Acrocomia aculeata

Pronunciation: ack-ruh-COE-me-uh ah-KEW-lee-ah-tuh

Common Name: Gru Gru Palm; Macaw Palm

Acrocomia aculeata is a Queen Palm look-alike except for its shorter leaves and very spiny nature. For those who want a tall, relatively rare palm with some hardiness, and like spiny palms, this might be a good one to try out.

Synonym: Acrocomia mexicana

Appearance and Biology

Habit: solitary with a crown of 12-25 plumose leaves
Height: 40'
Trunk: single; faintly ringed; grey and woody looking; very spiny with long, stiff, thick, black, horizontal spines on most of the trunk (sometimes the lowest portion of very tall palms is bare); 14" thick; self cleaning
Crownshaft: none
Spread: 12'-14'
Leaf Description: pinnate; markedly plumose; leaflets on two, to sometimes, three planes; 8'-10' long; deep green to light green; spines along dorsal and ventral rachis though usually only part way towards tip of leaf; leaflets themselves unarmed
Petiole/Leaf bases: 1' long; slightly channeled; light green; armed along ventral surface with sparse, long, dark, black, stiff, sharp spines; petiolar margins unarmed
Reproduction: monoecious
Inflorescence: 2' long; highly branched; under woody spathe; yellow flowers
Fruit: 2"; spherical; yellow to brown when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics

Minimum Temp: 26F
Drought Tolerance: good
Dry Heat Tolerance: good
Wind Tolerance: good
Salt Tolerance: moderate
Growth Rate: slow
Soil Preference: adaptable
Light Requirement: full sun
Germination: known for its long germination of several years; faster if shell cracked gently and soaked well
Human Hazards: very spiny palms, and spines very long and very sharp- careful with falling leaves
Disease or Horticultural Problems:
Transplants?: unknown
Indoor?: likely very poor choice
Availability: rare though sometimes available through palm specialty nurseries