Everything You Need To Know About All Types Of Palm Trees
Teddy Bear Palm Tree
Teddy Bear Palm Tree, scientific name Dypsis leptocheilos or Neodypsis lastelliana, is a very elegant palm known for its unique trunk with a distinctive reddish-colored fuzzy crownshaft. It can grow indoors or outdoors. It is often confused with another palm also known as the Redneck Dypsis lastelliana.
Teddy Bear Palm Tree File
Scientific name: Dypsis leptocheilos or Neodypsis lastelliana
Common names: The Teddy Bear Palm is also known as Redneck Palm and Red Fuzzy Palm.
Family: Arecaceae
Origin: It is native to Madagascar.
Appearance: It has a single, clean, white, waxy trunk ringed by the scars from the fallen fronds. The crownshaft is covered in dense reddish-brown velvet-like or fur-like fuzzy material “tomentum”, hence the name Teddy Bear Palm. The trunk has a lot of similarities with bamboo.
About 15-20 slightly arching leaves emerge from the crownshaft forming a beautiful crown. Leaves are pinnate, or feather-shaped, 8-10ft long, with gorgeous drooping dark green leaflets that are 18 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Flowers/Fruits: It produces pale yellow creamy flowers that bloom from May to August. Flowers are supported by 3ft long branched inflorescence coming from below the leaves. The Teddy Bear Palm is monoecious, male and female flowers on the same plant. Flowers are followed by berry-like fruits.
Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate. Dypsis leptocheilos grow at a medium rate up to 20 – 30 ft tall and 15 -20 ft wide.
Outdoor/Indoor Use: Both.
Cold Tolerance: It is cold-hardy and can tolerate cold down to 25F and even withstand light frost for a short period of time when mature enough. It is great for growing in USDA Zones 9b (25 to 30 F) to 11 (above 40 F).
Light Req: Partial shade to Full sun.
Water Req: Moderate. It requires a moderate amount of water with good drainage.
Maintenance: Easy. To prevent nutritional deficiency, apply good quality palm fertilizer that has continuous release formula twice a year during the growing season.
Propagation: Propagated by seeds that take around 4-6 months to germinate. For the best result soak seeds in warm water overnight before planting. Plant seeds ½ inches deep in a mix of garden soil and fast-draining potting soil. Keep the soil moist and provide enough light.