Alexander palm, Alexandra Palm, King palm
Archontophoenix alexandrae

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A tall slender palm. It has a single stem and feather like leaves. These fronds arch over and the drooping leaflets are silvery grey underneath. The trunk is grey and can be 30 m tall. It is 25 cm across. The trunk is swollen at the base and has rings of leaf scars on it. The leaves are 2-3 m long and 60-90 cm wide. The leaf stalk is smooth and has a sheathing base forming a 1 m long crown-shaft. The leaflets are 30-45 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. They are evenly and closely spaces and point forward. The central vein is yellow and raised on the upper surface. The flowering stalk is large and branched. The small branches hang downwards carrying flowers. The flowering stalk can be 40-80 cm long. It is immediately below the crown-shaft and it is yellow. The 2 large pale green pointed leaf-like bracts fall before the flowers open. The flowers have male and female flowers on the same stalk. They are cream and about 8 mm across. Fruit are green but turn red when ripe. They are oval and 10-15 mm long. They have a smooth waxy surface. They contain a single fibrous seed with a fleshy layer around it.

There are 6 Archontophoenix species. Archontophoenix species can hybridise.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and subtropical plant. It occurs in rainforests often along stream banks. It suits humid locations. In northern Australia is grows from sea level to 1200 m altitude. They need well-drained soils. They cannot stand frost. It is damaged by drought. It suits lightly shaded positions. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), East Africa, Haiti, Hawaii, Indochina, Indonesia, Pacific, SE Asia, Singapore, Southern Africa, Thailand, USA, West Indies, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The young bud or cabbage can be eaten raw. As this would kill the palm it is not normally done. The fruit can be cooked and eaten. They need processing.

Edible parts

Cabbage, palm heart, fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from fresh seed. They germinate in 3 months. Seedlings transplant easily. Seed germination is increased by soaking in water for 24-72 hours. It is also further improved by treating for 72 hours with 100 or 1000 ppm of gibberellic acid.

Seedlings grow quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Bira mundtha, Palem aleksander

Synonyms

Ptychosperma alexandrae F. Mueller; Archontophoenix alexandrae var. beatrice (F. Mueller) L.H. Bailey;