Difference between revisions of "Dypsis ambositrae"

Revision as of 12:57, 1 August 2015

Pronunciation: DIP-siss am-bow-SEE-tray

Common Name: none

Dypsis ambositrae is a beautiful Madagascan species with a pure white crownshaft, an attractively ringed trunk, a pinkish to deep red new rachis and long, deep green arching, V'd leaves. This may not match the description of many palms in California identified as such, as for nearly 10 years, what now is Dypsis plumosa was being sold and grown as this species. The REAL Dypsis ambositrae is a far more attractive and impressive palm, so it is good to have that misidentification worked out. So far many Californians have had excellent success growing this palm and maturing trees are in many collections at this time.

Appearance and Biology

Habit: solitary usually, but some clustering (2-3 trunks) is not unusual, and some dichotomous branching is seen as well, all with a crown of 8-14 feather leaves
Height: 18' estimated
Trunk: single or multiple; 5" thick; prominently and fairly closely ringed; glaucous blue-green
Crownshaft: 18" tall; pure white powdery patina over a dull green base; base of crownshaft same diameter as trunk or slightly wider and only tapers barely to leaf bases
Spread: 8'-9'+
Leaf Description: pinnate; recurved sharply; leaflets upright forming a narrow 'V'; leaflets droop slightly near tips consistently at the same point giving the leaves a marvelous symmetry; 6' long; bright to deep green- dark green to lime green in younger palms
Petiole/Leaf bases: start out pink to bright or deep red in color; some fuzz on new petioles; 6"-12" in young palms, but shrinks to nearly 1"-2" in mature palms; leaf bases dull greenish and abruptly fading to white as they form the crownshaft
Reproduction: monoecious
Inflorescence: 2'-3'; arising from within the crown (above the crownshaft); highly branched
Fruit: very rare in both cultivation and wild plants, though obviously fruit exists- no written published description found

Horticultural Characteristics

Minimum Temp: 27F
Drought Tolerance: moderate
Dry Heat Tolerance: low to moderate
Wind Tolerance: moderate
Salt Tolerance: unknown
Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age
Soil Preference: adaptable
Light Requirement: partial to full sun
Human Hazards: none
Disease or Horticultural Problems: none
Transplants?: unknown
Indoor?: unknown
Availability: rare, but seems to be more common that it was just a few years ago

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 '''''Dypsis ambositrae''''' is a beautiful Madagascan species with a pure white crownshaft, an attractively ringed trunk, a pinkish to deep red new rachis and long, deep green arching, V'd leaves.  This may not match the description of many palms in California identified as such, as for nearly 10 years, what now is ''Dypsis plumosa'' was being sold and grown as this species.  The REAL ''Dypsis ambositrae'' is a far more attractive and impressive palm, so it is good to have that misidentification worked out.  So far many Californians have had excellent success growing this palm and maturing trees are in many collections at this time.
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 *'''Availability''': rare, but seems to be more common that it was just a few years ago
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 File:Dypsis ambositrae real thing Levine.JPG|San Diego county, California

Difference between revisions of "Dypsis ambositrae"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Revision as of 12:57, 1 August 2015