Ptychosperma cuneatum

Ptychosperma cuneatum is a slim feather palm of the lowland rainforest understorey near Lake Sentani in northern New Guinea, listed as Endangered. Its pencil-thin stems carry broad, wedge-shaped leaflets whose tips look bitten off, much like those of a fishtail palm.

The small fruits ripen black. It suits small, shaded tropical gardens but remains uncommon in collections.

At a glance

• Native range: northern New Guinea
• Mature size: 3–5 m
• Growth rate: fast
• Light: shade or light shade, particularly when young
• Water: plentiful; tolerates occasional waterlogging
• Cold hardiness: no frost tolerance; minimum about +2 °C
• Indoors / outdoors: outdoors in humid tropical and warm subtropical gardens; under glass elsewhere

Care

Give it shade, shelter from strong wind and plenty of water. It grows well in sandy soil when fertilised regularly. Keep it frost-free.

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