Parajubaea torallyi var. torallyi

Family: Arecaceae    Palm Tree

Common Name: Pasopaya Palm

Scientific Synonymy:
Diplothemium torallyi, Jubaea torallyi, Allagoptera torallyi, Polyandrococos torallyi

Common Synonymy:
Bolivian Mountain Coconut, Mountain Coconut

Cold Hardiness Zone: 9a     View the UK and US zone maps

Parajubaea torallyi var. torallyi Information

A solitary, massive, moderately slow growing, monoecious palm. Rare in cultivation and scarce in the wild. It has a smooth, grey trunk, 16 m. (52.5 ft.) tall, 30.5 cm. (12 inch) diameter with no obvious leaf scars, and large segmented, pinnate (feather) leaves, 3.4 m. (11.2 ft.) long, 1.2 m. (4 ft.) wide, green above and beneath.

This plant is suitable, while young as a houseplant or conservatory plant.

Parajubaea torallyi var. torallyi can tolerate freezing temperatures to about -6.5°C (20.3°F). It naturally occurs in arid, open, sun exposed, montane locations, and should be planted to maximise sunshine exposure. Under extreme freezing conditions we recommend you keep this palm as dry as possible. It should be noted that in its natural habitat the temperature swings between extreme heat and extreme cold occur within 12 hours (night & day) of a single day, and have little to do with Summer/Winter seasons. Therefore, this palm dislikes long durations of cold weather and may require additional heat or protection during the coldest weather.

Identification

This is a large palm, typical of a coconut palm. Grows at some of the highest altitudes known of any palm on Earth (3,400 meters).

General Information

This palm commences growth at very low temperatures here in the Cornish climate (Cornwall has a very mild climate in the UK) the plant continues to put out new leaves throughout the winter where temperatures are over 5°C, which is not necessarily a good thing, as tender new leaves can be burnt by frost, and the palm can be killed at -6°C. You must therefore be prepared to provide protection for the most severe cold spells.

Distribution

Native to: Bolivia

Location: Bolivia (-18.956776°N, -65.066528°E)

Observations

Map may not represent the complete natural distribution. (Markers display observation data).