Pronunciation: BOO-tee-uh YAH-tay
Common Name: Yatay Palm
Butia yatay is still an uncommon species in California, but there are multiple maturing palms about. This species is native to several South American countries where it sometimes grows in large stands. It is the tallest of the Butia species and apparently the largest as well. As of now, there are no fully mature palms in California though there are some getting there. Its overall appearance, at least until mature, is extremely similar to that of several other Butia species also found in California.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 30 or more feather leaves
- Height: 28' estimate
- Trunk: single; 12"-16" thick; trunk either covered with persistent, un-split leaf bases, or clean with knobby leaf-base scars
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 10'-15'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; markedly recurved; glaucous green; upright, stiff leaflets at a narrow 'V'; 8'-10' long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 3' long; stiff; armed; glaucous blue-green; moderately channeled; leaf bases usually persistent on trunk (un-split) until mature palm
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: grooved spathe; 2' long upright to pendent; very highly branched; flowers larger than other Butia species (up to 1.6 cm long)
- Fruit: spherical; 1"-1.5" in diameter; yellow-orange when ripe; edible
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 18F
- Drought Tolerance: good
- Dry Heat Tolerance: good
- Wind Tolerance: good
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: adaptable
- Light Requirement: full sun
- Human Hazards: minor danger from numerous but not very sharp petiolar teeth
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
- Transplants?: unknown, but suspect OK
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: rare to very rare (depending upon year)
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