Bismarckia nobilis

The Bismarck palm is a member of the palm family (Arecaceae) native to Madagascar, where it grows in open grassland. The genus is named for the first chancellor of the German Empire, Otto von Bismarck, and the epithet, nobilis, is Latin for "noble." The Bismarck Palm is the only species of this genus.

Plant in the full sun in well-drained soil though this palm seems to perform in clay soils. Its silver-blue leaves really pop in the landscape when planted near dark green-leaved plants. The Bismarck palm can adapt to either acidic or alkaline soil. Bismarck Palms tolerate some drought, and because of their massive crowns, they need plenty of room in a landscape area.

The plant grows as a solitary trunk, gray to tan in color, 12 to 16 inches in diameter at maturity and slightly bulging at the base. In their natural habitat, they can reach 82 feet in height but usually get no taller than 40 feet in cultivation. The rounded leaves are up to 9 feet wide and divided to a third of their length into 20 or more stiff, once-folded segments. Fibers persist between the leaf segments. The large, brown fruit can be messy.

This palm makes a fine specimen or street tree, or an accent in a sunny garden.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: Bismarck palms will suffer from cold damage, but they quickly recover. The green variety is damaged at 32 °F, but the silver-gray variety will tolerate 27 °F.