Dictyosperma album conjugatum
 
Common Names Round Island Hurricane Palm, Palmiste de l’Île Ronde
 
Zones 10B–11
 
A rare and compact variety of Dictyosperma album, conjugatum is endemic to Round Island near Mauritius. It features a short, stout trunk and a pale yellow crownshaft, with leaflets joined by persistent reins that give the fronds a distinctive silhouette. Exceptionally tolerant of wind and coastal exposure, this palm is ideal for hurricane-prone tropical gardens and conservation-focused collectors.
 
Key Features
Growth Habit: Solitary; slow to moderate speed
Height: 10–20 ft (3–6 m); trunk diameter ~8 in (20 cm)
Trunk: Smooth; ringed; powdery petiole bases
Crownshaft: Pale yellow to whitish; short and prominent
Leaves: Pinnate; arching; silvery undersides; leaflets joined by reins along margins
Inflorescence: Red buds turning reddish-brown; borne below crownshaft
Fruit: Small; round; white when ripe
Ecology: Endemic to dry, windy, limestone-based Round Island; adapted to low rainfall and high exposure
 
Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun to part shade
Watering: Moderate; drought-tolerant once established
Soil: Well-drained; tolerates alkaline and limestone substrates
Temperature: Hardy to ~30°F (–1°C); frost-sensitive
Humidity: Moderate to high
Propagation: By seed; slow germination
Tolerance: High wind and coastal exposure; moderate drought tolerance
 
Landscape Use Ideal for coastal gardens, hurricane zones, and collectors of Mascarene endemics. Pairs well with Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, Latania loddigesii, and Acanthophoenix rubra.