PlantFiles: African Palmyra Palm, Toddy Palm, Ron Palm, Borassus Palm
Borassus aethiopum

Has a very good likley hood of growing in California. In habitat, they like lots of water, but can do without. Better for inland CA than outside.

There are only two fruiting Borassus aethiopum trees in the US, both being in Florida. These photos, taken in July, 2003, come from the one in Miami's Fairchild Tropical Garden.

This female tree located close to a male one, was totally uprooted as it was in the path of Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992.

An all-out effort to save this only fruit-bearing Borassus
aethiopum was immediately put in place. Finally, the tree
got saved but ceased fruiting. Almost miraculously, the now healthy tree started to fruit again after a few years. It is fruiting since.

Great looking palm from Africa. Can't grow it here in southern California (U.S.)- our climate is too cool (not to cold, but persistently cool, which does this palm in- hundreds have tried and no successes so far), but it does great in central Florida and south. Though it has no long-term 'cool tolerance, It has quite a bit of cold tolerance as it handles frosts and even freezing temps down into the teens briefly, as long as they are quickly heated up again, as is the case in freak central Florida cold fronts. They do suffer some leaf damage from such an event, but seem to quickly grow out of it.

As a young plant it looks a bit like a Bismarckia (related genus), but very green. Seeds are massive (almost as large as a coconut) but a bit tricky to germinate. Develops wonderful black colorlation along the petioles and is extremely ornamental as a larger seedling... and is quite attractive as an adult, too, though the color can no longer be appreaciated without a binoculars.