What is a King Palm?
The King Palms are one of six species within the Archontophoenix.The characteristics of each species are covered, along with comments on cultural needs, care and usage in the landscape.
The King Palms are part of the Archontophoenix group.There are six different species in this group, all of which are from Australia.Overall size, appearance, color of crown shaft, under surface of leaflets, seeds, and flower traits are some of the differences between these species.King palms are very popular and planted all over the world.The only species most gardeners and landscape architects are familiar with is Archontophoenix cunninghamiana.The gardener refers to the plant as "King Palm" when he says it.He may not know that there are more types of King Palms.The reader will hopefully understand the differences between the various species after reading this article.I will give a brief introduction to the palm tree's leaves and crown shaft.It is possible that one can decide which species they like the most.
The reader will hopefully understand the differences between the various species after reading this article.I will give a brief introduction to the palm tree's leaves and crown shaft.It is possible that one can decide which species they like the most.
.It's important to know the parts of a palm tree so you can tell the differences.One must become familiar with the parts of a palm to understand and identify them.The parts of the plant will be described by anyone who discusses the topic.You will begin to understand what is being discussed if you know the terms used to describe the tree.This is important to understand for some readers.I will talk about the basic parts of a palm tree.I will only show pictures of the King Palm family.
The trunk supports the tree.They go up to the crown of leaves at the top of the trunk.The trunks of the palm can be very thin, even less than half an inch.They can be up to four feet in diameter.The height of the trunk can be as high as two hundred feet.Palm trunks do not have bark when exposed to the sun.They are usually a tan color if not exposed to direct sunlight.The rings are scars from when the leaf bases were attached to the trunk.The surface of the trunk is cracked in the sun.Protection from trauma is provided by this woodiness.There are two purposes for trunks: support and nutrition.The bigger the crown of leaves, the thicker the trunk.This isn't a steadfast rule.The trunk is the "highway" for moving water and food from the ground up to the tree's leaves.We are talking about everything from the trunk to the end of the leaflets when we talk about a leaf.Taxonomists break it down further.There are three parts to the leaf.The leaf sheath is close to the trunk.The trunk has something attached to it.The leaf stem goes from the trunk to the green leaflets.The "lamina" is the sum of all the leaflets at the end of the leaf.We will consider the "leaf" to be the part of the green leaf with the leaflets.There are many leaflets to either side of the central stem on Archontophoenix.It is considered a pinnate or feather type of palm species because of this.The upper side of the leaf must be inspected for its color and presence of small hairs.The leaflets could be staggered or directly opposed to each other.Are the leaflets in one flat plane in cross section or do they emerge from the stem at different angles?The petiole is the bare leaf stem.It can be attached to the trunk using the leaf sheath or base.The leaflets are extended from the trunk.The rachis is the part of the leaf stem that goes beyond the point where the leaflets begin.The entire leaf stem is made up of the petiole and rachis.In cross section, the petioles can be rounded, flat or circular.Depending on the palm species, they may be smooth or armed with spines.Their diameter is different from the size of a pencil to a human waist.Their length is dependent on culture.Plants grown in shade tend to have longer petioles.Young plants may have long petioles.Sometimes their edges are sharp.The bigger the leaf, the stronger it is.Petioles deliver water and nutrition to the leaflets.The crown shaft has short petioles.
The Alex Palm Native Locality is located along the coast and inland in Australia.The leaves are dark to grass green, silver on the underside, and sometimes a bit brown.This species holds a large crown of leaves with a tall, ragged colored straight trunk and has a slight bulge at the bottom occasionally.I will talk about a possible sub-species.A picture of a crown shaft Domestic plant in a garden in Balboa Park, San Diego.
The crown shaft of a healthy seven foot nursery specimen is light green.
A. purpurea seeds.There is a garden specimen plant with a purple crown shaft and prominent silver under the leaflets.
The Crown shaft nursery plant underside of leaves is silver.
Archontophoenix are native to the eastern part of Australia.They see warm and sometimes humid weather in their habitat.They can tolerate temperatures of around 100 degrees if they are watered heavily.
All Archontophoenix can tolerate full sun in areas of high humidity.If you live in Southern California, full sun can cause some burn to the leaves."tip burn" is often seen on the tips of leaflets.King Palms that get less than full sun are often more beautiful and less prone to sunburn.In areas that are inland, the sun or morning light must be used to plant the King Palms.Archontophoenix can't tolerate the sun in desert areas.Some growers think A. maxima might perform better in full sun.
King Palms like rich soil and good drainage.It is very appreciated to supplement the soil with organic material.If not over-watered, they can tolerate heavy clay soil.Coarse sand can be amended into the soil if drainage is a problem.All growers should amend the soil with organic material.20 to 30% organics should be adequate.
The Archontophoenix species appreciate water.If drainage is adequate, you can't over-water a King Palm.One can see leaf burn, dried out leaves or tip burning when the tree is under water.If you're not sure, giving a plant more water might not be too risky.We recommend a slow release preparation with an N/P/K ratio of 3:1.The formula you see on the bag is not the ratio.One can use organics such as blood meal or worm castings.
King Palms are not a good choice for a houseplant and we don't recommend them.They usually die inside the home.They can be grown in a warmer patio area, but only if there is lots of water and sun.They grow so fast that they might outgrow your container very quickly.They can blow over if they are too high in the wind.
King Palms are often planted in groups of three or more plants.There is a single palm in the garden.A lot of people find multiple plants together.The number can be more than one.There are two ways to do this.Plants are closely together.You tend to get multiple plants going in opposite directions when you do this.There isn't a "curving" to the trunks.When a nursery plant is grown from a seedling stage as multiple plants in the same container, you tend to get the trunks curving away from each other to make room for the clump.The curve to the base of the trunks is what people are looking for.If you want that basilar curving, then individually planted king Palms will not give you that.One tends to get a dominant plant when grown from a small plant as a multiple.Sometimes this is obvious and sometimes subtle.Each of the individual plants is in competition.There's usually a winner and a loser.I tell my customers that they get Daddy, Mom and the baby.The differences in size and height may diminish over time.
The King Palm group has six different species.They are all related to the Archontophoenix.There are ways to tell all six species.The palms are crown shafted.The underside of the leaves are covered in silver.Some crown shafts have different colors.The heights range from forty to eighty feet.The diameter of the trunk is usually about a foot.Fruits and flowers are red.All have cold tolerances of less than 25 degrees.The growth rate is quick.If you live in a dry area they prefer part day sun.tip burn can occurThey don't take any sun in desert areas.King Palms like water and rich soil.They put on trunk height quickly.The groups of three give the clump an aesthetic look.From the time they are a nursery plant, triples should be grown as such.These plants are very attractive in gardens and commercial jobs.
Photographs and information are available.John Dowe Palm is a member of the Cycad Society of Australia.
The Jungle Music Palms, Cycads and Tropical Plants nursery is located at 450 Ocean View Ave.
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