Carpoxylon macrospermum
Aneityum Palm

Very rare species

Originally described in 1875 from fruits found on the island of Aneityum in Vanuatu (New Hebrides), Carpoxylon macrospermum had remained in obscurity for more than one hundred years before it was finally rediscovered in 1987 on Espiritu Santo in the same group of islands. Before its rediscovery, nothing was known about its appearance, habitat or cultivation. After seeds were slowly becoming available in the 90's, the plant is now firmly established in many collections and has proven to be a reliable, easy and very fast growing ornamental. It has a smooth, fairly robust trunk that is around 35 cm (14 in.) across and will reach a height of about 20 m. The full crown of elegantly recurving leaves, strongly V-shaped in cross section, is held by a long, robust, green crownshaft. It is one of the best of all ornamental palms, suitable mainly for the tropical garden, and holds great potential of becoming every bit as popular as the Foxtail palm in years to come.