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Ceroxylon quindiuense

Common name:	Wax Palm	Family:	Palmae
Author:	(Karst.)H.A.Wendl.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	S. America - Colombia.
Habitat:	Cloud forests at high elevations in the Andes[200, 231].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Arecales. Renamed to Arecaceae -- Palm family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 20m by 4m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 9. It is in leaf all year. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Secondary, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.

Edible Uses

Fruit. We have seen no reports for this species, but the fruit is probably edible[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

A wax obtained from the trunk is used for making candles[231].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most fertile moist but well-drained soils in a sheltered sunny position[231]. Requires a humus-rich soil with bright filtered light and cool high humidity[200].
This species tolerates several degrees of short-lived frost in its native climate[231], it can be grown outdoors in essentially frost-free temperate climates[200].
Palms usually have deep penetrating root systems and generally establish best when planted out at a young stage. However, older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants[231]. In areas at the limit of their cold tolerance, therefore, it is prudent to grow the plants in containers for some years, giving them winter protection, and only planting them into their permanent positions when sheer size dictates[231]. Palms can also often be transplanted even when very large. Although the thick fleshy roots are easily damaged and/or desiccated, new roots are generally freely produced. It is important to stake the plant very firmly to prevent rock, and also to give it plenty of water until re-established - removing many of the leaves can also help[231].
This species is the national tree of Colombia[200].
Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse at not less than 24° c[188]. Stored seed is very slow to germinate. Pre-soaking the seed for 24 hours in warm water prior to sowing may shorten the germination time. Plants form a long tap-root some time before forming a shoot so the seed is best sown in groups of two or three in each deep pot, thinning if necessary to the best seedling. Germination of fresh seed usually takes place in 3 - 4 months at 25° c[138]. Grow on the plants in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters and plant out in the summer. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first few winters outdoors.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[138] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[231] McMillan-Browse. P. Palms for Cooler Climates. Trebah Enterprises. 1993 ISBN 0 9521952 0 8
An excellent little booklet on the subject, though it does not mention many plant uses.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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