The Andean Wax Palm, an Exquisite Rarity
Did you happen to catch this amazing piece in the New York Times about Ceroxylon quindiuense, the rare Andean wax palm? It’s the story of some botanists chasing down the last remaining stands of this tree, which is native to the cool, misty slopes of the Colombian Andes. Fascinating stuff!
Also fascinating: Here at Grubb & Nadler, we obtained seeds of this exquisite rarity from Quindio, Colombia, right near where the NY Times article takes place. We planted them in 2016, and after 14 months of germination, they were ready to transplant. Our crop of 1-gallon Ceroxylon quindiuense is gorgeously thriving and available now! Here’s a snapshot from production:
This cloud forest palm loves the cool humidity of foggy coastal California. The two palms pictured above, in the San Francisco Botanical Garden, actually produced flowers in the summer of 2019; they are believed to be the first Ceroxylon quindiuense to flower in North America.
Another fun fact: The SF Botanical Garden recently planted 50 small specimens of this palm in their new Celebration Garden, all grown here at Grubb & Nadler Nurseries!
Once it’s grown, Ceroxylon quindiuense has an elegant ringed trunk with a pure white color that stands out beautifully in a lush green garden.
Jason Dewees, our own horticulturist and author of the award-winning book Designing With Palms, was fortunate enough to travel to Colombia with the International Palm Society to see the few remaining wild specimens of these trees in their native habitat. Here are a few of his photos of Ceroxylon quindiuense from that trip:
Contact our team at hello@grubbandnadler.com to learn more about this rare specimen and place your order for 1-gallon plants today.
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