underneath in dry winter air. Scale shows as small brown bumps on stems and fronds, mealybugs as white cotton where fronds meet the stems.
- Spider mites
- Scale
- Mealybugs
It’s prone to pests indoors, spider mites above all, especially in dry winter air. Scale, mealybugs, aphids, and whiteflies turn up too.
Spider mites leave the fronds speckled and faded, with fine webbing underneath. Rinse the whole plant in the shower or outdoors with a hose, undersides of the fronds included, and raise the humidity; if they come back, spray it with insecticidal soap.
Scale looks like small brown bumps stuck to the stems and fronds; mealybugs like tufts of white cotton tucked where the fronds meet the stems. Wipe both off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol (a fingernail lifts scale), then check again next week.
Aphids and whiteflies gather under the fronds and leave them sticky. Wash them off, then spray with insecticidal soap, undersides included.
Root rot follows soggy soil or a pot left standing in water: the fronds yellow and a stem goes soft at the base. Empty the saucer and let the surface dry before the next soak.
: Some
Palm food 2-3 times a year; rinse and trim the fronds
Palm fertilizer goes on 2-3 times from spring to late summer, and a rinse now and then keeps mites off the fronds. Snip any frond that browns all the way, and repot every 2-3 years.
- Palm fertilizer with micronutrients3× a year
- Trim brown/yellow fronds4× a year
- Rinse fronds against mites4× a year
- Repotevery 2 years
A rich, porous potting mix that holds moisture but still drains fast, in a pot with a drainage hole. Palms do best with their roots a little confined.
Repot every two to three years, one size up, in spring, and disturb the roots as little as you can.
Feed it a slow-release palm fertilizer two or three times a year, from spring to late summer; NC State Extension lists a lack of nutrients among the causes of yellow fronds.
: Simple
Long, feathery fronds arching from slender stems
A clump of slender stems sends up feathery fronds about 3 feet long that arch out like a small grove. They’re one green with a satin finish, and they partly hide the soil.
Where to find me
Not at PILF places
Fun fact
A riverbank palm from a dry part of SW Madagascar; 'rivularis' refers to stream edges. Wild trees can reach 100 ft.
Designer tips
Lush and resort-like: a grove of feathery fronds that softens a bright corner and makes a room feel warmer.
Troubleshooting
Why are the fronds turning yellow?
A dim spot or soil that dried out is the usual cause; NC State Extension also lists dry air and a lack of food. Nearer a bright window, with evenly moist soil and palm fertilizer in spring, it usually steadies. One old frond yellowing at the bottom now and then is normal.
The frond tips are turning brown
Usually dry air or dry soil. Evenly moist soil and a humidifier nearby in winter help, and brown tips can be trimmed with clean scissors, following the leaf’s shape, if they bug you.
What’s the fine webbing and speckling on the fronds?
Spider mites, its most common pest indoors. A rinse of the whole plant, undersides included, plus more humidity usually clears them; insecticidal soap is the next step if they come back.
See all 8
Small brown bumps on the stems
Scale, which clings to stems and fronds. A fingernail or a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol lifts them off; a second look a week later catches any stragglers.
It’s too tall. Can I cut it down?
No: a palm grows only from the tip of each stem, and Clemson Extension notes palms can’t be pruned back to reduce their height. A spot with headroom, and the odd dead frond removed, suits it best.
Is it safe for my cat or dog?
Yes: the ASPCA lists majesty palm as non-toxic to cats and dogs. Eating any plant can upset a pet’s stomach, so a big nibble might mean some vomiting, but the palm isn’t poisonous.
I’m away for a week
That’s about its limit: soak it the day you leave, and for anything longer, ask a friend to water it.
Can it go outside for the summer?
Yes, in bright shade out of the sun, and it enjoys humid summer air. Bring it in before nights drop below 60°F, and rinse it and check under the fronds for bugs first.
Propagation
Not practical at home: majesty palms are grown from seed, a slow job best left to growers.
The PILF Matrix
1.5/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
“The one with a grand name and a grand list of demands.”
Rated 1-5, with 5 being easiest
Built from light, water, air, pests, and upkeep.
Rated 1-5, with 5 being easiest
Rated 1-5, with 5 being highest presence
Built from its scale (size, shape, growth) and its look (color and flowers, shine, fullness).
Rated 1-5, with 5 being highest presence
Where it sits and what sun touches it.
- Dim shadeA dark corner or a windowless room; natural light casts no shadow
- Bright shadeBack from the window in a south-, east- or west-facing room, or right by a north-facing one, where only low early or late summer sun reaches it
- Filtered sunBehind a sheer curtain or tinted glass; the sun’s shadows are blurred
- Partial sunIn an east- or west-facing window: up to a few hours of direct sun
- Full sunThe sunniest spot you have, usually a south-facing window, with direct sun 6+ hours a day
How often, and what the soil does between.
- MonthlyEvery 2-3 weeks in summer and 3-5 in winter; the soil dries all the way between
- 2-3× a monthEvery 7-14 days in summer, longer in winter; the top of the soil dries between
- Weekly+About every 4-8 days in summer; the soil stays lightly damp
How much room it usually takes indoors.
Size
- TinyUnder 6 inches tall or wide; for a desk or a sill
- Small6 inches to 1.5 feet tall or wide; for a shelf or a sill
- Medium1.5 to 3 feet tall or wide; for a table or a stand
- Large3 to 6 feet tall or wide; for the floor
- GiantOver 6 feet tall or wide; a statement in the corner
Shape
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
Growth
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
What risks exist for pets and kids.
- Pet & kid safeNothing to worry about
- Mildly irritatingMay irritate the mouth or stomach if chewed, or for some plants, the skin if handled
- Moderately toxicCan cause illness if eaten, though typically not serious or fatal
- DangerousCan cause serious illness if eaten, including some reports of death
- Not yet ratedNot clearly rated by our sources; please check with your vet or doctor
For its safety ratings, PILF relies on research and guidance from leading sources, including the ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, Merck Veterinary Manual, Poison Control, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and others.
The small jobs beyond watering, over a year.
- Little upkeepA few small jobs a year beyond watering, like a feed now and then
- Some upkeepA small job about once a month beyond watering, like feeding or turning it
- More upkeepA small job every couple of weeks beyond watering, like a wipe, a turn, or a feed
- Most upkeepA small job most weeks beyond watering, like raising the humidity or misting
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
The temperature and humidity it’s comfortable in.
How dry a room it takes.
- Needs 50%+ humidity
- Fine at 35% humidity
- Fine at 15-20% humidity
The bugs that usually find it, by name.
How often pests find it.
- 5+ regular pests
- 3 regular pests
- Pests are rare
The year’s chores: feeding, pruning, repotting, and cleaning.
Chores beyond water (what needs work means).
- Most upkeep
- Some upkeep
- Little upkeep
Its finish, fullness, and texture.
Color, pattern, and flowers.
- SimpleOne green, one texture, nothing to read
- SuaveA sheen, a stripe, or a clean shape that catches the eye up close
- ShowyColor, pattern, or blooms you see from across the room
How the leaves catch light.
- Matte
- Satin
- Glossy or waxy
How much it fills its pot.
- Soil shows
- Soil partly hidden
- Leaves hide the soil