© Pierre-Louis Stenger, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC) · iNaturalist
Hyophorbe spp.
Overview
Hyophorbe is a small genus of five palms in the family Arecaceae, endemic to the Mascarene Islands of Mauritius, Reunion, and Rodrigues in the Indian Ocean, where several species are critically endangered or reduced to a handful of wild plants. They are solitary, slow-growing palms with smooth, ringed grey trunks that in some species swell into a characteristic shape: a rounded, bottle-like base in H. lagenicaulis, the bottle palm, and a tapering spindle in H. verschaffeltii, the spindle palm. Above the trunk a green to bluish crownshaft carries a small head of arching pinnate fronds 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) long, held stiffly upward when young. Branched flower stalks emerge from below the crownshaft bearing small cream flowers, followed by small oval black fruit. Mature height ranges from about 10-25 feet (3-7.5 m) across the genus. Hyophorbe needs a frost-free, humid, tropical to subtropical climate and grows slowly, so trunk character takes many years to develop. It is widely grown as an ornamental and container palm well beyond its threatened native range, which has helped conserve the species in cultivation.
Native Range
Endemic to the Mascarene Islands - Mauritius, Reunion, and Rodrigues - in the Indian Ocean, where wild populations are small and several species are critically endangered.Suggested Uses
Grown as a specimen and container palm in tropical and subtropical gardens, courtyards, and frost-free patios, and indoors in bright rooms. The swollen trunks of the bottle and spindle palms suit feature plantings and large pots. It is also grown in botanical collections as part of conservation of the threatened wild species.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height10' - 25'
Width/Spread6' - 12'
Colors
Bloom Information
Flowering can occur through much of the year in warm climates, with branched stalks of small cream flowers pushing out from below the crownshaft. The flowers are followed by small oval fruit that ripen from green to black. In cooler subtropical areas flowering is concentrated in the warm season.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Green to bluish-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-9 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Hyophorbe grows in full sun to part shade in frost-free, warm, humid climates on moist, free-draining soil. Young plants are slow and tolerate shade, while older palms colour and develop trunk shape in stronger light. Regular water through the warm months suits it, with reduced watering when cool, and sharp drainage to prevent root rot. The genus is frost-tender, damaged below about 30F (-1C), and is grown under cover where frosts occur. A balanced palm feed with added magnesium and potassium prevents the leaf yellowing common in container palms. It is grown from seed, which can be slow and erratic to germinate.Pruning
Pruning is limited to removing fully brown, dead fronds close to the trunk. Green or partly green fronds are left, since over-trimming weakens the palm. The old flower and fruit stalks can be cut off once spent.Container Growing
Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 15 gallons