Pronunciation: Vonitra pew-SILL-uh
Common Name: none
Vonitra pusilla has recently become a more popular California palm choice due primarily to its more recent availability. It is one of the 'hairy' Vonitras, but a more compact plant than the other three (Vonitra crinita, Vonitra fibrosa and Vonitra utilis). So far it does not appear that this one is a normally branching palm but branching ones have been seen in nature. Like its relatives, it does tend to have nicely coloured new leaves (red or orange).
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary though sometimes clustering with a crown of 6-10 feather leaves
- Height: 8' estimate
- Trunk: single usually, though rarely multiple; rarely branching (so far not in California); covered with pendent wavy fibers and often retained leaf bases; about 2"-3" thick without the fiber
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 6'-7'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; flat; slightly arching; new leaf yellow-orange to reddish; 3'-4' long; bright to medium green
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 6"; flattish; unarmed; pale green; un-split; unarmed; often retained on trunk
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: within leaves; 3'-4' long, upright; sparsely branched; thin
- Fruit: ovoid; 1/2" long; purple to black
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 30F
- Drought Tolerance: low
- Dry Heat Tolerance: unknown
- Cool Tolerance: moderate
- Wind Tolerance: unknown
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: adaptable
- Light Requirement: partial sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none known yet
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: rare
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