Dypsis plumosa

Family: Arecaceae    Palm Tree

Common Name: Fine leaf Palm

Scientific Synonymy:
Dypsis ambositrae (fine leaf)

Common Synonymy:
Fakey

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

Dypsis plumosa Information

A solitary, medium sized, moderately fast growing, monoecious, varying-coloured crownshaft palm. Rare in cultivation and not known in the wild. It has a smooth, green trunk, 6 m. (19.7 ft.) tall, 25 cm. (9.8 inch) diameter with spaced ring leaf scars, and large segmented, pinnate (feather) leaves, 1.9 m. (6.2 ft.) long, 0.9 m. (3 ft.) wide, green above and light green beneath.

Leaf pinnae are irregularly arranged, attached to rachis at different angles to give a plumose effect resembling a Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana).

Dypsis plumosa can tolerate freezing temperatures to about -3.8°C (25°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.

General Information

Only known from a few cultivated plants in Australia and Hawaii. Originating from (high elevation) Madagascar and not known in the wild. Seeds from this palm have been commercially available for several years now distributed under the name of Dypsis sp. 'fine leaf'. Young plants can tolerate some freezing conditions and long winters in the UK.

Distribution

Native to: Madagascar