James Burghardt
Family
Arecaceae
Botanical Name
COCCOTHRINAX argentea
Plant Common Name
Hispaniola Silver Thatch Palm, Silver Palm
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
A graceful palm with its tall, star-shaped canopy of deeply cut leaves, the Hispaniola silver thatch palm flashes its silvery leaf undersides in the breeze. This evergreen, slow-growing palm is native to the grasslands and pine forests on the island of Hispaniola in the central Caribbean. It is sometimes called the Dominican silver thatch palm. It usually grows as a single-trunk plant, and is among the tallest growing species in the Coccothrinax genus.
The leaves are borne on fairly long petiole stems, which make the canopy look graceful in the wind. Each leaf blade is round with numerous deep, long and narrow segments that jut in nearly to the leaf's center. A deep, glossy green color is on the upper side, with a gray-silver color on the underside. Gray to black thatch litters the trunk. The short, branched flower stalks develop intermittently in the warmest months. They grow out just below the leafy canopy, filled with tiny yellowish ivory blossoms that later become round black fruits.
Grow Hispaniola silver thatch palm in as much direct sun as possible. It grows well in nearly any well-drained soil that is very warm and moist in summer, but drier from fall to early spring. It is always slow-growing, taking decades to reach tree-like heights. It tolerates drought, salt spray and alkaline soils with ease. It's not a palm for regions that receive winter frosts and freezes. Use this palm as an accent in a tropical rockery, seaside garden, or any sunny water-conservation landscape.
Compared to the Florida silver thatch palm (Coccothrinax argentata), the Hispaniola silver thatch palm is a bit faster growing, transplants more easily and has slightly less silvery leaf undersides.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 10
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Sunset Zone
H2, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Palm or Cycad
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
20'-30' / 6.1m - 9.1m
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Width
8'-15' / 2.4m - 4.6m
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Native To
Caribbean
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Insignificant
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Container, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
No
