Ptychosperma elegans
(R.Br.) Blume
Arecaceae
Actinophloeus capitis-yorki (H.Wendl. & Drude) Burret
Archontophoenix elegans (R.Br.) F.M.Bailey
Archontophoenix jardinei F.M.Bailey
Archontophoenix veitchii H.Wendl. & Drude
Pinanga smithii W.Hill
Ptychosperma capitis-yorki H.Wendl. & Drude
Ptychosperma jardinei (F.M.Bailey) F.M.Bailey
Ptychosperma seaforthii Miq.
Ptychosperma wendlandianum Burret
Saguaster capitis-yorki (H.Wendl. & Drude) Kuntze
Saguaster elegans (R.Br.) Kuntze
Seaforthia elegans R.Br.
Common Name:
General Information
Ptychosperma elegans is a single-stemmed, evergreen palm tree growing up to 15 metres tall[
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.
,
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
]. The slender, unbranched stem is topped by a crown of leaves that can each be up to 2.5 metres long.
The tree is harvested from the wild for its apical bud, which is eaten locally. It is widely grown as an ornamental[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
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.
Range
Australia - Queensland.
Habitat
Tropical rainforests[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
]. Often by rivers, near coastal swamps and mangroves, it can also be found at elevations up to 600 metres in gullies or even on ridges in the wetter areas[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
Properties
| Weed Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Habit | Evergreen Tree |
| Height | 10.00 m |
| Growth Rate | Medium |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Succeeds in full sun to partial shade[
710- Title
- Tropical Flowering Plants. A Guide to Identification and Cultivation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Llamas K.A.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Oregon.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0-88192-585-3
- Description
- A terse guide for the gardener to almost 1,500 species of ornamental tropical plants with brief details on their cultivation and, usually, a small photograph of good quality.
]. Prefers a well-drained soil[
710- Title
- Tropical Flowering Plants. A Guide to Identification and Cultivation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Llamas K.A.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Oregon.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0-88192-585-3
- Description
- A terse guide for the gardener to almost 1,500 species of ornamental tropical plants with brief details on their cultivation and, usually, a small photograph of good quality.
].
The plant has escaped from cultivation in Florida and become a weed there[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
A relatively fast-growing plant[
710- Title
- Tropical Flowering Plants. A Guide to Identification and Cultivation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Llamas K.A.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Oregon.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0-88192-585-3
- Description
- A terse guide for the gardener to almost 1,500 species of ornamental tropical plants with brief details on their cultivation and, usually, a small photograph of good quality.
].
This species hybridizes readily in cultivation with other species in the same genus[
710- Title
- Tropical Flowering Plants. A Guide to Identification and Cultivation.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Llamas K.A.
- Publisher
- Timber Press; Oregon.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0-88192-585-3
- Description
- A terse guide for the gardener to almost 1,500 species of ornamental tropical plants with brief details on their cultivation and, usually, a small photograph of good quality.
].
Edible Uses
Apical buds - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
301- Title
- Cornucopia II
- Publication
-
- Author
- Facciola. S.
- Publisher
- Kampong Publications, California.
- Year
- 1998
- ISBN
- 0-9628087-2-5
- Description
- The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc.
]. Harvesting this bud leads to the eventual death of the tree since it is unable to make sideshoots[
314- Title
- Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia.
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.pacsoa.org.au/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - if sown fresh, it germinates reliably within a few months[
694- Title
- Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6
- Publication
-
- Author
- Nicholson N. & H.
- Publisher
- Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales.
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- 9-78095894-3628
- Description
- Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
].
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
