RAVENEA GLAUCA A GREAT PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND RECENTLY

This is a medium sized palm that I would consider to be among the “top twenty” palm species for Southern California. About three decades ago, Ravenea rivularis, the Majesty Palm, was introduced as the future “best palm” for Southern California. Because of its large size, failure to always look good, immense appetite for fertilizer and water and often yellowing tendency, the Majesty has since fallen out of favor. This much smaller version of the Majesty, Ravenea glauca, is now the hot plant to get. And, it lives up to its reputation. It gets to a height of twenty, perhaps twenty-five feet, has a thin trunk of typically four inches and doesn’t seem subject to the maladies of the common Majesty. Along the coast it loves full sun. And, if given normal doses of fertilizer, it doesn’t yellow. Few customers complain about this species. Of note, there is another dwarf Ravenea, R. hildebrandtii, but the Ravenea glauca is much easier to grow.

Shown below is our 2 gallon size which we are putting on Special. We have limited supplies available. Availability of this species has been very limited lately. Cold tolerance is into the mid to low 20’s F., sun tolerance is full along the coast. Hot, inland areas would require part sun or strong filtered light. Growth rate is quick and this species is easy to grow. Shown below are photos of the 5 gallon size on sale. Photos below are c/o TS at RPS and Palmpedia (the last photo is a great habitat photo!) BTW, this species is super difficult to find presently.