Pronunciation: AY-fun-neez HOAR-id-uh
Common Name: Coyure Palm; Ruffle Palm
Aiphanes horrida may not be a familiar name for most California growers though this palm has been grown in California for decades, but under the names Aiphanes aculeata or Aiphanes carytifolia (both now synonyms). It is a very attractive but incredibly spiny palm with some of the sharpest spines in the palm kingdom.
Synonyms: Aiphaenes aculeata; Aiphaenes carytifolia
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 10-15 pinnate leaves
- Height: 25'
- Trunk: single; 3"-4"; ringed; very spiny with long, pale spines NOT on the rings; self cleaning
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 8'-10'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; drooping; fishtail (triangular) and premorse leaflets with some overlap of the wider leaflet tips; leaflets have long, very sharp spines on ventral surfaces; dark green; 4'-6' long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 1' long; heavily armed with long, sharp spines; nearly tubular; un-split
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: 3' long; within crown; branched; upright to 45 degrees (rarely pendant); whitish flowers
- Fruit: spherical; 3/4"; orange-red when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 30F
- Drought Tolerance: moderate
- Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
- Wind Tolerance: poor
- Salt Tolerance: low
- Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age
- Soil Preference: moist and acidic
- Light Requirement: filtered when young but full sun when mature
- Human Hazards: extremely sharp spines (among the sharpest known- easily penetrate any gloves and even boots)
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none known
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: maybe OK when young, but dangerous
- Availability: rare but available from specialty nurseries fairly regularly
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