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Bottle palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis)

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis is reported to be a small to medium-sized palm with a single stout, bottle-shaped trunk that is conspicuously swollen near the base.

LightIt prefers full sun; indoors, it needs bright light or a sunny position.
WaterThe soil is reported to be best kept moist without overwatering container-grown plants, while another account describes the plant as drought-tolerant.
HumidityIt prefers high humidity.
TemperatureA lower temperature of about 0 °C is reported from few sources. Sources differ on the reported USDA hardiness zone. A maximum temperature is reported, though the qualitative claim does not provide a renderable numerical
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Bottle palm illustration

Overview

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis is reported to be a small to medium-sized palm with a single stout, bottle-shaped trunk that is conspicuously swollen near the base.

Origin and habitat

Sources differ on its status as a species endemic to Round Island off Mauritius. It is suited to warm tropical to subtropical environments and prefers warm, humid conditions. It is reported to occur naturally on Round Island, Mauritius; wild populations declined greatly because of habitat destruction and the activity of goats and rabbits, and it is now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions.

Characteristics

Few sources report a mature height of about 304.8–609.6 cm. It grows slowly. Its pinnate leaves are reported to be relatively stiff and recurved, with leaflets arranged in an upward-opening V; the crown bears relatively few leaves, and young plants may show red or orange tones or red leaf margins before becoming dark green at maturity. The flowers are reported to be small and white to yellowish-white or off-white, on sometimes pendent inflorescences emerging near below the crownshaft and branching through several orders; sources differ in describing the small, nearly round to olive-shaped fruits, which change from green through orange to nearly black when mature.

Light

It prefers full sun; indoors, it needs bright light or a sunny position.

Watering

The soil is reported to be best kept moist without overwatering container-grown plants, while another account describes the plant as drought-tolerant.

Humidity and airflow

It prefers high humidity.

Temperature and dormancy

A lower temperature of about 0 °C is reported from few sources. Sources differ on the reported USDA hardiness zone. A maximum temperature is reported, though the qualitative claim does not provide a renderable numerical value. It is reported to tolerate brief light frost.

Growing medium and mounting

The soil is reported to be best kept moist, while container medium should not remain excessively wet for prolonged periods.

Propagation

It is reported to be propagated by seed.

Common problems

Overwatering is unfavorable in cultivation; in cold regions, container-grown plants should be moved indoors or to another protected, sunny position in winter. It is reported to be extremely sensitive to frost and cold, with even brief light frost capable of damaging the leaves; another account reports tolerance of tropical cyclones, drought, and salt spray.

Identification

Sources differ in describing its distinguishing features, but report a conspicuously swollen, bottle-shaped trunk with ring-shaped leaf scars, with the swelling near the base and tapering upward, distinguishing it from the spindle palm, whose trunk is swollen around the middle.

Photos

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
📷 Berthold Werner · Public domain · source
Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
📷 no rights reserved, uploaded by Simon Tonge · CC0 · source
Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
📷 Forest and Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · source

Sources