The Bismarckia nobilis is a difficult-growing palm tree that looks special. It is not a hardy palm. This palm grows best in a warm climate. If you create the right conditions, you can also keep a Bismarckia in the Netherlands. The Bismarckia is an expensive palm to purchase, but not to maintain.
Origin
The origin of the Bismarckia is Madagascar. The name ‘Bismarckia’ has been assigned to this palm in honor of the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. ‘Nobilis’ is Latin for noble.
Appearance
The Bismarckia nobilis is also called the ‘Bismarck palm’. This palm has large blue leaves. These leaves are fan-shaped and they are partially incised. They can have a width of up to 3 meters. The leaves have a very long petiole, because the petiole is 2 to 3 meters long. The trunk is also quite large, the diameter of the gray-brown trunk is between 30 and 40 cm. When the trunk is still young you will see scars from old leaves. However, an old trunk does not have that, it is smooth. The Bismarckia itself often does not grow taller than 12 meters.
Grooming
This palm must be in full sun. You can put this palm outside, but it has to go back in below 12 degrees. This palm can withstand drought quite well, especially the adult specimens. With older palms you can wait to water until the root ball is dry. It is best to keep younger palms moist at all times. Still, the palm grows faster if it is regularly watered. Make sure that the soil does not get too wet, because that can be bad for the roots. If the palm gets too wet, you will notice that it has to put in a lot of effort to process all the water.
Good draining soil is a requirement for the Bismarckia nobilis. You can also provide the Bismarckia nobilis with some extra nutrition. Do adhere to the instructions on the packaging; if you give too much nutrition, the soil can become acidic. This can seriously affect the roots.
You can transplant the palm when the pot gets too small. Especially when the Bismarckia is still young, you need to purchase a large pot. Bismarkias have large roots that also grow quickly. A small damage to the root can mean that the Bismarckia will not survive. A young Bismarckia can also have a growth delay.
Sow your own Bismarckia nobilis
On the internet there are various websites where you can buy a Bismarckia. There is often a proverbial price tag on these palms. Bismarckias are also for sale from specialized growers. When you create the optimal conditions, you can also buy seeds. You can then grow your own Bismarckia. If you like to pay less money for a Bismarckia and you like a challenge, this can certainly be fun. However, you have to realize that it takes a while for the Bismarckia nobilis to become a nice plant in terms of size. It takes a long time for the palm to grow taller. Leaf development is also slow. In addition, you must pay attention to the care. Very young palms are very vulnerable.
When you start sowing, start by soaking the seed in lukewarm water. This soaking should be two days. You can just put the seeds in a bowl of water and put them on the heating. After those two days, you can sow the seeds 2 cm deep in sandy soil. The germination time is one month.