Spindle Palm

The Spindle Palm (Hyophorbe verschaffeltii) is named for the swollen, bottle shaped trunk that thickens through the middle and tapers below the crown. It is genuinely slow, reaching about 3m to 4m over ten to fifteen years with a canopy near 3m across. That pace is the point: a feature palm that stays in scale with a courtyard.

Why you'll love it

• The trunk is the feature. Few palms give you anything to look at below the fronds, so give this one a position where the trunk shows.
• Slow enough for a small garden. It will not overwhelm a courtyard or block a view within a decade.
• Safe beside paving and pools. Palm roots are fine and fibrous, so no lifted pavers and no pressure on a pool shell.
• Coastal, hot and dry all suit it. Salt wind, humidity and heat are no trouble, and an established palm handles dry spells.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single palm in lawn or gravel shows the trunk best. In a larger yard, three at staggered sizes read stronger than one specimen.

Poolside and coastal gardens. Allow about 1.5m from the coping so the crown clears the water. Salt exposed blocks suit it.

Pots and courtyards. A pot of 60cm or more holds one for years, because slow growth means little root pressure.

Growing Spindle Palms in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun once established, light shade while young. In the ground this is a tropical and subtropical palm, and it is frost tender, so gardens further south or inland should grow it in a pot that winters under cover.

Soil. Drainage matters more than fertility. Sand and loam suit it as they are; on heavy clay, plant on a mound 200mm to 300mm high and improve the backfill with compost and coarse sand.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, since a slow palm is slow to root out, then taper off. A palm fertiliser with magnesium and potassium in early spring and mid summer keeps older fronds green.

Pruning. Remove only fully brown fronds, and never cut green ones off a palm; it has a single growing point.

What to expect when it arrives

Five sizes are sold: 250mm in a pack of 3, a single 300mm pot, and advanced 110L, 160L and 200L stock. The smaller pots hold young palms with no trunk swelling yet, a patient buy rather than an instant feature. The 110L and larger palms arrive with a formed trunk.

Fronds are tied in for transit and can show creasing or tip burn, which grows out with the next frond. Expect six to eight weeks before new growth shows. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• An overview of palm varieties for Australian gardens
• Browse the full palm range
• Plants that suit poolside gardens

Common questions

How fast does a Spindle Palm grow?

Slowly, which is the appeal. Plan on 3m to 4m over ten to fifteen years in a warm garden, and buy the size you want to look at.

Can I keep one in a pot?

Yes, and it is one of the better palms for it. Use a pot of at least 60cm with free draining mix, water weekly in warm weather, and repot rarely.

Will it survive frost?

No. It is frost tender, and a cold snap damages the crown, which a slow palm is slow to replace. Outside the tropics and subtropics, use a pot you can move under cover.

How close to a pool can I plant it?

About 1.5m from the coping. The roots are fine and fibrous rather than woody, so they will not lift pavers or press against a pool shell.