Where to find Lala-palm Hyphaene coriacea easily

• This is a typical palm tree.
• In the south of the Lowveld the Southern Lala-palm has pear-shaped fruit, and is usually a shrub.
• In the north the Northern Lala-palm has rounder fruit, and often grows into a tall single-trunked tree.
• It has huge, Hand-shaped Compound leaves on a tall, bare, cylindrical trunk.
• The fruit is a large, dark, shiny ball.

Seasonal Changes

Evergreen. This tree is easy to identify throughout the year owing to its unique shape.

The Lala-palm has a single, straight trunk, with leaves growing directly from it, to form a typical palm shape of moderate density.

Bark

The bark is fibrous and shows prominent leaf scars.

Leaves

The leaves are bluish-green
(1 300 mm).

Thorns

There are hooked thorns on the leaf-stems.

Flowers

Tiny flowers are tightly packed in long, drooping sprays. Growing on separate trees, the male flowers are paired, and the female flowers are single (Nov - Feb) (Male spray: 2 000 mm;
Female spray: 3 000 mm).

Fruit

The fruit hangs in long bunches below the leaves and is present throughout the year (60 mm).

Gardening

This very attractive Palm-tree grows on most soil types, but requires plenty of water. It is neither frost- nor drought-resistant. Slow-growing it cannot be propogated from seed or cuttings.

The white nut of the fruit is used as vegetable ivory for button-making and the carving of curios. The sap is brewed into beer and the leaves make mats, fibre, twine and thatching material.

The fruit is edible – the flesh is eaten by fruit bats and the nuts by baboon, elephant and monkey.