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Roystonea
oleracea is also called: Barbados Royal Palm, Venezuelan
Royal Palm, and Caribbean Palm. It is part of the
Arecaceae and comes from the lowland swamps from the
Lesser Antilles to north-eastern Colombia. Imposing, very
stately, up to 30 m tall (100 ft), with light gray, erect,
cylindrical trunk up to 22 m (70 ft). A very fast grower
once the trunk starts to get large.
With its white marble column-like trunk, superb green
crown shaft, and graceful spreading crown of feather
shaped leaves, a fully-grown tree is an awe-inspiring
sight, and amazing to think that this huge tree grows
from such a small seed. Often said to be the most
attractive of the Roystoneas, despite not being as
commonly grown as some others. A very good garden plant,
only the larger garden however.
The leaves are in a crown at the top of the stem, 3-5 m
long (10-16 ft) with leaflets of about 1 m (3.25 ft) in
two horizontal ranks. Leafstalks, of about 1.5 m (5 ft),
broaden to surround and sheath stem.
The flowers are born in large-stalked panicles revealed
when the leaf-sheaths beneath them drop off, with
abundant blue-violet fruit are small, obovoid, and
without stalks.The fruits are oblong-ellipsoid, blackish
at maturity, and about 3/4 in. long, 3/8 in diameter.
Roystonea oleraceae has ascending leaves, giving the
crown a somewhat flat appearance.
Hardiness zones 10-11 (1°C/35°F, 4°C/40°F) in winter.
Prefers a sunny, moist position, and doesn't mind wet
feet. The plants like a rich soil. Water regularly but do
not over water.
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