Pronunciation: prih-CHAR-dee-uh kuh-AHH-lay
Common Name: none
Pritchardia kaalae is a species that has been grown in California form many decades, but is not exactly a popular palm (many think most Pritchardias look alike… which they do). This one should be grown more as it seems to be pretty well adapted to many of the California climates, even inland somewhat.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 12-16 fan leaves
- Height: 25' estimate
- Trunk: single; 6"-8" diameter; smooth grey trunk once leaf blades fall off
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 15'-16'
- Leaf Description: palmate; stiff; medium green on both surfaces; about 8' long (half of that petiole); well pleated; blade makes about 1/3 circle; divided about half length of blade
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 4' long; unarmed; un-split leaf bases, retained on trunks for several years
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: unbranched until flowers as tips; 9'-10' long, well beyond leaf tips, laterally oriented to drooping straight down
- Fruit: spherical; 1" thick; black when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 30F
- Drought Tolerance: low to moderate
- Dry Heat Tolerance: low to moderate
- Cool Tolerance: low
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: slow
- Light Requirement: filtered sun to full sun near coast
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: rare
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Huntington gardens near Pasadena, California
Fallbrook, California in San Diego County
