Ruffle Palm

Aiphanes aculeata Willd.

AY-pha-knees ah-cuu-lee-AY-tah

Arecaceae

Explanation of name: Aiphanes comes from the Greek prefix ai-, always, and phaneros, conspicuous (STE, RI2). Aculeatus is Latin for prickly (STE).

Natural range: South America. Comparatively dry montane forests (RI2). (ELL says “common throughout the rainforests of South America.”)

Recognition: Solitary mid-sized palm with spines on trunk, and extremely ruffly jagged-tipped, wedge-shaped leaflets in pinnate arrangement. No crownshaft. The fruit is red.

Landscape uses: When young requires protection from sun, when older tolerates partial shade or full sun (JON, ELL). An eye-catching, single-trunked, mid-sized novelty palm for a shaded moist site. Sometimes used indoors. ELL reports the seeds to germinate in 6-8 weeks.