Pronunciation: sigh-AG-russ glaw-SEH-senz
Common Name: Blue Rock Coconut Palm
Syagrus glaucescens is a very rare but ornamental dwarf Syagrus species from southeast Brazil. It is one of the trickier Syagrus to grow in California, partially due to its terribly slow progress, but also tendency to be easily overwatered or rotted from overhead watering. It has grey-green foliage that is very stiff and almost cycad like in appearance.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 5-8 plumose leaves
- Height: 6' estimate
- Trunk: single; 3"-5" thick; covered densely with old, un-split leaf bases
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 4'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; plumose with leaflets only offset slightly; leaflets rounded at tips, though necrotic, weak spine at very tip; stiff; 3' long; dull grey to blue green
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 3" long; unarmed; retained leaf bases on trunk, un-split
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: 6"-8" long; arching though upright at first; from within leaves; no palms flowering in California and some doubt exists that there ever will be any
- Fruit:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 30F
- Drought Tolerance: moderate
- Dry Heat Tolerance: good
- Cool Tolerance: low
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: unknown
- Growth Rate: very slow
- Soil Preference: well draining
- Light Requirement: partial to full sun
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: fastidious palm
- Transplants?: unknown
- Indoor?: unlikely a good choice
- Availability: very rare
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all shots of Ralph Velez's palm, Orange county, California
