Indoor Palm Care: Parlor, Fan and Ponytail Palms, Plus Why Sago Palms Are Dangerous

Updated 3 November 2026 · about 4 min read

Most indoor palms want the same things: bright, indirect light, soil that dries a little between waterings, and humid air. Get those right and parlor, Chinese fan and ponytail palms are easy, long-lived houseplants. Get them wrong and you get brown tips and yellow fronds, the two complaints everyone has. One plant sold alongside them needs a warning, though: the sago palm isn't a true palm, and it's one of the most dangerous plants you can have around dogs and cats. If you have pets, read that section first.

Sago palm: a serious danger to pets

The sago palm (Cycas revoluta) is a stiff, dark green plant often sold as a houseplant or patio plant. Every part of it is toxic, and the seeds are the most poisonous. It contains cycasin, which damages the liver.

  • Signs start within minutes to hours: vomiting, drooling, diarrhoea, then weakness, wobbling and seizures. Liver failure can follow within 2 to 3 days.
  • It's often fatal. Around half of cats that eat sago palm don't survive, even with treatment, and dogs are at similar risk.
  • If your pet has chewed any part of a sago palm, go to the vet immediately. Don't wait for symptoms. Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 on the way.

If you have pets, the safest choice is not to keep a sago palm at all. The true palms below are much safer.

Parlor palm (Chamaedorea elegans)

The classic small indoor palm, with soft, feathery fronds.

  • Light: medium to bright indirect light. Copes with lower light better than most palms.
  • Water: when the top inch of soil is dry. Doesn't like sitting wet.
  • Pets: non-toxic to cats and dogs according to the ASPCA, which makes it one of the best palms for a pet household.

Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis)

Large, fan-shaped leaves with drooping tips.

  • Light: bright light, including some direct sun. Leggy, pale growth means it needs more light.
  • Water: keep the soil lightly moist in spring and summer, drier in winter.
  • Note: the leaf stems often have sharp spines near the base, so place it away from walkways.

Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)

Not a true palm either, but a succulent with a swollen trunk that stores water and a fountain of thin leaves.

  • Light: bright light with some direct sun.
  • Water: sparingly. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings, and water less in winter. Overwatering is the usual way people kill it.
  • Pets: non-toxic to cats and dogs according to the ASPCA.

Why palm tips turn brown

The most common palm complaint. Usual causes:

  1. Dry air, especially with winter heating. Group plants or use a humidifier.
  2. Tap water minerals and fluoride. Use filtered or rainwater if you can, and flush the pot every couple of months.
  3. Letting the soil dry out completely (except for ponytail palms, which like it).
  4. Overfeeding. Palms need very little fertiliser; feed lightly in spring and summer only.

Trim the brown tips with clean scissors, following the leaf shape. Don't cut whole fronds unless they're completely brown. Our guide to brown leaf tips covers this in more detail.

Yellow fronds

  • One old frond at the bottom yellowing: normal. Remove it once it's fully brown.
  • Many fronds yellowing at once: usually overwatering. Check the soil and drainage. See overwatering vs underwatering.
  • Yellowing with fine webbing: spider mites, which love palms in dry air. See spider mites and mealybugs.

Not sure which palm you have?

Many palm-like plants look similar, and the difference between a parlor palm and a sago palm matters a lot if you have pets. Planted can identify the plant from a photo and tell you whether it's safe. Our lists of plants toxic to cats and dogs and plants safe for cats and dogs cover the rest.

Common questions

Is a sago palm poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes, severely. Every part is toxic, especially the seeds, and it can cause fatal liver failure. Take your pet to the vet immediately if it chews any part of one.

Is a parlor palm safe for cats?

Yes. The ASPCA lists the parlor palm as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Why are the tips of my palm turning brown?

Usually dry air, minerals or fluoride in tap water, or letting the soil dry out completely. Raise humidity, use filtered water and water more evenly.

How often should I water an indoor palm?

Most palms, when the top inch of soil is dry. Ponytail palms are the exception: let them dry out completely between waterings.