Description

Pinanga veitchii, A slow growing Pinanga species from the forest floor of Borneo. The beauty of this palm is the dark brownish purple leaves which makes the plant look dead but in actual fact it’s not. Not an easy plant to establish but definitely worth all the efforts.

Pinanga veitchii

A small, clumping palm to about 1.5m tall, with thick, leathery, deeply notched, entire leaves. When young (and close to the ground) these leaves are spectacularly mottled in browns and purples, and blend in extraordinarily well with their surroundings (leaf litter). As the plants get taller (i.e. grow away from the ground), this mottling decreases, and tall plants have plain green leaves.

Habitat and Distribution

Borneo. Tropical moist forest, The native range of this species is Borneo (Sarawak). It is a shrub and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Description

A dwarf understory palm native to Borneo. This species grows in clumps and develops slender trunks which rarely exceed two meters in height. Most unusual are the leaves of the seedlings and young shoots, which are mottled in a camouflage pattern of purple-brown and pale green. Editing by edric.

A small, clustering palm to about 1.5 m tall, with thick, leathery, deeply notched, entire leaves. When young (and close to the ground) these leaves are spectacularly mottled in browns and purples, and blend in extraordinarily well with their surroundings (leaf litter). As the plants get taller, this mottling decreases, and tall plants have plain green leaves.

Culture

Cultivation recommendations: A tropical lowland plant requiring high humidity, heavy shading, and a minimum temperature of 20 C for good growth. Prefers rich but well-drained soil with a high humus content. Warm, sheltered and moist. Strictly tropical in its requirements, very slow growing, and renowned as a difficult plant.