Pronunciation: wall-LICK-ee-uh DIS-tick-uh/dis-TICK-uh
Common Name: Tashe Palm
Wallichia disticha is a moderately popular palm to grow in California that does quite well in a wide range of climates, but one that does not tend to live terribly long (monocarpic- dies once flowers).
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 12-18 feather leaves
- Height: 20' (most do not make it that tall, though)
- Trunk: single; 10" x 5" (trunks flattened somewhat); covered in thick layer of very thick fiber strands and leaf bases on two sides (the widest ones)
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 10'-12' in one direction, 2' in the other
- Leaf Description: pinnate; plumose; elongated fishtail leaflets with premorse tips; leaves in two ranked only (distichous); 6'-8' long; arching with upright-oriented leaflets in a 'V' of two different ranks; underside of leaves a bit less dark than above; leaves usually a medium to slightly yellow-green
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 12"-18"; nearly tubular; unarmed; retained on trunk usually for life; un-split
- Reproduction: monoecious; monocarpic
- Inflorescence: terminal, arising from between last two leafs; drooping downward; highly branched; 6'-8' long; dark red to purplish brown; can last for over a year- plants that flower have maybe up to two years left to live
- Fruit: dull red when ripe; toxic (oxalates)
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 27F
- Drought Tolerance: fair
- Dry Heat Tolerance: unknown
- Wind Tolerance: poor
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: widely adaptable, tolerating heavy clays
- Light Requirement: partial to full sun
- Human Hazards: mildly toxic fruits (oxalates) and painful to chew; potentially irritating to crush and get juices on skin
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: short lived; leaves tend to brown tip and be yellowy in windy conditions
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unlikely to do well indoors
- Availability: rare, but available off/on at palm specialty nurseries
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Orange county, California
Orange county, California
San Fernando valley, California
in flower, Huntington Beach, California
in flower, side shot, Huntington Beach
tall plant in flower, Huntington Beach
new leaf, San Fernando valley, California
flower in Huntington Beach
