Pronunciation: lih-vih-STONE-uh muh-REE/ muh-REE-uh
Common Name: Central Australian Fan Palm
Livistona mariae is a fairly commonly grown Australian palm in California, partly due to the juvenile forms having deep red to maroon foliage (which sadly does not persist past youth). For many years, Livistona rigida was included in this genus, but now, thanks to Dowe, has been returned to species status, though practically, telling them apart requires some expertise. As this palm matures, its leaves take on a off-grey-green appearance and only somewhat costapalmate. Leaves are among the largest of the Australian Livistonas, but its over all mature appearance is somewhat typical in its 'ribbon-leaf' appearance.
|
Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 25-40 fan leaves
- Height: 50'
- Trunk: single; 14" thick (perhaps a bit more at the base); ringed; light grey-brown; bottom of trunk has some retained leaf bases
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 18'-22'
- Leaf Description: mildly costapalmate (nearly flat in younger palms); light green to grey-green (deep reddish-green when young, fading about time trunk begins to form); 10'-12' long; blade 5' across; crown tends to be somewhat sparse or irregular relative to some other Australian Livistonas
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 7'-9' long; arching somewhat; armed with dark, sharp black teeth, at least proximally; sometimes toothless and smooth distally; un-split leaf bases, often retained bottom of trunk indefinitely, and along much of trunk in younger palms
- Reproduction: monoecious, though functionally dioecious (trees 'act as male or female, though the latter can often self-fertilize)
- Inflorescence: 3'-6' long; from within leaves
- Fruit: spherical; 1/2"-3/4" thick; black when ripe; single groove around much of circumference
|
Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 25F
- Drought Tolerance: good
- Dry Heat Tolerance: good
- Cool Tolerance: good
- Wind Tolerance: moderate to good
- Salt Tolerance: moderate
- Growth Rate: moderate to fast with age
- Soil Preference: adaptable
- Light Requirement: full sun
- Human Hazards: sharp petiolar teeth
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: rare
|
