Palms For California

Pronunciation: roe-pal-oh-STY-liss sa-PEE-duh/SAP-ih-duh

Common Name: Nikau Palm; Shaving Brush Palm

Rhopalostylis sapida is among the best palms for southern California. This Norfolk Island native is excellently adapted to the more moderate Mediterranean climates, and grows better here than in most places in the world, other than its native island. This palm is very similar in appearance to the other Rhopalostylis, but has virtually no petioles, and tends to have a more bulbous crownshaft and more upright leaf orientation (hence the 'shaving brush' look). There are literally hundreds of mature examples of these palms along coastal southern California from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a very upright crown of 15-20 feather leaves Height: 30' Trunk: single; 8" thick; very closely ringed; grey Crownshaft: lime green to olive green; shiny; bulbous (much wider than the trunk); 12"-18" tall Spread: 10'-12' Leaf Description: pinnate; dark green; closely spaced leaflets; flat; very upright (leaves rarely make it even to 45 degrees off vertical; dense crown of leaves that can't be seen through Petiole/Leaf bases: virtually no petiole (leaflets begin right at base of leaf) Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: 1' long; highly branched; pinkish-cream; often a skirt of old inflorescences below crownshaft; pinkish flowers Fruit: 1/3" in diameter; spherical; green to bright red when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 27F Drought Tolerance: poor Dry Heat Tolerance: poor Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: slow Soil Preference: adaptable, but prefers moist, rich soil Light Requirement: filtered light to full sun near coast Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: none Transplants?: unknown Indoor?: unlikely to do well Availability: rare but readily available at palm specialty nurseries