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You are here: Home / Palms / Palm Fact of the Week: Inflorescence

Palm Fact of the Week: Inflorescence

July 2, 2015 By Sara Tekula

The flowers of palm trees grow on an inflorescence.  An inflorescence is a flowering stem, a special branch which carries a great number of tiny flowers.  It is the reproductive portion of a palm tree.  Inflorescence in palms can be some of the most brilliant features of the tree, featuring vibrant colors and unique forms.  The Corypha palms (Taliport palms) have the largest inflorescence of any plant in the plant kingdom.  The inflorescence of a Corypha palm can be up to 6 to 8 meters tall and containing millions of small flowers.fishtail_palm_caryota_gigas_IMG_5370

The Merwin Palm Collection

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. April Norton says

    August 9, 2016 at 10:48 am

    I’m interested in finding palm inflorescence stalks to use for weaving baskets. Could you tell me where they grow and is there a time when they fall of the trees so they can be harvested. Thanks.

    • Sara Tekula says

      August 9, 2016 at 4:30 pm

      Thanks for your question, April. The timing of a palm tree’s inflorescence is going to be dependent upon several factors. If you have neighbors growing palms, I’d recommend asking them to gift you the stems when the seeds begin to fall (which is also when palm tree owners tend to find them a nuisance). The Merwin Palm Forest is self-contained, so all green waste/droppings are used in the garden and stays on the property.

      • April Norton says

        August 10, 2016 at 2:01 am

        Thanks, Sara.

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