Spindle palm overview
The spindle-shaped Mascarene palm. USDA 10b to 12, a swollen trunk that is widest in the middle, and a rarer garden cousin of bottle palm.
Region of origin
Rodrigues
Native countries
Historical discovery
Named for Ambroise Verschaffelt. Hermann Wendland published the combination in 1866. It is the spindle-shaped cousin of the bottle palm, endemic to Rodrigues and endangered in the wild.
Names
Common names
Spindle palm, Palmiste marron
Synonyms
- None widely used
Cold hardiness
Survives about 32°F / 0°C. Outdoor range USDA 10b–12a. Hover or click a zone, state, or country. Switch the U.S. map between states and hardiness zones.
Highlighted USDA zones 10b–12a. Green countries can be grown outdoors.
United States
In range Too cold
World
Native Can be grown
Alaska and Hawaii are state outlines with their overall zone range. A country is painted if its mildest inhabited winter is at least one USDA step milder than this palm’s hardiness.
Scientific facts
- Bottle palm (H. lagenicaulis) is swollen at the base. Spindle is swollen mid-trunk.
- Wild plants are from Rodrigues and are endangered. Garden plants are the conservation story people actually buy.
- Frost-free only. A freeze ruins the crown.
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Full care guide
The spindle palm is Hyophorbe verschaffeltii from Rodrigues, a swollen-middle cousin of the bottle palm. USDA 10b to 12. It wants heat, sun, and no freeze. If you already grow bottle palm, this is the other Mascarene silhouette.
Common Names:
Spindle palm, palmiste marron.
Scientific Name:
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii (W.Bull ex J.Dix) H.Wendl.
Origin:
Rodrigues in the Mascarenes. Wild plants are endangered.
Appearance:
A solitary palm with the trunk widest in the middle, like a spindle, a crownshaft, and stiff pinnate leaves. Bottle palm is barrel-based instead.
Growth Rate:
Slow to moderate.
Max Growth Height:
Often 15 to 25 feet.
Foliage Spread:
About 8 to 10 feet.
Cold Hardiness and Hardiness Zone:
USDA 10b to 12. Damage at freezing. Same tropical rule as bottle palm.
Soil Type:
Well-drained, even sandy. Wet cold clay is a poor match.
Fruit and Flowering:
Orange fruit on mature plants.
Can it Grow Indoors:
No, except a seedling novelty.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Water Requirements:
Regular water in heat. Let the soil drain. It is not a swamp palm.
Maintenance Level:
Low to medium. Feed in the growing season with palm-specific fertilizer. Keep it frost-free. Do not overplant it next to a wall that cooks and then freeze it in a snap.
Common Diseases/Pests:
Scale and nutrient yellowing in sand. Cold is the real problem.
Plant Care:
Sun, drainage, tropics. If you cannot do bottle palm, you cannot do spindle. If you can, this is the other swollen Hyophorbe.
Spindle palm Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Spindle or bottle palm?
Bottle (H. lagenicaulis) is swollen at the base. Spindle is swollen in the middle. Same genus, same climate.
2. Can I grow it in zone 9?
No. Same answer as bottle palm.
3. Is it rare?
In the wild, yes. In south Florida nurseries, uncommon but findable.
4. How fast does it grow?
Not fast. You are buying the trunk shape.
Plant spindle palm in the same climates that keep bottle palm alive. If your winter still freezes, you wanted a different silhouette entirely.