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Palms

Dioon edule

chestnut dioon

An evergreen, palm-like plant with a short, stout stem and erect or arching, pinnate leaves to 1.5m in length; rarely flowers

Other common names

virgin's palm

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

East–facing or South–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)

H1B

Botanical details

Family: Zamiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Tufted
Genus: Dioon are dioecious, evergreen, palm-like perennials with stout stems bearing a terminal rosette of large, leathery leaves pinnately divided into many narrow leaflets, and large woolly female flowering cones or smaller, cylindrical male cones
Name status: Correct
Plant range: Mexico

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in indoors in a mix of equal parts fibrous loam, coarse bark and garden compost. Site in full sun with shade from hot sun. Water freely when in growth applying a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly. Water sparingly in winter

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown at 24 to 32°C in spring in a very sandy potting compost

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Sub-tropical
Low Maintenance

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to scale insects under glass

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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