Pronunciation: RAY-fee-uh aw-STRAL-iss
Common Name: Raphia Palm, Kosi Palm
Raphia australis is a fairly rarely grown palm in California, but it can be an excellent, unique looking specimen for the warmer, nearly frost-free, relatively windless areas of California. However, this South African palm has so far not survived long enough to make it to maturity in California... yet. It has a lot of ornamental orange coloration, which contrast nicely with the brilliant green very long leaves, which makes it a stunner of a specimen palm.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of about 4-12 leaves
- Height: 20' estimated
- Trunk: single; 12" thick; covered with retained leaf bases
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 20'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; leaflets on two barely offset plants (marginally plumose); stiff; leathery and armed slightly along the midrib; often yellowy in California; bright orange rachis; 15' long; upright to nearly shuttlecock orientation; leaves 'V'-shaped on cross section
- Petiole/Leaf bases: bright orange fading to dull orange-brown over time; retained on trunk; woody
- Reproduction: monoecious; monocarpic
- Inflorescence: terminal (from top of palm among the newest leaves, growing vertically; up to 8' long (estimated- no plants have made to maturity in California... yet)
- Fruit:
- Seed:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 30F
- Drought Tolerance: poor
- Dry Heat Tolerance: poor
- Wind Tolerance: poor
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: moist and well draining; rich
- Light Requirement: full sun
- Human Hazards: sharp projections on leaves
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: leaves tend to be yellowy, possibly due to lack of nutrients, or chronic cool winters
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: definitely not
- Availability: very rare, only occasionally becoming available- not much demand
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