Bottle Palm

The Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis) is bought for one reason: the trunk. It swells into a smooth grey bottle at the base, tapers to a slim neck, then carries four or five arching fronds on top like a piece of sculpture. It is small for a palm at around 3m tall and 2m wide, and genuinely slow, so what you plant is close to what you live with.

Why you'll love it

• A trunk that reads as architecture. The swollen grey base is the feature, and the reason it goes centre stage in a courtyard.
• Small and slow, in a good way. About 3m tall at maturity and years in the getting there, so it never overhangs a roofline.
• Non invasive roots. Safe to plant close to paving, pool coping, retaining walls and paths.
• Made for coastal and poolside positions. Salt tolerant, heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established, and it sheds whole fronds rather than littering.
• Very low maintenance. No pruning, no shaping, no staking. Water it, feed it twice a year and leave it alone.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single specimen, uplit at night, in low groundcover or gravel where the trunk is visible from the ground up. Allow about 2m of clear width.

Poolside and coastal gardens. It sits close to the coping, drops far less into the water than most palms, and takes salt laden wind and sandy soil.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Slow growth and a compact root system make it one of the better palms for long term container life.

Growing the Bottle Palm in Australia

Position and climate. This is a tropical and subtropical palm, and it is frost tender. Northern gardens can plant it in the ground in full sun to light shade. Elsewhere, grow it in a pot in a sheltered courtyard and move it under cover through winter.

Soil. Free draining sandy or loamy soil is ideal, and wet feet are the one thing it will not accept. Improve heavy soil or plant on a raised bed.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first year, then only in dry spells. Potted plants need water more often because the mix dries faster. Feed with a controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and mid summer.

Maintenance. Remove spent fronds at the base with a clean cut. Never cut into the swollen trunk or the growing point, because a palm has a single crown and cannot regrow from damage to it.

What to expect when it arrives

Bottle Palms are grown here in six sizes. The 200mm packs of six, 300mm and 400mm pots are young plants where the bottle shape is only starting to form, and given how slowly this palm grows they are a long project. The 90L, 100L and 160L plants arrive with the trunk swelling well developed and a full crown.

Palms are packed upright with the crown protected and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect the plant to sit still for a month or two while it re establishes roots, which is normal and not a sign of trouble. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• A guide to palm varieties for Australian gardens
• Browse the full palm range
• Low mess plants for poolside gardens
• Plants that thrive in containers

Common questions

How big does a Bottle Palm get?

Around 3m tall and 2m wide at full maturity, and it takes many years to reach that. The trunk swelling develops with age, so older plants carry the more dramatic shape.

Will it survive a cold winter?

No. It is frost tender and suited to tropical and subtropical gardens only. Cool climate gardeners should grow it in a pot in a warm sheltered position and move it under cover before winter.

Why are the older fronds turning yellow?

Occasional yellowing of the lowest fronds is normal ageing. Widespread yellowing usually points to potassium or magnesium deficiency, which a controlled release palm fertiliser corrects over a season.