Bentinck Palm  Bentinckia nicobarica

The Nicobar Islands, claimed as territory by India, are drops of land splattered along the eastern edge of the Bay of Bengal.  From there comes the Bentinck Palm, named after Lord Bentinck, governor of Madras (1803-07).  In the way of interesting historical footnotes, Lord Bentinck distinguished himself by abolishing suttee, the practice of tossing the (still-alive) widow of a deceased man onto his funeral pyre.  He also was instrumental in getting rid of the Thugs, who were ordinary citizens for most of the year, but joined into gangs, and went around robbing and strangling rich people, as part of an annual multi-faith (including devout Muslims and Hindus) event held each autumn.

(source:  http://www.bartleby.com/65/be/BentinckWC.html)

Now that we know he was a man worthy of having such a fine palm named after him, we can appreciate his palm even more.  It is a solitary-growing feather palm, when small preferring the shelter of understory conditions, eventually reaching a height of up to 50 feet or so, to become the upper level of the canopy.  Protect from cooling winds, and make sure it gets adequate water, and it will grow to gracefully dust the sky for you.

	Eye-catching trunks gleam with generous affluence in the early morning sun, inspiring you to achieve your best yet another day. You've got to come on over and see how we've got them planted as "multis" in 10-gal. and 25-gal. containers.

Green Thatch Palm  Thrinax radiata  

Leisurely-growing palm inhabits South Florida, the Keys, the Caribbean and Tropical America.  Found mostly as part of coastal scrub habitat, but may appear sporadically in pinelands, or at the base of any tree where birds roost.  Well adapted to dry, rocky, alkaline soil in windswept areas where salt spray occasionally blows through. 

Typical maximum height of up to 30' takes decades to achieve.  Life-span is up to 150 years.

	If you plant some now, you can expect them to be appreciated by the people of the 22nd century.
You may see some around town with long, thin trunks.  Chances are, those were "wild-collected," rather than nursery-grown ones, which tend to have thicker trunks.
One of the identifying characteristics of Thrinax palms is its alluring white fruit, which hangs in bountiful bunches.  Plant a specimen outside your dining room window, so while you are eating, you can give the thumbs up to any wild friends that might show up for a meal.
The almost-circular leaves can reach a diameter of 3 feet, and were used by early inhabitants as roofing material
	Another identifying characteristic of  Thrinax palms, is the fork at the base of the frond.
You may plant them along the edge of your screening, to add a bit of tropical flavor.  Once established, they need nothing except sporadic trimming of fronds.
We've got them in 3-gal, and 7-gal., looking nice, ready for planting.

Coccothrinax Palm Hybrids  Coccothrinax spp.

Hybrids of alta, argentea, barbadensis, fragrans, miraguama, spissa (and more).   Each one is as stunningly distinctive in character as the proverbial snowflake.

Slow-growing fan-leaved palms of the Coccothrinax genus are found in a variety of habitats throughout South Florida and the West Indies, and exhibit a variety of forms.  They are all small- to medium-sized palms, generally under 20' in height, but of course, taller, old ones with enviously slender trunks may be seen here and there. 

Salt- and wind-tolerant, they prefer limestone soils with good drainage, and have proven to thrive when installed directly into a hole drilled in our local oolite rock.  They take life well in a pot, but need water during dry conditions.

 

	Coccothrinax palms look quite similar to Thrinax palms, but are easily distinguished by the lack of a fork at the base of the frond.
The fruits are purple when ripe, which is another difference between Coccothrinax and Thrinax.
	The birds seem to find them just as juicy, whatever the color.
	This palm adds such an elegant touch to the landscape.
We have a variety of sizes ready for you to inspect and take home.

Solitaire Palm  Ptychosperma elegans

This palm, originating in Queensland, Australia, is commonly grown by nurseries and used in the landscape throughout South Florida.  It is a slender-growing, non-clumping palm, which gets up to 20 feet, or so, high. 

We plant several seedlings in a single pot, causing the development of multiple trunks, which spread apart from each other as they get bigger, maximizing the spread of the canopy.

 

Eye-catching bunches of seeds are a plus.
	The solitaire forms a not-overly dense, feathery canopy, allowing some sky visibility from underneath.
We have some in 25-gal. containers now, looking superb, ready to give you immediate height-impact at a reasonable price.

 

Key Thatch Palm  Thrinax morrisii Slow-growing, salt- and drought-tolerant; no disease problems.  It makes a wonderful accent plant (for example in a pot or planter), or can be used in a mass planting of various heights to create a clean, tropical look.  This palm is much tidier than the over-used Pygmy Date Palm  Phoenix roebelenii, and (attention here) does not have thorns!

 

In the photo at left, we've combined T. morrisii and gulf cordgrass  Spartina spartinae.  So simple, yet effective!

 

Dioon spinulosum Cycad originally from Vera Cruz, Mexico

Bismarck Palm Bismarckia nobilis Magnificent sky-scraper named after Otto von Bismarck, former chancellor of Germany.  One of the most common palms in Madagascar, it is becoming familiar here in South Florida, due to its general hardiness.  It takes a variety of conditions, from dry to flooded soil.
	We have some in 25-gal. (below left), and in 45-gal. (below).

Licuala Palm  Licuala grandis Tropical beauty from the New Hebrides Islands.  Typical mature height is 8 feet.  Plant in a protected spot, such as under a high canopy, away from drying winds.
	We have some hot little items in 7-gal., which zoom out of here on a regular basis.

Cardboard Palm  Zamia furfuracea Also called the Jamaican Sago Tree, originally from Mexico.  Very popular in landscaping; it gets up to 6' high x 6' wide.

Last updated:  01/22/2008