Bottle palm Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
Bottle palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis) is an evergreen perennial tree in the Arecaceae family, native to Round Island, Mauritius (only a handful of wild trees remain). It grows 2.5–4 m (8.2–13 ft) tall and 2–3 m (6.6–10 ft) wide, wants full sun and low water, and is hardy to about 2 °C (36 °F). Space plants about 2.5 m (8.2 ft) apart.
Plan Bottle palm in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Bottle palm at a glance
| Type | Perennial tree, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Arecaceae |
| Mature height | 2.5–4 m (8.2–13 ft) |
| Mature spread | 2–3 m (6.6–10 ft) |
| Spacing | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 6 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | Low; drought tolerance moderate, waterlogging tolerance none |
| Soil pH | 6–8.5 |
| Cold hardiness | About 2 °C (36 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 10) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 40 °C (104 °F) |
| Flowering | from about May for 6–13 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones) |
| Wind tolerance | High |
| Pollinator value | Low |
| Edible | Not grown as food |
| Native to | Round Island, Mauritius (only a handful of wild trees remain) |
| Common in gardens of | 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇸🇬 Singapore, 🇺🇸 United States |
Is Bottle palm toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Bottle palm
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and low water.
See Bottle palm in a botanical garden
It grows in this sample garden, which you can walk through in 3D:
- Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden (4 plants)
Questions about Bottle palm
- How far apart should I plant Bottle palm?
- About 2.5 m (8.2 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 2–3 m (6.6–10 ft).
- Does Bottle palm need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Bottle palm need?
- Low water. Drought tolerance is moderate and waterlogging tolerance none.
- How cold-hardy is Bottle palm?
- It tolerates about 2 °C (36 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 10.
- When does Bottle palm flower?
- From about May for 6–13 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Bottle palm poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
- What grows well with Bottle palm?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Bottle palm. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (low).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade B (B: extension service or peer-reviewed).
- Plants of the World Online (taxonomy, native range), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, IUCN
- UF/IFAS Extension tropical and subtropical fruit and landscape publications, University of Florida
Notes and assumptions
- Tropical: outdoors only where frost never occurs; elsewhere under heated glass.
- A trunk swollen like a bottle under a few arching leaves; Critically Endangered in the wild, common in tropical gardens.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Coconut palm Cocos nucifera
- Date palm Phoenix dactylifera
- Açaí palm Euterpe oleracea
- Mexican fan palm Washingtonia robusta
- African oil palm Elaeis guineensis
- Areca palm (golden cane palm) Dypsis lutescens
- Chilean wine palm Jubaea chilensis
- Joey palm Johannesteijsmannia altifrons