Pronunciation: sigh-AHG-russ uh-MAR-uh
Common Name: Overtop Palm
Syagrus amara is the only Syagrus from the Caribbean Islands and is a bit tropical in its requirements as well. However many have managed to grow this one to maturity in the warmer areas of California. Does particularly if grown against a warm wall facing south. It has plumose leaves like most Syagrus, but leaflets are shorter and don't tend to droop. Potentially a very large palm, but that potential has so far not been realized in California.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 10-14 pinnate leaves
- Height: 30' (estimate)
- Trunk: single; 8" thick; ringed; pale whitish to light grey; self cleaning
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 10'-14'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; moderately plumose with relatively wide leaflets on two different planes not that askew from each other; dark green; 6'-8' long; upright rarely more horizontal than 45 degrees
- Petiole/Leaf bases: wide; 1' long; dark green to bright green and covered with whitish patina (worn off at ventral midrib); unarmed and un-split- not retained on trunk
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: 1' long, upright from within crown; sheltered by grey-brown ovoid bract; moderately branched
- Fruit: ovoid; 2" long dark green to orange when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 31F
- Drought Tolerance: low
- Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
- Wind Tolerance: poor to moderate
- Salt Tolerance: moderate
- Growth Rate: moderate
- Soil Preference: adaptable
- Light Requirement: partial to full sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: marginal palm
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: rare but available through speciality growers in other states
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