Allagoptera caudescens
Allagoptera caudescens
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Plants can be grown in subtropical and tropical areas with highly seasonal rainfall[1]. They also succeed in moist tropical climates where temperatures never fall below 10°c, the average annual rainfall is 1,500mm or more and the driest month has 25mm or more rain[1]. They can also succeed in drier areas with an annual rainfall as low as 250mm and one month or more where rainfall is below 25mm[1]. Prefers a sunny, well drained position[2]. Succeeds in poor coastal sands[1, 3]. Established plants are drought tolerant[2]. A slow-growing plant when very young, speeding up somewhat once planted out[2, 3].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed or in individual containers. A low germination rate can be expected, even from fresh-sown seed, with the seed sprouting within 90 - 150 days[3]. When the seedbed-sown seedlings are 5 - 8cm tall, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out 9 - 12 months later[3]. Because of its hard seedcoat, this species may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. The seed usually has a short period of viability in storage[3]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-19. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Allagoptera+caudescens>
Pollinators
Data unavailable
References
- [1]Palms of the World — Blombery. A. & Rodd. T. · Angus and Robertson · 1992 · ISBN 0-207-14848-1 ↩︎An excellent guide, well illustrated, with information on cultivation, uses, habitat etc of almost 200 species of Palms.
- [2]Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia. — http://www.pacsoa.org.au/ ↩︎Contains at least a little information on the majority of palm and cycad species, plus a wealth of photographs. A first class website.
- [3]Brazilian Trees. Volume 1. 4th Edition. — Lorenzi. H. · Instituto Plantarum De Estudos Da Flora; Brazil. · 2002 · ISBN 85-86714-17-8 ↩︎Information on 350 species of Brazilian trees. Stunning photographs of each species, brief details on the plant, its uses and how to grow it from seed. A superb work, with the minor irritation that the translation from Portuguese is not of the best.
- [4]Field Guide to the Palms of the Americas — Henderson A.; Galeano G.; Bernal R. · Princeton University Press; Princeton, New Jersey. · 1995 · ISBN 0-691-08537-4 ↩︎An excellent book, giving basic information on all the 550 species of palms native to the Americas that were known in 1995. Comprehensive information on the plants range and habitat, brief description, some uses and almost 250 photos.