Paurotis Palm

( Acoelorrhaphe wrightii )

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Pictures - Paurotis Palm, fruit

Family - Arecacea

Natural Habitat - Hammocks, swamps

Planting Zones - 10-11

Description -  Native to the Everglades & the southern tip of Florida near the coast, suckering, clump forming palm 25 - 35 feet tall with slender stems ( trunks ). 

Leaves are fan shaped to 3 feet long, leaf stems are armed with sharp saw like teeth. Paurotis palm flowers from spring through fall, producing white to yellowish flowers on a long inflorescence extending beyond the leaves.

Fruit is round, fleshy, 1/2 inch or slightly more in diameter, black when mature.

Landscape Use -  Specimen/accent plant, effective as a screen when suckers are allowed to grow, very nice effect when combined in a bed with low growing shrubs & ground covers.

Culture - Full sun to partial shade, propagation is by seed or division of clumps. Grows best on rich, moist to wet acidic soils. Moderate salt & drought tolerance. Paurotis palms are very tolerant to flooding, and is a good choice for wet locations near fresh or brackish bodies of water.