Pritchardia hillebrandii

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Pronunciation: prih-CHAR-dee-uh hill-uh-BRAN-dee-eye


Common Name: Hillebrand's Loulu Palm

Pritchardia hillebrandii is one of the most commonly available and grown Pritcharidas in California. This is one of the stiffer-leaved Pritchardias with minimal leaflet droop and better wind tolerance. Dwarf Blue form available, but many seem to grow up looking like normal green plants, despite being grown from seed of a miraculously blue plant in Hawaii. Pretty good palm for much of coastal California that gets only mild frosts and no excessive arid, dry winds.

Synonyms: Pritchardia insignis

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: solitary with a crown of 15-20 fan leaves
  • Height: 25'
  • Trunk: single; 8" thick; often covered with fiber and un-split leaf bases; older palms have grey, closely grooved/ringed trunks
  • Crownshaft: none
  • Spread: 8'-10'
  • Leaf Description: palmate to mildly costapalmate; waxy glossy green; markedly pleated; divided 1/4 to 1/3 length of leaf blade; 4'-5' long; leaf blades wedge-shaped, about 1/4 circle
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: wide; flattish; unarmed; un-split leaf bases; bright green, often covered with a white tomentum; 3' long
  • Reproduction: monoecious
  • Inflorescence: from within leaves; 2' long; somewhat branched
  • Fruit: globoid; 4/5" thick; dark brown when ripe
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 27F
  • Drought Tolerance: low to moderate
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: low to moderate
  • Cool Tolerance: low
  • Wind Tolerance: moderate
  • Salt Tolerance: unknown
  • Growth Rate: slow
  • Soil Preference: adaptable
  • Light Requirement: filtered sun to full sun nearer coast
  • Human Hazards: none
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
  • Transplants?: unknown
  • Indoor?: unknown
  • Availability: rare

  • Huntington Gardens, near Pasadena, California

  • Ventura, California, in Sullivan estate

  • Sullivan Palm

  • San Diego Botanical gardens, Encinitas, California

  • Orange county, South Coast Plaza

  • Pritchardia hildebrandii tall 1.JPG

  • Ho'Olamuhia Gardens, Oahu, Hawaii

  • Pritchardia hillebrandii H shot 14.jpg

  • Lotusland, Santa Barbara, California

  • Waimea park, Oahu, Hawaii

  • Pritchardia hillebrandii.JPG
  • Pritchardia hillebrandiis.JPG

  • San Diego county

  • Pritchardia hildebrandii crown no flash.JPG

  • in garden of Jim Denz, northern California

  • Pritchardia hillebrandii cloer H.jpg

  • Huntington Gardens

  • Pritchardia in heavy fruit FO.jpg
Retrieved from "https://www.palmpedia.net/palmsforcal/index.php5?title=Pritchardia_hillebrandii&oldid=8178"