Difference between revisions of "Trithrinax campestris"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor
 
Line 18: Line 18:
 
*'''Reproduction''': monoecious
 
*'''Reproduction''': monoecious
 
*'''Inflorescence''': 18" multibranched with bright yellow flowers
 
*'''Inflorescence''': 18" multibranched with bright yellow flowers
−
*'''Fruit''':
+
*'''Fruit''': 1/2" diameter bright green to darker when ripening
−
*'''Seed''':
+
*'''Seed''': nearly 1/2", dark brown and spherical
 
| style="width: 50%; background: #f8e8df; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" |
 
| style="width: 50%; background: #f8e8df; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" |
 
<div style="background: #e5a178; border: 1px solid black; padding: 5px; margin: 3px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;">Horticultural Characteristics</div>
 
<div style="background: #e5a178; border: 1px solid black; padding: 5px; margin: 3px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;">Horticultural Characteristics</div>

Latest revision as of 16:02, 24 September 2016

Pronunciation: try-THRIN-ax cam-PESS-tris


Common Name: Caranday Palm

Trithrinax campestris is an eye-catching, suckering palmate species with a good deal of durability for a variety of southern California climates. Some palms have amazing silvery leaves that make great specimens for sunny gardens. Plants should be planted far from traffic as leaves are extremely sharp and hazardous. Very good palm for the desert as well as near the coast. Grows better in California than most other climates throughout the US (probably be a good plant for Arizona gardens), though does well in most all climates palms can be grown in, other than the really cold ones.

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: suckering with a dense crown of 30 leaves
  • Height: 15'
  • Trunk: multiple, usually covered with skirt of dead leaves for 5'+ but eventually showing a spine-covered trunk with 6" slight wavy, very stout, sharp spines in lateral-ventral orientation; sometimes very bottom of trunk clean in old specimens; 8" diameter
  • Crownshaft: none
  • Spread: 7'-10'+
  • Leaf Description: palmate; grey-green to silvery; extremely stiff; leaves divided nearly entire length; 4' with petiole; leaflets end in split with a 1" division and two intensely sharp spines at each leaflet division- caution!
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: 2' long, flat on top, unarmed, stiff/unbending
  • Reproduction: monoecious
  • Inflorescence: 18" multibranched with bright yellow flowers
  • Fruit: 1/2" diameter bright green to darker when ripening
  • Seed: nearly 1/2", dark brown and spherical
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 21F
  • Drought Tolerance: good
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: very good
  • Cool Tolerance: very good
  • Wind Tolerance: excellent
  • Salt Tolerance: low
  • Growth Rate: very slow to slow with age
  • Soil Preference: very adaptable palm to most soil situations
  • Light Requirement: full sun
  • Human Hazards: extremely sharp, stiff spines all over this palm- pruning is very hazardous even with thick gloves on
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: none known
  • Transplants?: fairly good
  • Indoor?: terrible palm for indoors- too light needy and extremely hazardous
  • Availability: rare but usually available at specialty nurseries; larger palms very rare an extremely pricey


  • San Barbara, California

  • Huntington gardens, California

  • Los Angeles arboretum

  • San Diego county, California

  • Los Angeles arboretum

  • Los Angeles arboretum

  • Santa Monica mountains, California

  • Ventura, California

  • Ventura California

  • Huntington gardens

  • Palm Desert, California

  • Orange county, California in too much shade

  • 10 year juvenile, Ventura county, California

  • skirt of dead leaves

  • leaves showing sharp tips

  • leaf shot

  • leaf shot

  • leaf tips

  • close up of leaf tip

  • young palm, Los Angeles arboretum

  • leaf shot

  • Santa Barbara, California showing suckering appearance

  • spines at leaf bases

  • upper stem spines

  • showing pleats in leaves

  • cleaned trunk

  • large tree in flower in September, Huntington Gardens

  • flowering palm in Huntington gardens, California, October

  • close up of flowers

  • fruits on palm in Los Angeles arboretum in late summer

Retrieved from "https://www.palmpedia.net/palmsforcal/index.php5?title=Trithrinax_campestris&oldid=8980"