Pronunciation: uh-can-thuh-FEE-nix ROO-bruh
Common Name: Barbel Palm
Acanthophoenix rubra is a solitary pinnate palm from the Mauritius and Reunion Islands, south of India and east of Madagascar (about same latitude) that has some surprising cold hardiness, though is still a marginal palm for most of Southern California.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary
- Height: 10 feet (60 feet possible in the tropics)
- Trunk: tan, clean, initially spiny but losing spines with age; 4"+ thick
- Crownshaft: 3' barely thicker than trunk and rust colored, moderately spiny though less so with age
- Spread: 4'-6'
- Leaf Shape: pinnate, flat with closely spaced leaflets. Leaves usually upright and rarely reach horizontal without falling off
- Petiole: short and reddish in juvenile plants
- Foliage: green with red rachis in juveniles, yellow in adults
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: pink to purple flowers
- Fruit: 1cm and black when ripe
- Seed: 5-7mm
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 30F
- Drought Tolerance: poor
- Dry Heat Tolerance: very poor
- Wind Tolerance: poor unless humid
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: very slow
- Soil Preference: rich and well draining
- Light Requirement: shade when seeding and gradual coastal, half day sun as matures (note: no mature palms in southern California)
- Human Hazards: very spiny when young and spines long, thin and very sharp
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: not known
- Indoor?: very poor choice for indoor palm due to safety hazards
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