Palms For California

Pronunciation: lye-toe-CARRY-um wed-dell-ee-ANN-um

Common Name: Victorian Parlor Palm

Lytocaryum weddellianum is a very slender pinnate palm that is much hardier than it looks. This Brazilian native is sometimes confused with a slender Phoenix roebellenii, though without the evil spines at the leaf bases. Not a palm for sunny locations, but does OK as an indoor palm and excellent as a shaded patio palm. Note: summer 2015 Noblick has included Lytocaryum into Syagrus, but since these plants look very different from most Syagrus, we still list them separately.

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of 15-25 feather leaves Height: 12' Trunk: single; 1.5"-2" thick (without the fiber and leaf bases); usually covered with fibrous material and retained leaf bases for much of its length Crownshaft: none Spread: 5'-6' Leaf Description: pinnate; flat; very fine, delicate, drooping, shiny, yellow-green to bright green leaflets; 3' long and arching/drooping, rarely below the horizontal Petiole/Leaf bases: 12"-18", narrow (1/2" diameter); angular on cross section; unarmed Reproduction: Monoecious Inflorescence: 3'-4' long with small side branches; upright, often above the crown, but drooping down once fruit grow; yellow flowers Fruit: 1" in diameter (seem grotesquely large for such a dainty palm); nearly spherical and pale green to brownish-purple when ripe; when ready, fruits will dehisce on the infructescence before falling off (see photo below)

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 25F Drought Tolerance: poor Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate Cool Tolerance: moderate Wind Tolerance: poor Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age (in terms of leaf production… actual gain in height is slow) Soil Preference: widely adaptable Light Requirement: filtered light Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: none Transplants?: unknown Indoor?: historically was often used as an indoor plant but best if not given tap water (brown tips badly) Availability: rare but readily available from many palm specialty nurseries