Palms For California

Pronunciation: ak-row-COE-mee-uh KRISP-uh

Common Name: Cuban Belly Palm

Acrocomia crispa has been known for many years as Gastrococos crispa, but the got lumped into Acrocomia recently. This Cuban palm is somewhat marginal, but several have grown this palm fairly well and at least one trunking palm exists in California. In nature this spiny palm develops a large swollen area mid trunk, but so far it does not seem to do that in California. Even the leaves have spines on this plant, but with age the trunk begins to lose some of its thorniness.

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of 8-14 spiny feather leaves Height: 15' estimate Trunk: single; 6"-12"; grayish tan with subtle rings; sharp, stiff, vertically oriented black spines dense near top but becoming sparse with age (mature palms in the tropics are spineless on the trunk) Crownshaft: 18" tall; same diameter or even a bit less than diameter of trunk; incomplete; yellow-green; spiny with 1"-2" vertical, black, sharp, stiff spines Spread: 7'-10' Leaf Description: pinnate; 4'-6' long; leaves nearly flat, particularly in younger palms, become a bit more plumose with age; leaflets form a slight 'V' relative to the rachis; lime green to medium green; 1', stiff, sharp, pale, vertically oriented spines on leaves dorsal surface, seemingly random in location, but most near or on leaflet midrib Petiole/Leaf bases: petiole basically nonexistent with leaflets erupting from rachis at level of crownshaft top Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: from within crown; yellow-orange flowers Fruit: orange fruits when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 30F Drought Tolerance: poor Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: very slow to slow with age (in California) Soil Preference: prefers alkaline soils, but seems pretty adaptable Light Requirement: partial to full sun Human Hazards: spiny palm! Disease or Horticultural Problems: possible nutritional problems in acidic soils Transplants?: unknown Indoor?: seems a very poor choice Availability: very rare, but occasionally shows up on palm specialty plant lists