Chambeyronia oliviformis

Chambeyronia oliviformis is a tall, single-stemmed crownshaft palm endemic to central Grande Terre, New Caledonia. Mature trees stand clear of the forest canopy, carrying a compact crown of eight to ten stiffly ascending leaves above a pale green crownshaft.

White, felt-like scales on the young leaf bases, a pale green new leaf and small, olive-shaped red fruits help identify it.

Formerly known as Kentiopsis oliviformis, the name it carried for nearly 150 years.

At a glance

• Native range: New Caledonia
• Mature size: 25–30 m in the wild
• Growth rate: slow as a seedling, much faster once a trunk forms
• Light: moderate, filtered shade when young; full sun once mature
• Water: generous watering
• Cold hardiness: USDA zone 9b (about −1 to −4 °C) when young plants are grown under a protective canopy
• Indoors / outdoors: outdoors in subtropical and mild gardens

Care

Water generously; extra irrigation and fertiliser noticeably speed growth. Young plants need shade and adapt to full sun gradually. Plants have proved fairly wind-firm. When planting, keep the upper third of the curved root base, or heel, above soil level.

Why Palmpedia: Grown in our greenhouse in Almeirim, Portugal, and supplied in 15 L to 35 L pots.