Chamaedorea tuerckheimii (Veracruz)
Potato-Chip Palm

Very rare species

A breathtakingly beautiful little plant that perhaps is the worlds smallest palm, growing to no more than a couple of feet tall. Native to montane rain and cloud forests in two separate, slightly differing populations in Veracruz, Mexico and Guatemala between 900 and 1500 m (2950 and 4900 ft.), it is highly endangered by deforestation and poaching of plants from he wild for the local plant trade. In the Veracruz population, the pencil-thin stem carries a short crown of undivided, plicate, velvety green mottled leaves that remind of ruffled potato chips. Despite its small size, with good reason this is one of the most highly prized ornamental palms. However, it is not the easiest palm to grow and demands a humid, warm temperate or cool tropical climate and humus-rich soil low in lime and salts.