Syagrus weddelliana, the miniature coconut palm
Syagrus weddelliana
- Exposures
- Sun, Half-shade
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 9b (-3.9°C ≤ T° < -1.1°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Arecaceae
- Genus
- Syagrus
- Species
- Syagrus weddelliana
Other names:Cocos weddelliana, Calappa elegantissima, Glaziova elegantissima, Lytocaryum weddellianum, Microcoelum weddellianum
With palms, you're considered a half-portion even if you're several meters tall! Such is the case with Syagrus weddeliana, a palm native to Brazil and nicknamed a miniature coconut palm, despite its two-meter height.
How to recognize Syagrus weddelliana, the miniature coconut palm?
Syagrus weddelliana is two or even three meters tall. It is an upright palm.
Like syagrus comosa, the miniature coconut has a single stipe. It reaches a maximum diameter of ten centimetres. Light gray to grayish-brown, its bark is smooth despite leaf scars.
The false trunk is topped by a crown of pinnate, curved leaves. Palms measure up to 1.5 m in length and are made up of a multitude of leaflets. Thin and narrow, they are no more than 25 centimetres long and only one or two wide. Bright green on the upper surface, the foliage is lighter on the reverse.
Syagrus weddelliana is nicknamed the miniature coconut palm because of its size. But there's nothing miniature about its flowering. The 50-centimetre inflorescences bear clusters of cream or pale yellow flowers.
After pollination, Syagrus weddelliana produces oval fruits with a coconut-like flavor. They measure one to two centimetres. Their color changes from green to yellow to red as the fruit ripens.
Like many palms, the miniature coconut is reputed to be non-toxic. It would not present any danger in the event of contact or ingestion.
Our care tips
Syagrus weddelliana are particularly sensitive to cold and excess water. When watered regularly and protected from frost, these plants are easy to care for.
Watering
Syagrus weddelliana like to keep their feet cool, but can't stand soggy soil. Water when the substrate is dry on the surface, for about three centimetres.
To provide your plant with the nutrients it needs, give preference to rainwater. Avoid tap water, which is often too hard. Finally, to avoid damaging the roots, use water at room temperature.
If you use a saucer or planter, remove any stagnant water. It could rot the root system.
Misting
Your Syagrus weddelliana appreciates high humidity. Spray the foliage with non-calcareous water at room temperature.
Repotting
In spring, transfer your Syagrus weddelliana to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.
Choose a deep, pierced pot. This will prevent the container from tipping under the weight of your Syagrus weddelliana and allow the root system to develop.
Mix green potting soil (50%), sand (25%) and heather soil (25%). Place a layer at the bottom of the pot. Plant your Syagrus weddelliana in the center and add substrate. Stop a few centimetres below the edge to form a watering trough.
Water copiously to expel air bubbles and facilitate rooting.
Fertilization
You can stimulate the development of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.
Addliquid green plant fertilizer to watering water.
Cleaning
Using a clean, damp cloth, clean the top and bottom of the leaves. This removes dust and limits the appearance of pests.
Prune
To encourage the growth of your Syagrus weddelliana, prune regularly.
Remove dry palms by cutting them off at the base. Use clean pruning shears to prevent the spread of disease.
Planting
Choose a secluded, sunny location. Half-shade may also be suitable. Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. Soak your Syagrus weddelliana to rehydrate it.
Prepare a mixture of garden soil (50%), sand (25%) and compost or heather soil (25%). Place a layer of this substrate at the bottom of the hole. Plant your Syagrus weddelliana and fill in with your mixture. Use the remaining soil to form a watering trough.
Water to encourage rooting and eliminate air bubbles. You can also mulch the base with pebbles or organic matter to retain moisture and reduce watering.
Sowing
Your seedlings need warmth. Summer is the best time to get started.
Soak seeds for 48 hours in lukewarm water.
Obtain a deep pierced pot with a capacity of at least one liter.
Fill it with a mixture of heather soil (50%) and sand (50%).
Plant one or two seeds in each pot. Bury them two centimetres deep.
Seedlings take better if they are stifled. Enclose your pot in a mini-mirror or cover it with a plastic bag or half a clear bottle. Place in a bright, warm place (at least 25°C).
Keep your seedlings moist by misting the substrate regularly. Aerate for a few minutes each day to prevent rotting.
Disease / Threat
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposures
- SunHalf-shade
- Substrate
- Humus soil
- Planting methods
- Open groundIn potsIn tubs
- Category
- Indoor
- Tag
- Large pot
- Origin
- South America
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 9b (-3.9°C ≤ T° < -1.1°C)
- Leaf colors
- Dark greenLight green
- Flower colors
- Pale yellowCream
- Fruit colors
- Light greenRedYellow
Discover plants from the same family
Find out more
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
