Pronunciation: BOO-tee-uh ARR-chur-eye
Common Name: none
Butia archeri is one of several dwarf species, this one from south Brazil. It is usually a stemless palm, but can develop a stem up to 3' tall (or long, as sometimes these crawl along the ground) in nature. Here in California there are certainly some growing, but most are still very small as this is an extremely slow growing palm. But it seems to be fairly drought and cold tolerant so would make a good palm for many smaller California gardens.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary/stemless usually with a crown of 4-8 feather leaves
- Height: overall height up to 3'- 5' estimate; trunk height 1'-2' estimate
- Trunk: single; subterranean or barely above ground; if above ground, covered with retained leaf bases; 6"-8" thick
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 3'-4'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; strongly recurved often touching ground; blue-green (light green to yellow-green in immature palms); 2.5'-3' long; leaflets very stiff and upright in a narrow 'V' orientation
- Petiole/Leaf bases: very short: 2"-4"; unarmed/smooth; pale green
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: 1' long; within crown; striated spathe
- Fruit: ellipsoid; 1/2"; brown when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 22F estimate
- Drought Tolerance: good
- Dry Heat Tolerance: good
- Wind Tolerance: good
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: very slow
- Soil Preference: adaptable
- Light Requirement: full sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none yet
- Transplants?: so far easy
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: very rare, usually only available as seed
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