Difference between revisions of "Livistona benthamii"
Geoff Stein - Author & Editor
(Created page with "<center>'''Pronunciation''': liv-ih-STONE-uh ben-THAM-ee-eye <br/> '''Common Name''': Bentham's Fountain Palm </center> '''''Livistona benthamii''''' is one of the less commo...") |
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'''Common Name''': Bentham's Fountain Palm | '''Common Name''': Bentham's Fountain Palm | ||
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| − | '''''Livistona benthamii''''' is one of the less commonly grown Livistonas in California but why that is exactly is unclear. It is an attractive palm and makes for an interesting specimen palm with nice, typically weeping fan leaves. | + | '''''Livistona benthamii''''' is one of the less commonly grown Livistonas in California but why that is exactly is unclear. It is an attractive palm and makes for an interesting specimen palm with nice, typically weeping fan leaves. This palm is native to the swampy forests of northern Australia and throughout several areas of New Guinea. Its tropical origins possibly have a lot to do with why this is such a difficult species to grow in California. Attractive and somewhat unique looking, at least until fully mature, with its elongated crown of very deeply divided fan leaves and pendant, 'weeping' leaflets, and very colorful petioles and trunk. Leaflets parts of trunk decorated with retained leaf bases that are large and knobby making them look like steps for climbing on. Very rare palm in California. Needs to be kept moist and prefers to kept in shade somewhat as well. |
{| colspan="2" style="background: #FCFCFC; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | | {| colspan="2" style="background: #FCFCFC; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | | ||
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<div style="background: #e5a178; border: 1px solid black; padding: 5px; margin: 3px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;">Appearance and Biology</div> | <div style="background: #e5a178; border: 1px solid black; padding: 5px; margin: 3px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;">Appearance and Biology</div> | ||
<div style="padding-left: 1em;"> | <div style="padding-left: 1em;"> | ||
| − | *'''Habit''': | + | *'''Habit''': solitary with a crown of 20-30 fan leaves |
| − | *'''Height''': | + | *'''Height''': 30' |
| − | *'''Trunk''': | + | *'''Trunk''': single; often covered with retained, un-split leaf bases (and in shadier situations, even the petioles) for much of palm's height; dead leaves often retained for several years but don't seem to form a pendant skirt- remain in normal horizontal position until leaf itself deteriorates and falls off; reddish-brown in color for much of upper trunk eventually fading to a grey |
| − | *'''Crownshaft''': | + | *'''Crownshaft''': none |
| − | *'''Spread''': | + | *'''Spread''': 8' |
| − | *'''Leaf Description''': | + | *'''Leaf Description''': palmate; deeply divided leaves (3/4- 4/5 of blade length); 5'- 6' long; yellow-green; leaflets drooping half their length; upright orientation even several feet below crown only drooping to horizontal once leaf starts to die |
| − | *'''Petiole/Leaf bases''': | + | *'''Petiole/Leaf bases''': 3'-4' long; heavily armed with large, very sharp petiolar marginal teeth; un-split, knobby leaf bases often retained on trunk, sometimes its entire height; greenish yellow with reddish-brown base |
| − | *'''Reproduction''': | + | *'''Reproduction''': monoecious |
| − | *'''Inflorescence''': | + | *'''Inflorescence''': |
| − | *'''Fruit''': | + | *'''Fruit''': 1/2"; spherical; purple-black when ripe |
| style="width: 50%; background: #f8e8df; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | | | style="width: 50%; background: #f8e8df; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" | | ||
<div style="background: #e5a178; border: 1px solid black; padding: 5px; margin: 3px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;">Horticultural Characteristics</div> | <div style="background: #e5a178; border: 1px solid black; padding: 5px; margin: 3px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;">Horticultural Characteristics</div> | ||
<div style="padding-left: 1em;"> | <div style="padding-left: 1em;"> | ||
| − | *'''Minimum Temp''': | + | *'''Minimum Temp''': 28F |
| − | *'''Drought Tolerance''': | + | *'''Drought Tolerance''': poor |
| − | *'''Dry Heat Tolerance''': | + | *'''Dry Heat Tolerance''': moderate |
| − | *'''Wind Tolerance''': | + | *'''Wind Tolerance''': moderate |
| − | *'''Salt Tolerance''': | + | *'''Salt Tolerance''': moderate to good |
| − | *'''Growth Rate''': | + | *'''Growth Rate''': slow |
| − | *'''Soil Preference''': | + | *'''Soil Preference''': very moist and rich |
| − | *'''Light Requirement''': | + | *'''Light Requirement''': shade to partial sun |
| − | *'''Human Hazards''': | + | *'''Human Hazards''': very sharp petiolar teeth |
| − | *'''Disease or Horticultural Problems''': | + | *'''Disease or Horticultural Problems''': tends to be yellowy much of its maturing life (nutritional?); prone to die suddenly in California, particularly when very young; one of the least cold and drought tolerant of the Livistona species |
| − | *'''Transplants?''': | + | *'''Germination''': reliable and rapid in warm, moist soil |
| − | *'''Indoor?''': | + | *'''Transplants?''': poor |
| − | *'''Availability''': | + | *'''Indoor?''': unknown |
| + | *'''Availability''': very rare and not all that popular due to cultivational difficulties in California; seed however is easy to obtain from Florida | ||
|} | |} | ||
<gallery> | <gallery> | ||
| − | + | File:Livistona benthamii H 14.jpg|only mature palm in California, Huntington Gardens | |
| − | + | File:Livistona benthamii.JPG|Huntington gardens | |
| + | File:Livistona benthamii crown H 2013.jpg|Huntington Gardens | ||
| + | File:Livistona benthamii Schwarz.jpg|Santa Barbara, California | ||
| + | File:Livistona benthamii seedling.JPG|juveniles in Hawaii | ||
| + | File:Livistona benthamii trunk.JPG|California | ||
| + | File:Livistona benthamii trnk.JPG|California | ||
| + | File:Livistona benthamii leaf bases on trunk.jpg|California | ||
| + | File:Livistona benthamii trunk detail Florida.jpg|Central Florida | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
| + | [[Category: Livistona]] | ||
Revision as of 06:21, 29 October 2014
Common Name: Bentham's Fountain Palm
Livistona benthamii is one of the less commonly grown Livistonas in California but why that is exactly is unclear. It is an attractive palm and makes for an interesting specimen palm with nice, typically weeping fan leaves. This palm is native to the swampy forests of northern Australia and throughout several areas of New Guinea. Its tropical origins possibly have a lot to do with why this is such a difficult species to grow in California. Attractive and somewhat unique looking, at least until fully mature, with its elongated crown of very deeply divided fan leaves and pendant, 'weeping' leaflets, and very colorful petioles and trunk. Leaflets parts of trunk decorated with retained leaf bases that are large and knobby making them look like steps for climbing on. Very rare palm in California. Needs to be kept moist and prefers to kept in shade somewhat as well.
|
Appearance and Biology
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Horticultural Characteristics
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only mature palm in California, Huntington Gardens
Huntington gardens
Huntington Gardens
Santa Barbara, California
juveniles in Hawaii
California
California
California
Central Florida
