Pronunciation: Prit-CHAR-dee-uh may-den-ee-ANN-uh
Common Name: Kona Fan Palm
Pritchardia maideniana is one of at least a dozen or more Pritchardias fairly commonly grown in southern California as specimen palms. Most will know this palm as Pritchardia affinis. This palm is native the large island of Hawaii, but despite its tropical origin, it shows pretty good cold hardiness in many areas of southern California. Having relatively wedge-shaped leaves, this Pritchardia is one of the least ornamental, but one of the best growers and still makes a nice specimen if in the right climate.
Synonym: Pritchardia affinis
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of about 15 leaves
- Height: 30'
- Trunk: single; 10" thick; clean, pale trunk
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 15'
- Leaf Description: palmate to mildly costapalmate; bright, light green; 8' long; leaflets divided half their length; leaves about 1/3 of a circle (relatively wedge-shaped for a Pritchardia); stiff leaves with only very tips drooping
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 4' long, unarmed; stiff; undersides have tomentum of white
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: 3'-4' with small, short branches near tip; coming from within leaf bases and directly upward and laterally with only the very tips drooping
- Fruit: spherical, 3/4"; olive green to dark brown/black when ripe
- Seed:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 27F
- Drought Tolerance: moderate to poor
- Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: very adaptable to wide variety, but prefers moist, rich well draining
- Light Requirement: full to partial sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: potassium deficiency seems somewhat common
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unlikely to be a good choice
- Availability: rare, but fairly commonly available through palm specialty nurseries
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