| Solitary pinnate palms from the South Pacific Islands, Clinostigma are
normally quite tall with gorgeous pendant leaflets and prominent crownshafts. They often form stilt roots at the base of their
trunks. Rainforest palms, Clinostigma generally need protection when young but emerge to full sun conditions as
they mature. They do not like alkaline soils, so organic matter and mulches are important. |
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1. C. exorrhizum
Height: up to 70 feet
Size of Crown: 30 feet (15’ leaves) |
| Cultural requirements and other comments: The trunk of this palm
can grow up to one foot in diameter and is supported by stilt roots that can be 10 feet long. The leaf crown is quite beautiful,
the leaves rarely falling below the horizontal, with pendulant leaflets. |
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click to enlarge |
2. C. harlandii
Height: 80 feet
Size of crown: 30 feet |
| Cultural requirements and other comments: A cone of 6-foot long
stilt roots supports the trunk; the crownshaft is glaucous green at its base and whitish green near its summit. The leaf crown
is similar to exhorrhizum. |
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click to enlarge |
3. C. ponapense
Height: up to 60 feet in habitat
Size of Crown: 30 feet |
| Cultural requirements and other comments: The trunk is
beautifully ringed, light grayish green in its older parts and a light green under the crownshaft, which is a gorgeous uniform
green color. A four-foot cone of stilt roots supports the trunk of the mature palm. |
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Click to Enlarge |
4. C. samoense
Height: 50 feet
Size of crown: 30-40 feet |
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Cultural requirements and other comments: Once established,
C. samoense is fast growing, with a glaucous green trunk that maintains a ‘chalky’ appearance even when mature. The
leaves are pendulant, giving the crown a wonderful appearance. The immature leaves are entire and divide after a year or two in
the ground. The younger palms need either some wind protection or patience from the grower. Some claim that there is no more
beautiful palm species than this.
An interesting note on the samoense is that taxonomists are now calling the samoense that we are growing in Hawaii
C. species ‘Eastern Upolu’! We’ll let you know if or as soon as our palms get their new name! |
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5. C. savoryanum
Height: 40 feet
Size of crown: 25 to 30 feet |
Cultural requirements and other comments:
Smaller than the other Clinostigma, C.
savoryanum has a four to five foot slender
crownshaft, slightly bulging at its base, which is very
light green or even white in color. The leaves are
hemispherical in profile, slightly arching and
pendulous. Like all the Clinostigma this species
is a wonderful addition to a tropical garden.
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