Plant Library

Other Names:  syn. Neodypsis decaryi

Description:

A small to medium sized, single trunked palm, featuring a three-ranked crown of keeled, upright, gray to blue-green leaves that arch at the tips; an elegant addition to the landscape; clusters of pale yellow flowers in spring, followed by white fruit

Ornamental Features

Triangle Palm is primarily valued in the landscape for its canopy of attractive foliage which towers high above the ground. It features dainty panicles of buttery yellow flowers held atop the branches from late winter to early spring. It has attractive bluish-green-variegated grayish green foliage with hints of silvery blue. The large narrow pinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter. The rough dark gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Triangle Palm is an evergreen tropical plant with a strong central leader and a towering form, with a high canopy of foliage concentrated at the top of the plant. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tropical plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Triangle Palm is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Triangle Palm will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a high canopy with a typical clearance of 6 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. As it matures, the lower branches of this tree can be strategically removed to create a high enough canopy to support unobstructed human traffic underneath. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 200 years or more; think of this as a heritage tropical plant for future generations!

This tropical plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America..

Triangle Palm is a fine choice for the yard, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, this plant may be too tender to survive the winter if left outdoors in a container. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.