Cat Palm / Cascade Palm

Scientific Name: Chamaedorea cataractarum

Light Requirement: Partial shade to full shade. It prefers bright filtered light and should be protected from harsh afternoon sun, which can burn the foliage.

Height: Typically 4–8 ft. tall, with a similar spread when mature.

Plant Spacing: Space about 3–5 ft. apart for a dense, low tropical screen or full mass planting. For individual accents or looser groupings, allow about 5–6 ft. of space so the clump can mature naturally.

Growth Habit: Slow to moderate-growing clumping palm with multiple short stems and dense, soft, feather-shaped fronds. It grows wider rather than tall and creates a lush, full tropical appearance.

Hardiness: USDA Zones 10–11; cold sensitive and may be damaged by frost or freezing temperatures; moderate drought tolerance once established but prefers consistent moisture; low salt tolerance and best protected from direct coastal salt spray.

Maintenance Info: Low to moderate maintenance. Cat Palm prefers evenly moist, well-drained soil and should not be allowed to dry out for long periods. Remove brown or damaged fronds as needed and use palm fertilizer during the growing season. Avoid hot, exposed, dry areas because it performs best in protected shade with regular irrigation.

Best Uses in the Landscape: Excellent for shaded entries, pool cage areas, courtyards, patios, tropical garden beds, understory planting, containers, and soft low privacy screening. It is especially useful in shady, protected spaces where a lush tropical look is desired without using a tall palm.

Plant Info: Cat Palm is native to southern Mexico and Central America, where it grows naturally in moist, shaded areas near streams and waterways. The name Cascade Palm comes from the way its soft fronds arch and spill outward in a cascading shape. It is a great Florida landscape choice for shaded tropical beds where customers want a full, soft palm look with a lower mature height.