Palms   Arenga pinnata

Synonyms: Arenga saccharifera Common Names: Sugar Palm Habitat: Tropical Asian rainforest. Description: A large palm, with erect, 3m long leaves. The trunk is covered in a black fibrous hessian like material, while the leaf bases have long spines protecting them. General: Widely grown in the tropics and is used to produce sugar, sago, and alcoholic drinks. Culture: Full sun, and lots of water, in a well drained position. Can be grown in warm temperate areas, but it is a much slower grower there.

Figure 1. A young plant.

Figure 2. Adult plant.

Figure 3. A. pinnata infructescence.

Figure 4. A. pinnata in habitat, Sumatra.

Figure 5. In Sumatra, the spines on the trunk are used as roofing material.
They evidently act like straw, and form a waterproof covering.

Contributed by:	Tony Huntington (Figure 1)
	Mike Gray (Figures 2-5).

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