Palms For California

Pronunciation: wod-YET-ee-uh bye-fur-KAT-ee-uh cross VEECH-ee-uh air-uh-CEE-nuh

Common Name: Foxy Lady Palm

Wodyetia x Veitchia is a unique and rare hybrid of two palms, both which can grow in some of the better climates of California, but which also has true hybrid vigor. It not only grows much faster than either its parents, at least here in California, but it also has better cold tolerance, doing quite well in our 9b zones, in which either parent is very marginal. There also seems to be a rather unusual incidence of variegation in this hybrid. It is a beautiful palm as well. Whether it has the dry heat tolerance of Wodyetia is not known yet, but perhaps someone will discover that soon.

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of 10-12 feather leaves Height: 35' Trunk: single; 12" in diameter; ringed; grey at bottom but pale glaucous green near top; often tapering a bit from bottom to top Crownshaft: 18"-24" slate grey to grey below; same diameter as trunk and a bit smaller near the top Spread: 8' Leaf Description: pinnate; mildly plumose (two ranks of leaves but nearly on same plane); bright green; 6'-8' long; drooping near tip of leaf; leaflets markedly pendant and premorse; leaflets very densely spaced along rachis Petiole/Leaf bases: 6" long; whitish with blackish collar that goes around the trunk (part of its Veitchia heritage) Reproduction: sterile? Inflorescence: 2' long; horizontally oriented; from below crownshaft; many branched Fruit: 1.5" long; oblong/ pointed at the ends; pale green to orange when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 25F Drought Tolerance: moderate Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate? Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: likely low Growth Rate: moderate to fast with age Soil Preference: adaptable Light Requirement: partial to full sun (filtered light for variegated palms) Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: none Transplants?: some reports are that this plant moves fairly well Indoor?: not likely to do well in low light Availability: very rare still, but periodically available at palm specialty nurseries or through palm seed catalogues