Palms For California

Pronunciation: al-uh-GOP-ter-uh ahr-en-NAR-ee-uh

Common Name: Sand Palm, Seashore Palm, Restinga Palm

Allagoptera arenaria is a wonderful, very 'user-friendly' plant that is very hardy and well adapted to many areas about California, including near the beach. It is native to the Brazilian coast where it sometimes is the primary plant growing near the ocean. It is basically a stemless (sometimes short-stemmed) shrubby palm with no sharp edges anywhere- just a lush green fountain of curling leaves about waist high (old plants can get up to one's head).

Appearance and Biology Habit: stemless to short-stemmed, clustering feather palm with a crown of 10-15 leaves per stem Height: stem up to 2' above ground; overall height 5' Trunk: subterranean to 2' above ground; not a true offsetting palm- clustering habit is a result of subterranean stem having multiple areas of branching; 4" thick; covered with leaf bases; dark brown and covered with a weave of thick fiber Crownshaft: none Spread: 6'-8' Leaf Description: pinnate; markedly plumose; leaflets curled and partially pendulous; bright green above, silvery below; 4'-5' long; leaflet clusters every 3"-4" and nearly 360 degrees in symmetrical radial array; leaflets have prominent yellowy midrib Petiole/Leaf bases: 18"-24" long; unarmed; yellowish; arching; flat on top Reproduction: monoecious Inflorescence: 1'-3' long peduncles ending in 6"-8" corncob-like structure; greenish-white flowers Fruit: 1/2"-1" and yellow-green when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 24F Drought Tolerance: fair Dry Heat Tolerance: good Wind Tolerance: good Salt Tolerance: good Growth Rate: very slow Soil Preference: very adaptable Light Requirement: full sun Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: none Transplants?: fairly tolerant Indoor?: unknown but probably too light needy Availability: rare but available usually at some palm specialty nurseries; large plants hard to find and very costly