Bailey Copernicia Palm (and other Copernicia species)

Copernicia baileyana León

coe-per-NISS-ee-ah bail-lee-AIN-ah

Arecaceae

Explanation of name: The generic name commemorates Polish astronomer Copernicus, and the specific epithet honors L. H. Bailey, “father” of American horticultural taxonomy

Natural range: Cuba (ELL). Dry savannas and woodlands (MAI).

Recognition: All of the Copernicia species mentioned here have spiny petioles and costapalmate (with the petiole extending into the blade) leaves. Those important in South Florida landscape are single-trunked. Copernicia baileyana is a large stately palm with stiff (to drooping), broad (5’ across) costapalmate leaves on spinose petioles. The hunky trunks are smooth, gray, and free of leaf bases.

            The South American Caranday Palm (Copernicia alba Morong) is related and similar, but has smaller inflorescence bracts, these being tubular. Its trunk is thinner but ultimately taller, to over 75’ tall (JON). The Cuban Petticoat Palm (Copernicia macroglossa H. Wendl. ex Becc.) when unpruned develops a thick petticoat of old leaves above a trunk 8” in diameter. It is a smaller species (15’ according to MEE). The stiff flat leaves are on petioles less than 1’ long.

            Additional Copernicia species marketed, generally infrequently, in Florida include C. berteroana Becc. (with about 100 narrow leaf segments), C. Xburretiana León (a hybrid between C. macroglossa and C. hospita), C. curtissii Becc. (slender-trunked, sometimes suckering), C. fallaensis León (an endangered species with enormous blue-gray leaves 6’ across, the trunk 2.5’ in diameter), C. gigas Ekman ex Burrett  (with wedge-shaped leaf bases), C. glabrescens (clump-forming), C. hospita Mart. (with blue-gray leaves), C. prunifera (Mill.) H. E. Moore (leaves deeply divided with droopy tips, and long petioles; trunk decorated with severed leaf bases), and C. rigida Britton & Wils. (with the leaves rigidly upright when young). (Characterizations based largely on JON.)

Landscape uses: These large, sun-loving stately palms (C. baileyana) are formal and imposing, best used in large areas, such as in rows along a drive. JON stresses the importance of freely draining soil.

Additional notes: Copernicia prunifera is the commercial source of carnauba wax. The term “pruinose” means “waxy” (and the species name is not a reference to prunes, contrary to some references). MAI lists C. baileyana as one of its “Ten Great Palms for South Florida.”  Seeds require 2-4 months for germination (ELL).