Guano barbudo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guano barbudo |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Coccothrinax
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| Species: |
crinita
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The Coccothrinax crinita, also known as the old man palm, is a special type of palm tree. It gets its nickname because its trunk is covered in long, woolly fibers, like an old man's beard! This palm tree is found only in Cuba. It's a fan palm, which means its leaves are shaped like a fan.
Contents
What Does the Old Man Palm Look Like?
The old man palm usually has a single trunk. It can grow between 2 and 10 meters tall. That's like a building with one to three floors! Its trunk is about 8 to 20 centimeters wide.
The trunk looks even wider because of the thick, woolly fibers. These fibers cover the trunk like a shaggy coat.
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers of the old man palm are small. They are a light yellow color. You might not notice them at first. These tiny flowers grow in clusters. They hang down from a long stalk. This stalk droops from the top of the tree.
After the flowers are pollinated, fruits start to grow. These fruits are black and purple. They are soft and fleshy. Each fruit is about 0.7 to 2 centimeters wide. You can only find these fruits in the summer.
Types of Old Man Palms
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the Coccothrinax crinita palm. They are called Coccothrinax crinita subsp. brevicrinis and C. crinita subsp. crinita.
The "short hair old man palm" (subsp. brevicrinis) has shorter fibers on its trunk. These fibers are also less dense. You can find this type of palm in central Cuba.
Where Does the Old Man Palm Live?
The Coccothrinax crinita palm often grows in savannas. These are grassy areas that get flooded sometimes. It can live in places up to 500 meters high. Sometimes, it also grows in hilly areas.
This palm likes moist, well-drained soils. It especially likes serpentine soils. These soils have low amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.
How it Grows
The old man palm grows very slowly in nature. It takes about 10 years for the tree to grow just 5 feet taller. A full-grown tree can be 10 to 20 feet tall.
How it Reproduces
The wind helps to pollinate the flowers. This means the wind carries pollen from one flower to another. After pollination, the fruits grow. Mammals help to spread the seeds. They eat the fruits and then drop the seeds in new places.
How People Use the Old Man Palm
People often plant the Coccothrinax crinita as a beautiful ornamental palm. Its leaves are also used to make thatch. Thatch is a material used for roofing.
Growing Conditions
This palm is quite easy to take care of. It likes to grow in partial or full sunlight. The soil needs to be well-drained and moist. It should not be clay soil. The palm can handle basic soils. It can also survive droughts and grow near the ocean.
When it's fully grown, this palm can handle cold temperatures. It can even survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In windy weather, the oldest fibers on its trunk will fall off.
Uses and Dangers
People have found many uses for this palm. Its fibers can be used to make pillows. The strong trunk can be used to build shelters. The leaves can even be made into bowls.
However, all these uses have made the plant very rare. Its natural home has also been destroyed. Because of this, the old man palm is now critically endangered. There are only about 60 to 130 trees left in Cuba.
See also
In Spanish: Coccothrinax crinita para niños
