Henry's Palm

Henry's Palm (Pelagodoxa henryana) is one of the rarest palms in cultivation, and one of the most striking. It carries enormous undivided leaves, a broad paddle of green up to 2m long, on a single slender trunk that reaches around 5m in time with a 3m spread. This is a collector's palm from the Marquesas Islands, and it needs a warm, humid, sheltered position to look the way it should.

Why you'll love it

• Leaves unlike any other palm. The fronds stay whole rather than splitting into leaflets, giving a broad rippled paddle that reads as a single shape from across a garden.
• Genuinely rare. Pelagodoxa is scarce in the wild and uncommon in Australian gardens, so this is a plant few visitors will have seen before.
• Modest final size. At about 5m tall and 3m wide it stays well within the scale of a courtyard, unlike most feature palms.

Where it works best

Feature planting in a tropical garden. Give it a warm sheltered pocket with filtered light, surrounded by lower foliage that keeps the humidity up around the crown. One plant is the whole statement.

Pots and containers. A large pot suits it well and is the only sensible way to grow it outside the tropics and subtropics, since it can be moved into a warm, humid, protected spot for winter.

Growing Henry's Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Tropical and subtropical gardens only. Part shade or filtered light suits it best, particularly while young, and it is frost tender at any age. It stands up to wind well enough, though the huge undivided leaves will tear at the margins in an exposed spot, so shelter keeps them whole.

Soil. Rich, well drained and full of organic matter. Work compost through a wide planting area and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and humidity. Keep the soil consistently moist through the warm months and never let it dry right out. High humidity is not optional with this palm, so group it with other plants, mulch heavily and water the surrounding ground on hot days.

Feed and grooming. A controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer, applied at the recommended rate. Remove only fully brown fronds, cutting them close to the trunk, since a palm draws nutrients back out of a dying leaf.

What to expect when it arrives

This palm is sold in one size, a young plant in a 100mm pot or tube. It will be a seedling with two or three entire leaves, not a trunked specimen, and that is the normal way a palm this rare is supplied. Pot it on into a larger container and grow it under shade for its first year or two before it goes into the ground.

Growth is slow. Expect several years before a trunk is visible and a good decade before it approaches full height, so buy it as a long term project rather than an instant effect. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our overview of palm tree varieties.
• Browse the full palm range.
• See more exotic and rare plants.
• Find companions in the tropical plant range.

Common questions

Will it grow outside the tropics?

In the ground, only in tropical and subtropical gardens. Anywhere cooler it needs to be a potted plant kept warm, humid and frost free, which is a real commitment rather than a casual one.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, even in ideal conditions. A seedling takes several years to build a visible trunk, and warmth, humidity and consistent moisture make more difference to the pace than feeding does.

Why do the leaves split?

Wind is the usual cause. Fronds start whole and tear along the veins with exposure and age, which is natural, though shelter keeps them intact far longer.