By Liliana Usvat
Blog 326-365
Have you planted a tree last Year? If not here is a good one if you live in a hot climate.
Common names: The Christmas Palm is also known as Manila Palm, Kerpis Palm, Adonidia Palm, Dwarf Royal Palm, and Veitchia Palm.
Veitchia Palm, Adonidia merrillii, Arecaceae family. Resembles a dwarf version of the royal palm with a thinner gray white smooth stem marked by frond growths. Veitchia Palm grows up to 5 meters tall. Its inflorescence attract many bees mostly in October when it flowers, by December its oblong bright red nuts (photo) hang from the stem. Pinnate frond leafs build a short compact green crown-shaft. Native to the Philippines, this beautiful ornamental palm was brought Hacienda Chichen's Botanical Gardens by Mrs. Carmen G.Rul de Barbachano in the early 1950s; for the hotel's palm collection.
Also known as the Manila palm, will rise to a height of 15-20 feet.
The slender trunk bulges slightly at the base and tapers toward the crownshaft. The portion below the yellow-green, 3 foot crownshaft is ringed by the scars from the fallen fronds.
Seeds germinate in 2 or 3 months. Sometimes less but don't count on it.
Plant the seeds in a peat based potting mix. You can plant them with the husk or pop it open and just plant the seed inside.
Once the seedlings are up, they grow quickly.
Flowers/Fruits: During summer months the Christmas Palm produces light green flower buds that turn into creamy blossom. Unisexual flowers are held by 2ft long branched stalks that emerge from the area where the crownshaft attaches to the trunk. In December flowers are followed by green oval fruits that turn bright red as they ripe. Berrie-like fruits are 1 inch long and 1/5 inch wide. They hang in clusters looking like Christmas ornament, therefore palm’s common name is Christmas Palm.
Light Required: Full sun to partial shade. It likes full sun but can also grow in broken shade.
Water Required: Moderate. The Christmas Palm is moderately salt tolerant prefers moist well drained soil. To avoid root rot don’t let it sit in water. It can tolerate drought for a short time when mature enough.
Adonidia merrillii is widely planted in cultivation and grows well in tropical locations.. Its fruits are sometimes said to be used as a substitute for the betel nut, in preparing buyo (fruit of Areca catechu, leaves of Piper betle, and lime) for chewing.
Blog 326-365
Have you planted a tree last Year? If not here is a good one if you live in a hot climate.
Common names: The Christmas Palm is also known as Manila Palm, Kerpis Palm, Adonidia Palm, Dwarf Royal Palm, and Veitchia Palm.
Veitchia Palm, Adonidia merrillii, Arecaceae family. Resembles a dwarf version of the royal palm with a thinner gray white smooth stem marked by frond growths. Veitchia Palm grows up to 5 meters tall. Its inflorescence attract many bees mostly in October when it flowers, by December its oblong bright red nuts (photo) hang from the stem. Pinnate frond leafs build a short compact green crown-shaft. Native to the Philippines, this beautiful ornamental palm was brought Hacienda Chichen's Botanical Gardens by Mrs. Carmen G.Rul de Barbachano in the early 1950s; for the hotel's palm collection.
Also known as the Manila palm, will rise to a height of 15-20 feet.
The slender trunk bulges slightly at the base and tapers toward the crownshaft. The portion below the yellow-green, 3 foot crownshaft is ringed by the scars from the fallen fronds.
Seeds germinate in 2 or 3 months. Sometimes less but don't count on it.
Plant the seeds in a peat based potting mix. You can plant them with the husk or pop it open and just plant the seed inside.
Once the seedlings are up, they grow quickly.
Flowers/Fruits: During summer months the Christmas Palm produces light green flower buds that turn into creamy blossom. Unisexual flowers are held by 2ft long branched stalks that emerge from the area where the crownshaft attaches to the trunk. In December flowers are followed by green oval fruits that turn bright red as they ripe. Berrie-like fruits are 1 inch long and 1/5 inch wide. They hang in clusters looking like Christmas ornament, therefore palm’s common name is Christmas Palm.
Light Required: Full sun to partial shade. It likes full sun but can also grow in broken shade.
Water Required: Moderate. The Christmas Palm is moderately salt tolerant prefers moist well drained soil. To avoid root rot don’t let it sit in water. It can tolerate drought for a short time when mature enough.
Adonidia merrillii is widely planted in cultivation and grows well in tropical locations.. Its fruits are sometimes said to be used as a substitute for the betel nut, in preparing buyo (fruit of Areca catechu, leaves of Piper betle, and lime) for chewing.
