Cyphophoenix nucele
 
Common Names Lifou Palm
 
Zones 10A–11
 
Endemic to Lifou Island in New Caledonia, Cyphophoenix nucele is a rare crownshaft palm with elegant proportions and silvery tomentum. It grows in limestone-based rainforest soils and is the only New Caledonian palm adapted to raised coral substrates. With fewer than 100 mature individuals remaining in the wild, it’s a conservation priority and a collector’s gem.
 
Key Features
Growth Habit: Solitary; moderate speed
Height: 33–40 ft (10–12 m); trunk diameter up to 8 in (20 cm)
Trunk: Slender; greenish-yellow; slightly swollen at base
Crownshaft: 20–24 in (50–60 cm); whitish tomentum except at base
Leaves: Pinnate; erect; dark green above, silvery below; petiole nearly absent
Inflorescence: 1–2 per node; 20–35 in (50–90 cm); whitish-green; erect
Fruit: Ellipsoid; orange-red when ripe; smooth endocarp
Ecology: Grows on madreporic limestone at ~165 ft (50 m) elevation; threatened by habitat loss
 
Growing Conditions
Light: Filtered sun to part shade
Watering: Moderate to high; prefers consistent moisture
Soil: Well-drained; neutral to alkaline; tolerates limestone
Temperature: Hardy to ~30°F (–1°C); frost-sensitive
Humidity: High; thrives in tropical/subtropical climates
Propagation: By seed; germinates readily
Tolerance: Some coastal exposure; not drought- or salt-tolerant
 
Landscape Use Ideal for shaded tropical gardens, limestone-based soils, and collectors of rare crownshaft palms. Pairs well with Cyphophoenix elegans, Kentiopsis oliviformis, and Chambeyronia macrocarpa.