Rusty Fan Palm

Rusty Fan Palm (Licuala ferruginea) is a collector's understorey palm with near circular, pleated fans and rust coloured felt on the leaf stems. It stays small, reaching about 2.5m tall and 1.8m wide after many years, and it wants shade rather than sun. In a sheltered tropical courtyard it is one of the most striking small palms you can grow.

Why you'll love it

• Fans, not fronds. The leaves are broad, pleated and almost perfectly round, giving a texture no feather palm can match.
• Small enough to keep. At around 2.5m by 1.8m it fits under an existing canopy or beside a pool without ever needing removal.
• A genuine shade plant. Most palms sulk in low light. This one prefers it, which makes it useful for the dim side of a house.
• Slow and uncomplaining. Growth is measured, so it holds its shape for years and needs almost no attention beyond water.

Where it works best

Feature planting in a shaded courtyard. Set it where the fans are backlit by morning light and underplant with ferns or calatheas for a layered rainforest look.

Pots and containers. A pot 400mm or wider suits it, and container growing lets you keep it in the exact pocket of shade it wants.

Indoors. It works as an indoor palm in a bright room out of direct sun, provided the air is not dry. A humid bathroom or a courtyard atrium is ideal.

Growing Rusty Fan Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Partial to full shade, sheltered from wind, which tears the fans. This is a tropical and subtropical palm and it is frost tender, so gardeners in Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra or the tablelands should grow it indoors or in a heated glasshouse rather than in the ground.

Soil. Rich, organic, moisture holding soil with compost through the backfill. It tolerates ground that stays damp, though it will not sit in stagnant water. Mulch 75mm deep, kept off the trunk.

Water and feed. This is a high water palm. Keep the soil consistently moist, water two or three times a week in warm weather, and mist or group plants if the air is dry. Feed with controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and mid summer.

Pruning. Remove only fully browned leaves, cutting the stem close to the trunk. Do not cut green fans, and never touch the growing point at the crown.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in 250mm pots, sold in packs of three, which suits a grouped planting under a canopy or a set of matched courtyard pots. At this size expect young plants roughly knee height with several fans and no trunk yet.

Palms travel well packed upright, though some tip browning after transit is normal for a humidity loving species. Settle it in shade, keep the water up, and expect two to three months before a new fan opens. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our overview of palm tree varieties.
• Browse the full palm range.
• Find companions among tropical garden plants.
• See other plants for partial shade.

Common questions

Can I grow it outside the tropics?

Only in subtropical gardens or under cover. It is frost tender and wind sensitive, so in southern states it belongs in a pot indoors or in a glasshouse.

Why are the fan edges going brown?

Almost always dry air, dry soil or wind. Increase watering, move it out of any draught, and group it with other plants to lift local humidity.

Will it grow indoors long term?

Yes, in a bright spot out of direct sun with steady moisture. Dry indoor air is the main obstacle, so keep it away from heaters and air conditioning outlets. Expect only a few new fans a year.