Chamaedorea radicalis

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Pronunciation: kam-uh-DOOR-ee-uh rad-ih-CAL-iss


Common Name: Cover Palm

Chamaedorea radicalis is not only one of the most sun and cold hardy of all the Chamaedorea, but is one of the most cold tolerant of all palms. This leathery-leaved palm has two distinct forms- a 'tree' form and a non-trunking form. This may not be the most ornamental of palms, but it is nearly always healthy looking, and very versatile in terms of light requirements. Stemless forms look great planted in groups as well as individually. Stemmed forms always look better in groups.

Synonym: Chamaedorea pringlei

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: single stemmed or stemless with a crown of about 6-8 leaves
  • Height: 2' plant height; or 15' trunk height (in stemmed forms)
  • Trunk: none, or single, regularly ringed, deep green (bamboo-like); about 1" in diameter
  • Crownshaft: nearly complete crownshaft on trunking palms; dull green or pale blue-green, slightly wider than stem
  • Spread: 3'-4'
  • Leaf Description: pinnate; dark green to deep blue-green; leathery; ridged leaflets; leaves flat to slightly twisted with a slight 'V' on cross section; 2'-3' long
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: 18" long; smooth 360 degrees; slight groove on dorsal surface; unarmed
  • Reproduction: dioecious
  • Inflorescence: 2' long; vertically oriented; branched at the ends; yellow flowers
  • Fruit: 1/2"; spherical; green to bright red when ripe; fruits will develop to full maturity and size despite not being fertilized
  • Seed:
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 20F
  • Drought Tolerance: moderate
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
  • Wind Tolerance: moderate
  • Salt Tolerance: low
  • Growth Rate: slow
  • Soil Preference: very widely adaptable, but probably prefers moist and acidic
  • Light Requirement: full sun (except in desert climates) to full shade
  • Human Hazards: none
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: leaves get a bit yellowy in hot, dry sunny climates
  • Transplants?: good
  • Indoor?: fairly good, though prefers more light
  • Availability: moderately rare but relatively ubiquitous at palm specialty nurseries; sometimes show up at non-speciality nurseries as well


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