Chrysalidocarpus leptocheilos

Chrysalidocarpus leptocheilos, the teddy bear palm, is a single-trunked feather palm from Madagascar, famous for the thick coat of soft, rust-red felt that clothes its crownshaft.

Above a slender, pale, closely ringed trunk it carries very long, almost stalkless leaves whose narrow leaflets droop and twist, giving the head a tousled look. Named from a cultivated tree, it was only later found wild along rivers in western and north-western Madagascar.

Formerly known as Dypsis leptocheilos.

At a glance

• Native range: western and north-western Madagascar
• Mature size: up to 10 m; about 7.5–9 m in California
• Growth rate: medium to fast
• Light: bright filtered light to full sun; some shade in hot inland areas
• Water: plenty, especially in summer
• Cold hardiness: brief light frost of about −1 to −2 °C; leaves may be damaged but usually recover
• Indoors / outdoors: an outdoor palm for tropical and warm subtropical gardens

Care

Full sun usually gives the best-looking plants; in low light it becomes leggy. Water generously in the warmest months and feed regularly. It is not fussy about soil and copes with alkaline ground, but does best in fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly acid soil. Few pest or disease problems are recorded.

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