Red Leaf Palm

Red Leaf Palm (Chambeyronia macrocarpa) does one thing no other palm does as well: every new frond unfurls a deep glossy red and holds that colour for a week or two before turning green. In a home garden it reaches around 6m over fifteen years on a single clean trunk, with a crown about 3m across. The roots are non invasive, so it can go close to paving or a pool edge.

Why you'll love it

• A red frond several times a year. Each new leaf emerges bright red and slowly deepens to green, so the show repeats rather than happening once a season.
• Slow, which is the point. Reaching about 6m over fifteen years means it stays in scale with a courtyard for a very long time.
• Safe near hard surfaces. Non invasive roots and a single clean trunk let it sit beside paving, pools and retaining walls without lifting them.
• Not toxic to cats or dogs. A genuine feature palm you can plant in a garden that pets use.

Where it works best

Feature planting. This is a specimen palm, best used as a single focal point where the red frond is seen: a courtyard corner, an entry, or framed by a window from inside.

Poolside. Salt tolerance, non invasive roots and a tidy crown make it one of the better palms for a pool surround.

Pots, balconies and small gardens. Slow growth means a large container holds it for years; use one at least 600mm wide and deep. At roughly 3m across in the crown it needs far less room than a foxtail palm.

Growing Red Leaf Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun once mature, though young plants prefer filtered light for their first two or three years. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, so cool temperate and frost prone gardens need it in a pot that can move under cover.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with plenty of organic matter, mimicking the rainforest floor it comes from. Work compost through the backfill and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk. It will not tolerate waterlogging.

Water and feed. Keep it consistently moist through the first two summers, then water deeply in dry spells rather than lightly and often. Feed with a controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer.

Pruning. Almost none. Remove fronds only once fully brown, because the palm draws nutrients back out of a dying leaf. Never cut the growing point, the single crown at the top of the trunk.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow this palm in three advanced sizes: 45L, 90L and 160L. There is no small size, and that is deliberate, because a slow growing palm bought as a tube would take a decade to look like anything. The 45L is an established juvenile with a few fronds and no visible trunk, while the 90L and 160L plants are substantial specimens.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Palms at these sizes are heavy, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect some frond damage or tip browning after transit, which grows out. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• An overview of palm varieties for Australian gardens
• Browse the full palm range
• Plants suited to a pool surround
• Plants that are safe around cats and dogs

Common questions

How often does a red frond appear?

Several times a year on an established plant in warm conditions, and less often on a young palm or through a cool winter.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, which is the reason to buy an advanced size. In New Caledonian rainforest it can reach 15m, but in an Australian home garden expect around 6m after fifteen years.

Can I plant it beside a pool or paving?

Yes. The root system is non invasive and stays close to the trunk, so it is one of the safer palms near hard surfaces. Allow about a metre of clearance for the trunk to thicken.