Burretiokentia vieillardii

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Pronunciation: burr-ret-ee-oh-KENT-ee-uh vee-YARD-ee-uh


Common Name: none

Burretiokentia vieillardii is a pretty good New Caledonian palm for California. Several have managed to grow this palm up to flowering and fruiting size here. It is however a pretty marginal palm, VERY slow growing as a seedling. As an adult it is similar in appearance to Burretiokentia hapala except for its striking elongated and striated crownshaft.

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: solitary with a crown of 8-14 pinnate leaves
  • Height: 25'
  • Trunk: single; 8" thick; green, sometimes with a white patina on it; closely and prominently ringed
  • Crownshaft: 2'-3' long; brown to greenish with striations
  • Spread: 10'-12'
  • Leaf Description: pinnate; flat; moderately wide leaflets; light green; 6' long
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: 4"-10" long; light green with whitish patina; unarmed; un-split leaf bases (not retained)
  • Reproduction: monoecious
  • Inflorescence: 18" long; from below crownshaft; many thick, rope-like branches; horizontal orientation; palms tend to have multiple inflorescences at a time
  • Fruit: ellipsoid; 1/2" long; dark red when ripe
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 31F
  • Drought Tolerance: poor
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: poor
  • Wind Tolerance: poor
  • Salt Tolerance: unknown
  • Growth Rate: very slow to slow with age
  • Soil Preference: rich, moist, well draining soil- acidic
  • Light Requirement: filtered sun to partial sun
  • Human Hazards: none
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: difficult sometimes due to very slow growth and cold sensitivity when young; leaf brown tipping common with dry winds and salts in soils
  • Transplants?: unknown
  • Indoor?: unknown
  • Availability: rare


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