Black Palm, Dowar, Queensland black palm
Normanbya normanbyi

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

A tall solitary palm. It grows about 20 m high. The trunk is light grey and 10-15 cm across. It has distinct rings. The crown-shaft is mealy white. The crown is round and made up of 9-12 arching fronds. It is a feather leafed palm with leaflets in a radiating arrangement. The leaves are 2-2.5 cm long. The leaflets are dark green above and white underneath. The leaflets are wedge shaped. The flowering stalk arises below the crown-shaft. They are 50 cm long. Flowers are of one sex but both sexes occur on the one stalk. Single plants can produce fertile seed. The fruit are 4-5 cm long by 3 cm across. The fruit are deep pink to red. Each fruit contains one seed.

There is only one Normanbya species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They grow in tropical and subtropical locations. It grows naturally in rainforests often near swamps in NE Queensland. It needs warm, humid conditions. Plants are damaged by frosts. They are sensitive to sunburn for the first 3-5 years. It grows up to 500 m above sea level. In Adelaide Botanical Gardens hot house. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Hawaii, Indonesia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Singapore

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Cabbage, fruit, palm heart

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seeds germinate sporadically. Seeds take 2-3 months to germinate with some taking 12 months. Seedlings transplant easily.

It grows quickly.

Its other names

Local names

Palem hitam, Palem normanbya

Synonyms

Cocos normanbyi W. Hill; Ptychosperma normanbyi (W. Hill) F. Muell.; and others