PlantFiles: Pritchardia
Pritchardia maideniana

This is my least favorite Pritchardia (there are maybe 20-30 species) but maybe the easiest go grow in southern California and most hardy. It is a fast palm with barely divided, pleated fan leaves. The leaves of this species are relatively narrow compared to the most popoular species like P pacifica where they are nearly a complete circle. Pritchardia affinis is from Hawaii, as are most Pritchardias that can survive in so CAl. Once this palm gets tall, at least here in so Cal, it becomes a bit less ornamental and can look ratty after the winds. In general, Pritchardias don't like our high hot dry winds here in So Cal. It is still a good palm but doesn't quite provide that same degree of 'tropical' that most of the other more round leaf Pritchardias do.

According to Don Hodel's Review of the Genus Pritchardia in Palms journal volume 51, 12-07, this genus is now included into Pritchardia maideniana.

Rare palm in cultivation and not sure what island it came from... haven't found it in nature (yet). First known from some Australian collections. Palm grows to 15-20' (though the one I saw looked taller) and has large, wedge-shaped stiff upright leaves without any drooping of leaflets to speak of. Palm seems to hold an esceptionally full head of leaves. Never seen it tried in southern California so no idea on cold hardiness.