Pronunciation: SOO-doe-fee-nix vin-NIFF-er-uh
Common Name: Buccaneer Palm, Wine Palm
Pseudophoenix vinifera is a very uncommonly grown palm in California, mostly due to its marginal tendencies along with is very slow growth. In the tropics it is one of the nicer looking Pseudophoenix with large, ventricose, striped trunks and tends to be a beefier, more ornamental than the more commonly grown Pseudophoenix sargentii. No mature palms exist in California (yet).
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 3-6 plumose leaves
- Height: 10'-12' estimate
- Trunk: single; 12" thick; smooth grey and white, striped trunk
- Crownshaft: 1' -2' tall; tapering rapidly from trunk down to less than half diameter; sea green to powdery grey
- Spread: 10' estimate
- Leaf Description: pinnate; somewhat plumose; arching; often twisted 90 degrees; deep green, 6' long
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 4"-8" long; grooved; unarmed; un-split leaf bases; powdery grey-green
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: pendulous; 4'-5' long (half of that thick peduncle); from within leaves
- Fruit: ovoid; 3/4" long; red when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 32F
- Drought Tolerance: moderate to high
- Dry Heat Tolerance: high
- Cool Tolerance: low
- Wind Tolerance: good
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: very slow
- Soil Preference: very well draining
- Light Requirement: full sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: marginal nearly everywhere
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unknown
- Availability: very rare
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exceptionally happy palm in Matt Bradford collection, San Diego county
Nong Nooch gardens, Thailand
