Ptychosperma elegans
Solitaire PalmFamily: Arecaceae / Palmae
Origin: Northern Australia Tropical Rainforest
This is a single, slender trunked palm to 32Ft. It carries a small head of semi-erect leaves, each pinnae notched in the typical Ptychosperma fashion. The small red fruit are quickly cleaned and the ridged seed put in shallow trays, where most will germinate in three months. Standard horticultural practice will produce a 5Ft specimen in 2 years, ready to plant in a semi-shaded position. They do equally well in sun or shade, but extremes of heat or dry wind will scorch even the most well watered mature specimen. Solitaires are produced in the thousands by nurseries in the south as indoor or patio palms. Given a shady spot, they grow slim and elegant, holding a crown of dark green leaves above a green crownshaft. Irrigation, fertilizer and mulch are necessary. No garden would be without the odd corner to accommodate a specimen or two. Not used very much in public plantings, but popular locally (Northern Territory) as a tub palm.
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