Difference between revisions of "Acrocomia crispa"

Revision as of 21:10, 25 July 2015

Pronunciation: ak-row-COE-mee-uh KRISP-uh

Common Name: Cuban Belly Palm

Acrocomia crispa has been known for many years as Gastrococos crispa, but the got lumped into Acrocomia recently. This Cuban palm is somewhat marginal, but several have grown this palm fairly well and at least one trunking palm exists in California. In nature this spiny palm develops a large swollen area mid trunk, but so far it does not seem to do that in California. Even the leaves have spines on this plant, but with age the trunk begins to lose some of its thorniness.

Appearance and Biology

Habit: solitary with a crown of 8-14 spiny feather leaves
Height: 15' estimate
Trunk: single; 6"-12"; grayish tan with subtle rings; sharp, stiff, vertically oriented black spines dense near top but becoming sparse with age (mature palms in the tropics are spineless on the trunk)
Crownshaft: 18" tall; same diameter or even a bit less than diameter of trunk; incomplete; yellow-green; spiny with 1"-2" vertical, black, sharp, stiff spines
Spread: 7'-10'
Leaf Description: pinnate; 4'-6' long; leaves nearly flat, particularly in younger palms, become a bit more plumose with age; leaflets form a slight 'V' relative to the rachis; lime green to medium green; 1', stiff, sharp, pale, vertically oriented spines on leaves dorsal surface, seemingly random in location, but most near or on leaflet midrib
Petiole/Leaf bases: petiole basically nonexistent with leaflets erupting from rachis at level of crownshaft top
Reproduction: monoecious
Inflorescence: from within crown; yellow-orange flowers
Fruit: orange fruits when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics

Minimum Temp: 30F
Drought Tolerance: poor
Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate
Wind Tolerance: moderate
Salt Tolerance: unknown
Growth Rate: very slow to slow with age (in California)
Soil Preference: prefers alkaline soils, but seems pretty adaptable
Light Requirement: partial to full sun
Human Hazards: spiny palm!
Disease or Horticultural Problems: possible nutritional problems in acidic soils
Transplants?: unknown
Indoor?: seems a very poor choice
Availability: very rare, but occasionally shows up on palm specialty plant lists

San Diego county, California
another view of San Diego palm
San Diego county
San Diego county
mature palm in Thailand, Nong Nooch Tropical gardens
Miami, Florida, Montgomery Foundation
trunk in California
juvenile in Orange County, California
leaf in California
leaf on juvenile palm
immature palm in Nong Nooch gardens, Thailand
juvenile in Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida

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 '''''Acrocomia crispa''''' has been known for many years as ''Gastrococos crispa'', but the got lumped into ''Acrocomia'' recently.  This Cuban palm is somewhat marginal, but several have grown this palm fairly well and at least one trunking palm exists in California.  In nature this spiny palm develops a large swollen area mid trunk, but so far it does not seem to do that in California.  Even the leaves have spines on this plant, but with age the trunk begins to lose some of its thorniness.
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Difference between revisions of "Acrocomia crispa"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Revision as of 21:10, 25 July 2015