Bottle Palm

Rarely seen for sale in NZ.

The Bottle Palm is a well-known and very popular ornamental for tropical and warm subtropical regions. It was once common on Mauritius in the Mascarene Islands but although commonly cultivated, its wild stands are reduced to a few handful of plants on tiny Round Island north of Mauritius. It produces a curiously swollen trunk, the shape of which is somewhat reminiscent of a champagne bottle. The crown holds up to five leathery, pinnate fronds supported by a slender, waxy crownshaft. The Bottle Palm grows fairly slowly but is a tough plant that can take drought and coastal conditions without a problem.

The Hyophorbe lagenicaulis is a very dramatic and architectural looking palm from the Islands of Mascarene. A solitary palm the trunk is thick and swollen up to around two thirds of its height then tapers abruptly to the attractive crownshaft resembling the shape of a bottle, hence its common name, the 'Bottle Palm'. The crown is usually made up of 6 long, slightly recurving pinnate leaves with stiff narrow leaflets. The leaves of the young palms can have a red or orange tint turning deep green as it matures. Beautiful white flowers come from below the crownshaft when the palm is mature enough. Classed as critically endangered in the wild, it is established in cultivation. This ornamental palm is slow growing and makes a great specimen for containers as an indoor palm given enough light.