Palms For California

Pronunciation: ack-ruh-COE-me-uh ah-KEW-lee-ah-tuh

Common Name: Gru Gru Palm; Macaw Palm

Acrocomia aculeata is a Queen Palm look-alike except for its shorter leaves and very spiny nature. For those who want a tall, relatively rare palm with some hardiness, and like spiny palms, this might be a good one to try out. Was a synonym for multiple species that have more recently separated again (such as Acrocomia media and Acrocomia totai).

Synonym: Acrocomia mexicana

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of 12-25 plumose leaves Height: 40' Trunk: single; faintly ringed; grey and woody looking; very spiny with long, stiff, thick, black, horizontal spines on most of the trunk (sometimes the lowest portion of very tall palms is bare); 14" thick; self cleaning Crownshaft: none Spread: 12'-14' Leaf Description: pinnate; markedly plumose; leaflets on two, to sometimes, three planes; 8'-10' long; deep green to light green; spines along dorsal and ventral rachis though usually only part way towards tip of leaf; leaflets themselves unarmed Petiole/Leaf bases: 1' long; slightly channeled; light green; armed along ventral surface with sparse, long, dark, black, stiff, sharp spines; petiolar margins unarmed Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: 2' long; highly branched; under woody spathe; yellow flowers Fruit: 2"; spherical; yellow to brown when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 26F Drought Tolerance: good Dry Heat Tolerance: good Cool Tolerance: good Wind Tolerance: good Salt Tolerance: moderate Growth Rate: slow Soil Preference: adaptable Light Requirement: full sun Germination: known for its long germination of several years or more; faster if shell cracked gently and soaked well (shell extremely hard and not easy to crack, though) Human Hazards: very spiny palms, and spines very long and very sharp- careful with falling leaves Disease or Horticultural Problems: Transplants?: unknown Indoor?: likely very poor choice Availability: rare though sometimes available through palm specialty nurseries