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Palms

Rhopalostylis sapida

nikau palm

A slow-growing feather palm 6-10m high, with a trunk covered in grey-green leaf scars and topped by a smooth, bulging, glossy green crownshaft 60cm long and a crown of feathery leaves which are 1.2-1.8m long and grow upright forming a shuttlecock shape; lilac-cream flowers are followed by oblong fruits 1cm long, which take almost a year to become deep red

Other common names

feather duster palm
New Zealand palm
see moreNorfolk Island palm

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

2.5–4 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or West–facing or South–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Arecaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Columnar upright
Name status: Correct
Plant range: N & C New Zealand, Chatham Is.

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow outside in mild, humid, frost-free gardens in moist soil in partial shade, with shelter from wind and direct sunlight - for more advice, see palm cultivation outdoors; elsewhere grow in a cool glasshouse in bright but indirect light with adequate ventilation in a peat-free potting medium formulated for indoor plants - for more advice, see palm cultivation indoors

Propagation

Propagate by seed, as fresh as possible, which will usually germinate within two or three months

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
City and courtyard gardens
Patio and container plants

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects, mealy bugs and sometimes glasshouse red spider mite

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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