Kentia palms tolerate low light and drier air well. Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) is well suited. Bamboo palms (Chamaedorea seifrizii and C. microspadix) are also well suited. For more rare or unusual palms, explore the genus Calyptrocalyx.

Although they are marketed for interiorscape, I would avoid Majesty Palms and Caryota species (fishtails). Both are huge growing in nature and can outgrow the space quickly, and Majesty Palms are not really suited for indoor use. They need a lot more light and humidity than indoors can usually provide and get ratty and attract spidermites.

Chamaedorea metallica has done really well for me, though it's not the palmiest-looking palm.

A lot of people apparently grow them fine, but I've never had very good luck with Chamaedorea elegans.

Lady palms (Rhapis excelsa are supposed to be easy as well, though 1) also not the palmiest-looking palm, and 2) they tend to be expensive, because they're very slow growers.

Areca palms grow great indoors as well.

Billy Rae

I somehow forgot to mention Carludovica 'Jungle Drum.' They're not common around here, but they're nice if you can find one. Like Caryota mitis (fishtail palm) and Ravenea rivularis (majesty palm), they can get big, though from what I've seen of mine thus far, they don't seem to be in a big hurry to do so. We've had a couple arguments about water, but otherwise nothing serious.

WOWOW!! Thanks for all the nice suggestions. I am shopping today!!!:-). I will have to look up a couple of the weird name ones though!!! Lol

And in the category Best Overall Tropical Palm for the Home--the winner is:

Kentia palm

I have dozens of different palm species and this best fits of bill of being elegant and easy in the home. If you have room for one palm (not hundreds), this should be the one. However--they are expensive. I paid very little for mine because I bought them when they where tiny. Now they're big. They do eventually grow but are quite slow (though reliable) growers.

I wish I could find a Kentia up where I am. All the stores seem to have is the Parlour Palm (Mr. Sub had the latin name for it...elegans) and lots of the majesties in the local Walmart. Thanks in part (I place blame) to someone else who posted on the palm forum and mentioned how he just picked up a Triangle Palm in his local Walmart, inspired me to go my Wal*Mart yesterday to check for one, so now I have one of those. Supposed to handle dry air a bit better than other varieties, but it'll be several years (or sooner) before I will know how successful of an indoor palm it will be, with light requirements and all that. I do plan to letting it live the summer outdoors, but we'll see, I don't want anyone stealing it!

I have 2 parlour palms and 2 areca's that have been doing very well indoors for the past 2 years. I love seeing the new fronds (leaves??) come in, and there have been many....I have them in indirect light, where they do just fine.

KENTIA palms all the way for me. You can almost stick them in any room and they thrive in low light conditions, especially if you havn't enough space for them in the only sunny windows you have.
In fact they hate sun and brite lite. They can burn easily. Some plams love sun, and others just brite indirect lite. When you shop for one, look for the lights requirements for each and go from there depending where you plan on giving your newbie a place for it to occupy,or live in your home.:-)
Mike

Kioni..Love those Triangle Palms, but can't keep one going..I think, of most palms, the Triangle needs light..good, bright light even direct..I'm not sure about humidity, but it wouldn't hurt to add extra if possible.
My Walmart got a bunch in last wk, and I considered buying one, but passed it up. Sigh.

Fishtails are fairly easy indoors..And if you can find Metalic Palms, go for it..sorry, I don't have its botanical name..
Phonix Roebilini's are beautiful and don't require a ton of humidity..
Some Fan Tails do okay..the Chinese Fan is much easier than European, but I prefer the European to the Chinese..I wish Walmart would get some Fans in because one would follow me home..lol..Toni