Palms For California

Pronunciation: liv-ih-STONE-uh FULL-vuh

Common Name: Blackdown Fan Palm; Blackdown Tablelands Palm

Livistona fulva is a great ornamental species for California, with coppery undersides to the leaves, and a nice, open crown of palmate leaves. A bit rare and sometimes hard to find, but worth it. Tolerates a good amount of shade for gardens with a lot of canopy already, but also does well in full sun.

Synonym: Livistona 'Blackdown Tableland'

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of 20-30 fan leaves Height: 25' Trunk: single; 1' thick; closely spaced retained leaf bases persistent on trunk until very tall Crownshaft: none Spread: 15' Leaf Description: mildly costapalmate; 8' long; undersides of new leaves have golden/coppery tomentum on them; leaflets barely droop at all (wider leaflets than most Livistonas); leaves 3/4 of a circle, and split 1/2 their length; bright green above Petiole/Leaf bases: 5'-6' long, arching; armed with small, brown teeth; yellow-green to lime green though coppery-brown near base on undersides; un-split leaflets retained on trunk for many years Reproduction: monoceious, but 'functionally dioecious' Inflorescence: 3' long; arching; from within leaves; pale yellow; highly branched Fruit: spherical; 1/2" thick; dull black when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 26F (juveniles more sensitive and burn on leaves at 27F, defoliated at 25F) Drought Tolerance: moderate Dry Heat Tolerance: good Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age Soil Preference: widely adaptable Light Requirement: filtered sun to full sun Human Hazards: sharp spines along petioles Disease or Horticultural Problems: none Transplants?: poor transplanter but it can be done Indoor?: might survive Availability: rare, but available off and on at palm specialty nurseries