Actinokentia divaricata

Actinokentia divaricata

Even though one of the more commonly seen palms in New Caledonia, where it is found in rainforests at low and high elevations to 1100 m (3600 ft.), mostly in the southern half of the island, Actinokentia is definitely rare in cultivation, mainly because of the lack of seeds for propagation. It is slow but not difficult to grow and will adapt to most tropical and many warm temperate climates. It is a smallish palm with a slender, solitary, smooth trunk. A reddish crownshaft holds a sparse crown of pinnate leaves which are stunning dark red when unfolding. The showy fruits mature through yellowish to a dull purple.

germination comments by our visitors
For general germination instructions click here.

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

... are very easy to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
Recieved seeds from rarepalmseeds.com on 6-27-06. Very well labeled and packaged! Thank you rarepalmseeds.com! I soaked these seeds overnight in ambient room temperature spring water. All 10 seeds were platned in propagation tubes with 50%peat, 25%medium-course sand, and 25%perlite, and a pinch of anti-fungal power at a depth were tops of seeds were slightly exposed. Tubes were set on a bench under full shade and misted with H2O for 30 minutes daily. On 7-27-06 the first sprout was observed. By 8-7-06 I had obtained 100% germination! I am anxious to see the wonderful palms develop. On 9-12-06 all plants had at least one leaf and were approximately 2-4 inches high!
Submitted on 12/09/2006 by William DeBoe PiousPalms@aol.com


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plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

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	• • • Write a plant cultivation comment and enter to win Euro (€) 50 worth of seeds • • • Please note: These comments are on how to cultivate the PLANTS once the seeds have germinated.

If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

Conifers for Gardens: An Illustrated Encyclopedia
by Richard L. Bitner

Hardcover - 448 pages
More than 1500 photographs

Our Rating:

Suitable for: all

Conifers for Gardens is intended to take away the element of uncertainty when you're choosing a plant that may alter your yard for years to come. Profusely illustrated with more than 1,500 crisp photographs and brimming with concise descriptions of both species and their numerous cultivars, this meticulously researched reference provides information - including size, appearance, hardiness, preferred growing conditions and susceptibility to pests and diseases - for almost every hardy conifer you're likely to encounter in the trade, whether it's a tried-and-true favorite or a connoisseur's treasure.

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