The Pindo Palm Growth Rate is known to be slow and the plant can take years until it reaches maturity.
Also called the jelly palm, fan palm, or the butia capitata, this perennial palm has a low and thick trunk, is remarkable in its way as it comes with a long life span, and is capable of tolerating extremely cold temperatures.
In this guide, our experts help you understand the speed at which this palm grow, its life span, and how you could give a boost to its growth. So get ready to explore this amazing and attractive plant which has blue-green fronds and spiky thin leaves
What Is The Pindo Palm Plant Growth Rate?
The pindo palm plant with its slow growth rate grows only about twelve inches to twenty-four inches in a year.
Because of this slow growth rate, the plant takes at least five to ten years to reach maturity and the Pindo palm fruit takes three to four months to ripen. The plant with its slender trunk and fronds on top, on average, can grow up to twenty feet tall over its long lifespan of eighty years.
Native to Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina, the plant may be slow in growth per year, however, they are the fastest in comparison to the windmill palm growth rate, queen palm growth rate, and bottle palm growth rate.
– The Space it Takes
Butia Capitata trees require space as the fibrous root system extends out over the soil instead of taking a downward growth. Much as the plant has slow growth, the pindo palm root system spreads out shallowly to a depth of about 36 inches, forming a ball and extending a few sections prominently visible above the ground.
Despite the height of the tree, the fibrous roots are thin and short and branch out extensively in search of nutrients and water. Thus, if you are growing a palm near your home or fence, maintain a distance of about six feet to permit the spread of roots.
If you are placing these palm trees in a row, then a distance of ten feet between each is recommended, as the roots spread out around trunks, generally up to the width of the fronds. Nonetheless, you may also grow pindo in a container however, you would have to transplant it at a later point when the plant gains height and the roots begin to stick out of drainage holes.
Moreover, it is better to grow it in the ground as containers can be restrictive to the already slow-growing pindo. The extensive root system is unlikely to cause any damage to concrete buildings however, with the frond extending as well, you would not want to crowd the foliage near surfaces, and maintaining a distance will enable the roots to remain healthy and not root bound.
– Lifespan
The life span of this twenty feet tall palm can be around eighty years. However, you can boost this lifespan to a certain extent by caring for it right and keeping the plant well nourished.
However, you must also have into consideration that this popular landscaping plant can also show some tell-tale signs of dying and if it is spotted earlier, can be tackled easily. If you notice any one of these below-mentioned symptoms, it signifies that the life of the palm may be under threat and it calls for a better care ritual.
How To Speed Up the Growth
You can speed up or boost the growth rate of this palm variant by providing it with the ideal environment to thrive and keeping pests and diseases at bay.
The plant will not be stressed and it will thrive as you provide the right amount of sun, water, and even fertizlier. By caring about how a tropical plant should be grown, you will have the plant in the best of health throughout the year.
– Sunlight and Lots of Space
Right from the beginning of its life, place the pindo plant where it can receive an adequate amount of sunlight, having in mind that the plant is tropical and typically would require six to eight hours of light every day. This means that you must give it full and direct sunlight and the plant will mature healthy with vibrant fronds.
Also, as mentioned in the earlier section, plan for ample space around the plant to prevent it from getting root bound. The fronds too can spread wide, which means ensuring structures or foliage around don’t obstruct this extensively wide palm plant.
– Get the Right Potting Mix
Grow the plant in well-draining soil that is aerated with just a slight amount of moisture. Much as the plant is hardy and robust and manages to fare well in most soil types; however, to boost growth rate, the best would be light soil. Thus adding in some peat or perlite will improve drainage and aid in the growth.
– Proper Watering
This plant is more drought-resistant yet never shies away from mild levels of moisture in its soil. you must regularly water it to help the roots to establish themselves and the pindo palms grow healthily and the foliage stays vibrant and healthy.
The best way to gauge if your roots require water is to stick your finger in by an inch into the soil and feel moisture. If your finger comes out dry, you can add in some more.
Only water if the soil is dry as the plant seldom tolerates overwater. Excess water at the roots will prevent adequate absorption of oxygen by the roots, thereby leaving to wilting, yellowing, or browning of the fronds.
– Prune the Plant
Prune the plant once a year to remove dead, decayed, or diseased sections of the fronds. This will reduce the chances of any infestation and thus will keep the growth intact. Avoid pruning the jelly palm in winter and also do not over-prune the palm.
Just remove the lower fronds that may be dried and chlorotic. Always sterilize garden knives and pruners with alcohol before snipping them away to prevent the spread of fungal or bacterial diseases.
– Fertilize the Palm
Much as this palm tree variant is hardy and thrives and survives in a range of temperatures and soil conditions, moderate use of fertilizers will boost growth and sustain healthy foliage.
The ideal formula will be a slow-release pindo palm fertilizer, added at the time when the plant begins to produce new spears and spines. Alternatively, you could use a formula high in potassium and nitrogen.
Typically early spring is a perfect time for adding in a batch of fertilizers as the nourishment will slowly be absorbed by the roots during the growing months giving the much-required boost to growth. Additionally, an application of Epsom salt will aid to meet the deficiency of magnesium in the soil in the weeks that follow fertilization in the spring months.
– Grow Them on the Ground
Much as this plant is capable of thriving and growing in a pot or container, it is highly recommended that you begin growing the plant from a nascent stage directly into the soil. This is because the plant tends to spread out its fibrous roots in search of food and water and requires ample space.
Giving them this space helps the roots to establish themselves well, absorb adequate oxygen, and will thus be able to not only sustain their fronds but also keeps up the growth rate of the plant. Whether you are growing them in a pot or container, transplant them as soon as you see the first signs of fruiting, directly into the ground.
In addition, you may also need to move the plant out if you notice roots sticking out of drainage holes due to root-bound plants. Root bound also restricts the water from draining out of the pot or container thus putting the plant at risk of being infected with fungal diseases, which can in turn hamper growth.
FAQ
– How Wide Does a Pindo Palm Get?
The palm trees grow to a width of fifteen feet with a pindo palm height of twenty feet. The plant produces long bluish-green feathery fronds that arch backward.
You will also notice flowers on a long spike extending outwards adding to the overall volume of the plant and in summer, you will notice these flowers turning into red fruits. Mature jelly plants have a trunk width of one to one and a half feet.
– How Hardy Are Pindo Palms?
These palms are one of the hardiest plants in the palm family. You would find them as a cold hardy palm surviving extreme temperatures and also thriving in dry and sultry weather. This palm can even grow in a range of soil conditions from loamy to sandy soils.
This makes it a favorite among beginner-level gardeners and also for landscaping purposes. You will commonly find them in rock gardens on sidewalks and walkways. However to boost the growth rate and keep the foliage vibrant and blooming with fruiting occurring at the right seasons, provide the plant with its ideal care requirement.
– What Are the Symptoms that Affect the Life of Pindo Palm?
Some Symptoms may occur if you have subjected the plant to exposure to too much sun, not receiving ample sunlight, over or underwatering excessive use of fertilizers, poor quality soil, or a root-bound plant.
You would see that the center of the tree turns a brown color, and the prominent discoloration and early falling off of younger fronds.
In addition, you would witness Wilting, yellowing, or browning of mature fronds, and even holes in the trunk that may have been caused by pests and fungal or bacterial diseases.
Conclusion
Having read all about the life and growth of the pindo plant, you have understood that with proper care the plant can thrive for years.
Let us summarize our learning in the below section that will convince you that this plant is a stunning addition to your garden.
- Pindo palm growth rate is supposed to be slow and the plant can take years to turn into a mature plant as well as to produce its fruits. This perennial plant produces green-ish blue vibrant fronds that over the years will spread all around it.
- The fibrous roots of the plant extend out into the soil thus, maintaining a gap between plants or placing them at a minimum distance of at least six to ten feet from concrete structures and fences.
- The plant lives long for at least eighty years which can be boosted to a certain extent by providing the plant with ample sunlight, fertilizing it, pruning once a year, and keeping the soil lightly moist.
- Using the right potting mix which is nourished with potassium and manganese will reduce deficiencies in the plant
- Pindo palms are one of the hardiest plants in the palm family and can survive in a range of soil and temperature conditions.
Pindo palms with proper care can grow well and last long despite having a slow growth rate. These attractive and majestic plants are easy to care for, so you should surely include them in your outdoor spaces giving the zone a perfect look.
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