Kerriodoxa elegans

Kerriodoxa elegans, the white elephant palm, is a spineless understorey fan palm and the only member of its genus. It is endemic to peninsular Thailand, known from just two areas, Phuket and Khao Sok National Park, and is listed as Endangered.

Its almost perfectly round leaves, up to about 2 m across, are deep green above and chalky white beneath, carried on near-black stalks. Described only in 1983, it remains scarce because male and female plants are needed for seed.

At a glance

• Native range: peninsular Thailand
• Mature size: 1–4 m, exceptionally to 10 m
• Growth rate: slow; a trunk develops late
• Light: shade
• Water: constantly moist but free-draining soil
• Cold hardiness: no harm reported at 1 °C; leaves are damaged by frost
• Indoors / outdoors: a shade palm for warm gardens; also grown as a house or conservatory plant

Care

Drainage is the key: plants on raised, free-draining ground grow far better than those in soil that floods. Keep it warm and moist, and shelter it from wind, which shreds the large, thin leaves. Because height increase is minimal for many years, even mature plants stay in scale with small gardens.

Why Palmpedia: Every plant is grown in our greenhouse in Almeirim, Portugal, and leaves us in a 15 L to 35 L pot.