Rhopalostylis sapida
Shaving Brush Palm
Rhopalostylis (rope-ah-loh-STIGH-liss) sapida (sah-PEE-duh) | |||||||
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NZ. Photo by F. Munkert, edric. | |||||||
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Morphology | |||||||
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Culture | |||||||
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Common names | |||||||
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Contents
Habitat and Distribution
Endemic to Chatham Is., New Zealand North, New Zealand South. North Island, and South Island from Marlborough Sounds and Nelson south to Okarito in the west and Banks Peninsula in the east. Also on Chatham and Pitt Islands. However Chatham Islands plants have a distinct juveniel form, larger fruits, and thicker indumentum on the fronds. Primarily a species of coastal to lowland forest in the warmer parts of New Zealand. (nzpcn.org)
The Nikau palm shows considerable variation in the wild. Plants from the South Island and the offshore islands of the North Island have larger, more gracefully arching fronds and are popular in cultivation. The Chatham Islands form is particularly different, having a distinct juvenile form and larger fruits, and a thicker covering of fine hairs on the fronds. More research is needed into its precise relationship with the mainland form. The New Zealand Nikau palm is very similar to Rhopalostylis baueri of the Kermadecs and Norfolk Island, which can be distinguished by its more rounded or oval fruits, and by its leaflets which are broader than those found in most populations of R. sapida.
Description
Trunk up to 15 m, stout, covered in grey-green leaf scars, otherwise green. Crownshaft 0.6 (-1) m long, dark green, smooth, bulging. Fronds up to 3 m long; leaflets to 1 m, closely set (sometimes over lapping), ascending. Spathes about 300 x 150 mm., between pink and yellow, caducous. Inflorescence shortly stalked, with many branches, 200-400 mm long. Flowers sessile, unisexual, tightly packed, lilac to pink. Males in pairs, caducous, stamens 6. Females solitary, with minute staminodes, ovary 1-locular, stigmas terminal, recurved, persistent. Fruit about 10 x 7 mm, elliptic-oblong, flesh red. (nzpcn.org)
Trunk to about 12 m. × 25 cm., green between rather closely spaced leaf-scars; crownshaft to 60 cm. long, smooth and green, slightly bulging. Leaf to 3 m. long; leaflets to 1 m. long, closely set and ascending sharply. Spathes about 30 × 15 cm., between pink and yellow, smooth, falling as first flowers open. Ultimate branches of inflorescence. to about 20–(30) cm. long, about 1.5 cm. in diam. with buds on, at first pale cream-coloured; flower-buds tightly packed, lilac Fragrance, about 10 × 7 mm., elliptic-oblong, brick-red. Seed long-oval, tightly invested in smooth, whitish endocarp which is marked by mainly longitudinal vascular strands; hilum broad at chalazal end, tapering to a narrow groove beside the micropyle. (nzpcn.org) Editing by edric.
Culture
PROPAGATION TECHNIQUE: Easy from seed. Fruit should be soaked for a few days in water and then lightly scrubbed to clear the flesh, then place in sealed plastic bags in half shade until seed begins to germinate. Plant germinating seed in deep, narrow pots. Avoid disturbing the roots as much as possible. An excellent pot plant, and provided the tap root is left intact it can be easily transplanted. Quite hardy. Very variable in the wild, so could benefit from critical horticultural selection. (nzpcn.org)
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The Nikau makes an excellent potted plant, and is quite hardy. It tends to be slow-growing. It grows readily from seed if the fruit is soaked in water for a few days and then gently scrubbed to remove the flesh. The seed will then germinate readily if placed in sealed plastic bags in semi-shade, after which they can be planted in deep pots. The pots should be tall and narrow to provide room for the taproot and to lessen the likelihood of root damage when transplanting. Transplanting juveniles is generally successful if the main root is left intact. The Nikau does not have a true tap root. Once the main root has been established to a fairly shallow depth of about 400 mm) its roots take on form consistent with other palms. Successful transplanting is possible but the Nikau is very fickle if there's any trunk. It is best done in summer but a substantial root ball should be preserved, and shade should be provided at the new location - at the very least by tying the outer fronds closer to the centre. Ground watering is recommended because crown watering can induce terminal rot at the very slow growing new spike. Delays should be avoided in getting the Nikau into its new ground and substantial die-back of all but the central spike can be expected. The Nikau thrives on cool temperatures but is not subject to freezing weather in its natural habitat. It can survive a few degrees of frost, but it is damaged even more severely by sudden large drops in temperature even above freezing. It does well in areas with a mild Mediterranean climate. "Because this is a temperate island dweller, it means it prefers a very mild climate, i.e. it can take light frost, and prefers cooler summers. It is very slow growing, taking up to 15 years to form a trunk. Try and find a wind free spot, since the leaves can get quite windblown and tatty." (Mike Gray) |
Comments and Curiosities
This is a tillering palm, it exhibits saxophone style root growth (it has a heel), keep top third of heel above soil elevation!
Uses: Maori found many uses for the Nikau palm. The bases of the inner leaves were eaten raw or cooked, also the young flower clusters. Food was wrapped in the leaves for cooking, and the old fibrous leaves were used for baskets, floor mats, and waterproof thatch for buildings.
Etymology: Rhopalostylis: In Latin, literally, 'club style'. sapida: 'savoury'. Nīkau is a Māori word; in the closely related Eastern Polynesian languages of the tropical Pacific, it refers to the fronds or the midrib of the coconut palm.
Similar taxa: Rhopalostylis baueri (Seem.) H.Wendl. et Drude, which differs mainly by its globose to oval fruits, and from most populations of R. sapida, by the broader leaflets. Both species of Rhopalostylis are very similar and research is needed. (nzpcn.org)
Phenology: November - April, Main Flower Colour: Red / Pink, FRUITING: February - November.
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Rhopalostylis sapida is a feather type, self cleaning, ringed trunk palm from the cool islands of New Zealand. Its fronds are held at a nearly 45 degree upright angle from the vertical trunk giving the tree its unique shaving brush look, thus the common name. Its fronds are medium green and are supported by an enlarged, bulbous, compact crownshaft. The flowers are ivory white with abundant, small red seeds to follow. It is a rather slow grower but is the most cold hardy of all the crownshaft palms making it very valuable for use in Northern California. This palm will tolerate the low temperatures of our inland locations but dislikes hot, blasting sun exposure. It will keep a big smile on its face and happily grow if it is given some protection from the wind and hot,blasting inland sun. The Nikau Palm makes a fine potted plant when it is younger. And because of its extremely upright growth habit, the palm can be utilized in tight locations such as along paths where spreading palms would form a visual and physical blockage. (goldengatepalms.com) |
"There are two, species of this genus (+ subspecies), all from the islands of New Zealand and nearby. As a group they are referred to as the shaving brush palms since their sillohuete resembles one. They are relatively fastidious palms preferring a mediterranean climate to one more tropical or cold... a pretty narrow temperature range. But lucky for us in So Cal most areas are perfect for growing this species. It doesn't like it hot or cold. These palms have a classic feather palm shape with a humongous bulbous crownshaft (more so on this species than the other) of bright, lime green. The leaves are stiff and erect with very closely spaced leaflets. This species differs from R baueri in that the leaflets start at the very begining of the leaf- no petiole basically. The trunk is very closely ringed and ornamental. It is a moderately slow growing palm, taking up to 10 years or more to get a trunk going from seedling. But once it forms a trunk they pick up speed a bit. Their fruit is bright red and a striking contrast to the lime green crownshaft just above where the fruit stalk erupts. These are simple gorgeous palms!" (Geoff Stein).
Var. 'Chatham Island'. Darold giving scale. "Darold has great drainage with his deep sandy soil and is situated in the Sunset area of San Francisco where foggy and overcast conditions persist for weeks in Summer with temperatures in nmidsummer sometimes not exceeding 60 F ( 16 c )." (Troy Donovan). Darold Petty Garden. Photo by Troy Donovan, edric.
Var. 'Chatham Island'. Darold giving scale. "Darold has great drainage with his deep sandy soil and is situated in the Sunset area of San Francisco where foggy and overcast conditions persist for weeks in Summer with temperatures in nmidsummer sometimes not exceeding 60 F ( 16 c )." (Troy Donovan). Darold Petty Garden. Photo by Troy Donovan, edric.
Var. 'Chatham Island'. Axel's son Lucas giving scale. "Darold has great drainage with his deep sandy soil and is situated in the Sunset area of San Francisco where foggy and overcast conditions persist for weeks in Summer with temperatures in nmidsummer sometimes not exceeding 60 F ( 16 c )." (Troy Donovan). Darold Petty Garden. Photo by Axel, edric.
Var. 'Great Barrier Island'. "Darold has great drainage with his deep sandy soil and is situated in the Sunset area of San Francisco where foggy and overcast conditions persist for weeks in Summer with temperatures in nmidsummer sometimes not exceeding 60 F ( 16 c )." (Troy Donovan). Darold Petty Garden. Photo by Troy Donovan, edric.
Var. 'Great Barrier Island' (left) Var. 'Chatham Island' (right). "Darold has great drainage with his deep sandy soil and is situated in the Sunset area of San Francisco where foggy and overcast conditions persist for weeks in Summer with temperatures in nmidsummer sometimes not exceeding 60 F ( 16 c )." (Troy Donovan). Darold Petty Garden. Photo by Troy Donovan, edric.
Var. 'Great Barrier Island'. "Darold has great drainage with his deep sandy soil and is situated in the Sunset area of San Francisco where foggy and overcast conditions persist for weeks in Summer with temperatures in nmidsummer sometimes not exceeding 60 F ( 16 c )." (Troy Donovan). Darold Petty Garden. Photo by Troy Donovan, edric.
Var. 'Great Barrier Island' (left) Var. 'Chatham Island' (right). "Darold has great drainage with his deep sandy soil and is situated in the Sunset area of San Francisco where foggy and overcast conditions persist for weeks in Summer with temperatures in nmidsummer sometimes not exceeding 60 F ( 16 c )." (Troy Donovan). Darold Petty Garden. Photo by Troy Donovan, edric.
This photograph, which dates from the turn of the century, shows a freak six headed nikau from the Kaipara region. Protective fencing indicates the special local respect for this bizarre plant (given that much native bush was being cleared for agriculture at the time). This photograph was taken by Frank Blackwell, brother to Ellen Blackwell who was the co-author of the book "Plants of New Zealand", first published in 1906. It went on to become a classic and ran to seven editions over 60 years. A six headed Nikau, (possibly the same specimen as the one in the photograph) appears in her book (extracted from Summer 1994 magazine of the Palm and Cycad Society of New Zealand. Photo-Mike Gray, edric.
External Links
- Glossary of Palm Terms
- MODERN BOTANICAL LATIN
- "Just To Be Clear"
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2YdyrivF1tc
- THE SAXOPHONE STYLE ROOT GROWTH (HEEL)
References
Phonetic spelling of Latin names by edric.
Special thanks to Geoff Stein, (Palmbob) for his hundreds of photos.
Special thanks to Palmweb.org, Dr. John Dransfield, Dr. Bill Baker & team, for their volumes of information and photos.
Glossary of Palm Terms; Based on the glossary in Dransfield, J., N.W. Uhl, C.B. Asmussen-Lange, W.J. Baker, M.M. Harley & C.E. Lewis. 2008. Genera Palmarum - Evolution and Classification of the Palms. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. All images copyright of the artists and photographers (see images for credits).
Many Special Thanks to Ed Vaile for his long hours of tireless editing and numerous contributions.