Butia purpurascens

[mppalms]

Around a year ago, I picked up a few Butia purpurascens seedlings, which are still in pots.  They survived the winter and are growing (very slowly) again.  

Has anyone grown this palm to maturity?  What does it look like?  Any thoughts about hardiness (e.g., relative to B. capitata)?  Over-all height?  Trunk diameter, etc.?

Thanks in advance..

Jason

[mppalms]

They're starting to take off.  For some reason, they seemed to need a warm spell followed by cooler weather.  Two leaves each in as many weeks.  They're pretty uninteresting seedlings at this stage, but I'll send pics when they get a bit bigger..

Jason

[ricky]

hi jason from what iv read this palm just looks like a smaller version of butia yatay below is the description rare palm seeds give for this palm hope this helps a little

regards ricky

Butia purpurascens

Purple Yatay Palm

A smallish and very rare species from central Brazil, where it is found in savannah vegetation, often growing together with Syagrus flexuosa, Attalea and Allagoptera. It grows a slender trunk that can reach up to 4 m (13 ft.) tall and carries a small crown with elegantly arching, V-shaped, blueish-green leaves. As opposed to most other Butia, the leaf stalk does not produce any spines. The fruits are purple. Butia purpurascens is a robust and easy to grow palm for temperate, subtropical and dry tropical areas. As far as we know, seeds have not been commercially available ever.

[mppalms]

Thanks.  I see they also have a picture of the palm in habitat.  I guess it's too new in cultivation for there to be much experience with it.

Jason