Palms For California

Pronunciation: sir-OX-ill-lahn kihn-dee-oo-ENSS-ee/kihn-dee-oo-ENSE

Common Name: Andean Wax Palm; Quindio Wax Palm

Ceroxylon quindiuense is one of the more commonly grown Ceroxylons in California, if there really is such a thing. This is a very large and impressive palm, with a nearly pure white, waxy, elegantly ringed trunk and long, nearly straight to slightly arching leaves with coppery undersides. It is a slow growing plant until it forms a trunk and then it picks up a lot of speed. It is a high elevation species (up to nearly 10,000' and has some fairly good cold hardiness). It is far better suited for growing in a cool, temperate climate, such as that around the Bay area in northern California, than the hotter southern California climate. Still, several are managing to get to the trunking size in the southern end of the state. In nature this is the tallest palm tree in the world (sometimes making it to 200').

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of 18-25 feather leaves Height: 50'-70' Trunk: single; greyish-white; thickly waxy; dark coppery to dark grey rings are various angles just off horizontal (rarely very evenly ringed) Crownshaft: incomplete, consisting of multiple leaf bases/indistinct; 3'-4' tall Spread: 10'-30' depending on angle of leaves Leaf Description: pinnate; flat, though sometimes appearing slightly plumose; leaves tend to be held very vertical, rarely dipping below horizontal, except in very old palms; 15'-18' long; silvery (young palms) to coppery (older palms) underside of leaflets; bright green dorsally; leaflets somewhat pendulous; spike of new leaf often coppery Petiole/Leaf bases: 1' long; unarmed; silvery wide base fading to light green of rachis Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: Fruit: spherical; 3/4" in diameter; orangish-red with ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 25F Drought Tolerance: poor Dry Heat Tolerance: low Cool Tolerance: good Wind Tolerance: low Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: slow to fast eventually Soil Preference: moist and well draining Light Requirement: filtered to full sun Human Hazards: leaves of mature palms very heavy and can do vehicular damage as well as to passers by and plants below Disease or Horticultural Problems: does not like hot weather Transplants?: unknown Indoor?: unknown Availability: very rare, though occasionally available at specialty palm nursery