Manila Palm Adonidia merrillii
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Nomanbya merrilli
- Veitchia merrillii
- Phonetic Spelling
- ad-on-ID-ee-uh mer-IL-ee-eye
- Description
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The Christmas Palm, with its slender gray trunk, grows quickly to about 6 feet (1.83 m), then slows, retaining its shape until it reaches its maximum height of 25 feet (7.62 meters). These solitary palms support stiff, arching green leaves that are 4-5 feet long. In mid-summer, inconspicuous clusters of cream-colored flowers appear at the base of the canopy followed by 1 inch (2.54 cm) green fruit. In winter, the mature fruit turns bright red. The single trunks can be grown together, usually in groups of three to mimic multiple-trunked palms. The common name, Christmas palm, refers to the time of the year when the green fruit turns red. It is highly sensitive to frost and freezing temperatures so may be best planted in a container that can be moved indoors during the winter.
Suited to small residential landscapes and can be used as a street tree in tropical climates.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to an incurable bacterial disease called lethal yellowing. It can also suffer from boron deficiency. Use a palm-specific fertilizer when growing in low-nutrient soil.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Adonidia
- Species:
- merrillii
- Family:
- Arecaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Borneo, Phillippines, Malaysia
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Ovoid beaked fruit grows in clusters. Immature fruits are pale green and turn scarlet red when ripe around Christmas, hence the common name Christmas Palm.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Small cream inconspicuous perfect flowers (male and female parts in each flower) that bloom in summer at the case of the canopy followed by light green 1" fruit.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 4-5' arching green pinnate leaves with a short tomentose petiole where the leaflets are oriented upward, forming a V when viewing from the end of the leaf. The upper leaflet has a prominent mid-rib. The leaflet tips are irregularly jagged.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark can be rough or smooth, slender and gray.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Patio
- Vertical Spaces
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Flowering Tree
- Foundation Planting
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree