The Majesty Palm, scientific name Ravenea rivularis, is a very shade tolerant palm that will reach 10′ in height very quickly. It grows and looks best situated under a canopy of tall trees. The Majesty Palm is a very large tree with a large, untidy crown, feather-shaped symmetrical leaves and an attractive swollen base at the trunk.
Its greatest drawback is its requirement to be fertilized frequently to maintain a healthy green color. It is tolerant of different soil types.
Quick Facts:
| Scientific name: | Ravenea rivularis |
| Common names: | Majestie Palm, Majestic Palm |
| Origin: | Native to Madagascar |
| Growth Rate: | Slow to Moderate. Up to 10 – 20 ft tall and 5-10 ft wide. |
| Cold Tolerance: | USDA Zones 9b (25 to 30 F) to 11 (above 40 F). |
| Light Req: | Low to Moderate, Moderate, Moderate to High. |
| Water Req: | Moderate. |
| Soil Req: | Widely adaptable. |
| Fruit: | Yes. |
| Propagation: | By seed. |
Majesty Palm Identifying Characteristics
The Majesty Palm is a very large palm with a large, untidy crown. This feather palm which grows up to 12m high has symmetrical leaves and develops an attractive swollen base at the trunk.
The smooth trunk is about 12″ in diameter. It has attractive pinnate leaves up to 18 inches length on erect stems attached to adherent base.
Majesty Palm Flowers and Fruits
Ravenea rivularis produces small white flowers that grow on branched inflorescence. Male and female lowers are borne on separate plants. Flowers are followed by bright red, spherical fruits that are 1-1.3 cm long.
How To Care For Majesty Palm
This palm can grow up to 10 – 20 ft tall and 5-10 ft wide. The Majesty Palm is a popular house plant. It is a great floor plant that can quickly grow to 10 feet tall. The tall green fronds of foliage make this plant a great addition to any room.
But it’s going to be happy in a pot only for few years. Once Majesty Palm gets older it needs to be transplanted outside. Kentia is much better indoor plant. If you keep it inside for too long it will start to slowly decline.
Majesty Palm Tree can tolerate cold down to 25F. It is great for growing in the USDA Zones 9b (25 to 30 F) to 11 (above 40 F). This palm can easily adjust to any light levels.
The plant must have proper drainage set up. Do not allow the roots to sit in water. On the other end, do not allow the plant to dry out completely in between watering either. This palm also prefers a slightly higher humidity level, so a daily misting will add plenty of beauty to your plant.
During summer, I recommend watering it every day and once a week during winter. And one more thing about watering. If you have this plant outside, make sure not to overwater its crown with a sprinklers. Majesty palm crown is very sensitive to too much moist.
This is very easy to grow plant if you growing it outside. If you live in Florida you can plant it and forget about it. No maintenance. If you live in California, it’s a little harder because of the cold winter.
This is not very hardy palm. You will probably need to wrap it in the winter. To prevent nutritional deficiency, apply good quality palm fertilizer that has continuous release formula twice a year during growing season.
A common pest to this plant are scale and mites. If problems with pests appear, try misting the plant with a soapy water mixture twice a day. If spider mites still appear try a more powerful spray available from your local gardening store.
Majesty Palm Propagation
The propagation is through seeds. Wait till the fruit is fully ripen before taking seeds out. Seeds need to be cleaned and dried. The Majesty Palm seeds don’t store well, so try to sow as soon as possible.
Plant in well draining soil mix at 1″ depth. Keep warm, lightly moist and in filtered sunlight. This palm needs sufficient fertilizer, and must be fertilized every 3 months or whenever its deep green color begins to fade. This inexpensive and commonly available palm is easy to grow.
Majesty Palm Pictures
I think I have 2 majestic palm trees, they were a gift. I have them in pots on one side of the pool. I would like to plant them one on each side of pool. I do not want the fruit falling in the pool, so what can I do to prevent this?