Livistona decora

ribbon palm

Broad, shimmering crown of deeply dissected leaves atop thin trunk, often gracefully leaning. Fast, stunning & hardy. The weeping willow of palms.

Seen in The Ultimate Guide to Growing Palm Trees in Coastal California →

Height	30–50
Width	10–15ft
Tolerates	Cold, Heat, Wind
Water needs	Moderate
This palm should be watered deeply every week or two once it's established. It doesn't want to ever dry out completely.
Hardy to	18°F
Exposure	Part Shade – Full Sun
Plant traits	Palm, Solitary, Tropical, Trunking, Weeping
Indoor / outdoor	Outdoor
Drainage	In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
Fertilizing	Palm Fertilizer
Origin	E Australia
California native	No
Sunset zones	8, 9, 12–23

Growing Notes

Palms are generally heavy feeders, so if you want them growing quickly and looking their best, they should be fertilized at least three times a year. Fertilizing at spring equinox, summer solstice and fall equinox will allow for a winter rest. Be sure to feed your palm with a fertilizer that contains micronutrients (especially including magnesium), especially if you see yellowing leaves or yellow spots on the leaves.

This solitary palm will grow only one trunk during its lifetime. If you have a pot with multiple trunks in it, that's because multiple separate palm trees were germinated in the pot. The good news is that you won't need to thin out suckers over time to maintain the number of trunks you started out with.

Protect from harsh winds, which can tatter the ribbon foliage.

Stories featuring this plant

Garden storyThe Ultimate Guide to Growing Palm Trees in Coastal CaliforniaWe can grow many kinds of palms in our coastal California gardens — palm trees, shrubby palms, bamboo palms, little foliage palms — lucky us! Our guide to everything palm has all the info you need to make the best selections for your garden.

The above information reflects the observations of Grubb and Nadler and our extended plant community. We always consider input from fellow horticulturists and welcome feedback from those with additional information on the culture of this plant.

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Growing Notes

Stories featuring this plant

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