Dypsis lutescens (Yellow Butterfly Palm, Bamboo Palm, Areca Palm, Golden Cane Palm)
Botanical Information
| Family | Arecaceae |
| Genus | Dypsis |
| Species | lutescens |
| Synonyms | Chrysalidocarpus lutescens |
| Category | Tropicals, Woody |
| Type | Tree (evergreen), Shrub (evergreen) |
| Origin | Madagascar, Comoros and Pemba Islands, Caribbean. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 13a |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | Cool season protection under glass. |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H1a |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | > 15 |
| Temperature (°F) | > 60 |
| Height | 3.6 - 9 m |
| Spread | 2.4 - 4.5 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | June, July, August, September |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | A multi-stemmed evergreen plant with fan like leaf clusters. |
| ID Characteristic | Has small yellow flowers in the summer near the top of the plant. The leaves spread out into a fan from the branches. |
| Shape | Upright vase shape. |
| Landscape | Typically is used as a potted or house plant. |
| Propagation | Dividing offsets is quite easy. |
| Cultivation | Prefer well-drained, slightly acidic loamy soils. Only need to be watered in times of drought, but water sparingly otherwise. Will tolerate full sun or full shade but prefer filtered sun. North- or east-facing sheltered areas are ideal. |
| Pests | Scale, sooty mold, red spider mites, thrips and mealy bugs. |
| Notable Specimens | Centennial Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. |
| Habitat | Grows in white sandy soils near beaches and coastal regions. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Stiff, hardened sections bearing resemblance to bamboo, and has a chalky look despite being smooth. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Numerous visible buds all over the stem. |
| Leaf Description | Pinnate, upward-curving, leaves that grow to 0.9 - 1.8 long. Each leaf has 40-60 stiletto-shaped leaflets per side that grow to 1.25 - 2 cm. |
| Flower Description | Long stems covered with flowers. |
| Fruit Description | Long bundles of small fruit that resemble grape clusters. |
| Colour Description | Bark is whitish-brown. Flowers are white to yellow. Leaves are bright green with yellow midribs. Fruits are yellow-orange and mature to nearly black. |
| Texture Description | Smooth, glossy bark. Smooth, broad leaves. |
Photographs
Dypsis lutescens, Form.
Dypsis lutescens, Leaf.
Dypsis lutescens, Flower.
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