Dypsis makirae

Dypsis makirae

The discovery of this marvelous small palm in the montane rainforests of northeastern Madagascar in 2005 caused quite a stir in the palm world (See PALMS Vol. 53(3)). It is always surprising what jewels the ever diminishing forests of Madagascar still yield! Dypsis makirae is a medium-sized, slender palm to about 5 m (16 ft.) tall with a smooth trunk to 6 cm (2 in.) in diameter. A small, furry reddish brown crownshaft holds a relatively dense crown of arching leaves with up to 16 very broad, elliptic, leathery, dark glossy green leaflets that are curled downwards and finely pointed towards the tip. They are arranged in a few dense groups and give the plant a very unique and beautiful look. It is perhaps best suited to cultivation in a tropical climate, but since it does occur at some altitude (600 to 900 m / 2000- 3000 ft.), it may well adapt to warm temperate conditions, ideally in a protected spot under established canopy.

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

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

(...sorry, no comments yet.)


	• • • Write a germination comment and enter to win Euro (€) 50 worth of seeds • • • Please note: These comments are on how to get the SEEDS to germinate.

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

Plants from this species ...

... have not yet been commented on. Be the first to write a comment:


	• • • 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:

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms
by Robert Lee Riffle, Paul Craft, Scott Zona

2nd edition
Completely revised and updated
Hardcover - 528 pages
11 x 8.5 inches

Our rating:

Suitable for: all

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is the definitive account of all palms that can be grown for ornamental and economic use. Palms are often underutilized as a result of their unfamiliarity—even to tropical gardeners. To help introduce these valuable plants to a new audience, the authors have exhaustively documented every genus in the palm family.
825 species are described in detail, including cold hardiness, water needs, height, and any special requirements. Generously illustrated with more than 900 photos, including photos of several palm species that have never before appeared in a general encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is as valuable as an identification guide as it is a practical handbook. Interesting snippets of history, ethnobotany, and biology inform the text and make this a lively catalog of these remarkable plants.

Available at the following book shops:

Other selected books are available in our Book Shop