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Hurricane Palm, Princess Palm

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Ancient Garden

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​​​​​​​​Hurricane Palm, Princess Palm

  • Common name: Round Island Hurricane Palm, Hurricane Palm, Princess Palm
  • Scientific name: Dictyosoperma album var. Furfuraceum, Dictyosperma album var. Conjugatum
  • Family name: Arecaceae
  • Origin: Round Island in the Indian Ocean
  • Height: 15-20 ft
  • Width: 8-10 ft
  • Growth: Slow
  • Zone: 10a-11
  • Light needs: Full sun
  • Salt tolerance: High
  • Soil/pH/Texture: Likes well-drained, moist sandy or loamy soils, and can handle saline soils. Neutral to slightly alkaline pH (pH 7.0-7.5)
  • Moisture: Although it can handle drought, it prefers consistently moist soil, and should be kept watered.
  • Drought tolerance: Moderate
  • Pests/Diseases: Scale insects may pose a threat.
  • Growing conditions: Does best in a sunny, humid area with plenty of rainfall. It can handle coastal conditions very well, as it is both salt and wind tolerant. It is drought tolerant, but it should be regularly watered to keep it in its best health. It can be grown directly in the ground or in a large container.
  • Characteristics: Trunk is short and stout, with a distinct smooth, pale crownshaft. A full-grown tree may have up to 16-18 arching green leaves. The leaves of this species are distinct because the tips of the leaflets are joined together by “reins” which run along the edges of each leaf. Flowers are reddish-brown and grow in long clusters from the bottom of the crownshaft.
  • Propagation: By seeds.
  • Wildlife: Its leaves provide shelter for birds.
  • Facts: This is the smallest variety of Dictyosperma album, and the rarest in the wild. All three varieties have been farmed to near extinction in their native habitat. The genus name comes from two Greek words meaning “net” and “seed”, and the specific epithet is the Latin word for “white”, referring to the pale color of the crownshaft.
  • Designer considerations:  Its wind and salt tolerance make it great for coastal gardens. This plant looks good planted near walkways and roads, or placed in the center of other, shorter plants to add height.