Medemia Palm, Argun Palm, Nubian Desert Palm

Attractive solitary palmate/costapalmate thick trunked, very slow growing rare species from the northern deserts of Africa. This palm wa...Read Mores thought to be extinct until just 10 years ago (1995) when it was rediscovered. Now seed has become available and many are trying to grow it all over the world. Here in southern California many have had good luck getting this palm to germinate and grow to a small seedling, but most lose it after that... very finicky palm in terms of water and heat.. needs less water than just about any other palm (too much in winter here kills them off), and needs constant heat. Not sure if we will ever get an adult here except for out in our desert areas. But in south Florida and the tropics where it never cools off, it is doing much better. Closely related to and looks a bit like Hyphaene and Bismarckia. Has blue-green markedly costapalmate/recurved leaves and very colorful black to orange petioles.