Veitchia joannis

Veitchia (veet-KEE-ah) joannis (yoh-AHN-niss)
Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens. Hilo, Hawaii.
Scientific Classification
Genus: Veitchia (veet-KEE-ah) Species: joannis (yoh-AHN-niss)
Synonyms
None set.
Native Continent
Oceania
Morphology
Habit: Solitary Leaf type: Pinnate
Culture
Survivability index
Common names
Joannis palm, niusawa palm

Habitat and Distribution

Veitchia joannis is native to Fiji, and Tonga Islands. It is an emergent palm of

Hawaii.

the Fijian rainforests. Occasional in secondary forest.

Description

Veitchia joannis is a nice looking, very tall, solitary, feather palm. It is one of the taller growing veitchias commonly cultivated and can be distinguished from the other similar veitchias by the habit of the leaves which droop much below the horizontal as they age. Trunk: Thick to about 12-35 m tall and 25-40 cm in diameter, bulging at the base, clean, grey, markedly ringed with prominent leaf scar rings. Crown: Canopy of 8-10 leaves with lower leaves hanging below horizontal level. Crownshaft: 60-120 cm long, slightly swollen at the base, whitish-green speckled with olive green, grey, black and with brown scales. Leaves: Pinnate, reduplicate, to 3 m long, with a gracefully arching rachis. Leflets about 70-80 pairs, 25-60 cm long, lanceolate, regularly arranged in a single plane, slightly pendant forming a 45° angle, with thick marginal ribs and prominent midribs, dark green above and below, with serrated tips. Flowers: Inflorescence is arching, up to 79 cm long and branched to three or four orders. Greenish to white male and female flowers are borne on the same inflorescence (monoicous). Fruit: Ovoid, beaked, cartridge shaped, bright red 4-6 cm long. (llifle.com) Editing by edric.

Stems: Solitary, slender, pale gray stems to 35 m tall and up to 40 cm in diameter, bulging at the base, with prominent leaf scar rings . Leaves: Pinnate, reduplicate, to 3 m long, with an arching rachis holding regularly arranged, drooping leaflets in a single plane. The crown shaft is 60-120 cm long, slightly swollen at the base, pale green in color, with brown scales. Leaflets are green above and below, lanceolate, with thick marginal ribs and prominent midribs. Leaflet tips are jaggedly toothed (somewhat praemorse). Flowers and fruits: Inflorescence is arching, to 75 cm long and branched to three or four orders. Greenish to white male and female flowers are borne on the same inflorescence. The ovoid, beaked, red fruits are 4-6 cm long. (idtools.org)

Field: Erect, tall, solitary palms with leaf scar rings on a pale gray stem; lower leaves hanging below horizontal level; leaflets drooping and growing in a single plane; fruit beaked. (idtools.org)

Culture

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a. To 26 degrees F. if well established.

Comments and Curiosities

Uses: It is used massively in gardening and landscaping as specimen tree planted alone or in groups. It is used along roadways, in parking lots, yards, patios. It is also excellent in containers and urns. Food uses: Immature seeds are eaten as a snack . New leaves and buds can be eaten raw like salad. (llifle.com)

This species from rainforests on the Fiji Islands is one of the largest Veitchias and can reach a height of up to 30m (100ft). It has a slender, smooth, gray trunk; a long crownshaft; and large, arching leaves with drooping segments. The large seeds germinate readily and the resulting plants are very fast growing. Veitchia joannis is best suited to tropical and subtropical areas, but, being the most cold tolerant of the Veitchias, it will also adapt to warm temperate climates surprisingly well, as long as it does not experience any more than an occasional light frost. (RPS.com)