Palms For California

Pronunciation: kam-uh-DOOR-ee-uh FRAY-granz

Common Name: Sangapilla Palm

Chamaedorea fragrans is one of the more beautiful and sought after Chamaedoreas for California but one of the relatively marginal ones. It is a suckering, elegans species with deeply bifid, narrow leaves with ornamental grooving. Though fairly cold sensitive, it can be grown indoors fairly successfully in homes with minimal air-conditioning.

Appearance and Biology Habit: clustering with a crown of 10-15 bifid leaves Height: 8'-12' Trunk: multiple; 1/4"-3/8" thick; bamboo-like with green color and widely space, prominent rings; leaves often coming off stem for several feet of stem (sometimes entire height), though in very tall plants, only very top of stem has leaves Crownshaft: 6" long, but sometimes 'multiple' crownshafts, each with its own leaf, stacked along upper stems; nearly same width as stems Spread: 3'-6'+ Leaf Description: pinnate/bifid; 1' long; each leaf section narrow and made up of fused leaflets with grooves along upper surface; leaves deeply divided nearly to their base; bases about 30 degree angle (fairly narrow 'V' shape of bifid leaves); deep green Petiole/Leaf bases: very short (about 1") Reproduction: dioecious Inflorescence: from below leaves; 6"; orange flowers Fruit:

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 31F Drought Tolerance: moderate Dry Heat Tolerance: poor Wind Tolerance: low Salt Tolerance: low Growth Rate: slow Soil Preference: moist and well draining, but does tolerate some drying out Light Requirement: shade to filtered sun Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: tends to brown tip with arid winds and salt build up in soil Transplants?: fairly tolerant Indoor?: good if keep from getting too arid in house Availability: very rare; occasionally larger plants available and very pricey