If you would like to support this site, please consider Donating.
Useful Tropical Plants

Ceroxylon ceriferum

(H.Karst.) Pittier

Arecaceae

+ Synonyms

Beethovenia cerifera Engl.

Ceroxylon beethovenia Burret

Ceroxylon interruptum (H.Karst.) H.Wendl.

Ceroxylon klopstockia Mart.

Ceroxylon schultzei Burret

Iriartea klopstockia (Mart.) W.Watson

Iriartea nivea W.Watson

Klopstockia cerifera H.Karst.

Klopstockia interrupta H.Karst.

Common Name: Wax Palm

Ceroxylon ceriferum
Trees in Venezuela
Photograph by: Fred Stauffer'
Image credit to Palmweb
Ceroxylon ceriferum Ceroxylon ceriferum Ceroxylon ceriferum

General Information

Wax Palm is a tall, single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree, generally growing 10 - 25 metres tall but with some reports of trees up to 50 metres. The long, unbranched stem can be 25 - 30cm in diameter; it is covered by a thin layer of wax; and topped with a crown of 8 - 20 leaves that can each be up to 7 metres long[
768
Title
Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
Publication
 
Author
Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
Publisher
Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-691-08537-4
Description
An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wax, which is used locally.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
768
Title
Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
Publication
 
Author
Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
Publisher
Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-691-08537-4
Description
An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.

Range

S. America - Colombia, Venezuela.

Habitat

Cloud forests at high elevations up to 2,500 metres in the Andes[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
231
Title
Palms for Cooler Climates.
Publication
 
Author
McMillan-Browse. P.
Publisher
Trebah Enterprises.
Year
1993
ISBN
0 9521952 0 8
Description
An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height20.00 m
Growth RateSlow
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of high elevations in the tropical cloud forests.
Succeeds in most fertile moist but well-drained soils in a sheltered sunny position[
231
Title
Palms for Cooler Climates.
Publication
 
Author
McMillan-Browse. P.
Publisher
Trebah Enterprises.
Year
1993
ISBN
0 9521952 0 8
Description
An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. Requires a humus-rich soil with bright filtered light and cool high humidity[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Palms usually have deep penetrating root systems and generally establish best when planted out at a young stage. However, older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants[
231
Title
Palms for Cooler Climates.
Publication
 
Author
McMillan-Browse. P.
Publisher
Trebah Enterprises.
Year
1993
ISBN
0 9521952 0 8
Description
An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. In areas at the limit of their cold tolerance, therefore, it is prudent to grow the plants in containers for some years, giving them winter protection, and only planting them into their permanent positions when sheer size dictates[
231
Title
Palms for Cooler Climates.
Publication
 
Author
McMillan-Browse. P.
Publisher
Trebah Enterprises.
Year
1993
ISBN
0 9521952 0 8
Description
An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
]. Palms can also often be transplanted even when very large. Although the thick fleshy roots are easily damaged and/or desiccated, new roots are generally freely produced. It is important to stake the plant very firmly to prevent rock, and also to give it plenty of water until re-established - removing many of the leaves can also help[
231
Title
Palms for Cooler Climates.
Publication
 
Author
McMillan-Browse. P.
Publisher
Trebah Enterprises.
Year
1993
ISBN
0 9521952 0 8
Description
An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms must be grown if seed is required[
768
Title
Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
Publication
 
Author
Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
Publisher
Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-691-08537-4
Description
An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit. We have seen no reports for this species, but the fruit is probably edible[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A wax obtained from the trunk is used for making candles[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
].

The young leaves are often cut at Easter for use as decorations on Palm Sunday[
768
Title
Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas
Publication
 
Author
Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R.
Publisher
Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey.
Year
1995
ISBN
0-691-08537-4
Description
An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.
].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse at not less than 24°c[
188
Title
The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers
Publication
 
Author
Brickell. C.
Publisher
Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd.
Year
1990
ISBN
0-86318-386-7
Description
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
]. Stored seed is very slow to germinate. Pre-soaking the seed for 24 hours in warm water prior to sowing may shorten the germination time. Plants form a long tap-root some time before forming a shoot so the seed is best sown in groups of two or three in each deep pot, thinning if necessary to the best seedling. Germination of fresh seed usually takes place in 3 - 4 months at 25°c[
138
Title
Growing from Seed. Volume 3.
Publication
 
Author
Bird. R. (Editor)
Publisher
Thompson and Morgan.
Year
1989
ISBN
-
Description
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.
]. Grow on the plants in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters and plant out in the summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first few winters outdoors.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-06. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Ceroxylon+ceriferum>

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.