Palm Trees - Aiphanes minima

Aiphanes minima

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Aiphanes minima at The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, England - October 2006

General Information
Family:
Arecaceae
Common Names:
Macaw Palm
Synonyms:
Bactris minima
Distribution:
Carribean
Hispaniola
To Windward Islands
Habitat:
Rainforest
Conservation Status:
Habitat Threats:

Native Uses:
Food Source
Commercial Uses:

Physical Characteristics
Height:
Up to 9m (30ft)
Spread:
Up to 4.5m (15ft)
Growth Habit:
Solitary
Growth Rate:
Fast
Trunk Type:
No Crownshaft
Brown
Numerous Black Spines
Trunk Diameter:
Up to 150mm (6")
Leaf Type:
Pinnate
Leaf Size:
Leaf Colour:
Dark Green
Petiole:
Armed
Self Cleaning:
No
Inflorescence Colour:
Pale Yellow
Reproduction:
Monoecious
Fruit Description:
Up to 15mm (0.6")
Round, Edible Seed
Fruit Colour:
Ripens To Red

Cultural Requirements
Light:
Light Shade
Soil:
Well draining
Watering:
Regular
Maintain Moisture
Min. Temp:
-2°C (28°F)
Tolerances:
Full Sun (With Age)
Propagation:
Seed
Germination:
1-3 Months
25-30°C ( 77-86°F)
Planting:
Usually Single
Low Traffic Areas
Uses:
Ornamental
Collector's Palm
Availability:
Specialist Nurseries
Seed Distributors

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.