Bismarkia nobilis - Bismarck Palm

The Bismarck Palm, Bismarkia nobilis in Latin, locally known as the white latanier, is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful palms in Madagascar. Its silhouette is regular, its habit is imposing, and its foliage spectacular: composed of very large fan-shaped leaves, it surprises with its light, bluish, almost metallic colour, which will be even more luminous when the plant grows in warm and dry conditions. Sensitive to frost, it is generally grown in pots, where it will not exceed 3 metres (9 feet 10 inches) in height. This sumptuous palm will make a big impression on a terrace or a large balcony. It requires a lot of sunlight and heat to thrive but tolerates lack of water once established.

Bismarkia nobilis (synonym Medemia nobilis) belongs to the family of Arecaceae. It is endemic to the central and western parts of the island of Madagascar, but cultivated for its ornamental qualities in many tropical or Mediterranean regions worldwide. It is a species that grows in dry areas, savannas, or semi-arid regions. In the wild very old specimens can reach 25 metres (82 feet) in height with a crown exceeding 7 metres (23 feet) in width, dimensions that it will never reach in our climates, especially if cultivated in pots. While well adapted to hot and dry climates, this palm can only tolerate a few brief frosts, around -2°C (28.4 °F). For this reason, it can only be grown in the ground in very sheltered gardens.

The Bismarck palm has slow growth in dry soil, a little faster in consistently moist soil. It develops a short, single, green-grey false trunk (stipe) carrying the remains of dried old leaves. These dried leaves form scales. The foliage is regularly arranged around this trunk and will not exceed 3 metres (9 feet 10 inches) in width. The leaves, which can reach or exceed 3 metres (9 feet 10 inches) in width in nature, are rounded and palmately compound, meaning the leaflets are arranged in a fan shape around a central axis. They are very tough and have a beautiful light grey-blue colour due to the presence of a whitish-waxy film on their upper surface. The lower surface is slightly glaucous. Each leaf is divided into 20 to 30 rigid segments and borne by a petiole reaching 1.80 to 2.40 metres (5 feet 11 inches to 7 feet 11 inches) in length, with a few spines and covered with a very light wax film and brown scales.

This palm is dioecious, meaning there are male individuals that bear only staminate flowers and female individuals that produce only pistillate flowers. The inflorescences are pendulous, brown, and adorned with small yellow flowers. After pollination by bees or wind, clusters of small ovoid fruits measuring 3.5 cm (1.4 in) in diameter, ranging from reddish-brown to dark blackish-brown, each containing a single seed, form on the female plants.

Highly appreciated as an avenue tree in coastal areas of Southern California, Florida, Arizona, Indonesia, and Australia, this Blue Palm from Madagascar is also an absolutely remarkable terrace or patio plant. It grows well in a large container, which should be stored in a cool, bright, and well-ventilated place frost-free during winter. Planted near an entrance or on either side of a gate, or as a standalone near a swimming pool, it will be superb. Fans of graphic and blue plants can plant the Siberian Nolina, the Agave ovatifolia, the Wheeler's Desert Spoon, the Blue Yucca, and other spectacular succulent plants well adapted to dry conditions alongside it.