Palm Trees - Bismarckia nobilis

Bismarckia nobilis

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Bismarckia nobilis at The Palmetum of Santa Cruz, Tenerfie - April 2007








General Information
Family:
Arecaceae
Common Names:
Bismark Palm
Synonyms:
Medemia nobilis
Distribution:
North & West Madagascar
Habitat:
Open Grassland
Conservation Status:
Not Threatened
Habitat Threats:

Native Uses:

Commercial Uses:

Physical Characteristics
Height:
Up to 18m (60ft)
Spread:
Up to 7.5m (25ft)
Growth Habit:
Solitary
Growth Rate:
Medium Fast
Trunk Type:
No Crownshaft
Smooth Brown/Grey
Persistent Leaf Bases (Newest Part)
Slight Basal Flare
Trunk Diameter:
Up to 450mm (18")
Leaf Type:
Palmate
Leaf Size:
Up to 3m (10ft)
Leaf Colour:
Silvery Blue
Green
Petiole:
Up to 1800mm (72")
Armed
Self Cleaning:
Yes
Inflorescence Colour:
Pale Yellow
Reproduction:
Dioecious
Fruit Description:
Up to 30mm (1.25")
Ovoid
Fruit Colour:
Brown

Cultural Requirements
Light:
Full Sun
Soil:
Moist
Well Draining
Watering:
Regular
Allow To Dry
Min. Temp:
-5°C (23°F)
Tolerances:
Drought (When Mature)
Light Frost
Poor Soils
Propagation:
Seed
Germination:
1-2 Months
30-35°C ( 86-95°F)
Planting:
Single
Open Areas
Uses:
Specimen
Xeriscaping
Availability:
Good (Locality Dependent)
Box Stores
Garden Centres
Nurseries

References: IUCN 2004. 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 14 December 2004.
Kew World Checklist Of Selected Plant Families. <www.kew.org/wcsp/home.do>
Maas, P. J. M. & H. Maas-van de Kamer. Costaceae. Pp. 413-423 in, B. E. Hammel, M. H. Grayum, C. Herrera, & N. Zamora (eds.), Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica. vol. II. Gimnospermas y monocotiledóneas (Agavaceae- Musaceae). Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 92: 1-694.
Noblick, L.R. Ph.D., 1998. Hardiness Observations In Palm Species. <www.bg-map.com/PLMTBLA.HTML>
Riffle,R.L. & Craft,P. 2003. An Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms.