Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa)

The lady palm (Rhapis excelsa) has been grown as a houseplant since the 1600s, when Japanese collectors kept it in the shogun's court. It grows as a clump of slender, cane-like stems topped with broad fan-shaped fronds, reaching 4 to 6 feet indoors. It handles low light better than almost any other palm, it is non-toxic to cats and dogs, and it will move outdoors to a shaded patio through the summer in zones 9 to 11.