European – LE PALMS

Africa, Conservation, Conservation, Culture, Environment, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Palms, Sustainability

Greening Deserts and Leipzig Palms Cultivating Rare Palm Trees

Greening Deserts projects like Leipzig Palms (LE Palms) do not conservating and cultivating just endangered plants like rare trees. Beautiful decorative and ornamental palm trees are another speciality.

We care for endangered animals and plants around the world. Show some love and support our projects by constructive feedback or by buying some palms or palm products. http://www.lepalms.shop

Bismarckia (Bismarck Palm Tree) is a monotypic genus of flowering plant in the palm family endemic to western and northern Madagascar where they grow in open grassland. The genus is named for the first chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck and the epithet for its only species, Bismarckia nobilis, comes from Latin for ‘noble’.

Bismarckia nobilis grows from solitary trunks, gray to tan in color, which show ringed indentations from old leaf bases. Trunks are 30 to 45 cm in diameter, slightly bulging at the base, and free of leaf bases in all but its youngest parts. In their natural habitat they can reach above 25 meters in height but usually get no taller than 12 m in cultivation. The nearly rounded leaves are enormous in maturity, over 3 m wide, and are divided to a third its length into 20 or more stiff, once-folded segments, themselves split on the ends. The leaves are induplicate and costapalmate, producing a wedge-shaped hastula where the blade and petiole meet. Petioles are 2–3 m, slightly armed, and are covered in a white wax as well as cinnamon-colored caducous scales; the nearly-spherical leaf crown is 7.5 m wide and 6 m tall. Most cultivated Bismarckias feature silver-blue foliage although a green leaf variety exists (which is less hardy to cold). These palms are dioecious and produce pendent, interfoliar inflorescences of small brown flowers which, in female plants, mature to a brown ovoid drupe, each containing a single seed.

Found only in Madagascar, an island well known for its rich diversity of unique taxa, Bismarckia is one genus among a diverse palm flora (some 170 palms of which 165 are solely in Madagascar). They grow in the plains of the central highlands, nearly reaching the western and northern coasts, in savannas of low grass, usually in lateritic soil. As much of this land has been cleared with fire for agricultural use, Bismarckias, along with other fire-resistant trees like Ravenala madagascariensis and Uapaca bojeri, are the most conspicuous components of this arid region.

Bismarck palms are grown throughout the tropics and subtropics under favorable microclimates. They are planted in several areas of Florida in the United States, as well as in a few areas of Southern California, and southern Arizona. It is also grown in many parts of Indonesia and Australia. Bismarck palms will suffer from cold damage but they quickly recover. The green variety is more cold sensitive than is the silver-gray variety. The green variety is damaged at 32 °F (0°), but the silver-gray variety will tolerate 28 °F (−3 °C) and will recover from 23 °F (−6 °C). While Bismarckia tolerate some drought, they thrive in areas with adequate rainfall. Because of their massive crowns, they need plenty of room in a landscape area.

Bismarck palms are easy to grow in the right environment as they are adaptable to a wide range of soils and prefer to have good drainage as the Bismarck does not like to have root rot. The Bismarck palm can adapt to either acidic or alkaline soil and prefers to be watered directly into the root system or sprayed through the palm heart. When planting the Bismarck palm make sure to not to cover up any part of the trunk, as this will lead to problems as the Bismarck palm is susceptible to be eaten by microorganisms that live naturally in soil and other mediums.

Source: Wikipedia

Palms or palm trees can be used for professional agriculture (ecofarming) and diverse forestry in dry and barren landscapes. Many palms are very drought- and heat-resistent. They can protect (by dropping shadow and holding water) other smaller plants around, for example crops or young trees. Greening Deserts and Leipzig Palms refer to some palms as ‘protectors and wards from the desert’. They are also good to improve the climate and cool down whole cities or urban areas. We therefore recommend palm trees not only for German or European opencast mining areas (open pit deserts), but also for the reform of agriculture and forestry.

Conservation, Culture, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Leipzig Palms Cultivating Foxtail Palms from Australia

Leipzig Palms (LE Palms) will cultivate and research palms from all continents, especially palms for deserts, savannahs and other dry lands or wastelands. So we can improve the desert greening process, conservation, regeneration, reforestation and revegetation in dry and barren landscapes. Help us to reduce the worldwide desertification, global warming and land degradation. @Greening Coasts, Greening Deserts, Green Ring Africa,..

Today we present Wodyetia bifurcata, the foxtail palm. We have one year palms, you can order now in our palm shop. http://www.LEPalms.shop

The foxtail palm is endemic to a remote area in Queensland, Australia on the Cape York Peninsula where they grow in rocky and flooded scrubland. Usually found in sandy, acidic soils, they grow from sea level to 400 m in elevation. Queensland, Australia, N.E. Queensland, confined to the southwest, south and southeast sides of Melville Range, latitude 14˚ 17′ S, longitude 144˚ 28′ E.

Biology And Ecology: Wodyetia occurs in open woodland communities consisting of rain forest elements in coarse, loose granite sand, among huge granite boulders, with the main canopy being the palms themselves. Other tree species associated with it are low forms of Ficus obliqua, F. benjamina (semi-creeping), Buchanania arborescens, Polyalthia nitidissima, Myristica insipida, Diospyros reticulata var. ferrea, Cryptocarya bidwilli, and vines Capparis sp., Cissus sp. It extends 1-2 km, downstream, along open forest creeks at the foot of the granite boulder hills. Here it may be found amongst Eucalyptus polycarpa, E. drepanophylla, Cochlospermum gillvrayei and Bombax ceiba forest. It appears to be absent from dense closed forest communities in the area. In these communities the palm Archontophoenix alexandrae is a prolific upper canopy species. Altitude range is 60-400 m a.s.l. Climatic conditions have a strong seasonally dry component, with drought stress likely to be significant for six months of the year. Annual rainfall is reckoned to be about 1400-1600 mm, confined mainly to 3-4 months of the year, DecemberMarch (Summer Wet). Mature fruit is present in October-December, open flowers are likely to be found in December and February. Seed germinates in 2-3 months, coinciding with the wet season, but sporadic germination continues for at least 14 months. (Irvine, A. 1983)

Wodyetias have proven highly adaptable, and are grown in suitable climates all over the world, in places as varied as Miami, Los Angeles, Bermuda, Durban, Honolulu, Sydney, Auckland, Cape Town and Corsica. In Southern California, Wodyetias are best started in the ground from relatively large plants, the bigger the better. Little baby plants will survive, but often disappoint. Full sun is best, plus well-drained soil. No ph issues known. Once established will grow fast, though not as fast as in more humid climates.

Asia, Conservation, Conservation, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Leipzig Palms Cultivating Livistona Fan Palms

Leipzig Palms cultivating Livistona chinensis. With a special palm greenhouse we can cultivate also other famous tropical or subtropical palms in future.

Livistona is a genus of palms (family Arecaceae), native to southern, southeastern and eastern Asia, Australasia, and the Horn of Africa. They are fan palms, the leaves with an armed petiole terminating in a rounded, costapalmate fan of numerous leaflets. Livistona is closely related to the genus Saribus, and for a time Saribus was included in Livistona. Recent studies, however, have advocated separating the two groups.

Chinese fan palms (Livistona chinensis) have larger fan-shaped fronds than their close relatives, the Australian fan palms (Livistona australis). Pronounced are the overhanging leaf tips that have earned the nickname “fountain palm” for these world-famous palm trees, also called Lifingston palms or Livstonien, are among the fan palms: they have round fronds whose edges are cut to about two-thirds of their maximum 1 m in diameter and are thus unfolded in many tips. The strains are quite slender compared to other fan palms, the annual increase is moderate. The Trunk is up to 15 m tall, 20-30 cm in diam. breast high, leaf scars obscure, roughened and with remnant tissue, light coloured, internodes narrow, irregular, brown to grey with age, petiole stubs not persistent, longitudinal fissures prominent. In their Eastern Australian home, these umbrella palms grow in humid rainforests on always moist soil. Accordingly, they appreciate in this country sunny to partly sunny places with regular watering. They tolerate short-term frost.

The Chinese fan palm is not particular about soil. Fertilize twice a year in spring and summer with a good quality slow release fertilizer that contains micro-nutrients. Light: fLikes direct sun and bright situations. Young plants look better when grown in part shade. Moisture: This palm forms a long tap root and can survive extended periods of drought. Provide adequate moisture for more rapid growth. This palm may be hardier than Zone 8. Sheltered some palms survived temperatures as low as 15 degrees. They also seem resistant to the fungus diseases that attacked other “semi-hardy” palms after sustaining cold damage. Propagation: By seed. If kept warm they will germinate in about 2 months time. USDA Hardiness, zone: 9B.

Livistona chinensis; the genus is named for the baron of Livingston and the species name chinensis is Latin for ‘of China’.

There are following species:
Livistona alfredii F.Muell. – Australia: Western Australia
Livistona australis (R.Br.) Mart. – Cabbage-tree Palm – Australia: New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Livistona benthamii F.M.Bailey – Australia: Queensland, Northern Territory; New Guinea
Livistona boninensis (Becc.) Nakai – Bonin Islands
Livistona carinensis (Chiov.) J.Dransf. & Uhl – Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen
Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Mart. – Chinese Fan Palm – Japan: South and Ryukyu Islands, China: Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan; naturalized in South Africa, Java, New Caledonia, Hawaii, Micronesia, Florida, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and various island in the Indian Ocean
Livistona concinna Dowe & Barfod – Australia: Queensland
Livistona decora (W.Bull) Dowe – Australia: Queensland
Livistona drudei F.Muell. ex Drude – Australia: Queensland
Livistona eastonii C.A.Gardner – Australia: Western Australia
Livistona endauensis J.Dransf. & K.M.Wong – Peninsular Malaysia
Livistona exigua J.Dransf. – Brunei
Livistona fulva Rodd – Australia: Queensland
Livistona halongensis – Ha Long Bay Islands in Vietnam
Livistona humilis R.Br. – Australia: Northern Territory
Livistona inermis R.Br. – Australia: Northern Territory, Queensland
Livistona jenkinsiana Griff. – Bhutan, India: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam; Myanmar, Thailand, China: Hainan, Yunnan
Livistona lanuginosa Rodd – Australia: Queensland
Livistona lorophylla Becc. – Australia: Northern Territory, Western Australia
Livistona mariae F.Muell. – Central Australian Fan Palm – Australia: Northern Territory
Livistona muelleri F.M.Bailey – Australia: Queensland; New Guinea
Livistona nasmophila Dowe & D.L. Jones – Australia: Western Australia
Livistona nitida Rodd – Carnarvon Fan Palm – Australia: Queensland
Livistona rigida Becc. – Australia: Northern Territory, Queensland
Livistona saribus (Lour.) Merr. ex A. Chev. – Indochina, Malaysia, Borneo, Java, Philippines; naturalized in Polynesia, China: Guangdong, Yunnan
Livistona speciosa Kurz – Kho – Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Bangladesh, southern China
Livistona tahanensis Becc. – Pahang in Malaysia
Livistona victoriae Rodd – Australia: Western Australia, Northern Territory

Source: Palmpedia, Wikipedia

Conservation, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Leipzig Palms Cultivating Exotic and Endangered Tropical Palms

LE Palms (Leipzig Palms) cultivating also exotic and tropical palms, especially rare and endangered species. Together with Greening Deserts we want to cultivate also palms of the Red List which are in danger of extinction. For this work we need greenhouses and any support. That’s why we want to build a special greenhouse in the upcoming greening and research camp in the surface mining landscape nearby Leipzig in Saxony. If all runs good and we get finally financial support for this and other important conservation work we maybe can start on site with first preperations still this year.

We found many good and unused places around the lakes (Lakeland Neuseenland). At Cospudener, Markkleeberger and Zwenkauer lake is enough place for a first camp. We informed all responsibles many times and asked for free places, but got no concrete offers. Our demands or requests are still running and we hope to get finally concrete offers for possible places at the lakes. We need a place nearby the camp not just because of the palm cultivation, but also because of water research and the research on better irrigation methods and how to improve the waters or water quality – also for the important research of water plants. Everything is described and explained extensively on the Greening Deserts projects pages.

We already cultivating some rare palms, they growing very good here in Germany. Spring, summer and autumn are hot enough. Today we want to present one rare palm species which is well know because of their hearts of palm. The palm is a perfect houseplant and can be grown indoors.

Euterpe edulis, also Jussarapalme or Juçarapalme, is a palm species native in South America, which strong by the extraction of the palm hearts was decimated.

The species forms single strains, rarely is it multi-stemmed and then with few strains. The trunks are upright, 5 to 12 m high at one Diameter of 10 to 15 cm. The trunk surface is usually gray of lichen, at the base is a reddish-brown cone of adventitious roots. These have a diameter of 1 to 2 cm. The crown consists of 8 to 15 pinnate leaves. The leaf sheath is 0.8 to 1.4 m long, olive to dark green, sometimes with a reddish or orange tone. The surface is bare or covered with reddish-brown scales. The petiole is 13 to 54 cm long. The rhachis is 1.5 up to 3 m long. On each side sit 38 to 62 (rarely 70) leaflets. They are overhanging or hanging, almost opposite, regular arranged and provided with a clear midrib. The lowest Fieder is 29 to 50 cm long, the middle 49 to 80 cm and the Fieder the top 15 to 35 cm…

Euterpe edulis occurs on the Atlantic coast of Brazil and neighboring regions: Alagoas, Bahia, Federal District, Espírito Santo, Goias, Minas Gerais, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo and Sergipe. The area still includes the northeast of Argentina (Misiones) and the southeast of Paraguay (Department of Alto Paraná). The species grows in Rainforests on rather steep slopes, rarely on flooded sites. It occurs up to heights of 1000 m. On slopes and ridges can they form dense stands, especially over quartzite and on sandy soils. It also colonizes disturbed forest locations.

Euterpe edulis was for many years the most important supplier of palm hearts. In 1965, Paraguay exported 3205 tons of palm hearts, causing destruction of millions of palm trees. Between 1968 and 1970, Brazil exported an average of 2650 tons of palm hearts. The palm hearts were all derived from wild growing stocks. The stocks of Euterpe edulis therefore declined sharply, and use shifted Euterpe oleracea. Rather subordinate is the use of logs as lumber, roofing sheets and fruits for juicing.

Source: Wikipedia

Conservation, Culture, Europe, Germany, News, Palms, Sustainability

Palms Coffee for more Diversity in the Coffee Culture

LE Palms (Leipzig Palms) is proud to announce the world’s first official project and platform for a complete new coffee genre and market. The innovative project Palms Coffee in German PalmenKaffee will test and produce different coffee sorts and palm ingredients like coconut milk, dates and other palm fruits to create new coffee creations. It’s a complete new universe of coffee pleasure. Join the evolution of the coffee culture. For more creativity and diversity! www.palmscoffee.com

Coffee culture is art and peace culture. – Oliver G. C.

Conservation, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Conservation Diversity and Environmental Protection

Conservation, diversity and environmental protection is very important for LE Palms (Leipzig Palms). Not just to protect and to cultivate endangered palm species of the red list, but also to research and to trade with usefull crops or palm products. Like Greening Deserts we care a lot the Animal Rights and Human Rights, a healthy and diverse environment is a part of it. Palms are good to cool down urban areas and hot cities, especially for dry or barren (asphalt or concrete) places. They can grow under extreme conditions like less light or high temperatures where other plants would go down. They noticeably improve the city climate.

Palms or palm fruits are food for insects and animals like birds – not just date palms. It is possible to integrate many different palm species for each environment and region in Europe. Of course we can check which will best suit, so that it will be a balanced flora. It would be nice to have a real palm garden similar like the Palmengarten in Leipzig Lindenau, more palm gardens or palm parks in Germany or Europe would be great. That’s why Leipzig Palms have initiated this European palm initiative or movement, we want to inspirate the people, especially for creative city developments and sustainable urban planning. Urban areas are artificial landscapes and need more real natural places like the city forest in Leipzig. Wildlife and wildlife sanctuaries are important, too. All these thematics are treated extensively on Greening Deserts, for example in the master plans and studies. Each constructive feedback and support is always welcome.

Together with Greening Deserts we could change or transform the old Palmgarden in Leipzig into a botanical garden or botanical park without borders – an open place and space like it’s actually.

Conservation, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms

Jubaea Chilensis Chilean Wine Palm

Jubaea chilensis, Chilean wine palms or Chile cocopalms from Leipzig are now ready for sale. You can order soon, visit our pages to stay up to date. http://www.lepalms.shop

Jubaea is a genus of palms (family Arecaceae) with one species, Jubaea chilensis, or J. spectabilis, the Chilean wine palm or Chile cocopalm. It is native to southwestern South America, where it is endemic to a small area of central Chile, between 32°S and 35°S in southern Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Santiago, O’Higgins and northern Maule regions. It was long assumed that the extinct palm tree of Easter Island belonged to this genus too, but it is distinct and now placed in its own genus, Paschalococos.

The tree grows very slowly, as it is usual for palm trees. It takes several years until the Jubaea starts getting its weight and size. It may take more than 20 years for the plant to get the height of a medium tree. It can reach a height of 25 m (82 ft) with a trunk up to 1.3 m (4.3 ft) in diameter at the base, often thicker higher up, and with smooth bark. The thickest well-documented Jubaea was that on the estate of J. Harrison Wright in Riverside, California which was 5′ 6″ (1.68 m) thick “at shoulder height”. The largest of several specimens at the Adelaide, South Australia Botanic Garden in 1889 was stated to be 6 ft (1.8 m) thick at the base. A hollow (but living) Jubaea in the Valle de Ocoa in La Campana National Park, Chile is between six and seven feet (between 1.8 and 2.1 m) thick at the base, with no apparent taper in the lower trunk. The 3–5 m (9.8–16.4 ft) leaves are pinnate. The largest individual specimen of indoor plant in the world was the Jubaea chilensis at Kew Gardens which was cut off by Kew Gardens in 2014 because it grew to the top of its greenhouse, England. Of the 2,600+ known species of palms, Jubaea chilensis is the second most massive, exceeded only by the floodplain or river bottom variety of Borassus aethiopum.

It needs mild winters, but will tolerate frosts down to about -15 °C (5 °F) as well as relatively cool summers, making it one of the hardiest of pinnate-leaved palms; this is because it grows up to 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) above sea level in its natural habitat. In the wild, the tree lives almost exclusively on the steep slopes of ravines.

In the U.S. this palm grows best in dry summer climates like most of California, and in semi arid climates in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas. Generally, this is not a palm for tropical climates like Hawaii, Florida, or parts of northern Australia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubaea

Environment, News, Nursery, Palms

Welcome to Leipzig Palms

Welcome to LE Palms (Leipzig Palms) the platform for palms from Leipzig. The first palm seeds are on the way and different palm varieties are planted.

We want to establish world famous and usefull palms in Europe. Building palm gardens, parks, woods and forests together with European palm societies. Everyone is invited to join our palm tree, greening and plant community @LEPalms

We will start soon to present some fine palms for sustainable urban planing and urban greening with style. Later we will check all palms (like date palms) are suitable as agricultural plants or for sustainable farming. We refuse environmentally harmful oil production with oil palms.

Conservation, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms

Cultivating Leipzig Palms like the Wagner Palm

LE Palms cultivating Leipzig Palms like the Wagner Palm. The first one year palms and new cuttings are ready. You can order now Leipzig Palms from Leipzig. We want to create palm gardens, parks, woods and forests together with European palm societies. Everyone is invited to join our palm tree, greening and plant community. Stay tuned for more news and updates. Visit our websites for more information. http://www.lepalms.org, lepalms.shop

Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Wagnerianus’ is unknown in the wild, but may have originated in cultivation in Japan, where it was first discovered by the horticulturalist Albert Wagner of Leipzig, Germany in the second half of the 19th century (in 1873). It has remained in comparative obscurity until recently, when its qualities as a garden plant were at last realized.

Trachycarpus is a genus of eleven species of palms native to Asia, from the Himalaya east to eastern China. The most common species in cultivation is Trachycarpus fortunei (Chusan palm or windmill palm), which is the northernmost cultivated palm species in the world. Cities as far north as London, Dublin, and Seattle have long term cultivated palms in several areas. The dwarf form popularly known as T. wagnerianus is unknown in the wild, and is now considered synonymous with T. fortunei or treated as a cultivar of that species.

Trachycarpus fortunei is notable as the hardiest large trunk-forming palm known, with established specimens tolerating winter temperatures below -20°C, and also tolerant of cool summer temperatures in oceanic climates such as Scotland and even the Faroe Islands at 62°N latitude, making it the northernmost palm outdoors anywhere in the world. Some planted in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) are known to have survived a temperature of -27.5°C, the coldest temperature reported to have been survived by any palm. It is tolerant of heavy snow cover.

Conservation, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms

Cultivation of Butia Palms in Leipzig Germany

Butia palms or jelly palms are diverse crops and useful plants. In their countries of origin, the jelly palm is grown as a crop, because the plants carry plum-sized fruits, which are suitable for direct consumption as well as for the production of jelly and marmalades. The taste has similarities to peaches and pineapple. The particularly nutritious kernels are excellent for producing animal feed but also eaten as a nut.

From single seeds up to three seedlings can grow. The frost resistance varies depending on the plant between -8 °C and -15 °C. Butia is one quite undemanding palm, which is also suitable for planting in mild areas here with us. It makes low demands on the ground, prefers a high sand content and thus good drainage, but then would like to be poured abundantly in summer. Like the origin from a very precipitous area suggests, it has no problems with wet. The substrate should always be slightly damp being held. Suitable substrate is coconut fiber substrate, vermiculite, perlite or a mixture of these three substrate types. All these substrates are germ-free and provide good moisture retention. The jelly palm prefers the brightest possible location with good sunlight. Most palm seeds germinate in reasonable conditions within one to three months. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butia

LE Palms (Leipzig Palms) cultivates the three species Butia capitata, Butia odorata and Butia yatay. These varieties are very resistant or robust and tolerate frost and a bit more cold temperatures, so they are relatively winter hardy. Winter protection themes will be described in a few more articles this year.

Butia capitata, also known as jelly palm, is a palm native to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. This palm grows up to 8m (exceptionally 10m) in an
extremely fast manner. It is easily identifiable with feather palm pinnate leaves that arch inwards towards a thick stout trunk.
Butia capitata is notable as one of the hardiest feather palms, tolerating temperatures down to about -10 °C; it is widely cultivated in temperate climates. In the United States, B. capitata is grown along the West Coast from San Diego to Seattle, and along the East Coast from Florida to Virginia Beach, with a few known plantings north to the Long Island, NY area. Butia capitata has become naturalized in some areas of the Southern United States, from Virginia to Florida.
Ripe fruit are about the size of large cherry, and yellowish/orange in color, but can also include a blush towards the tip. The taste is a mixture of pineapple, apricot, and vanilla. Taste can vary depending on soil conditions, and the tastes of apple, pineapple, and banana together is also common. It is tart and sweet at the same time, with a flesh similar to a loquat, but slightly more fibrous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butia_capitata

Butia odorata is native to the grasslands, and dry woodlands and savannahs of South America. Populations range across a wide area of northern Argentina, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. Long pinnate leaves that arch and recurve towards the ground from atop a thick stout trunk. The trunk can grow to 20 feet, but normally reaches 12-15 ft (3.7-4.6 m) with a diameter of 1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.5 m). Trees 3-5 m tall, 40-50 cm in diam. This palm was also known incorrectly as Butia capitata for many years. The true Butia capitata was first described and named by Martius as Cocos capitata in 1826. It was discovered in the state of Minas Gerais by Martius near the town of Montes Claros and is a cerrado-loving palm endemic to the central planalto region of Brazil. It is a very different palm from the more robust coastal plane or restinga-loving “Butia capitata” of Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Full sun to moderate shade (the fronds grow longer in shady situations, giving the palm a more graceful aspect than those grown in full sun). Prefers sandy, well drained soil but is adaptable and very drought tolerant. Regular watering and feeding will produce a faster growing, more attractive palm. http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Butia_odorata

Butia odorata can tolerate freezing temperatures to about -15°C (5°F). It naturally occurs in open, sun exposed, montane or lowland hilly
locations, and should be planted to maximise sunshine exposure.

Butia yatay is long-lived, can grow up to 12 meters and is thus higher than most other species of the genus Butia. Her tribe is from covered with dark leaf bases. The up to 2 m long, bluish leaves are pinnate. The yellow inflorescences contain up to 100 flowers. The fruits have a diameter of 3 to 5 cm and are not edible for humans. But they attract many birds and were the main food of the probably extinct turquoise macaw. In its region of origin in the south of Brazil, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina, the Yatay palm once formed large forests. She grew up there on sandy soil. Many of them were cleared for agricultural use. The largest preserved Yatay forest is located on one area of approximately 85 km² in the El Palmar National Park in the Argentine province of Entre Ríos. Today Butia yatay is also subtropical in other Regions planted as a decorative palm. It also tolerates dry heat.

Tag: European