''Adonidia merrillii'', the Manila palm, is a palm tree species native to the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

(

Palawan Palawan (), officially the Province of Palawan ( cyo, Probinsya i'ang Palawan; tl, Lalawigan ng Palawan), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in t ...

and

Danjugan Island Danjugan Island is a island under the jurisdiction of Cauayan, Negros Occidental, Philippines. The island is under the care of The Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRCFI) which aims to promote awareness on biodivers ...

). This palm was cultivated for centuries in East Asia before becoming a staple in the West. It is reportedly naturalized in the West Indies and Florida. It is commonly known as the "Christmas palm" because its fruits become bright scarlet and tend to be that color in winter. This palm is typically fairly small and slender, normally attaining 25 feet or 8 meters in height Most plants maintain 5-7 fronds when young, gradually building up the crown as the palm ages, and sometimes reaches 10-12 fronds when mature.

Uses, cultivation, and care

The Adonidia palm, sometimes described as the "mini-royal-palm", adapts well to landscaping and cultivation, as well as growing in pots. It is able to withstand large amounts of rainfall and can tolerate short droughts, though it does not like sea salt. Adonidias prefer full sun but can withstand partial shade. They are not tolerant of the cold (hardy to 35F when young; 30F when mature), making their perennial outdoor usage limited to frost-free zones. One of the most common landscape palms in Southern Florida (used at such places as the Miami Open tennis tournament), it is often clustered together in groups of 2-3, sometimes four. Because, in its natural state, it grows as a solitary palm, this batching together of several heads runs the risk of the head competing against themselves. In order to minimize the risk, nurseries train these palms when young to arch outward, instead of growing straight up. ''Adonidia merrillii'' is widely planted in cultivation and grows well in

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

locations such as

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

and the southern half of the

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

peninsula. It is also one of the most commonly planted ornamental palms in the world, often planted in non-tropical locations such as shopping malls. It is sometimes used as an annual in places that freeze in the Winter (for example, Times Square, New York City plants these for the warm-weather season). The Adonidia is also commonly placed indoors in hotels, casinos, and other higher-end establishments due to its ability to adjust to lower light conditions. They are self-pruning palms and require little to no maintenance. Its fruits are sometimes said to be used as a substitute for the betel nut, in preparing buyo (fruit of ''

Areca catechu ''Areca catechu'' is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. The palm is believed to have originated in the Philippines, but is widespread in cultivation and is considered naturalized in so ...

'', leaves of ''

Piper betle The betel (''Piper betle'') is a vine of the family Piperaceae, which includes pepper and kava. The betel plant is native to Southeast Asia. It is an evergreen, dioecious perennial, with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins. Betel plan ...

'', and

lime Lime commonly refers to: * Lime (fruit), a green citrus fruit * Lime (material), inorganic materials containing calcium, usually calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide * Lime (color), a color between yellow and green Lime may also refer to: Botany ...

) for chewing.

Gallery

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q652839 Ptychospermatinae Endemic flora of the Philippines Taxa named by Odoardo Beccari Taxonomy articles created by Polbot