Acanthophoenix 

Family. Arecaceae or palms.

Origin. It grows at an altitude of about 650 m above sea level on the islands of Mauritius and Reunion.

Description. Acanthophoenixes are tall, solitary palm trees in natural conditions. Young plants have brown or black thorns on the trunk up to 2-3 cm long. The leaves are pinnate and up to 3 meters long. The petioles are bright red, darkening to brown with age, and also have spines. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, asymmetrical, white, yellowish or red, divided into male and female, collected in long hanging inflorescences - panicles. The fruits are ellipsoid or spherical, turn black when ripe, and contain one seed.

Height. Up to 25 meters in natural habitat.

Acanthophoenix - home care

Temperature conditions

A heat-loving plant, in winter the temperature can drop to 18° C, and it is necessary to reduce the frequency of watering.

Lighting

Direct sun or light shade. 

Care

Not a particularly difficult palm tree to care for.

Substrate

Consisting of peat, sand, turf and humus soil.

Feeding

Feed the acanthopheonix every 2 weeks during the growing season.

Purpose

A decorative tub palm that will require quite a lot of free space over time. It is best grown in a winter garden.

Flowering time

From early summer to early autumn.

Air humidity

High humidity, acanthophenix should be regularly sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle, preferably in the morning. The palm must be protected from cold drafts.

Soil moisture

Acanthophoenix tolerates drought well, but during the growth period, watering should be regular. Between waterings, dry the soil to a depth of 3-4 cm. Water the palm with warm water with a neutral or slightly acidic pH level. In autumn and winter, reduce the frequency of watering.

Transfer

As young plants grow, once every 3 years, adult specimens - once every 5 - 6 years, or simply replace the top layer of the substrate with a new one. 

Reproduction

Seeds at high air temperatures - about 28 - 30 ° C and maintaining constant high humidity.

Pests and diseases

Root rot may occur due to stagnation of water at the roots.

Can be affected by scale insects, mealybugs and spider mites.  

Note

It is a slow-growing palm tree, so young specimens are quite suitable for home keeping. The heart of the palm is edible.