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Common Name:
Acanthophoenix crinita is a thin-trunked, pinnate palm from Reunion Island, east of Madagascar. Though from a decidedly tropical climate, this palm has surprisingly cold tolerance and does surprisingly well in a Mediterranean climate, growing to maturity in several California locations.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary
- Height: 15-20 feet
- Trunk: clean; brown, ringed with long black spines when younger, disappearing with age; 4"-6" thick
- Spread:8'-10'
- Leaf Shape: 6 feet long, flat with closely spaced leaflets
- Petiole: short and spiny when young
- Foliage: medium bright green and somewhat spiny in younger plants
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: white to pinkish-orange flowers
- Fruit: 6mm and black when mature
- Seed: 4mm spherical
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 28F
- Drought Tolerance: poor
- Dry Heat Tolerance: poor
- Wind Tolerance: mod to poor
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow but picks up a bit with age
- Soil Preference: rich and well draining, but somewhat tolerant of clay soils
- Light Requirement: filtered light when young to half day sun as adult (even inland)
- Human Hazards: very spiny palm until mature (some spines seem to remain)
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: unknown
- Indoor?: very poor choice of indoor palm due to spines
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