Dypsis decaryi

Family: Arecaceae    Palm Tree

Common Name: Triangle Palm

Scientific Synonymy:
Neodypsis decaryi

Cold Hardiness Zone: 10a     View the UK and US zone maps

Dypsis decaryi Information

A solitary, medium sized, drought tolerant, moderately fast growing, monoecious palm. Common in cultivation and vulnerable in the wild. It has a rough, dark-grey trunk, 6 m. (20 ft.) tall, 40 cm. (16 inch) diameter with spaced ring leaf scars, and huge segmented, pinnate (feather) leaves, 3 m. (10 ft.) long, 0.9 m. (3 ft.) wide, bluish-green above and beneath.

The most striking feature of this plant are the tristichously arranged leaves, these grow from the trunks in three distinct vertical rows and the wide, overlapping leaf-bases form a large triangle at the top of the trunk.

Dypsis decaryi can tolerate close to freezing conditions. It naturally occurs in arid, open, sun exposed, montane locations, and should be planted to maximise sunshine exposure. Under extreme cold conditions we recommend you keep this palm as dry as possible. It should be noted that in its natural habitat the temperature swings between extreme heat and extreme cold occur within 12 hours (night & day) of a single day, and have little to do with Summer/Winter seasons. Therefore, this palm dislikes long durations of cold weather and may require additional heat or protection during the coldest weather.

General Information

Population is estimated at 1000 individuals in the wild in one small area of Madagascar where there is a threat of fire, the seeds are predated upon by pigs, Black parrot, and Lemur catta. Therefore, it is listed as vulnerable, and listed on CITES Annexe II. Thankfully, this species is now common in cultivation, and wild populations can be re-stocked.

Distribution

Native to: Madagascar

Confined to a small area of dry forest or bush on stony soil, mid slope; 80-600 m. elevation.

Location: Madagascar (-25.0856°N, 46.40625°E)

Observations

Map may not represent the complete natural distribution. (Markers display observation data).