Wodyetia bifurcata

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Pronunciation: wod-UET-ee-uh buy-fur-KA-tuh


Common Name: Foxtail Palm

Wodyetia bifurcata was a very rare and endangered palm in the late 1900s, yet now it is universally grown and is even becoming somewhat 'common' in California landscapes. It is an exotic and highly ornamental Australian native that has shown some remarkable versatility in terms of climate tolerance (though still not a great palm for areas with substantial frost)- even growing in the hot inland deserts if protected from full sun. There are second and probably third generation palms growing in California. Leaves are highly plumose and somewhat resemble a foxes tail.

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: solitary with a crown of 8-14 plumose leaves
  • Height: 30'
  • Trunk: single; 10" diameter; ringed; whitish near the top but lower rings brown
  • Crownshaft: 18" tall; slate green to light, glaucous green; about same diameter as trunk tapering slightly near crown
  • Spread: 6'-10'
  • Leaf Description: pinnate; markedly plumose with leaflets coming off in nearly 360 degrees along rachis; leaflets narrowly 'fish-tail' with premorse tips- young palms have more prominently triangular leaflets, but narrow and lengthen with age; yellow-olive-green to deep green; 3'-6' long
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: 1' long; glaucous light green to blue-green; black at very base of leaves
  • Reproduction: monoecious
  • Inflorescence: 1'-2' long; horizontally oriented; highly branched; from below crownshaft; yellow-green flowers
  • Fruit: 2"; slightly ovoid with nipple at distal end; olive green maturing to orangish-red when ripe
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 27F
  • Drought Tolerance: moderate
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: good (excellent for a crownshafted palm)
  • Wind Tolerance: moderate
  • Salt Tolerance: low
  • Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age
  • Soil Preference: widely adaptable
  • Light Requirement: full sun (filtered in inland deserts)
  • Human Hazards: none (reports of toxic fruit are in error)
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: prone to some nutrient deficiencies in sandy soils
  • Transplants?: unknown, but suspect can be done
  • Indoor?: not a good choice (too light needy)
  • Availability: relatively common (even at garden outlet stores)


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