Common Name: Nibung Palm

Naturally occurring from Peninsula Thailand to West Malaysia, Oncosperma tigillarium is arguably one of the most beautiful palms in the world. A densely clumping species, it forms numerous, slender stems up to 25m/80' tall, which are usually only 150mm/6" in diameter. The stems are a greyish, light brown colour, with prominent leaf scar rings. The newer parts of the stems have many black, downward pointing spines on each of these rings. Above each stem is a tall, light green crownshaft up to 1.5m/5' in height and this leads to an elegant crown of arching, pinnate leaves with pendant leaflets. This is a fast growing, sun and moisture loving palm, that grows in lowland rainforest and swampy areas, near coasts or other bodies of water. It is not known to exhibit any cold tolerance and, given it's size and fast growth, is really only suitable for tropical and sub-tropical areas. A single clump would make an attractive specimen in a reasonable sized garden, but with sufficient space a grove of Oncosperma tigillarium would really be a sight to behold.