Rhopalostylis baueri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhopalostylis baueri |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Rhopalostylis
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| Species: |
baueri
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| Synonyms | |
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Rhopalostylis cheesemanii |
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The Norfolk Island palm (Rhopalostylis baueri) is a special type of palm that grows naturally on Norfolk Island in Australia and the Kermadec Islands in New Zealand. On Norfolk Island, people often call it the 'Norfolk Island palm' or 'niau'. In New Zealand, the palms from the Kermadec Islands are known as 'Kermadec nikau'.
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Where Does This Palm Grow?
On Norfolk Island, the Norfolk Island palm now grows in a small area near the national park. It faces some danger there because rats like to eat its fruit and young plants. It's quite rare in other parts of the island.
However, in the Kermadec Islands, this palm is not in danger. It only grows on Raoul Island. After efforts to get rid of rats on Raoul Island were successful, the palm started to spread much more widely. On Norfolk Island, where rats are still a problem, the R. baueri palm is growing back and is common in some places. If rats were removed from Norfolk Island, this palm would grow even better.
What Does the Norfolk Island Palm Look Like?
The Norfolk Island palm can grow very tall, reaching up to 10 meters (about 33 feet) or more! Its leaves are long and feathery, about 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) in length. These leaves grow from a strong, upright stem called a petiole, which is about 20 centimeters (8 inches) long.
A special part of the palm is its crownshaft, which is about 50–60 centimeters (20–24 inches) long. The palm's flowers grow in a cluster that is 30–50 centimeters (12–20 inches) long and has many branches. The fruits start out green but turn a bright red when they are ripe. These red fruits are a favorite food for the endangered Norfolk parakeet. Early settlers on the island used to eat the growing tip of the palm as a vegetable. They said it tasted like a nut when raw and like an artichoke when cooked.
Growing the Norfolk Island Palm
Outside of its natural home, the Norfolk Island palm is grown in other places. In New Zealand, people grow it because it grows faster than the similar nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida), which is the only other type of palm in the Rhopalostylis group.
You can also find this palm growing in the Australian states of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia. In the Northern Hemisphere, beautiful Norfolk Island palms are grown in places like the Azores and Madeira, which have climates similar to where the palm naturally grows. It is also grown outdoors in coastal California, Hawai'i, Portugal, Spain, the Canary Islands, and parts of the Mediterranean region, such as Palermo, Italy.
See also
In Spanish: Rhopalostylis baueri para niños
