SimplePlant

Arecaceae

Bamboo palm

Rhapis excelsa (Thunb.) A.Henry

Family
Arecaceae
Genus
Rhapis

Pets and kids

  • CatsSafe
  • DogsSafe
  • KidsNot sure
Why

Cats: Safe

Sources below say it is non-toxic to cats. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.

Dogs: Safe

Sources below say it is non-toxic to dogs. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.

Kids: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Bamboo palm: Rhapis excelsa at hotel citradream Cirebon
Photo: Aris riyanto, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free

Is Bamboo palm safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Bamboo palm safe for cats?

Our sources call Bamboo palm non-toxic to cats. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.

Is Bamboo palm safe for dogs?

Our sources call Bamboo palm non-toxic to dogs. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.

Is Bamboo palm safe for kids?

We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Similar names and close relatives

A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.

  • Parlor palm Chamaedorea eleganssimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Safe
  • Areca palm Chrysalidocarpus lutescenssimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Safe
  • Ponytail palm Beaucarnea recurvatasimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Not sure
  • Kentia palm Howea forsterianasimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Not sure
  • Date palm Phoenix dactyliferasimilar nameCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure
  • Betel palm Areca catechusimilar nameCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure

Common names

By language (17)
Arabic
رابسة باسقة, نخلة رابس
arz
رابسه باسقه
ban
Bregu
Cantonese
觀音竹
Chinese
棕竹, 大叶南苏, 棕竹根, 椶竹, 稷竹, 筋头竹, 虎散竹, 觀音棕竹
Czech
Rapis ztepilá
English
Bamboo palm, Broad-leaved slender lady palm, Fern rhapis, Lady palm, Miniature fan palm, Slender lady palm
French
Palmier bambou
Hebrew
רפיס רם
hsb
Wysoka palmka
Indonesian
Palem jari
Japanese
カンノンチク
Korean
관음죽
Malay
Palem jari
Persian
نخل راپیس
Portuguese
Palmeira-dama, Palmeira-ráfis, Palmeira-rápis
Thai
จั๋งญี่ปุ่น, จั๋ง

Synonyms

  • Chamaerops excelsa Thunb.
  • Chamaerops excelsa var. gracilis Carrière
  • Chamaerops kwanwortsik Siebold ex H.Wendl.
  • Rhapis aspera W.H.Baxter
  • Rhapis cordata W.H.Baxter
  • Rhapis divaricata Gagnep.
  • Rhapis flabelliformis L'Hér.
  • Rhapis flabelliformis var. foliis-variegatis Rothsch.
  • Rhapis flabelliformis var. variegata B.S.Williams
  • Rhapis javanica Blume
  • Rhapis kwamwonzick Siebold ex Linden
  • Rhapis major Blume
  • Trachycarpus excelsus (Thunb.) H.Wendl.
  • Trachycarpus excelsus var. fortunei Makino

Characteristics

Growth habit
Shrub, Tree
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Pacific Basin: introduced

Photos

More in Rhapis

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.