Palms For California

Pronunciation: kam-uh-DOOR-ee-uh my-crow-SPAY-dix

Common Name: Hardy Bamboo Palm

Chamaedorea microspadix is a common and useful landscape palm in many areas of California thanks to its surprising hardiness. It is a suckering, spreading species with a tendency to make gobs of what appears to be ripe fruit (but without a plant of the opposite sex, it is unlikely that it actually is). It also handles a good deal of full sun inland, though it still looks best with at least some shade. Several varieties have been named in cultivation ('Improved' and 'Brentwood' select, chosen for ability to withstand full sun or with darker leaf coloration

Appearance and Biology Habit: clustering with a crown of 6-10 feather leaves per stem Height: 8'-10' Trunk: multiple; 3/8" thick Crownshaft: 6"; lime green to medium green; just a bit wider than stem its entire length Spread: 5'-10'+ Leaf Description: pinnate; 2'; leaflets relatively wide and slightly falcate (2" wide); leaflets have a rough surface and are relatively thin (in terms of thickness); leaflets attached alternately along the rachis (not paired up); medium green dorsally, a bit glaucous ventrally Petiole/Leaf bases: 3"-4" long; nearly tubular; medium green; unarmed Reproduction: dioecious Inflorescence: from below crownshaft; 2'+ and sparsely branched with simple, tortuous branches; flowers pale yellow Fruit: 1/2"; spherical; bright red-orange when ripe; contain a bit of oxalates

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 20F (some leaf burn may occur in some forms at this temp) Drought Tolerance: moderate to good Dry Heat Tolerance: good Cool Tolerance: very good Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: low Growth Rate: slow to moderate Soil Preference: very widely adaptable Light Requirement: shade to full sun (some forms) Human Hazards: mildly toxic fruits Disease or Horticultural Problems: spider mite susceptibility indoors Transplants?: very tolerant Indoor?: pretty good but watch for mites Availability: moderately rare only occasionally showing up a non-specialty nurseries