Chamaedorea cataractarum 'Stella' is a full, trunkless palm that makes a lush green fountain of foliage from the base up. Long, narrow, arching fronds of glossy dark green leaflets rise straight from the compost in a dense clump, so the plant looks bushy from every side rather than bare at the base. It is a soft, generous palm for a bright living room or hallway, and one of the most compact of our indoor palms.
Origins
The cat palm grows wild along stream and river banks in southern Mexico and Central America, where its lack of trunk and flexible leaflets let floodwater pass through without tearing it out. That streamside home is the key to its care: it wants steady moisture and humid air far more than most palms. 'Stella' is a compact, extra leafy selection of the species, and over time it slowly builds towards one and a half metres indoors, which puts it among our large plants.
Care
Give it bright, filtered light near a window but out of direct midday sun, which bleaches the fronds. Keep the compost evenly moist and never let it dry right out, but let excess water drain freely; it dislikes both drought and a waterlogged pot. Humid air keeps the leaf tips green, so a pebble tray or a spot among other plants helps, and it earns a place among our humidity loving houseplants. Keep it at normal room temperature, ideally 18 to 24C, away from radiators and cold draughts. Browse more houseplants to group around it.
Live Arrival Guarantee
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
Your quick reference for choosing the right plant size. We group our plants by the diameter of their nursery pots which gives you a consistent way to understand scale.
5–8cm
Mini
Small but full of charm. These compact plants are perfect for desks, windowsills, and small shelves, or for building out a collection over time. Ideal if you enjoy watching your plants grow from the beginning. Approx. height: 10–20cm
9–11cm
Small
A step up in presence, great for side tables, shelves, or styling in clusters. Easy to move around and perfect for adding greenery without taking up too much space. Approx. height: 25–35cm
12–14cm
Medium
Our most versatile size. Works beautifully on shelves, desks, and plant stands, offering a fuller look without dominating a space. A great balance between impact and flexibility. Approx. height: 25–50cm
15–18cm
Large
More established plants with fuller foliage and stronger structure. Ideal for creating soft focal points in a room. Great for corners, beside furniture, or as standalone features. Approx. height: 40–70cm
19+cm
Extra Large
Big, impactful plants designed for floors and open spaces. These are your statement pieces and are perfect for anchoring a room or transforming a corner with instant greenery. Approx. height: 60cm–1.3m
Pots that fit this plant
We recommend
How to care for Cat Palm
Keep me in bright, gentle light away from harsh sun and never let me dry out completely.
In their words
What our customers say
EP
Emily P.
Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.
JR
James R.
Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.
SL
Sophie L.
Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.
Get to know me
About Cat Palm
Chamaedorea cataractarum 'Stella' is a houseplant that takes a little effort. It needs bright indirect light, watering often enough to keep the compost evenly moist, a little extra humidity and a minimum temperature of 10°C. It is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Bright, filtered light near a window. Keep it out of hot direct sun, which bleaches and scorches the fronds. In low light it thins out.Read moreShow less
Bright, filtered light near a window. Keep it out of hot direct sun, which bleaches and scorches the fronds. In low light it thins out.
Watering
Evenly moistDries out fully
Keep evenly moist
Keep the compost evenly moist through spring and summer, watering when the surface starts to dry, and let excess drain away. Water a little less in winter but never let it dry out completely.Read moreShow less
Keep the compost evenly moist through spring and summer, watering when the surface starts to dry, and let excess drain away. Water a little less in winter but never let it dry out completely.
Humidity
Average homeHigh humidity
Prefers a little extra humidity
Prefers humid air. Brown leaf tips are the usual sign of dry air; use a pebble tray, group it with other plants and keep it away from radiators.Read moreShow less
Prefers humid air. Brown leaf tips are the usual sign of dry air; use a pebble tray, group it with other plants and keep it away from radiators.
Temperature
10°
0°C25°C
Keep above 10°C · Happy at normal room temperature
Normal room temperature, ideally 18 to 24C. Keep it above 10C and away from cold draughts and heaters.Read moreShow less
Normal room temperature, ideally 18 to 24C. Keep it above 10C and away from cold draughts and heaters.
Feeding
Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.
No, though they are close relatives. The parlour palm is Chamaedorea elegans. 'Stella' is a compact form of Chamaedorea cataractarum, the cat or cascade palm, which is trunkless, grows as a dense clump from the base and wants more moisture than a parlour palm.
Why is it called a cat palm?
The name is a shortening of cataractarum, from the Latin for waterfalls, after the stream and river banks where it grows wild in Mexico and Central America. It has nothing to do with cats, and it is also sold as the cascade palm.
How often should I water a cat palm?
More often than most palms. Keep the compost evenly moist, watering as soon as the surface starts to dry, and let the excess drain away. It dislikes drying out completely but also rots if left standing in water.
Why are the leaf tips turning brown?
Usually dry air or the compost drying out between waterings. Keep the compost steadily moist, move it away from radiators, and raise humidity with a pebble tray or by grouping plants. Hard tap water can also brown the tips; rainwater helps.
How big does it get indoors?
It grows slowly, gradually filling out as a clump and reaching around 1.5m indoors over several years. It spreads more than a single stemmed palm, so give it room to arch.
Is this plant safe for my pets?
Yes. This plant is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs, so it's a good choice for homes with pets. Even so, plants aren't food, so a keen chewer could still get an upset stomach. If you're worried, speak to your vet.
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.
If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.
If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.
Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Perfect for Gifting
From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.
Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.
Sustainability at Heart
All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.
