The cohune palm is one of nature's most majestic trees, with fronds that seem to erupt right out of the ground like a volcano! Juvenile cohune palms (and some varieties) grow with their trunk underground for many years. They usually live for about 180 years. The adult tree has a characteristic and massive crown of dark green, pinnate (feather-shaped) leaves extending almost straight up. Each leaf can be up to 33 ft (10 m) long. The leaves crown a solitary trunk that grows 20-50 ft (6.1-15 m) tall and 1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m) in diameter. The leaflets composing the compound leaves are regularly arranged and spread out in the same plane as the leaf. The leaflets appear to rain down from the leaves, thus earning the common name of rain tree. Cohune palms produce flower clusters up to 5 ft (1.5 m) long, cloistered among the leaves. They may have all male, all female, or both kinds on the same tree. The cream colored flowers yield to brownish yellow fruits, oval-elliptical in shape, 1-3 in (2.5-7.6 cm) long and 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) in diameter. The fruits are carried on long drooping stalks (peduncles) from November through February.
Location
Cohune palm occurs naturally in Central American tropical rainforests in Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and coastal southern Mexico.
Culture
The cohune palm grows best in a sheltered warm spot in a subtropical setting, or in hot and humid tropical environments. Cohune palm is a slow grower until its trunk emerges above ground, and then more rapid growth occurs. Established cohune palms are considered gross feeders and respond very well to the use of palm and nitrogenous fertilizer. The growth rate of the cohune palm can be increased significantly with regular fertilizer applications. Cohune palm is considered very disease and pest resistant.
Light : The cohune palm grows well in full sun.
Author : Steve Christman
Copyright 1996 - 2009
