Veitchia subdisticha

Veitchia (veet-KEE-ah) subdisticha (sub-dee-STIHK-ah)
Hawaii. Photo by Paul Craft.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Veitchia (veet-KEE-ah) Species: subdisticha (sub-dee-STIHK-ah)
Synonyms
Was Drymophloeus subdistichus
Native Continent
Oceania
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
None.

Habitat and Distribution

Solomon Is. Endemic to the Solomon Is. Where it its found in

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Miami. Photo by Dr. Scott Zona.

low to medium elevation open rainforest.

Description

A medium sized solitary palm, to about 12 m. tall with a very straight, slender trunk and a long, thin pale gray-green crownshaft that is slightly dark at the top. It has a dense crown of strongly arching, pinnate leaves, with premorse leaf tips, that are V-shaped in cross section, and which have large, bright green leaflets. Editing by edric.

Culture

Lightly shaded, moist, but well drained position. Tropical, but very fast growing. This species grows well in the subtropics in a frost free area. Cold Hardiness Zone: 11

Comments and Curiosities

Once called Rhederophoenix and then this species was transferred into Drymophloeus by Hal Moore, this species comes from the Solomon islands and cannot be easily distinguished from a Veitchia species when mature.

A mid-sized palm that forms a very straight, slender trunk to 14 m (46 ft.) tall which carries a dense crown of strongly arching, pinnate leaves, V-shaped in cross section. It occurs naturally in open forest at low and medium elevations in the Solomon Islands. In a tropical climate, D. subdistichus is extremely fast growing. Its cultural requirements are quite similar to those of Veitchia, and despite its complicated name, it is a highly desirable ornamental. (RPS.com)