Really a nifty palm, nice color on trunk and leaf petiole. There are some nice ones growing at Floribunda and the ones we saw in Madagascar well………Check out the reference on Palmpedia. 

Been in the ground a few years now and looks like it’s finally got its ‘legs’. 

Tim

 

Love these! I have high hopes that I can get one to hold on here in Florida but only time will tell. Looks like the fronds haven't aligned on yours yet. Any way to tell which way the plane will be? Thanks for sharing the pics!

Dean, at this point I have no idea what direction the plane will take. It shouldn’t be too long though, before I get a clue. 

Hey, I saw your O. trispathe in that ‘leaf pattern thread. Totally missed it until yesterday.

Tim 

I put one in ground and it is starting to do nice. I will post a pic of it later 

3 hours ago, realarch said:

Dean, at this point I have no idea what direction the plane will take. It shouldn’t be too long though, before I get a clue. 

Hey, I saw your O. trispathe in that ‘leaf pattern thread. Totally missed it until yesterday.

Tim 

It won’t bother me if you post updated pics as it starts to happen :-) 

I have 3 in the 1 to 3 gallon size all still in pots. The largest ended up opening the spear yesterday. The new leaves are always such a bright lime green while the mature leaves are so dark. Reminds me of the inside of an avocado. 

Here's mine in a photo from June. With 5-gal orange bucket. Plant came from Floribunda.

Looking good Tim!  I just planted one out at my Pepeekeo property but the rose beetles feasted on it as quick as it got in the ground.  So while it should survive, it's definitely not photo worthy.  

Since mine is not photo worthy, here's the big one at Floribunda (Irriartea on the left)

And here's one that was planted in Madagascar at a hotel in Ranomafana National Park:

 

Clearly what this thread needs is more representation from East Hawaii.  Here is my guy that started out as a Floribunda 4" a bit less than three years ago.  It is slightly over six feet tall (2m), but still no hint of distichous fronds.  Very distinctive fat bottom. So far, no pest problems.  The mulch is shredded shipping pallets.

Dean, the leaf color and shine make this an attractive palm. It almost looks like they were polished with mineral oil.

Mike, I hope you have more than one of these. Your’s looks to be about the same size as mine. Must have been planted about the same time. I don’t remember seeing it at your place. 

Jason, my man, thanks for the great photos. You know, when I first started planting, the rose beetles were decimating my palms, the leaves looked like lace. That was for only one season, I have never seen them again. They came, ate, and suddenly excused themselves.

Rick, like Mike, you need a couple more.  Mine doesn’t get much sun at this point and the base of your palm looks a bit more robust and the growth rate looks faster too. 

Here are a few snaps from Madagascar, the light level was low so quality is lacking. Unique palms, these were in Masoala. 

Tim

Anybody had any luck outside the tropics with these?

Was looking at this Orania today and it’s not as fast a grower as I anticipated. It’s definitely grown compared to the photos posted earlier in this topic, but it seems to be taking its time. It could be a result of its planting location which is mostly in shade all day. Nice petiole color and the distichous habit becoming apparent. Be curious to see how the others above have fared over the last five years.

Tim

That’s already a very nice palm Tim, well grown! I always enjoy seeing Orania whenever I visit the tropics, all very distinctive looking palms.

Probably not a question for the growers in Hawaii, but does anyone on the forum have experience growing Orania in temperate climates? I would assume based on habitat that a couple of the Madagascan species at least would have some level of hardiness.

Thanks Tim, planting palms in my garden is kinda like ‘plug and play.’ This one is at the bottom of a gentle slope and is always moist, good drainage though.

I have no idea how this species does in less tropical climes.

Tim

On 6/30/2026 at 12:53 PM, realarch said:

Was looking at this Orania today and it’s not as fast a grower as I anticipated. It’s definitely grown compared to the photos posted earlier in this topic, but it seems to be taking its time. It could be a result of its planting location which is mostly in shade all day. Nice petiole color and the distichous habit becoming apparent. Be curious to see how the others above have fared over the last five years.

Tim

Maybe too much competition? I have planted other palms in locations like that where they are slow, yet out in the open they trunk rather quickly. I also have some awful soil in some parts of my farm where things aren't happy.

Here is another member of that cohort of FB babies. It is about 15 ft tall with a swollen base. Petiole coloration is a dull orange-red. No obvious sign of distichous leaf arrangement so far. Filtered light in morning and late afternoon, otherwise full sun. Growing in black volcanic cinder and compost. At about 8 o'clock you can see a white fuzzy blob in the background. Check the 'Color Thread' to see the current Prestoea acuminata bloom.

Standard 5 Gal (20 L) bucket for scale.

I got seeds of the very similar Orania ravaka several years ago. They geminated quickly and looked ok in pots, but withered away after I put them in the ground. No idea what went wrong.

Well. I’ll be darned, I’m growing a runt. Maybe I should feed it, which I will do right after I make this response.

Something to look forward to anyway as this is one attractive palm. The base of the sheath is really something. Thanks Rick.

Tim

OK, fed. Not near the size of a 5 gallon bucket, but with a one gallon pot for scale, it’s larger than it looked previously. I think it should probably be in more sun, but hey, maybe it will stay smaller longer.

Tim