Difference between revisions of "Desmoncus orthacanthos"

Latest revision as of 22:04, 31 July 2015

Pronunciation: dez-MON-cuss oar-thuh-CAN-thus

Common Name: Basket Tie-Tie

Desmoncus orthacanthus is a rather unpopular, clustering Central American 'rattan' palm that has been grown in California probably more as a curiosity rather than a beautiful ornamental. This is a potentially tall and very spiny, sprawling, climbing palm that has very 'un-palm-like' leaflets. This plant needs to be grown far from traffic areas and tied up or trained to make movement around it less hazardous (as with any large rattan palm). Actual cold hardiness unclear as it has not been tried often by many growers.

Appearance and Biology

Habit: clustering with a crown of 10-30 pinnate leaves per stem
Height: 25'-30'
Trunk: multiple; 1'2"-3/4" in diameter; sparsely ringed; intensely spiny with 1/2"-2" black to gray, stiff, very sharp spines; dull to olive green in color
Crownshaft: none
Spread: 5'-30'
Leaf Description: pinnate; short, ovoid leaflets in clusters of 2-4 along rachis; 5'-6' long; bright green; long black spines along underside of rachis; leaf tips have backwards, stiff, shortened leaflets that act like 'grappling hooks'
Petiole/Leaf bases: nonexistent (rachis and leaflets begin right off of stem)
Reproduction: monoecious
Inflorescence: among leaves; spiny spathe
Fruit: spherical to elipsoid; 3/4" long; yellow-orange to red when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics

Minimum Temp: 30F estimate
Drought Tolerance: low
Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
Wind Tolerance: moderate
Salt Tolerance: unknown
Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age
Soil Preference: adaptable
Light Requirement: filtered sun
Human Hazards: very spiny palm
Disease or Horticultural Problems: needs to be 'trained' up a trunk or wall, or can become hard to manage and dangerous
Transplants?: unknown
Indoor?: can think of few worse choices
Availability: very rare

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 '''''Desmoncus orthacanthus''''' is a rather unpopular, clustering Central American 'rattan' palm that has been grown in California probably more as a curiosity rather than a beautiful ornamental.   This is a potentially tall and very spiny, sprawling, climbing palm that has very 'un-palm-like' leaflets.  This plant needs to be grown far from traffic areas and tied up or trained to make movement around it less hazardous (as with any large rattan palm).  Actual cold hardiness unclear as it has not been tried often by many growers.
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 *'''Availability''': very rare
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 File:Desmoncus again.JPG|All photos are of plant in San Diego county, California unless noted otherwise

Difference between revisions of "Desmoncus orthacanthos"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Latest revision as of 22:04, 31 July 2015