Butia Capitata
- Stout and thick medium sized palm tree
- Unique silver or blue-grey color
- Interesting trunk pattern as palm ages
- Very durable and loves the warm Hill Country weather
This feather palm forms a thick solitary trunk that grows to 1 1/2 feet in diameter and reaches 20 feet tall, usually with persistent leaf bases decorating the entire trunk. It has 5 to 10 foot long arching gray-green leaves that re-curve almost back to the trunk. The leaf petioles are armed with teeth on the margins and there are 25 to 60 pairs of pointed bi-lobed narrow leaflets.
The pink-tinged cream flowers emerge from a 2 to 3 foot long woody spathe in late spring to early summer and are followed by cherry-sized edible orange-yellow fruits that ripen in mid to late summer. Plant in sun or light shade with moderate watering. It is hardy to about 12 degrees F – possibly the hardiest of the feather palms.
Pindo Palms are easily spotted because of their unique silver or blue-grey color. The shape is original to the Pindo Palm because of not only how the trunk looks when it’s older, but also how the fronds curve back towards the trunk. Their design and color make them useful in Mediterranean, tropical, or desert style landscapes, and are especially beautiful when lit up at night.
