Dypsis oropedionis
Plateau Palm

Very rare species


A tall and beautiful palm of the eastern central high plateaux on Madagascar, where it grows in remnants of dry evergreen forest between 1100 and 1500 m (3600 to 4900 ft.). Like so many Madagascar palms, it is critically endangered and its only chance for survival may lie in cultivation. It has a slender, ringed trunk and a spreading crown of large, densely plumose leaves. Due to its high altitude habitat it should prove to be well adapted to warm temperate as well as tropical climates and should not be harmed by an occasional freeze. D. oropedionis is a new introduction to cultivation and has the most promising prospects of becoming a hugely popular, easy and fast growing landscaping palm that would lend itself very well to commercial production.