Greetings all.
I am almost ashamed to ask this question as I am quite convinced that this is a common enough indoor palm tree. I just don't know anyone who is knowledgeable enough to ID it for me. Here is the description, as best I can:

Height is about 5 feet
Currently residing in a 10" diameter pot, where it has been for at least 2 years.
The trunk is brown at the base, kinda woody looking and brittle.
From the center of the trunk come branches, that are green & start out as a very narrow spike which gradually separates to show a central spine connected to 2 side strips by 20 - 30 immature palm 'leaves' set directly opposite each other.
As the spike elongates the two side strips disappear and the full palm frond appears in all its glory.
Or, at least it used to.

In the last 6 months I moved from a large Gothic Victorian house, where this plant had pride of place in the center of the parlor with light coming from 3 large windows, 2 south-facing and 1 east facing. I now reside in a small 2 room apartment where my plant must occupy a cramped corner very near a large east-facing window with an air vent for the heating/air conditioning within 2 feet of it. (I keep the vent closed off, but there is still some air leakage from it.) This tree was thriving when I moved, with all the fronds a lovely green and soft and supple. After 6 months in the new place, 2 of the fronds have died off altogether, and the tips of the others are brown and dry.

I will admit to the presence of cats who like to chew the ends of the leaves, but they did that at the other house. There are stones with sharp edges around the base and covering the soil so I am certain that they have never used it as a toilet. I had been watering it once a week pretty well year round and had never used any fertilizer. The soil has never been changed or renewed in the 2 years I have had it, and it is still in the same pot that it came in when I received it as a gift.

My questions are these:
1) Can anyone tell me, from my amateurish description, what is the name of my beloved palm?
2) What is causing the deterioration in its condition and is there anything that I can do to improve its life?

Thank you in advance for any assistance you are able to render.

Sincerely,
D Cooper

It is hard to tell from your description but look at the book linked below, it is called Houseplant Expert by Dr. D. G. Hessayon. Look on pages 181 & 182 and it lists the most common types of palms.

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Operational Manager at
Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in Ames, Iowa

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