Pinanga maculata or Tiger Palm
Endemic to the Philippines, the Pinanga maculata (known as the “Tiger Palm”) is a flowering palm that is found in primary rainforests.
Widely popular with palm collectors, this is a solitary, medium-sized palm growing to up to 15 feet tall. The Tiger Palm gets its name from its large, irregularly spaced leaflets, which are dark green above with large irregular areas of lighter green (“tiger” stripes). The leaves are dissected once or twice at the apex.
Habitat destruction practices such as “kaingin” (the Tagalog term for slash and burn agriculture) threaten the wild Tiger Palm in its native location.
There are three mature Pinanga maculata growing in the Merwin Palm Collection.
Want to “virtually explore” the Merwin Palm Collection? Search through our archive of Palm Facts of the Week, featuring palms hand-planted by W.S Merwin. To search through the Online Merwin Palm Database, visit this link.
If you’re inspired to help The Merwin Conservancy preserve and care for the Merwin Palm Collection into the future, please consider making a tax-deductible donation.