Why is it called Travelers Palm?

Why is it called Travelers Palm?

Traveler’s tree, (Ravenala madagascariensis), also called traveler’s palm, plant of the family Strelitziaceae, so named because the water it accumulates in its leaf bases has been used in emergencies for drinking.

Is Travellers palm an indoor plant?

A spectacular potted plant for large indoor spaces with bright windows. Can also be grown outdoors in a patio planter during the summer and brought indoors for the winter.

Is Travelers Palm edible?

Traveler Palms are tall-growing. Related to the bananas and the Bird of Paradise, the Traveler’s Palm does indeed capture water at the base of its fan-like leaves, up to a quart per leaf. Young leaves of the palm are edible cooked, but bitter. The starchy young fruit is edible as well.

How long does it take for a travelers palm to grow?

Being slow to develop, traveler’s palm won’t flower until it’s ten years old. Once flowering begins, it will bloom mainly in summer, but may produce flowers throughout the year. The resulting seeds are edible, giving this plant quite a few practical uses.

Can you keep a travelers palm small?

This is a good-sized plant that reaches heights of 30 to 50 feet (9.1-15.2 m.) and sometimes even more, so provide plenty of space for travelers palm. Allow a minimum of 8 to 10 feet (2.4-3 m.) from a house or other structure, and 12 feet (3.7 m.) is even better.

How fast do travelers palms grow?

The growth rate of this plant is very fast, even though it starts out as a small bunch of leaves coming from the ground. It can grow more than 1metre annually when the conditions are optimal.

How do you take care of a fishtail palm?

Fishtail palms are thirsty plants. Make sure soil drains well, and then aim to keep it consistently moist. This palm’s thirst makes it difficult for it to survive in places like California, where hot, drying winds prevail. If you’re growing fishtail palm in a container outdoors, be sure to use a saucer beneath it.

Why is the travelers palm native to Madagascar?

When planting the Travelers Palm outdoors, ensure that there is enough area for the leaves to grow. The Travelers Palm is a native to Madagascar, where they tend to grow to mammoth proportions. Many birds and insects are attracted to the Travelers palm because of the water which is held inside its reservoirs.

How did the Ravenala tree get its name?

The scientific name Ravenala comes from Malagasy ravinala meaning “forest leaves”. The enormous paddle-shaped leaves are borne on long petioles, in a distinctive fan shape aligned in a single plane ( distichous ).

What kind of tree is the traveller’s palm?

Ravenala is a genus of flowering plants with a single species, Ravenala madagascariensis, commonly known as the traveller’s tree, traveller’s palm or East-West palm, from Madagascar. It is not a true palm (family Arecaceae) but a member of a monocotyledonous flowering plant family, Strelitziaceae.

Where do ravenalas grow in the DRC?

Ravenalas growing between two buildings in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The plane (here perpendicular to the north–south axis) of these plants is orientated to maximize daylight absorption.