Bismarck palm
Bismarckia nobilis

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A large fan palm. It can be 60 m tall. It has a single trunk. The trunk is smooth and stout. The crown is large and heavy. The leaf blade may be 3 m across. The leaf stalk continues as a well developed rib into the leaf. The leaflets are spread out like fingers on a hand. The leaflets or segments are rigid and blue-green. The leaf stalk is covered by a woolly, waxy material. The leaf stalk splits are the base where it attaches to the trunk. There are separate male and female trees. The male flowers are very small and on curving crimson spikes. The female flowers are yellow. The fruit are about 3 cm across. They are brown when ripe.

There is only one Bismarckia species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It is native to Madagascar. It suits the drier subtropics. It needs sun and a well drained soil. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. Adelaide Botanical Gardens. It has some salt and drought tolerance. In Townsville palmetum.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Comoros, East Africa, India, Madagascar (country/location of origin), Mayotte, North America, SE Asia, Singapore, USA

How it is used for food

The stem starch is bitter but can be eaten.

Edible parts

Stem - starch, sago

How it is grown

Seeds are easy to germinate. Fresh seeds are used and the flesh stripped off. Germination takes 2 months. If it is planted in a pot it needs a deep pot. The seed leaves grow downwards before the tip turns upward. It is not easy to transplants and needs root pruning if transplanted.

It is fast growing.

Its other names

Local names

Satra, Satrana, Satranabe, Satrapotsy, Strabe

Synonyms

Medemia nobilis (Hildebrandt & H. Wendl.) Drude;