Trithrinax campestris

Trithrinax campestris, the caranday, is a small, fiercely armed fan palm of the dry forests and low mountains of central and northern Argentina and western Uruguay. Its rigid, blue-grey to silvery leaves, among the stiffest of any palm, end in sharp points, and its short stems are wrapped in spiny old leaf sheaths.

Growers prize it as one of the most cold-, drought- and wind-tolerant palms in cultivation, though it grows very slowly.

At a glance

• Native range: central and northern Argentina and western Uruguay
• Mature size: 1–4 m, occasionally to 6 m
• Growth rate: very slow
• Light: full sun
• Water: extremely drought tolerant; dislikes waterlogging
• Cold hardiness: about −12 °C for established plants
• Indoors / outdoors: outdoors in dry climates with cold winters

Care

Plant it in well-drained sandy, gravelly or rocky soil. Once established it resists drought, heat and strong wind. A hard frost while it is actively growing can make it drop its leaves. Its spines and sharp leaf tips call for careful siting.

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