June, 2001's Palm of the Month is the Exotic Pananga kuhlii: The Ivory Cane Palm! A Zone 10 SE Asian Understorey Palm "Star!"

thewisegardener.com presents:

June, 2001's Palm of the Month!

Pinanga kuhlii: The Ivory Cane Palm of SE Asia

This month's TWG Palm of the Month is a palm that offers unusually gorgeous upright architectural structure; incredibly decorative "ivory-coloured" individual canes/trunks, and a highly "tropical look!" It has the clumping characteristic of Areca palms, but doesn't get as "rampant" in growth habit, as does the Areca, so it doesn't outgrow its appropriate chosen planting site!! The Pinanga Kuhlii is one one the Pinanga's hardiest family members so a winter minimum temperature of -2 C. (28 degrees F.), is NOT necessarily a fatal sentence of palm "death!" It can reliably survive out-of-doors in: SW & SE Florida (Zones 9B to 11); Extreme sw Coastal CA.; NE and even central Queensland, AU, all of the Caribbean Basin area (except highlands over 4,500'), and the northern 1/3 Coastal Zones of Africa & South America! It is a palm that provides beauty AND can be neglected!!

The Pinanga kuhlii is a native of Java & Sumatra, and it features a very nice tolerance for ANY soil type. It is not, however, salt tolerant, so beachside planting would not be a good idea. It only needs a moderate amount of light, so courtyard and atrium plantings would be fine! Also, try and keep your new Pinanga out of directly windward locations, as this IS primarily an understorey rainforest palm!

Feed your Pinanga kuhlii about twice a year, for enhanced vigour of top growth (a deeper green), and also, stronger roots! Any "Palm Special" Formula Fertiliser would be fine, along with occasional Mg & Mn Sulfate soil "drenches".

The Pinangas as a group have few "pest" problems, inherent to it, and the Ivory Cane Palm is no exception! It is a palm that you can plant, in appropriate hardiness, and rainfall zones, that you are sure to enjoy for many years, and will reward you, the owner, with superior decorative aspects, fairly low maintenance, and certainly, higher monetary value year after year! So plant your Ivory Cane Palm soon, and ENJOY your investment in beauty and tropical charm!

For all the above reasons, the Pinanga kuhlii justly deserves:

The Award of June's Palm of the Month!!

Paul, "The Wise Gardener!"