Ptychosperma macarthurii
Habit: Clustering
Common names
Macarthur Palm, Darwin Palm.
Habitat and Distribution
Fiji, New Guinea, Northern Territory, Panamá, Queensland, Society Is., Windward Is.
Description
Stems grow in dense clumps or rarely solitary, up to 7 m tall, only 7 cm in diameter, thus appearing bamboo-like.
Culture
Light requirement: full sun, partial sun or partial shade, shade tolerant. Soil tolerances: clay; sand; loam; slightly alkaline; acidic; well-drained. Drought tolerance: high. Aerosol salt tolerance: low. Pest resistance: resistant to pests/diseases.
Comments and Curiosities
Originally from northeastern Australia and areas of New Guinea, this small, suckering palm has become widely distributed as an ornamental in tropical and warm subtropical areas. The MacArthur Palm produces a dense cluster of slender canes, each topped by a small crown of light green, pinnate leaves. It is ideally suited for the smaller garden, best under a canopy of tall trees, and will also do well as a potted plant indoors if it gets bright light. It is fast growing and the fruits are bright red making it useful as an ornamental.
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