Archontophoenix cunninghamiana 'Illawarra'

This is the form of the bangalow palm offered as 'Illawarra'. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana is a slender, single-stemmed feather palm with a smooth green crownshaft, found wild from central Queensland to the south coast of New South Wales, further south than any other member of its genus.

Its leaflets are green on both faces, and in season lilac to purple flower clusters hang beneath the crownshaft before ripening into bunches of glossy scarlet fruit. The notes below describe the species.

At a glance

• Native range: eastern Australia (Queensland and New South Wales)
• Mature size: commonly 20–25 m in habitat; about 9 m with a 3.7 m spread is typical for a garden specimen in southern Florida
• Growth rate: fast
• Light: full sun or half shade; young plants tolerate shade
• Water: generous, with no objection to damp or poorly drained ground
• Cold hardiness: brief frosts to about −4 °C once established
• Indoors / outdoors: outdoors, in a sheltered garden position

Care

A rich, deep soil and regular watering bring out its best, and a palm fertiliser keeps the crown a healthy green. Its broad leaves tear in strong wind, so give it some shelter. The palm sheds its old fronds by itself. Plant it out from the pot with minimal root disturbance, since established specimens do not transplant well.

Why Palmpedia: Greenhouse-grown by us in Almeirim, Portugal, and supplied in 15 L to 35 L pots.