~ Arecastrum romanzofianum ~
Queen Palm
Height: 50'-60' Growth rate: Fast Climate zones: 8-17 to 22° Origin: Brazil
The Queen Palm is native to rainforest regions of Brazil and Argentina. I consider this palm somewhat of a miracle tree. Firstly, most palms from rainforest regions can not handle full, low humidity California sun, but the Queen revels in it, even as a seedling. Secondly, it is remarkably cold hardy for a rainforest palm- 22 degrees with little or no damage at maturity, recovering from hard freezes in the mid teens. Thirdly, the Queen transplants as easy as any palm with hardly any setback. Lastly, if given its simple requirements of mucho agua and moderate fertilizer, the Queen grows like an absolute weed- albeit the most beautiful weed you have ever seen.
Although recommended for all Northern California low elevation zones 8-17, caution should be used in the coldest microclimate pockets of zones 8-14 where temperatures regularly drop below 20 degrees. The Queen is a pinnate beauty with plumose, gracefully arching, spineless fronds of dark green color. The trunk is 12" - 24" thick and ringed. Flowers are a striking ivory with orange colored, sweetly edible fruit which is made into jelly in its indigenous region of South America. The Queen is a fast grower and can grow 2-3 feet per year to an ultimate height of 50-60 feet. Rarely, Butia Capitata will hybridize with the Queen Palm producing offspring known as "Butiagrus nabondii" which I consider to be the most beautiful palm which can be grown in Northern California. See several examples of this exceptional hybrid at Lake Merrit's Garden Center in Oakland.
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