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What is the worlds smallest palm?

Stevetoad
Stevetoad
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

Featured Replies

Is it dypsis minuta? Is anyone growing this little guy?

"it's not dead it's sleeping"

Santee ca, zone10a/9b

18 miles from the ocean

avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

I don't know if D. minuta is smaller, but I have Rhapis 'Super Dwarf' which is very small. However I think they only exist as one sex, so they can't reproduce, and it's not something you would find in the wild, like D. minuta. By the way, does anyone know for sure if 'Super Dwarf' is a hybrid of Rhapis excelsa? That is what the label said. Thank you!

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    • Upvote 2

    hi ben i would love to see a picture of yours iam trying to buy one in australia but they are like hens teeth i believe it is rhapis indonesia

    Regards Marty

    Townsville NQ

    What size is Dypsis minuta? Can't find any info on it. One tiny palm is Licuala triphylla, but there seems to be somewhat contradictory information. I planted a half dozen in my old garden, and this is a palm that will very easily get lost in the weeds and undergrowth. It will flower when it's about 5-6 inches tall! I doubt it'll ever get much taller than that. Yet, "The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms II" claims the petioles will get to 2-3 ft in length (60-90 cm) which I find absolutely unbelievable after having grown this palm and seen what it looks like after MANY years! T-I-N-Y!!

    Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

     

    Maybe a misprint Bo , and it was supposed to be 2-3" instead of 2-3' !

    Michael in palm paradise,

    Tully, wet tropics in Australia, over 4 meters of rain every year.

    Home of the Golden Gumboot, its over 8m high , our record annual rainfall.

    What size is Dypsis minuta? Can't find any info on it. One tiny palm is Licuala triphylla, but there seems to be somewhat contradictory information. I planted a half dozen in my old garden, and this is a palm that will very easily get lost in the weeds and undergrowth. It will flower when it's about 5-6 inches tall! I doubt it'll ever get much taller than that. Yet, "The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms II" claims the petioles will get to 2-3 ft in length (60-90 cm) which I find absolutely unbelievable after having grown this palm and seen what it looks like after MANY years! T-I-N-Y!!

    Ever consider using Palmpedia Bo? Ed

    http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Dypsis_minuta

    MOSQUITO LAGOON

    Oak_Hill.gif

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    • Upvote 1

    This very very small and good looking Chamaedorea with thick leathery leaves is around 15 yrs old and is just over 1 ft high, I thought this was as big as they got , and I cant see it growing much higher especially if grown in good light..Some books say 6 ft,??? they must be in very deep shade? In bright light in a garden situation this is a "very small Palm", I know this as Chamaedorea adscendens, "its a great small palm".. :rolleyes: and likes the warmth more than most Chamaedoreas.

    Chamaedorea minima is the 'smallest" Chamaedorea reaching a maximum height of a mere 25cm :o

    post-5709-0-80932900-1360926542_thumb.jp

    post-5709-0-54285700-1360926610_thumb.jp

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    I have all of the palms mentioned and definitely one of the smallest is the Rhapis 'super dwarf'. Dypsis minuta is maybe the best choice for a single trunked specimen.

    My Dypsis minuta is happily setting seed at about 20cm height. Hopefully the seed is fertile.

    My Dypsis minuta is happily setting seed at about 20cm height. Hopefully the seed is fertile.

    Is it potted or do you have it in the ground where it is nearly invisible? This palm is hard to justify planting, in my opinion.

    If were talking the smallest species, we can rule out the Rhapis "Super Dwarf", which I grow and IS extreamly small. I once heard the smallest species is a Syagrus. And the species name escapes now.

    Searle Brothers Nursery Inc.

    and The Rainforest Collection.

    Southwest Ranches,Fl.

    i would like to argue that ANY of my palms should be up for consideration of this most prestigous award! seeing how most of my palms seem to die before they ever reach any meaningful height....

    --FINS--

    Living in the valley of the dirt people in the inland empire, "A mullet on every head and a methlab in every kitchen." If you can't afford to live in the tropics, then bring the tropics to you!

    • Upvote 1

    i would like to argue that ANY of my palms should be up for consideration of this most prestigous award! seeing how most of my palms seem to die before they ever reach any meaningful height....

    --FINS--

    Sorry to hear that! But it helps you to prepare for being a Dolphin fan, I guess...

    I thought the title went to a Syagrus too, can't remember the species though.
    • Author

    Maybe syagrus procubens?

    "it's not dead it's sleeping"

    Santee ca, zone10a/9b

    18 miles from the ocean

    avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

    There is a Syagrus lilliputana, but it's not that small I don't think.

    how about the Chamaedorea tuerckheimii?

    post-1122-0-56760100-1360959187_thumb.jp

    The weight of lies will bring you down / And follow you to every town / Cause nothin happens here

    That doesn't happen there / So when you run make sure you run / To something and not away from

    Cause lies don't need an aero plane / To chase you anywhere

    --Avett Bros

    Is it potted or do you have it in the ground where it is nearly invisible? This palm is hard to justify planting, in my opinion.

    It is in a pot. I'm less likely to step on it that way.

    hi jeff would you have a photo of your rhapis super dwarf, that you could share with us

    Regards Marty

    Townsville NQ

    Not the world's smallest palm, but definitely my smallest palm...this little Dypsis is about 8" tall and flowers regularly. It is dwarfed by a nearby Chamedorea tenella.

    post-42-0-53248100-1360983959_thumb.jpg

    Gold Coast, Queensland Latitude 28S. Mild, Humid Subtropical climate. Rainfall - not consistent enough!

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    hi ben i would love to see a picture of yours iam trying to buy one in australia but they are like hens teeth i believe it is rhapis indonesia

    post-5938-0-54166800-1361031666_thumb.jp

    The palm is on the right. unfortunately right now some of its leaves are turning brown. Does anyone know what could be wrong?

    Syagrus lilliputiana is hard to beat...my biggest one is 4-5 years old, grown in full sun and +- 8 cm (3inch) tall...a lovely looking palm though !!

    I will try to photograph it this week at the nursery on the beach

    Sirinhaém beach, 80 Km south of Recife - Brazil

    Tropical oceanic climate, latitude 8° S

    Temperature extremes: 25 to 31°C

    2000 mm average rainfall, dry summers

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    hi ben that is one beautiful palm, looks like an indonesia to me, maybe jon from eastern nurseries could varify he has some similar

    Regards Marty

    Townsville NQ

    These are some sort of tiny Coccothrinax.

    I'm not even sure what these little guys are?

    They stand roughly 15cm/6inchs and its taken them about 14yrs to get there!

    cocothrinaxsptiny002480x640_zps4bbf4949.cocothrinaxsptiny004480x640_zpsf85ccb24.cocothrinaxsptiny003640x480_zps6e4cd68d.

    They are not giant novelty secateurs :)

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    • Upvote 1

    Those are really sweet :drool:
    • 7 years later...
    On 2/16/2013 at 7:54 PM, Bencassa said:

    These are some sort of tiny Coccothrinax.

    I'm not even sure what these little guys are?

    They stand roughly 15cm/6inchs and its taken them about 14yrs to get there!

     

    cocothrinaxsptiny002480x640_zps4bbf4949.cocothrinaxsptiny004480x640_zpsf85ccb24.cocothrinaxsptiny003640x480_zps6e4cd68d.

    They are not giant novelty secateurs :)

    I have some Borhidiana seeds germinating right now! They definitely contend for the smallest drought-tolerant/full sun palms out there, that don't come from tropical rainforest understory. I'm so excited, Cocco's are some NEAT little things :D

    • Like 1
    • 5 years later...

    image.jpg

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    • Like 3
    Just now, PalmBossTampa said:

    image.jpg

    This one is from Jeff Searle. Ive had it couple years now and separated the clump twice. Great little Nano Palm 😎

    • Like 3

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