Arenga microcarpa (Arenga Species, Wild Sago Palm, Areng Palm, Black Sugar Palm, Kaong, Solitary Sugar Palm)
Botanical Information
| Family | Arecaceae |
| Genus | Arenga |
| Species | microcarpa |
| Synonyms | Arenga microcarpa var. keyensis, Arenga gracilicaulis F.M.Bailey, Didymosperma humile Lauterb. & K.Schum, Didymosperma microcarpum (Becc.) Warb. ex K.Schum. & Lauterb, Didymosperma novoguineense Warb. ex K.Schum. & Lauterb. |
| Category | Perennials, Tropicals |
| Type | Shrub (evergreen) |
| References | Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2019-05-18. |
| Origin | Southeast Asia (Indonesia to New Guinea) and northern Australia. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer | The taller Arenga palms store large quantities of starch in their stems. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 9b - 11 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cold season protection under glass. |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H3 - H1c |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | (-3.8) to above 4.5 |
| Temperature (°F) | 25 - 40 |
| Height | 4 - 8 metres tall but exceptionally to 14 metres. |
Description and Growing Information
| Propagation | By seed. |
| Cultivation | Tolerates low light, but does best in a sunny, tropical position, with plenty of water. |
| Notable Specimens | Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America. |
| Habitat | Primary rainforest. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Multi-stemmed species, slender, unbranched stems can be 12 cm in diameter, crowned by a rosette of 5 - 10 leaves. The stem dies once flowers have been produced from the basal node. |
| Leaf Description | Dark glossy green leaves, with silvery undersides. |
| Flower Description | Purple flowers, and small red fruit. A flowering shoot is produced from each node on the stem. |
| Fruit Description | A small red fruit. |
| Texture Description | Plant has spines or sharp edges. |
Photographs
Arenga microcarpa, form, Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando, Florida, United States of America.