Pronunciation: rine-HART-ee-uh GRASS-ill-us/ gruh-SILL-us
Common Name: Window Palm; Small Window Pane Palm
Reinhardtia gracilis is a very rare and marginal palm for southern California, though several growers have managed to grow it successfully. As marginal as this species is, it appears to be the hardiest of the genus. It is shade-loving understory plant with limited tolerance to wind, cold, heat and drought. But it is unique and to some it is a prized, dainty and ornamental little plant. It is from Central and South American jungles where it grows up to 9' tall, but rarely gets to even half that height in California.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: suckering (rarely solitary) with 5-10 butterfly-shaped leaves along its stems
- Height: 3'
- Trunk: multiple (rarely single); 1/3" thick; thin, tight layer of fiber over stems
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 2'
- Leaf Description: quadrifed/pinnate (butterfly-shaped): bifid/premorse distal portion with rectangular lateral 'wings' proximally; leaves have holes in them between the basal leaflets, though fused distally; bright green; 12"-18" long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: fine, unarmed about 8"-14" long; unsplit leaf bases
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: 6"-12" long; upright with a few branches; turn bright red when matures; flowers white
- Fruit: 1/2" oblong and black when mature
- Seed:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 32F
- Drought Tolerance: poor
- Dry Heat Tolerance: poor
- Wind Tolerance: poor
- Salt Tolerance: poor
- Growth Rate: very slow
- Soil Preference: moist and rich
- Light Requirement: filtered sun to full shade
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: tends to be yellowy unless well protected from the elements
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: this might be a good indoor plant if it can be given saltless water (reverse osmosis for example) and kept moist/humid
- Availability: very rare- only occasionally ends up on a plant list from a specialty palm nursery
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