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Beccariophoenix alfredii, the high plateau coconut palm, is a tall, coconut-like palm from Madagascar that tolerates cold better than most palms. It grows best in full sun in well-drained, sandy soil.
Beccariophoenix alfredii, also known as the high plateau coconut palm, is a recently discovered species of Arecaceae (palms), endemic to Madagascar. It is in the genus Beccariophoenix, and is closely related to the genus Cocos. Beccariophoenix alfredii is very similar in appearance to the coconut palm, although somewhat cold hardy, making it a good look-alike for the coconut in cooler climates.
Due to its overall hardiness, B. alfredii is a good candidate for cultivation in central and northern Florida, southern California, south Texas, southern Arizona and also locations such as Sydney, Australia, and the North Island of New Zealand. It is best grown in sandy loam soils, but is suitable to many other soil types. It can be expected that after it is less new to cultivation, it may become extremely popular worldwide due to its coconut look-alike status, moderate growth rate, and cold hardiness. Mid-size specimens to 40 feet tall are common in Central Florida.
Beccariophoenix alfredii occurs in the High Plateau of Madagascar at approximately 20° S. The palm is found at an elevation of 1,050 m (3,440 ft) growing along the sandy riverbeds. The surrounding vegetation is mainly composed of various grasses, and the area sees occasional fires. Due to the environment that B. alfredii is subjected to, it is hardy against frost and cold, fire, drought, and full sun. The seeds of B. alfredii are an important food source for lemurs, notably the black lemur, as the seeds ripen between the months of March and June, a time of relative scarcity of food in the area. Lemurs therefore play an important role in the seed dispersal in Madagascar. Indeed, germination trials found that seeds which passed through the gut of lemurs sprouted faster and in greater numbers than seeds not eaten by lemurs. Thus, it seems highly likely that lemurs are the main seed dispersers of B. madagascariensis and B. alfredii.
Beccariophoenix fenestralis · Manarano palm · Beccariophoenix
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Beccariophoenix alfredii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
