Carpoxylon Palm

Carpoxylon Palm (Carpoxylon macrospermum) is one of the rarest palms in cultivation, native to Vanuatu and once thought lost in the wild. In an Australian garden it makes about 8m over ten to fifteen years, with a crown roughly 4m across and arching fronds on a clean ringed trunk. It is slow and expensive, and worth it, because few palms combine this presence with roots quiet enough to plant beside a pool.

Why you'll love it

• A palm most people have never seen. Genuinely rare in cultivation, so it reads as a collector's plant rather than another common landscape palm.
• Non invasive roots. The root system stays fibrous and contained, which is what makes it safe near pool shells, paving and paths.
• Coastal and wind tolerant. Salt air, sea wind and heat are all handled, unusual for a palm with fronds this soft looking.
• Very little upkeep. Beyond water, feeding and removing old fronds it asks for nothing, and never needs shaping.

Where it works best

Poolside planting. Non invasive roots and a single self supporting trunk make it one of the safer palms close to a pool surround, giving height without dropping heavy debris.

Feature planting. One specimen in a courtyard or beside an entry is the right use. It has enough character to carry a space alone, and grouping rare palms wastes the effect.

Coastal gardens. Salt and wind tolerance mean it holds up on exposed beachside blocks where more delicate palms brown at the tips.

Growing Carpoxylon Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun once established, with light shade helping while it is young. This is a tropical and subtropical palm only. It is frost tender, so anywhere that gets a genuine frost is out, and cool temperate gardens will not hold it through winter.

Soil. Rich, free draining and moisture retentive. Work compost through a wide planting area and mulch 75mm deep, back from the trunk base. It dislikes heavy waterlogged clay.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers and keep it consistently moist thereafter, as it is not a dry climate palm. Apply a controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer.

Pruning. Remove fronds only once they have browned off completely, cutting close to the trunk. Stripping green fronds weakens a palm and can leave the crown permanently thin.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in two sizes: 400mm pots and advanced 75L specimens. The 400mm plants are juveniles, usually a cluster of fronds with no trunk yet formed, and they need patience given how slowly this species moves. The 75L specimens arrive with a developing trunk and real presence, and suit a finished space where the palm is the focal point.

Palms travel with their fronds tied and can look creased on arrival, which settles within a fortnight. Plants are delivered Australia wide with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A guide to palm tree varieties
• Browse the full palm range
• Compare plants suited to poolside gardens
• See more exotic and rare plants

Common questions

How tall will it get in my garden?

About 8m over ten to fifteen years in Australian conditions. It reaches well over 20m in its native Vanuatu, but our climate and growing season keep it far more manageable.

Can I plant it close to a pool?

Yes. The roots are non invasive, so it is one of the more sensible palms for a pool surround. Allow enough clearance for the mature crown, which spreads to about 4m.

Will it survive a cold snap?

It is frost tender and belongs only in tropical and subtropical gardens. Cold nights check its growth and frost damages the crown, which a palm recovers from slowly if at all.