Palm of September, Pelagodoxa henryana

Pelagodoxa is a very rare, highly prized, incredibly beautiful exotic palm growing in habitat to about 25 feet with a smooth, slender trunk and topped with large undivided leaves which can grow to about 7 feet long and 3 to 4 feet wide. It is truly, an extremely impressive palm.

Those huge gorgeous fronds do require protection from wind and it needs filtered light. Peladodoxa is not too picky about soil, but poorer soils should be amended with mulch and organic matter.  Moisture and high humidity are to its liking. It is definitely striking.

The large fruits grow to a little over 3 inches in diameter, and are borne on short stout inflorescences within the leaf bases and are of an interesting and unusual shape, round with a corky-barnacled appearance, light brown in color. The fruit seemingly only reach maturity after having fallen to the ground as seeds from fruits taken prior to this usually fail to germinate.

It appears to be much more cold hardy than originally thought having survived many cold winters, in the ground, in the vicinity of Kendall, which is probably one of the colder areas of Miami-Dade county and even possibly Broward county.

Pelagodoxa is critically endangered and the species relies heavily on cultivation to survive.