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Pondoland Palm, Pondo Coconut PalmJubaeopsis caffra

A coastal clumping palm from South Africa, where it grows on the banks of rivers. Threatened in the wild because of deforestation, this slow-growing plant likes a sunny, well-drained location.

The miniature coconut is eaten by people and baboons, and weaver birds gather nesting material from the palms.FU

NFA

CT

Seashore PalmAllagoptera arenaria

Endemic to the Atlantic Coast of Brazil, this palm has a subterranean, or underground trunk. Because of this, its crown is at ground level where the swirling, graceful fronds can be appreciated. It is tolerant to the extreme coastal exposures of sun, wind, and salt spray.

This palm is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout South America. Its fruit can be eaten fresh or used in a drink.FU

NFA

CT

Martingia PalmAiphane acuelata syn. caryotifolia

Aiphanes is a genus of spiny palms ranging from 66-foot-tall trees to small shrubs with subterranean stems growing in Central and South America. Palms in this group are pleonanthic, meaning they flower repeatedly over the course of their life span.

This tree’s red fruit taste a bit like coconut and is a popular food among wild birds.FU

NFA

CT

10 Carnauba Wax PalmCopernicia prunifera

Native to the savannas and openforests of Brazil, it gets its namefrom the valuable heat-resistant waxharvested from the leaves. Take noteof its characteristically blue-green fronds and long petioles, that top a gray trunk covered with spiraling leaf bases.

The wax scraped from the leaves is used in a variety of products including car wax, candy, cosmetics, dental floss, and paper plates.FU

NFA

CT

13

Butterfly Palm, Golden Cane PalmDypsis lutescens

Ironically, although it is one of the most popular houseplant palms sold, this palm is endangered in its native Madagascar. Also common in tropical landscapes, it can reach 20 feet in height.

The group this plant belongs to, Dypsis, is the largest genus of palms, containing over 150 species—all found only on Madagascar.FU

NFA

CT

14

Princess PalmDictyosperma album

Found only on the Mascarene Islands east of Madagascar, this palm is almost extinct in the wild. However, it is a popular landscape plant that does best in coastal areas. It can grow to 30 feet in height.

This tree is also known as a hurricane palm, because of its ability to withstand strong hurricane force winds.FU

NFA

CT

15

11

12

PalmsMade possible through the generosity of

The Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Memorial Foundation

San Jose Hesper PalmBrahea brandegeei

Native to Baja California, Mexico. Populations of this palm have suffered due to harvesting for wood, edible fronds, and leaves used for thatch. It is easily confused with the Mexican fan palm Washingtonia robusta, but this species grows to only 25 feet tall.

This palm can tolerate drought, full inland sun, and hot winds, but doesn’t like humidity.FU

NFA

CT

Loulu PalmPritchardia ssp. Hawaiian

Single-trunked palm trees with fan-shaped leaves, the genus Pritchardia consists of 26 species of palms native to the tropical Pacific Islands. There are as many as 23 endemic species of Pritchardia throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

Loulu means “umbrella” and its leaves were used as cover from rain and sun. Early Hawaiians used the hard wood from tall trunks to make spears.FU

NFA

CT

Mount Lewis King PalmArchontophoenix purpurea ‘Mt. Lewis’

A stunning relative of the more common king palm Archontophoenix cunninghamiana. Its natural habitat is limited to the Mount Lewis area of northeast Queensland, Australia. It grows in mountainous rain forests that are much cooler than those in tropical regions.

This species is easily distinguishable from other king palms by its long, purple, slightly bulbous crown shaft.FU

NFA

CT

Cuban Royal PalmRoystonea regia

This palm is known for its lush and beautiful, feathery fronds on a massive, white-gray smooth trunk that flairs out at the bottom. Widely imported into Florida in the 1920s and 30s, this species is now one of the most common palms there.

A relative of this species, the Florida royal palm Roystonea elata, a native of Florida’s cypress swamps, is disappearing in the wild.FU

NFA

CT

Foxy Lady PalmWodveitchia

This variegated palm was created specifically for the interior landscape business by crossing the foxtail palm Wodyetia bifurcata with the sunshine palm Veitchia arecina. It grows best in full sun, but will still do well in light shade.

The unique variegated yellow and green leaves makes this a showy palm in a hotel or business lobby.FU

NFA

CT

Ribbon PalmLivistona decipiens

This palm grows along forest edges and coastal swamps of eastern Queensland, Australia. In the United States, it can survive where temperatures do not drop below 20°F. The name decipiens, Latin for “deceptive,” is thought to have been given after discovering that it had been misidentified and cultivated as another plant species.

The common name of this palm comes from its leaves, which are split into many pieces from the middle of the leaf, looking like ribbons dangling from a hand-held fan.FU

NFA

CT

Rain Forest PalmClinostigma harlandii

A tropical palm native to Vanuatu’s cloud forests, this graceful palm has a smooth, waxy trunk. This fast growerdoes best in humid tropical andsubtropical areas; however, it will tolerate cooler temperatures. There are 10 other species of palms native to the South Pacific islands of Vanuatu.

It is used for food by the local people who eat the “heart” of the palm which tastes like a cross between asparagus and French beans.FUN

FAC

TTriangle PalmDypsis decaryi

Native to Madagascar’s rain forest, this single-trunked palm can grow up to 25 feet tall, but in cultivation is usually only seen around 10 to 15 feet. What makes this palm so unique is its geometric shape—three evenly spaced leaf bases around the trunk that form a triangle.

While it likes heat, water, and fast-draining soil, this palm does best planted in an open area, so the unique shape can be appreciated.FU

NFA

CT

4 7

2 5 8

3 6 9

Match the numbers to the plant ID signs. The tour begins at Map Locator 1, winds around Wegeforth Bowl, and ends at Reptile Walk.

Florida Thatch PalmThrinax radiata

A small genus of only seven species, they are native throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas. All are very slow growers and do not respond well to transplanting; however, they make excellent container plants. They do require good drainage to be successful.

Florida thatch palms are ideal coastal palms as they can tolerate salt spray and winds. FU

NFA

CT

1

sandiegozoo.org

Pondoland Palm, Pondo Coconut PalmJubaeopsis caffra

A coastal clumping palm from South Africa, where it grows on the banks of rivers. Threatened in the wild because of deforestation, this slow-growing plant likes a sunny, well-drained location.

The miniature coconut is eaten by people and baboons, and weaver birds gather nesting material from the palms.FUN

FAC

T

Seashore PalmAllagoptera arenaria

Endemic to the Atlantic Coast of Brazil, this palm has a subterranean, or underground trunk. Because of this, its crown is at ground level where the swirling, graceful fronds can be appreciated. It is tolerant to the extreme coastal exposures of sun, wind, and salt spray.

This palm is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant throughout South America. Its fruit can be eaten fresh or used in a drink.FU

NFA

CT

Martingia PalmAiphane acuelata syn. caryotifolia

Aiphanes is a genus of spiny palms ranging from 66-foot-tall trees to small shrubs with subterranean stems growing in Central and South America. Palms in this group are pleonanthic, meaning they flower repeatedly over the course of their life span.

This tree’s red fruit taste a bit like coconut and is a popular food among wild birds.FU

NFA

CT

10 Carnauba Wax PalmCopernicia prunifera

Native to the savannas and openforests of Brazil, it gets its namefrom the valuable heat-resistant waxharvested from the leaves. Take noteof its characteristically blue-green fronds and long petioles, that top a gray trunk covered with spiraling leaf bases.

The wax scraped from the leaves is used in a variety of products including car wax, candy, cosmetics, dental floss, and paper plates.FU

NFA

CT

13

Butterfly Palm, Golden Cane PalmDypsis lutescens

Ironically, although it is one of the most popular houseplant palms sold, this palm is endangered in its native Madagascar. Also common in tropical landscapes, it can reach 20 feet in height.

The group this plant belongs to, Dypsis, is the largest genus of palms, containing over 150 species—all found only on Madagascar.FU

NFA

CT

14

Princess PalmDictyosperma album

Found only on the Mascarene Islands east of Madagascar, this palm is almost extinct in the wild. However, it is a popular landscape plant that does best in coastal areas. It can grow to 30 feet in height.

This tree is also known as a hurricane palm, because of its ability to withstand strong hurricane force winds.FU

NFA

CT

15

11

12

PalmsMade possible through the generosity of

The Daphne Seybolt Culpeper Memorial Foundation