Licuala grandis (lik-oo-AH-lah GRAHN-dis) is an extremely elegant-looking, slow-growing palm hailing from the lowland rain forests of the Solomon Islands and the Vanuatu Islands close to Australia’s coast.
This perennial member of the Arecaceae (Palmae) Palm or Cycad household of crops additionally goes by the botanical title, Pritchardia grandis.
The Licuala crops’ frequent names embody:
- Ruffled Fan Leaf Palm
- Ruffled Lantan Palm
- Grosse Licuala Palm
- Vanuatu Fan Palm
- Ruffled Fan Palm
- Palas Payung
- Vanuatu Fan
- Palas Kipas
- Palas Palm
- Ray Palm
- Palas
Licuala Grandis Palm Care
Dimension & Development
Ruffled Fan Leaf Palm is a slow-growing plant that may attain a top of 15’ within the wild. Nonetheless, when saved as a container plant indoors, these engaging palms normally high out at 6’ to 10’.
Ruffled Lantan palm has very massive, lovely leaves. Every spherical leaf is about 22” throughout. The shiny leaves are undivided and pleated with notched edges. Take care when dealing with these inflexible leaves as a result of the sides are very sharp and might reduce you.
The lengthy, agency fronds that help the leaves are additionally a bit harmful as they’ve a row of curved thorns on the base the place the leaf’s stem meets the slim wood trunk of the tree.
Licuala Palm leaves are few. A tree could have solely a few dozen leaves. Even so, the scale and dramatic construction of the leaves make the tree appear fairly full.
Flowering & Perfume
Palas Palm produces fairly drooping clusters of aromatic white, cream-colored, or yellow blossoms early in the summertime. The blooms are engaging to pollinators and final properly into midsummer after they transition into arduous, shiny inexperienced fruits.
Because the marble-sized fruits mature, they flip vibrant pink. Every fruit homes a single seed. The Licuala fruit will not be edible for people, however birds and fruit bats prefer it.
Gentle & Temperature
Grosse Licuala Palm ought to be saved in low to reasonable gentle when it’s small and younger, simply as it will be on the forest ground within the wild. Because of this it makes such an excellent houseplant when it’s small. Nonetheless, this slow-growing palm tree will do very properly in an indoor setting that gives constant heat and oblique, vibrant gentle.
When the tree matures, it may be set outside throughout heat climate or planted within the panorama in USDA hardiness zones 10b and above. It’s possible you’ll place the tree in partial shade to full solar right now. Simply watch out to guard it from excessive winds and sudden temperature modifications.
Absolutely mature bushes can tolerate transient intervals of chilly climate as little as 32° levels Fahrenheit. Very best temperatures for this plant vary from 70° to 88° levels Fahrenheit.
Watering & Feeding
The Licuala Palm does properly with rare, deep watering. Enable the highest couple of inches of the soil to dry after which water totally. Mist the plant two or 3 times per week to maintain humidity ranges snug.
Fertilize Palas Payung evenly all through the rising season. You’ll be able to both give it a diluted dose of liquid fertilizer as soon as a month in the course of the rising season or give the plant a full dose of a slow-release fertilizer as soon as early within the spring and a pair extra instances by the summer season. An NPK ranking of 15-5-10 is greatest.
Let the plant relaxation within the winter. Don’t fertilize throughout this time.
Soil & Transplanting
Vanuatu Fan Palm is tolerant of all kinds of soil at any pH degree, so long as it’s well-draining. A combination of wealthy natural compost, humus, and sand is right. A sandy soil works properly.
Even when it has not outgrown its pot, repot each couple of years to offer your Licuala palm with contemporary soil and vitamins.
- Take away the plant from its pot
- Brush previous soil off the roots
- Wash the container
- Refill it with contemporary soil
- Return your Licuala grandis to its unique house
In case your Licuala has outgrown its pot, make sure you give it a bit larger, heavier pot to forestall it from taking a tumble. One of the best time to repot is early within the springtime.
Grooming & Upkeep
Prune away lifeless or broken fronds as wanted. Put on heavy gardening gloves and lengthy sleeves when performing this activity to forestall harm. Goggles can also be so as.
Extra On Palm Care
How To Propagate Licuala Grandis
Propagate Licuala palms from seed. Should you resolve to develop this plant from seed, you’ll have to:
- Begin in late winter or early in spring.
- Sow the seed right into a 50-50 mixture of moist perlite and peat
- Place the germination tray in an space that receives vibrant, oblique daylight Preserve a gradual temperature above 75° levels Fahrenheit
- Preserve the germination combination moist and watch for 3-6 months!
Licuala Grandis Pests or Illnesses
When saved as a houseplant, Licuala palms could be suffering from frequent houseplant pests when overwatered or in any other case saved in lower than ultimate situations.
- Extreme watering and funky temperatures could result in root rot.
- An excessive amount of direct daylight could scorch and burn the crops’ leaves.
Is the Licuala Thought-about Poisonous or Toxic to Folks, Children, Pets?
Licuala Palm is considerably poisonous to cats, canine, and other people if ingested. It’s also considerably hazardous to eat because the leaves are very sharp, and the stems are spiny. Ingestion may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal misery, together with bodily harm.
Is the Licuala Thought-about Invasive?
This plant will not be invasive in North America.
Instructed Licuala Grandis Makes use of
Relying in your local weather, Ruffled Licuala Fan Palm is an efficient alternative as a houseplant, container plant, or panorama plant. Nonetheless, take into account that smaller palms with sharp leaves at low ranges could also be a bit harmful, so place these crops in areas that don’t get frequent foot visitors.
As a result of these palms are very engaging to birds, fruit bats, and different pollinators, they make a superb centerpiece for a fowl and wildlife backyard in a tropical setting.
