Pronunciation: DIP-siss karl-SMITH-ee-eye
Common Name: none
Dypsis carlsmithii is one of the more recently described palms from Madagascar (not in that book) and seems so far to be a pretty good future specimen palm for warmer areas of California.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 10-15 feather leaves
- Height: 20' estimate
- Trunk: single; 1' thick; closely ringed; pale orange near crown; pale-grey brown with age
- Crownshaft: 2' tall; pale orange; about 2" thicker than trunk below
- Spread: 14'-16'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; markedly recurved; most upright; leaflets upright in a narrow 'V'; leaflets stiff and only droop at their very tips; 8'-10' long; bright green
- Petiole/Leaf bases: short (6"); wide; channeled a bit; yellow-green
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: within leaves (above crownshaft); 3'-4' long; many branched
- Fruit: asymmetrically ovoid; 1/2" long; black when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 29F
- Drought Tolerance: moderate
- Dry Heat Tolerance: 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: once mature (no mature palms in California yet) very heavy leaves fall rapidly
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: none yet
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: rare but generally available from many speciality nurseries
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