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Home , Acrocomia aculeata, Allagoptera, Beccariophoenix, Calamus (palm), Caryota obtusa, Copernicia

Uncommon Palms for Central

Palms are one of the most commonly The form from used in the Florida landscape. grows larger Palms are monocots, which belong to the and can reach 10 - 15 or Palmae Family. Worldwide, feet tall. The form there are over 2000 different of from the Ryukyu palms. In central Florida, around 20 Islands only grows different species are available and 5 - 6 feet tall and has commonly planted, but many more will smaller . The grow well in our subtropical climate. pinnate leaves are dark Leu Gardens has over 350 species of green and silvery palms growing in the collection. These underneath. The are evaluated for their suitability to our of this climate. Below are 20 uncommon palms that deserve to be used in our local landscapes. aculeata, the Macaw Palm,1 is native from southern to . This is a very fast growing palm to about 40 feet tall. This pinnate palm closely resembles the common Queen Palm, romanzoffiana. The main difference is that the Macaw Palm is armed with black spines. These spines are palm bear Acrocomia aculeata in landscape found on the trunk and leaves. It likes extremely Older specimens are magnificent with full sun and is drought tolerant. A fragrant large, massive trunks. related species that has been lumped . Beccariophoenix madagascariensis is into Acrocomia aculeata is the Gru These are 5native to Madagascar. It is known as the Gru Palm, which has shorter leaves produced Manarano Palm and grows 30 - 40 feet and is not as fast growing. in late tall. Young plants have leaves that are Acrocomia aculeata spikes is called the spring and undivided except near the petiole creating Seashore2 Palm. It is native to the dunes early summer. The flowers have a peach- “windows” in the leaves. Older plants of southeastern Brazil and is very drought mango scent and can perfume a large have fully divided leaves. A young and salt tolerant. This palm forms clusters, area. Visitors to the garden never guess Manarano Palm needs shade but older growing 4 - 6 feet tall. The green leaves that a palm is responsible for such a specimens can grow in sun. It also needs are silvery on the undersides. The Seashore sweet scent. The Clustering Sugar Palm moist soil and is prone to iron deficiencies, Palm needs full sun and well-drained will grow in sun or shade but looks best especially younger plants. It thrives on soil. It is ann excellent small palm for with at least afternoon shade. acidic soil, common in central Florida. Central Florida’s sandy soil and will thrive cohune is a large palm native This palm is fairly tender to cold but in a hot and dry location of the landscape. from4 southern Mexico to Nicaragua and would grow well under a canopy Arenga engleri is a clustering palm is called the Cohune Palm. It can grow where it would be protected from frost. nativ3e to Taiwan and the 40 - 50 feet tall but remains trunkless for Mature palms resemble the (at the southern tip of ). It is decades. The leaves are upright and may Palm, Cocos nucifera, and are hardier to sometimes called the Clustering Sugar be over 20 feet long. The Cohune Palm cold. This palm is almost extinct in its Palm. There are two forms of this palm. will grow in sun or shade with moist soil. native habitat. Bismarckia nobilis, the Bismarck Palm, to southern where it grows needs full sun. It is drought tolerant but 6native to Madagascar, is one of the most in mountainous forests. This is a large can also grow in wet or seasonally ornamental of all palms. It is a large palm that can reach 100 feet tall in flooded soil. The Caranday Palm is palm that grows 30 feet tall. The large habitat but grows 30 - 40 feet in central native from southern Brazil to northern palmate leaves are an intense silvery-blue Florida. The trunks are massive and and . A very similar color and can be 5 - 10 feet across. It columnar and the leaves reach 20 feet in palm is prunifera, the likes full sun and well-drained soil. It is length and nearly as wide. The trunk is Palm from Brazil. The very drought tolerant once established. solitary and does not cluster. This palm leaves of this palm are covered in a thick Most Bismarckia Palms grown are the will grow in sun or shade but needs layer of wax and are the source of the silvery-blue form. There is also a form moist fertile soil, especially if grown in famous carnauba wax. The leaves of with green leaves, not as spectacular in full sun. gigas and Caryota Copernica alba also have a layer of wax color but the leaves are larger. It is not kiriwongensis, both from the mountains and is the source of the inferior as cold hardy as the silvery-blue form of , are very similar and may be caranday wax. and is not often sold. Seedlings of the the same palm as Caryota obtusa. – continued page 6 silvery-blue form often have a purplish Chamaedorea tinge to them. The more purple coloring 9microspadix is often as a seedling, the more intensely slivery- called the Hardy blue it will be when mature. The seedlings Bamboo Palm. It is a of the green form are green as seedlings. clustering species with Bismarckia nobilis is slow growing for slender stems that the first few years then speeds up as it resemble bamboo. matures. They are almost impossible to The clumps grow 8 - transplant until they have developed a 10 feet tall. It also trunk, so this palm in its permanent produces bright red location. It is very popular in southern several times a Florida landscapes. year. This colorful is an unusual fruit contrasts nicely 7palm, climbing and vine like. It forms against the dark green clumps with very slender stems that leaves and stems. grow to about 20 feet tall. The leaves are Chamaedorea dark green and fishtail shaped. The microspadix needs palm is also armed with small spines. It shade and moist soil. climbs with the aid of flagella, a slender, It is native to eastern whip-like structure that is produced. Mexico. These flagella have backward pointing is spines that help attach and anchor the 1known0 as the palm to the trunk of another tree. Caranday Palm. It has Calamus caryotoides needs a shaded area a slender trunk and and moist soil. There are hundreds of can reach 30 - 40 feet species of Calamus. Most are climbing tall. The palmate and viscously armed making huge clumps leaves are a silvery of spiny stems. Calamus caryotoides is color. This palm one of the smallest species and more suited to the homeowner’s landscape, as it is not as spiny as other Calamus. It is native to northeastern . The stems of some Calamus are the source of true . Caryota obtusa, the Mountain Giant 8Fishtail Palm, is native from northern

Copernicia prunifera trunk

Palms continued from page 5 that has maroon decora, the Ribbon Palm, is colored petioles. 11native to eastern Australia and was until This form is not recently known as Livistona decipiens. It as cold hardy as is a fast growing palm, 30 - 40 feet tall. the green petiole The palmate leaves are very deeply form and is divided into long, thin segments giving suitable only in the palm a weeping look. It is very the warmest areas drought tolerant once established. The of central Florida. Ribbon Palm is a good substitute for the The green form common Washingtonia robusta, Mexican can be grown , as it does not grow as tall. throughout the This makes it suited for smaller scaled region. landscapes. The shorter height also makes acaulis it much less susceptible to a lightning 14is the Dwarf strike, which is usually the most common Date Palm. It is a cause of death of Washingtonia robusta clustering palm in central Florida. that is usually is known as the trunkless and 12Carnarvon Gorge Palm. It is native to grows 3 - 5 feet southeastern , Australia. tall. It grows in This palm grows 30 - 40 feet tall. The full sun or light leaves are a shiny green and the leaflets shade and is very are weeping. Young plants are slow drought tolerant. growing but become faster as they The Dwarf Date mature. It will grow in sun or shade and Palm is native is fairly drought tolerant though it from northern grows best with moist soil. India to southern Phoenix rupicola China. Livistona is the Taraw Palm, that are a cross between Phoenix rupicola 13 , the Cliff Date Palm, native to southeastern Asia and can grow Phoenix rupicola and the common Pygmy Date Palm, 15is native to India where it grows on 30 to 50 feet tall. This palm has large Phoenix roebelenii. These are also very hillsides. It is leaves that are attractive palms that combine the best a slender deeply features of both parents. palm that segmented. causiarum is native to Puerto reaches 25 The petioles 16Rico and southern Hispaniola and is feet tall. The are armed called the Hat Palmetto. It is a large leaves are with large growing palm that can reach 30 - 40 dark green. attractive feet tall. The trunks are very thick and The Cliff spines that robust. The trunks are also smooth and Date Palm is resemble shark gray and resemble columns. It is slow the most teeth. Taraw growing when young but the rate increases graceful of Palm also has as it matures. It likes full sun and is all the Date fruit that is a drought tolerant. , the Palms and glossy blue petiole spines Dominican Palmetto, is similar. It is makes an color. This native to Hispaniola and eastern . excellent specimen. It will grow in sun or palm will grow in sun or shade and Sabal mauritiiformis is probably the light shade and is fairly drought tolerant needs moist soil. It can also grow in 17most distinct of all the Sabal species. It but looks best with moist soil. On your periodically flooded locations or in wet, has a very slender trunk that reaches 40 - next visit to the Gardens, see the hybrids mucky soil. There is a form of this palm 50 feet tall. The dark green leaves are deeply divided and are silver on the new to cultivation since being discovered undersides. This palm will grow in sun in the mid 1990’s. This palm has a slender or shade and likes moist soil. It is also trunk and will grow 30 feet tall. The the least hardy of all the Sabal species palmate leaves are not deeply divided and and grows best in the warmer sections of are circular in shape. The Windamere central Florida. It is native from southern Palm grows best in part sun or shade with Mexico to northern . moist soil. It is a very rare and endangered Sabal palm in its 18uresana, the For More Information native habitat. Sonoran Wallichia BOOKS Palmetto, densiflora20is a native to Betrock’s Guide to Landscape Palms, very attractive northwestern Alan W. Meerow, 1994, Betrock Information palm with Mexico, has Systems dark green leaves that are An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms, Robert Lee leaves that are bluish green, Riffle and Paul Craft, 2003, Timber Press, Inc. silver colored almost silvery, Palms Throughout the World, on the in color. The David L. Jones, 1995, Smithsonian Institution undersides. color can be Press The leaves similar to that have leaflets of the leaves of INTERNET that are Bismarckia International Palm Society jagged and nobilis. This http://www.palms.org fishtail palm grows 30 Palm and Cycad Societies of Florida shaped. The - 40 feet tall http://plantapalm.com/ palm is clump with a thick, Central Florida Palm and Cycad Society forming and robust trunk. http://www.plantapalm.com/centralfl/default.asp will grow to It needs full 10 feet tall. It sun and is very drought tolerant. It is likes a partially shaded location and also slow growing. moist soil. It is native from northern latisectus, the Windamere India to . Wallichia caryotoides 19Palm, is native to northern India. It is still is very similar and grows just as easily.

Sabal uresana