University of FloridaSolutions for Your Life

Download PDF
Publication #FOR 240

 

Dypsis decaryi, Triangle Palm1

Heather V. Quintana, Michael G. Andreu, Melissa H. Friedman, and Mary McKenzie2

Family

Arecaceae, palm family.

Genus

The history behind the genus name Dypsis is unknown.

Species

The species name decaryi is in honor of Raymond Decary, the person who first collected the palm.

Common Name

triangle palm

The common name of this palm comes from the triangular shape at the top of the trunk that is formed by three distinct points where fronds emerge.

Description

This palm is endemic to the southeasternmost part of Madagascar, and it thrives in poor, dry soils. In the United States, triangle palm is found in southern Florida, southern Texas, and the Hawaiian Islands. It can reach heights of 25 to 35 feet with a crown spread of 15 feet, and it grows best in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. The pinnately compound leaves or fronds can grow to 10 feet long, with the upper half of the leaf hanging or drooping. The bottom portion of the frond, known as the leaf petiole, is only 1 foot long and forms a cupped, triangular shape. Fronds grow from the top portion of the trunk in three distinct rows, creating the shape of a triangle as petioles stack on top of one another. Leaflets are bluish-green, about 2 feet long, have entire or smooth margins, and form a "V" shape as they sit opposite to one another on the rachis. The trunk is dark gray, stocky, and, though generally smooth, it has obvious leaf scars. Flowers are light yellow, between 4 to 5 feet long, and emerge near the lower leaves in the spring. Each fruit is 1 inch long, egg shaped, and green when immature and yellowish-white when ripe.

Applications

Commercial/Practical

In Madagascar, triangle palm seeds are harvested and sold in nurseries. This practice, coupled with its small endemic range, has contributed to the palm becoming threatened, as it is not able to regenerate without an adequate seed source.

Horticultural

In the United States, triangle palms often are planted as buffer strips near highways and used to accent residential landscapes. Wherever the palm is planted, its blue-green fronds and single grey trunk add a warm look, though some find the natural appearance of its fronds to be shaggy or ragged looking. While this palm is tolerant of direct sunlight, sweltering heat, poor and dry soils, and windy conditions, it is a slow-growing palm and horticulturalists have noted that it seems to do better when grown in nutrient-rich soils with regular watering. This palm is naturally resistant to pests but may require regular fertilization to prevent yellowing caused by potassium deficiencies.

References

Gilman, E. F. 1997. Trees for urban and suburban landscapes. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers.

Floridata.com. (1999). Neodypsis decaryi, Retrieved from http://www.floridata.com/ref/N/neod_dec.cfm

Riffle, R. L. and P. Craft. 2003. An encyclopedia of cultivated palms. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc.

Footnotes

1.

This document is FOR 240, one of a series of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date May 2010. Visit the EDIS Website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2.

Heather V. Quintana, research assistant, School of Forest Resources and Conservation; Michael G. Andreu, assistant professor of forest systems, School of Forest Resources and Conservation; Melissa H. Friedman, biological scientist, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, IFAS, University of Florida, Plant City Center; and Mary McKenzie, research assistant, School of Forest Resources and Conservation

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.