SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bismarckia nobilis

COMMON NAME(S): Bismarck palm
SUB FAMILY: Coryphoideae
TRIBE: Borasseae
ORIGIN: Madagascar
HARDINESS ZONES: 10A-11 (damaged but recovered at 26 degrees F)
TYPICAL MAXIMUM HEIGHT: 30-60'
GROWTH RATE: Slow (towards moderate after trunk development)
HABIT: Solitary, massive; canopy of 20-30 leaves
SALT TOLERANCE: Moderate
DROUGHT TOLERANCE: High
SOIL REQUIREMENTS: Widely adaptable
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Moderate; high
NUTRITION REQUIREMENTS: Moderate
POPULAR USES: Specimen tree
HUMAN HAZARDS: None
POPULAR OR RECOMMENDED CULTIVARS:

COMMENTS: Bismarckia is one of the most beautiful and desirable fan palms for use in subtropical landscapes. Its bold and formal appearance dominates the area it inhabits. Bismarckia is particularly well adapted to Florida conditions, and with only moderate fertilization the palm remains free of nutritional deficiencies. The Bismarck palm is massive in aspect; even relatively young specimens may spread to 20' or more. Consequently, this beautiful palm is out of scale for small residential yards, and may make a small house appear even smaller. Bismarckia transplants with some difficulty, and it is one of the few palms that are regularly root-pruned in field nurseries. The loss of several older leaves is not infrequent shortly after installation. If moving an older established specimen, it may be advisable to remove all the leaves. Young palms (before trunk development) are especially intolerant of being moved due to the burial and underground development of the seedling stem and should only be transplanted out of containers. Bismarcks have been used as far north as Sarasota along the Florida coast; freeze damage occurs but the palm generally recovers in a single season of growth.