Ampasindavae Palm

Ampasindavae Palm (Dypsis ampasindavae) is a solitary Madagascan feather palm for gardeners who want something beyond the usual tropical planting. It reaches about 8m tall with a crown near 3m across, on one clean trunk topped by long arching fronds. Uncommon in Australian gardens, it has the same easy manners as its better known relatives in the same genus.

Why you'll love it

• Rare and collectable. Few Australian gardens have one, so it gives a tropical planting a point of difference that a golden cane never will.
• Single trunk, tidy habit. It does not sucker into a clump, so the trunk stays clear and underplanting is simple.
• Tall and narrow. At around 8m by 3m it gives height over a courtyard or pool without a canopy that shades the whole garden.
• Low maintenance. No shaping, no spraying and no annual trim beyond removing spent fronds.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Best used as a specimen where the trunk and crown can be seen: a courtyard, an entry garden or a lawn where it stands alone.

Poolside. Slim trunk, modest litter and non invasive roots make it a sensible palm close to paving and a pool shell.

Driveways, avenues and coastal gardens. Planted 4m apart a matched row gives a formal avenue with room for each crown. It handles wind and coastal exposure, though it is happiest with some shelter.

Growing Ampasindavae Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade once established, with heat and humidity to its liking. This is a tropical and subtropical palm. It is frost tender, so cold inland districts, the tablelands and southern gardens with regular frosts should choose something hardier.

Soil. Deep, free draining soil enriched with compost. It resents standing water at the root plate, so on heavy clay plant on a raised mound. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Regular deep watering, twice weekly through the first two summers, matters more than anything else you do. Feed with a palm specific fertiliser in early spring and again in late summer. Palms are heavy feeders and yellowing older fronds normally mean a nutrient shortfall.

Pruning. Remove only fronds that have browned right off, cutting close to the trunk. Never cut green fronds to tidy the crown, since that slows growth and weakens the palm.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in a 300mm pot, which is a juvenile palm rather than an advanced specimen. Expect a well rooted plant carrying several fronds at roughly knee to waist height, with no trunk formed yet. Trunking takes several years in a warm garden, and longer at the cooler edge of its range.

Palms of this size travel well when packed upright, and some frond tip browning after transit is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Keep the root ball damp for the first few weeks and expect new growth within a season in warm weather. 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 tree range.
• Find more unusual plants in exotic and rare plants.
• Compare other plants for poolside gardens.

Common questions

How is it different to a golden cane palm?

Golden cane is a clumping palm with many slim stems. This one is solitary, with a single trunk and a taller, more upright habit, so it reads as a tree rather than a screen.

Will it grow in Sydney, Perth or Melbourne?

Warm frost free coastal pockets can work, but this is a tropical and subtropical palm and it will not tolerate frost. Colder or inland gardens are a poor bet.

How long until it looks like the photograph?

From a 300mm pot, allow several years for a visible trunk and closer to a decade for full height in a warm garden. Consistent water and feeding through the establishment years make the largest difference.