Palms For California

Pronunciation: kahm-uh-DOOR-ee-uh gee-oh-no-mih-FORM-iss

Common Name: Necklace Palm

Chamaedorea geonomiformis is a wonderful, small, understory palm for California and a fairly easy palm to grow as well. It has relatively long, parallel bifid leaves that set apart from most of the other bifid Chamaedoreas. The much more short-leaved palm, Chamaedorea tenella, is listed by Kew as being the same species, but it is so distinctive in cultivation (including two distinctive, isolated populations in Central America) that it is listed separately in this compilation.

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a dense crown of 6-8 bifid leaves Height: 3' Trunk: single; 3/8" thick; deep green; closely ringed Crownshaft: incomplete, composed of 2-3 leaves; 3" long Spread: 16"-24" Leaf Description: pinnate/bifid; narrow and long (about 8"-12" long); fairly flat; parallel sides; leaves divided about 1/4 their length; dark green Petiole/Leaf bases: 1"; thin; unarmed Reproduction: dioecious Inflorescence: among or below leaves; 12"-16" long; with 6" upright peduncle and 6"- 10" pendent flowering branches (rarely unbranched); flowering branches dangle neatly like a necklace Fruit: spherical; 1/2" thick; dark green turning dark black and shiny when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 28F Drought Tolerance: low Dry Heat Tolerance: low Cool Tolerance: good Wind Tolerance: moderate Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: slow Soil Preference: adaptable, but prefers moist soil Light Requirement: shade to filtered sun Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: prone to snail damage Transplants?: good Indoor?: good Availability: rare