(Roystonea regia var. regia)
This Majestic palm is the national tree of Cuba where it is still abundant, growing on fertile soils to about 1000m in altitude. The bulging, concrete-white trucks are a useful guide to its identity. The bulge is usually present in the middle but may occur anywhere along its length. It's plumose leaves carried in a graceful, rounded crown and the ablong fruit, which is flattened or compressed on one side are also distinctive. In its native country the trucks are cut for timber, the leaf-bases are used for water-proof covering for bales of tobacco and the fruits (called 'palmiche') are used to feed pigs. Cuban Royal Palm is a familiar sight as it is very commonly planted throughout the tropics and to a lesser extent, the subtropics. It is frequently planted in rows beside driveways, roads and avenues and makes a uniform and stately palms for its purpose. A sunny position in well-drained soil is essential for success, although plants may grow rapidly in wet soils where the water is not stagnant. Plants respond vigorously to heavy applications of fertilizer rich in nitrogen. Two distinctive varieties are recognised.
(From Palms - Throughout the World by David L. Jones, 1994, ISBN 1-86860-010-6)
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