Every month from September through May, Clermont Garden Club members loan plants to Cooper Memorial Library and Clermont City Hall to promote horticulture awareness and connect our community to Clermont Garden Club’s programs, civic activities and community outreach.
For the month of February 2026, Clermont Garden Club member Letizia Isaia loaned a parlor palm (or Neanthe bella palm, Chamaedorea elegans) to Cooper Memorial Library. The parlor palm is a species of small palm trees native to the rainforest in Southern Mexico and Guatemala. The parlor palm is a perfect plant for beginners because once established in a stable environment, it can thrive for several decades indoors without much attention. It prefers warm temperatures of 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit, medium humidity, and indirect light. The parlor palm needs moderate watering when the soil is dry.
Sue Randall loaned a calathea (of the family Marantaceae) to Clermont City Hall. The calathea prefers a warm humid environment, indirect sunlight and being planted in lightweight potting medium/organic matter at slightly acidic conditions. Water when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry to the touch. Keep the soil moist at all times, but avoid “wet feet”. Fertilize once a month during the growing season, and stop during the winter months. The leaves move throughout the day and fold up at night…only to reopen in the morning!
