Palms For California

Pronunciation: try-THRIN-ax cam-PESS-tris

Common Name: Caranday Palm

Trithrinax campestris is an eye-catching, suckering palmate species with a good deal of durability for a variety of southern California climates. Some palms have amazing silvery leaves that make great specimens for sunny gardens. Plants should be planted far from traffic as leaves are extremely sharp and hazardous. Very good palm for the desert as well as near the coast. Grows better in California than most other climates throughout the US (probably be a good plant for Arizona gardens), though does well in most all climates palms can be grown in, other than the really cold ones.

Appearance and Biology Habit: suckering with a dense crown of 30 leaves Height: 15' Trunk: multiple, usually covered with skirt of dead leaves for 5'+ but eventually showing a spine-covered trunk with 6" slight wavy, very stout, sharp spines in lateral-ventral orientation; sometimes very bottom of trunk clean in old specimens; 8" diameter Crownshaft: none Spread: 7'-10'+ Leaf Description: palmate; grey-green to silvery; extremely stiff; leaves divided nearly entire length; 4' with petiole; leaflets end in split with a 1" division and two intensely sharp spines at each leaflet division- caution! Petiole/Leaf bases: 2' long, flat on top, unarmed, stiff/unbending Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: 18" multibranched with bright yellow flowers Fruit: 1/2" diameter bright green to darker when ripening Seed: nearly 1/2", dark brown and spherical

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 21F Drought Tolerance: good Dry Heat Tolerance: very good Cool Tolerance: very good Wind Tolerance: excellent Salt Tolerance: low Growth Rate: very slow to slow with age Soil Preference: very adaptable palm to most soil situations Light Requirement: full sun Human Hazards: extremely sharp, stiff spines all over this palm- pruning is very hazardous even with thick gloves on Disease or Horticultural Problems: none known Transplants?: fairly good Indoor?: terrible palm for indoors- too light needy and extremely hazardous Availability: rare but usually available at specialty nurseries; larger palms very rare an extremely pricey