Synonymy:
Livistona
sp. 'Carnarvon Gorge'
Distribution & Habitat:
Open eucalypt forest, stream banks and on rocky escarpments in the Carnarvon and Isla Gorge area of central Queensland.
Description:
A tall solitary fan palm to 30m (100ft), with bright green, deeply divided leaves, with long, drooping leaf tips, up to 4.5m (18ft) long,
and which form an open crown.
It has numerous glossy black fruits that are about 2cm (0.8in) in diameter.
Culture:
Sunny, moist, but well drained position.
Fast growing. Drought and heavy frost tolerant.
Becoming very popular due to its cold tolerance.
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Figure 1. L. nitida
in habitat
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Figure 2. L. nitida
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Personnal Experiences:
About 14 yrs ago I obtained some Livistona nitida
seed.
I had seen seedlings surviving under canopy in the Canberra Botanic gardens.
A self-addressed envelope to the ranger at Isla Gorge National Park soon
provided a packet of seed - all of which germnated. Shortly after we
built a new house on a bare 1/4 acre block. Growth rates varied remarkably.
The biggest is now about 4 metres with a well formed trunk. Others which
are beyond the irrigation zone or met stiff competition are still barely
ankle high.
Noteworthy is their tolerance of frost and potentially speedy growth in our
harsh climate. We get down to -8°C in Canberra and even seedlings will
survive in the open. Growth rates are also much better in the open.
They do better in this climate than
L. australis
, although the latter
is still quite frost tolerant.
L. nitida
does not like to be transplanted but will eventually come good.
Be prepared for all the leaves to die back. (I suspect they are adapted to
drier climates than L. australis
and have a spreading root system).
Ian Knight
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Figure 3. L. nitida
in habitat, Dawson River, Queensland.
Figure 4. L. nitida
Figure 5. L. nitida
on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
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For further information try |
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Monocot
Checklist |
Palm
Web
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