With broad, dark green, fan-shaped foliage on tall stalks, lady palm plants (Rhapis excelsa) have an oriental appeal. As stand-alone plants, they have a formal elegance and when planted in masses they lend a touch of the tropics to the landscape. Outdoors they can reach heights of 6 to 12 feet (2 to 3.5 m.) with a spread of 3 to 12 feet (91 cm. to 3.5 m.). When grown in the confines of a container, they stay much smaller.