MACARTHUR PALM - WordPress.com€¦  · Web view · 2011-06-17MACARTHUR PALM. PTYCHOSPERMA MACARTHURII. Seletar C Club Hole 16 Seletar C Club Hole 10 . Metta IDAC Nouvelle Park.

MACARTHUR PALM

PTYCHOSPERMA MACARTHURII

Seletar C Club Hole 16 Seletar C Club Hole 10

Metta IDAC Nouvelle Park

Ptychosperma macarthurii is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family. It is found only in the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia. It is named after Sir William Macarthur of New South Wales, son of the Australian botanist Captain John Macarthur.

A population of this species near Darwin was previously named Ptychosperma bleeseri and thought to be due to habitat loss.

P. macarthurii is a small palm of moist rainforests and broad-leaved riverain gallery forests and favours light to moderate shade, a rich, moist loamy or sandy soil and a high humidity. In places where a large tree has fallen, letting in more light than is usual, this plant responds with great vigor. The leaf crowns become larger and the stems attain greater diameters.

Ptychosperma macarthurii, a species of the genus Ptychosperma, is an evergreen clustering palm of variable height with a slow to moderate growth rate, depending on the growing conditions and environment. It can reach up to 9.1 m (30 ft) tall, but generally grows between 3-6 m in height, with a frond spread between 1.8-3 m. It can be planted singly or in groups.

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Family: Arecaceae (Palmae)

Common Name: MacArthur Palm, Hurricane Palm

Synonym: Actinophloeus macarthurii, Kentia macarthurii

Origin: Australia, New Guinea

Leaf Colour: Green

Fruit Colour: Red

Description

Form

It is often growing in clumps as new plants arise from the base of the parent tree. The commonly cultivated P. macarthurii is considerably more vigorous than the Australian plants growing in the wild; it has numerous stems which attain greater diameters and broader pinnae. Stems can attain heights of up to 15m. but are commonly 5-8m.

Leaves

Extended above is a short light green crown shaft that supports a dense head of pinnate or feather-shaped fronds that are about 1-1.5 m long. Coloured medium to dark green, the pinnae or leaflets are linear-shaped and up to 30 cm long, with jagged tips or seemingly torn ends.

Flowers

Flowering is seasonal and begins in October or November but can be earlier and later depending on conditions and plant health. Emerging year round at the base of the crown shaft are clusters of branched flowering stalks, 0.6 m long, bearing inconspicuous off-white or whitish-green flowers that eventually develop into green fruits.

Fruits

The brilliant red fruit begin to ripen in January mostly, appearing until at least the present month, April. These fruits will ripen to a brilliant red tone, almost roundish-shaped and about 1.3 cm long. Truly attractive and showy in fabulous contrast with the cool and refreshing-looking green foliage.

Trunk

Popularly grown for its ornamental beauty, it is typically multi-trunked, with impressive clumps of upright and slender stems that are grey-coloured and ringed by leaf scars.

FLOWERING TIMINGS

J F M A M J J A S O N DLeavesFlowers XFruits X X X X X

Growing from Seeds

1. Collect seeds from below palm tree

2. Soak in water for 2 – 3 days, change water daily, remove the outer pulp and discard

3. Soak in water for 1 – 2 weeks. Change water daily.

4. Fill bottom of pot with LECA

5. Fill with potting mix

6. Arrange seeds on the top. Can also plant with skin on, but results not so good.

7. Cover with thin layer of potting mix

8. Water daily with sprayer. Seeds will germinate in 4 – 6 weeks

9. Add diluted liquid fertilizer once a month

10. Can last for 2 to 3 years