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United Kingdom Plants - Encyclopedia - Swamp Palms
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Garden Plants Encyclopedia
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| There are a number of species of palm that are well-suited to the water garden, a few of these are suitable for cultivation in borders or containers under glass in temperate regions.. All those described require permanently moist to very wet soil, a number tolerating periodic inundation. Several are too large for glasshouse cultivation, or the more extensive garden or landscape. However, all add a great deal to the water garden scene, especially outdoors in sub-tropical and tropical districts. Palms are divided visually into two groups; those with long divided leaves (the feather-leafed palms) and those that produce broad fan-like leaves (the fan-leafed palms). |
 Cyrtostachys renda |
| The measurements following the descriptions of each palm are the approximate ultimate height of that palm. Tropical; indicates that for the plant to continue growing successfully all the year around, it must have tropical conditions. The natural distribution of the species is given. Note for North American gardeners. The Garden Plants Encyclopedia is an international project and is written in standard English with measurements using the metric system. Acoelorrhaphe wrighti (syn. Paurotis wrightii) - Silver Saw Palmetto Although this lovely species of palm will not tolerate standing water, it must grow in conditions where its roots can reach down into water. A tough and resilient character, it suckers freely, producing its trunks in clumps. The silvery-green fan-like leaves are most distinctive, up to 30cm long and 60cm broad, and intricately attached to the trunk with a fibrous sheath. Plants usually develop two or three dominant trunks and are surrounded by a dense growth of suckers. Increase from separation of suitable suckering growths during spring, or by seed sown in a propagator in heat. Tropical. Southern United States, Central America. 5-10m. Archontophoenix alexandrae - Alexandra Palm, Borum-bru, Ko-paranga A handsome and very popular feather-leafed palm, which produces a single grey trunk 15-20m tall and a crown of magnificent mid to dark green arching leaves up to 2.5m long with separate leaflets 30-34cm long and up to 4cm wide. The branching inflorescence sprays are up to 40cm long, pendulous and smothered with tiny creamy-white flowers. These are followed by waxy red, egg-shaped fruits 1-1.5cm long. A native Australian species, it has long been important for the prevention of stream-bank erosion, forming a dense mat of soil-retaining roots. It is easily cultivated, although benefiting from shade during its early life. Once established it enjoys full sun and will even tolerate moderately dry soil conditions if watered heavily. There are a number of forms, including ‘Mount Lewis’, which may be derived from Archontophoenix alexandrae, depending upon the botanist being consulted. This is said to be much hardier than the species. Other forms and selections, mostly associated with specific localities, include ‘Kuranda’ and ‘Beatriceae’. Propagation is by seed sown in heat. Tropical. Australia. 15-25m. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana - Bangalow Palm, Piccabeen Palm, Pikki A tall-growing, handsome and popular palm. Although a native of swamps and stream-sides, it is also tolerant of dryer conditions if kept well-watered and can be seen adorning gardens in many tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. It is particularly popular in cyclone-prone areas as it bends strongly with the wind. A solitary feather-leafed palm, it produces a strong horizontally-ridged grey trunk up to 25m tall crowned by arching dark green, semi-pendent leaves up to 3m long. These have individual leaflets between 30-50cm long and up to 4cm wide, which tend to fray at the edges towards the tips, producing thread-like filaments. The individual flowers are about 1cm across, pink to pinkish-lilac and produced in sprays between 30-40cm long from just beneath the crown of the tree. The egg-shaped waxy red fruits that are produced in abundance are 1-1.5cm long. This species is a little sensitive to full sun during the first two years of its life and benefits from a little shading. Easily increased from seed sown in a propagator in heat. Although regarded as a tropical species this will also grow in quite cool areas, providing that there is no frost. Australia. 25-30m. Cyrtostachys renda (syn. C.lakka) - Sealing Wax Palm, Maharajah Palm This is one of the most beautiful medium-sized palms for the bog garden or stream-side in the tropical garden. A magnificent plant with brilliant red upper stems, or crown shafts, from which appear long dark green feather-like, stiffly held leaves with red mid-ribs,. These are 2-3m long, with narrow lance-shaped leaflets that are up to 40cm long, but scarcely 3cm wide. A clump-forming species, it must have permanently wet conditions, but it will grow equally well in sun or shade. Propagation is from seed, sown immediately it ripens, in a heated propagator. Tropical. Malaysia. 4m. Eleiodoxa conferta (syn. Salacca conferta) This is a strange clump-forming, apparently trunk-less palm, with erect and very prickly feather-like leaves. When well-established it creates impenetrable thickets and so should be thoughtfully positioned in the garden so that it cannot inflict harm upon the unwary. The palm spreads by underground stems, periodically producing tufts of erect leaves with broad green leaflets that are distinctly silvery. All parts of the foliage are armed with black spines. A bold terminal inflorescence yields very distinctive fruits that are up to 3cm long, pear-shaped and scaly. These eventually ripen from green to a dull yellow colour. Established thickets of plants can be separated and divided, although it can be increased from seed sown in a heated propagator. Tropical. Malaysia. 3-4m. Hydriastele beccariana This is an unusual tall, slender palm, with a stem no more than 8cm in diameter, which is topped by a small dense crown of mid-green, feather-like leaves, a metre long and 65cm wide. The end of each leaf is formed rather like a fish tail. Although often growing singly, the palm generally develops a clump-forming habit. Increase from seed sown in a heated propagator. Tropical. New Guinea. 10-15m. Hydriastele microspadix A little know palm horticulturally, but widely distributed in New Guinea. Said to be of relatively easy cultivation, it produces clumps of tall slender stems and clustered foliage with strangely truncated leaflets. The white blossoms are produced freely in a short-branched mass, and followed by bright red rounded fruits. Increase from seed sown in a heated propagator. Tropical. New Guinea. 10-15m. Hydriastele rostrata This is a clump-forming palm, which produces slender trunks up to 10m tall, and is crowned with long feather-like leaves up to 2m long. These comprise irregularly placed dull green leaflets with variously cut tips. It responds well to cultivation, but will not tolerate any cold. It must also have very wet conditions. Increase from seed sown in a heated propagator. Tropical. New Guinea. 10-12m. Hydriastele wendlandiana A tall-growing clump-forming species with slender grey trunks up to 10cm in diameter. There is usually a central dominant trunk surrounded by several smaller ones and a number of basal suckers. The crown comprises a number of dark green leaves between 1.5-2m long with 20-25cm stalks covered with brownish hairs. The leaflets are between 20-45cm long, and up to 5cm wide, irregularly spaced, and of unequal length, the ones towards the end of the leaves being formed like a fishtail. The dense sprays of flowers are produced on stiff pendent stems that cluster around the trunk just at the base of the crown of foliage. The ribbed egg-shaped fruits are bright red. Although not widely cultivated, it is not difficult to grow in tropical districts in wet conditions. Young plants are also very tolerant of container cultivation. Increase from seeds sown in a heated propagator. Suckers can also be lifted carefully from around the base of mature plants and transplanted. Tropical. Australia. 10-25m. Licuala ramsayi - Fan Palm, Moor-goo-doo, Chakoro, Moi-yur This is a magnificent fan palm with a strong, slender, dark grey, distinctively ringed trunk up to 18m tall. The crown of the palm carries splendid broad dark green leaves up to 4m long and as much across, in mature specimens becoming also circular. From amongst their midst much-branched sprays of fine creamy blossoms are produced on stems up to 2m long. These are followed by bright orange-red, oval-shaped fruits 1cm across. This palm is a native of stream-sides and swampy places and only prospers where the soil is constantly wet. It prefers some shade and is intolerant of a lot of wind. Increase from seed sown in a heated propagator. Tropical. Australia. 10-18m. Livistona australis - Konda, Binkar A very tall fan-leafed palm with a grey fissured trunk, up to 30m tall, and 30cm in diameter. The bright green shiny leaves are produced as a dense crown, and are 3-4.5m long, stiff, but somewhat pendent at the tips. The rather prickly leaf stalk may be up to two-thirds of the length of the leaf. The fan of narrow lance-shaped leaflets comprises the remainder of the leaf; a large, fan-like, bright green blade up to 1m long and 1.5m across. The creamy-white blossoms are produced in abundance on a much-branched flower stems up to 1m long. These are followed by small black, rounded fruits, between 1-1.5cm across. Although this species can be grown in ordinary moist garden soil, it prospers best in swampy conditions or by the stream-side. In the early years it benefits from some shade from direct sun. Increase from seed sown in a heated propagator. Sub-tropical to tropical. Australia. 20-30m. Livistona drudei An unusual, solitary, fan-leafed palm with whitish or grey naked trunks up to 20m tall. The leaves are 3-4m long, the prickly leaf stalk itself being up to 2-3m, and having a distinctive black base. The leafy part is up to 1m across, somewhat rounded with bright green shiny leaves that are much-divided into segments, each is forked and with a frayed tip. Much-branched flower sprays, up to 1m long, bear myriad small creamy-white flowers. These are followed by shiny, black globular fruits about 1cm in diameter. A palm that has yet to reach its full potential in cultivation, but perfect for waterside conditions, its natural haunts being stream banks and Paperbark swamps in outback Australia. Increase from seeds sown in a heated propagator. Tropical. Australia. 15-25m. Phoenix paludosa - Mangrove Date Palm A plant normally associated with mangrove swamps, but also growing inland in freshwater marshes, and in cultivation as a parkland tree. Of typical Date Palm appearance it produces long feather-like leaves from a short trunk that rarely exceeds 2m in height. The divided leaves are mid-green above a pale greyish-green beneath. The leaf sheaths are covered with a coarse fibre while the leaf stalks have distinctive yellowish-green thorns. The branched sprays of creamy flowers are followed by orange to black fruits about 1cm across. Increase by seeds sown in a heated propagator. Sub-tropical to tropical. India, south-east Asia. 5-8m. Ptychosperma macarthurii - MacArthur Palm One of the most modest swamp palms, and one that readily adapts to general garden cultivation in moist soil when it can be regularly and heavily watered. A moisture-loving species it will also tolerate periodic inundation. A solitary, although occasionally clump-forming palm, it produces greenish-grey to pale grey trunks with distinctive rings. The leaves that form the crown are between 1-2m long, and arch outwards, producing a most pleasing effect. The leaves are bright green above, but much paler beneath, and comprise a leaf stalk some 30-50cm long. The leaflets are between 15-30cm long and 3-5cm wide. The yellow-cream flower spray, up to 35cm long, are followed by myriad sealing wax-red fruits that are oval with a pointed end. Very adaptable to cultivation, this species is quite tolerant of full sun from early on in its life. It can be increased by the careful separation of basal suckers, or seed sown in a heated propagator. Sub-tropical to tropical. Papua New Guinea. Australia. 8-10m. Raphia farinifera - Raffia Palm A strongly suckering palm that colonises wet boggy soil. The trunks, rarely more than 3m tall, produce stiff, upright feather-like, mid-green leaves up to 20m long. The flower spike emerges as a torpedo-shaped structure. It is up to 2m long, the flowers being followed by scaly red fruits some 6cm in length. Huge palms for the very large tropical garden or park. They must have plenty of room if they are to develop to their full potential. Once a trunk has flowered it dies and is replaced by new suckers. These can also be used for propagation purposes, although seed raising is a possibility in a heated propagator. Tropical. Madagascar. 15-20m. Salacca affinis An imposing clump-forming prickly feather-leafed palm with plain green leaves up to 3m long, which are produced in rosettes from short trunks. These are branching and largely subterranean. All parts of the plant have long spines. The scaly edible fruits are up to 2cm long. A shade-loving palm of easy cultivation but because of its spiny nature it requires careful placement. Propagation is by the careful severance and separation of established crowns. Tropical. Malaysia, Sumatra. 3-4m. Salacca wallichiana This is a very superficially a very similar species to Salacca zalacca (syn.S.edulis) Similar to the previous two species, but with very upright plain green leaves with white undersides. This palm is often grown in the tropics for its pear-shaped edible fruits. A very spiny character it can be increased from seeds sown in a heated propagator. Tropical. Java. 3-7m.  Click to join pondmessenger |
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