Pronunciation: deh-MON-oar-rops jen-kin-zee-AHN-uh
Common Name: Major Jenkin's Rattan Palm
Daemonorops jenkinsiana is not among a group of palms that normally occurs to anyone trying to grow something new in California. But it turns out this species (and perhaps many more?) actually grow fairly well in California, in the right climate. This is a viscously spiny, southeast Asian rattan palm that is one of the rattans that can support it's own weight (at least for a while) before needing to fall and climb on surrounding structure and vegetations.
Synonym: Daemonorops margaritae
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: clustering with numerous branches and many dozens of feather leaves
- Height: 30' estimate
- Trunk: multiple; 1.5" in diameter; heavily armed with 1", sharp black spines; stems blackish to red brown when first emerge
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 20'+
- Leaf Description: pinnate; flat; leaflets about 6" long; leaves 4'-7' long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 2'-3' long; yellowy; armed with shorter marginal spines
- Reproduction: dioecious
- Inflorescence:
- Fruit:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 30F
- Drought Tolerance: low
- Dry Heat Tolerance: low
- Cool Tolerance: low
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age
- Soil Preference: adaptable but prefers moist and well draining
- Light Requirement: filtered to full sun
- Human Hazards: extremely spiny palm all over
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none yet
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: very poor choice
- Availability: very rare
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maturing palm in southern California's Orange County
young palm in Taiwan botanical garden
