Coccothrinax crinita Old Man Palm1
Edward F. Gilman2
Introduction
This Cuba native is well known for its stiff, beige-colored hairs densely borne along the entire length of the single, thick trunk. Palmately lobed, simple leaves appear compound and are delicately borne on short, thin petioles.
General Information
Scientific name: Coccothrinax crinita
Pronunciation: koe-koe-THRYE-nacks krin-NEE-tuh
Common name(s): Old Man Palm
Family: Arecaceae
Plant type: palm; tree
USDA hardiness zones: 10B through 11 (Fig. 1)
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round
Origin: not native to North America
Uses: specimen; container or above-ground planter; recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway
Availability: grown in small quantities by a small number of nurseries
Description
Height: 10 to 15 feet
Spread: 6 to 10 feet
Plant habit: upright
Plant density: open
Growth rate: slow
Texture: coarse
Foliage
Leaf arrangement: spiral
Leaf type: simple
Leaf margin: entire
Leaf shape: star-shaped
Figure 1.
Shaded area represents potential planting range.
[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]
Leaf venation: palmate
Leaf type and persistence: evergreen
Leaf blade length: 18 to 36 inches
Leaf color: silver/gray
Fall color: no fall color change
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower
Flower color: yellow
Flower characteristic: summer flowering
Fruit
Fruit shape: round
Fruit length: .5 to 1 inch
Fruit cover: fleshy
Fruit color: purple
Fruit characteristic: inconspicuous and not showy
Trunk and Branches
Trunk/bark/branches: usually with one stem/trunk; no thorns
Current year stem/twig color: not applicable
Current year stem/twig thickness: not applicable
Culture
Light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun; plant grows in the shade
Soil tolerances: clay; acidic; well-drained; sand; loam
Drought tolerance: moderate
Soil salt tolerances: unknown
Plant spacing: not applicable
Other
Roots: usually not a problem
Winter interest: no special winter interest
Outstanding plant: plant has outstanding ornamental features and could be planted more
Invasive potential: not known to be invasive
Pest resistance: long-term health usually not affected by pests
Use and Management
One Old Man Palm may be all that is needed in a small landscape, but they can be planted in mass if room and budget permit. They appear to be standing like soldiers with their stiff, bearded trunks emerging straight from the ground. Good drought and salt tolerance makes them well adapted for planting along the seashore with some protection.
Pests and Diseases
There appears to be no major pest or disease problems.
Footnotes
This document is FPS133, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date October 1999. Revised June 2007. Reviewed June 2011. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
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