Borassus flabelliferPalmyra Palm

The Borassus flabellifer, known as the Palmyra Palm, is one of the heaviest and longest-lived fan palms in cultivation. A single grey columnar trunk carries a dense rounded crown of stiff, deeply divided grey-green fans, and old specimens stand 20 to 30 metres over the landscapes of South and Southeast Asia where the species has been part of daily life for centuries.

Its scale, salt tolerance and indifference to poor sandy ground make it a serious avenue and boulevard palm for coastal projects working at a civic scale.

Specifications

• Height20 to 30 metres
• Width4 to 6 metres (crown spread)
• Native toTropical South and Southeast Asia
• FoliageLarge, stiff, costapalmate fans in grey-green, held in a dense rounded crown; evergreen
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilPrefers deep sandy or alluvial soils; tolerates poor and saline ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established, though it favours access to a water table
• ClimateThrives in tropical and coastal regions with a defined dry season

Additional Features

• FormSingle massive columnar trunk topped by a dense, near-spherical crown of fans
• UsesIdeal for grand avenue and boulevard planting, coastal landscapes, and civic feature groups
• SpacingPlant 6 to 8 metres apart for avenues or 10 metres for open specimen groups
• Low MaintenanceRequires minimal pruning; remove spent fronds and old fruit stalks periodically
• Pest ResistanceNaturally robust with basic care
• Drought ToleranceWithstands long dry seasons once the root system is established
• Salt ToleranceLong proven in front-line coastal positions and saline soils
• LongevityExtremely long-lived, with mature specimens standing well over a century

The Palmyra Palm is a civic-scale coastal palm with a presence that few other species can match at maturity.