Difference between revisions of "Hyphaene petersiana"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor
 
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File:Hyphaene petersiana Levine.JPG|another shot of Gary's palm
 
File:Hyphaene petersiana Levine.JPG|another shot of Gary's palm
 
File:Hyphaene petersianaNN.jpg|mature palm in Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens, near Pattaya, Thailand
 
File:Hyphaene petersianaNN.jpg|mature palm in Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens, near Pattaya, Thailand
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File:Hyphaene petersiana large Fairchild.jpg|Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Miami, Florida
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File:Hyphaene petersiana new blue leaves.jpg|leaf details, Florida
 
File:Hyphaene petersiana in seed-above-NN.jpg|crown of solitary plant, Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens
 
File:Hyphaene petersiana in seed-above-NN.jpg|crown of solitary plant, Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens
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File:Hyphaene petersiana crown fairchild.jpg|crown of palm in Miami
 
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[[Category: Hyphaene]]
 
[[Category: Hyphaene]]

Latest revision as of 18:54, 22 September 2016

Pronunciation: HI-fan-ee pee-tur-zee-AHN-uh


Common Name: Vegetable Ivory Palm

Hyphaene petersiana is still a fairly rare palm for California, but it is one of the most striking of the Hyphaene palms, in having very large, often bluish leaves on top of one or two trunks. No mature palms exist in California yet, but it should not be too many years before some are finally old enough to flower (maybe by 2025?)

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: solitary or twin trunks with a crown of 10-15 costapalmate leaves
  • Height: 25' estimate
  • Trunk: single or double; 16" thick; grey and only subtly ringed; upper trunk often with split retained leaf bases
  • Crownshaft: none
  • Spread: 15'-25'
  • Leaf Description: markedly costapalm with tip of midrib nearly curling back on itself; leaves very large with blade over 6' long; often blue-green in color; stiff and somewhat waxy with minimal leaflet droop; entire leaf, with petiole 10'-12' long
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: 5'-6' long; pale green or yellow-green to blue green near distal end and blackish near base; heavily armed with fuzz-covered teeth; leaf bases split and retained on upper trunks
  • Reproduction: dioecious
  • Inflorescence: from within leaves 3'-4' long arching and pendulous
  • Fruit: spherical; brown; 3" in diameter
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 30F
  • Drought Tolerance: excellent once established
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: excellent
  • Cool Tolerance: low
  • Wind Tolerance: good
  • Salt Tolerance: unknown
  • Growth Rate: slow
  • Soil Preference: adaptable
  • Light Requirement: full sun even as a small seedling
  • Human Hazards: sharp, large petiolar teeth
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
  • Transplants?: unknown
  • Indoor?: likely poor choice due to high light needs
  • Availability: very rare


  • Palm Desert, California

  • crown of Palm Desert palm

  • in the estate of Gary Levine, Escondido, California

  • suckering in Escondido, Levine garden

  • another shot of Gary's palm

  • mature palm in Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens, near Pattaya, Thailand

  • Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Miami, Florida

  • leaf details, Florida

  • crown of solitary plant, Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens

  • crown of palm in Miami

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