Burretiokentia koghiensis

Burretiokentia koghiensis is a tall crownshaft palm known in the wild from a single mountain near Nouméa in New Caledonia, and listed as Critically Endangered. Its hallmarks are a white-felted crownshaft that is bright pink inside and new leaves that unfold red.

Small fruits ripen from white through pink to dark purple. Long grown as Burretiokentia sp. #83 before it was named in 1998, it remains rare in gardens.

At a glance

• Native range: New Caledonia (Mont Koghi massif)
• Mature size: 10–18 m in the wild; about 7.5 m expected in cultivation
• Growth rate: moderate
• Light: light to deep shade when young; full sun once mature
• Water: constantly moist conditions and plenty of water
• Cold hardiness: one nursery reports about −4 °C; another lists no frost tolerance, so treat it as frost-tender
• Indoors / outdoors: outdoors in frost-free climates; also suggested for pots and indoor culture

Care

Keep the soil moist at all times and give young plants shade, especially in hot, dry weather. It is moderately wind tolerant. Protect it from frost.

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