Family: Arecaceae    Palm Tree

Common Name: Brazilian needle palm

Scientific Synonymy:
Trithrinax brasiliensis

Common Synonymy:
Buriti palm, Spiny Fibre Palm, Carana palm, Saho palm. French: Palmier épineux à fibre du Brésil. German: Brasilianische Nadelpalme. Spanish: Caranday.

Cold Hardiness Zone: 9b     View the UK and US zone maps

Trithrinax brasiliensis var. brasiliensis Information

Identification

Solitary trunk, up to 4 m (13 ft) tall and 7-10 cm (3-4 in) in diameter. Monoecious. Open forest, and grasslands of Brazil, (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul), and Argentina.

General Information

An attractive, medium sized, solitary palmate palm, with an unusual woven fibre wrapping the trunk, which also carries a finely detailed pattern of old leaf bases, Leaves are greyish green, and have long thin fingers, and long, thin spines on the leaf bases. It grows large bunches of white/pale green oval fruits about 1.5cm long. Culture: Sunny, moist, but well drained position. Drought and frost tolerant. Slightly alkaline soil. Slow growing. Suitable for sub-tropical all the way thru to temperate gardens.

Distribution

Distribution information currently being revised.