Bismarckia nobilis sp. mayotte

Family: Arecaceae    Palm Tree

Common Name: Mayotte Bismarck Palm

Scientific Synonymy:
Medemia nobilis

Common Synonymy:
French: Palmier de Bismarck, German: Bismarck-Palme

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10b     View the UK and US zone maps

Bismarckia nobilis sp. mayotte Information

A solitary, large, drought tolerant, moderately slow growing, dioecious palm. Not known in cultivation and locally common in the wild. It has a smooth, grey-brown trunk, 20 m. (66 ft.) tall, 30.5 cm. (12 inch) diameter with no obvious leaf scars, and huge segmented, palmate (fan) leaves, 3 m. (10 ft.) long, 1.5 m. (5 ft.) wide, green above and beneath.

Leaves: Costapalmate, 1.5 diameter at greatest width, 13-30 green leaves in the crown.

Bismarckia nobilis sp. mayotte won't tolerate freezing temperatures. Although it can survive cool temperatures. This species naturally occurs on islands in open forest, and is heavily effected by the surrounding sea temperatures, which are constant. In this type of natural environment temperature fluctuations are slight, and this palm prefers a constantly mild to hot climate with little temperature difference between day & night, and Summer & Winter. Under cold conditions we recommend you keep this palm as dry as possible, and well wrapped up.

General Information

Unlike the mainland Madagascan form that has silver leaves, and which usually grows in much drier landscapes, the Mayotte form has green leaves and prefers wet, coastal areas. The seeds are also quite different, sporting small flanges on the seed-shell.

Distribution

Native to: Madagascar

Location: Mayotte Island, Madagascar (-12.768946°N, 45.109863°E)

Observations

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