Pronunciation: coe-coe-THRIH-nax SPEE-suh
Common Name: Hispaniola Belly Palm; Swollen Silver Thatch Palm
Coccothrinax spissa is a unique palm in its native Dominican Republic/ Hatian landscape, where mature palms have an peculiar swelling mid trunk. So far no palms in California have grown tall enough are seem prone to 'belly up' yet. This is one of the more marginal Coccothrinax for California, barely tolerating freezing temperatures.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 6-10 fan leaves (at least in California)
- Height: 10' estimate
- Trunk: single; 6"-10" thick; covered with some fibrous weave near very top of trunk, but rest of trunk tends to be grey, narrowly and subtlety ringed and clean; mature palms develop prominent acute swelling approximately mid trunk
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 5'-8'
- Leaf Description: palmate; very narrow leaflets; fairly stiff leaflets with some droop near the tips; medium to deep green; moderately silvery beneath; 3' long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: narrow; unarmed; fairly stiff; pale green; un-split leaf bases
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence:
- Fruit:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 32F
- Drought Tolerance: good
- Dry Heat Tolerance: good
- Cool Tolerance: poor
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: very slow
- Soil Preference: adaptable
- Light Requirement: filtered to full sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: rare
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