Common name:
Lipstick palm

Origin:
Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia

Minimum temperature:
15 degrees Celsius

Description:
This species is seen by many as one of the most beautiful palm species in the world. This is not only because of its unusual bright red trunk and leaf stems, but the leaves are also very decorative. It is often called the 'Red Sealing Wax palm' because the red colour looks like the wax to seal letters with. Originally this species grows in the tropical floodplains of Thailand and is resistant to tropical floods. In these floodplains the palm can grow up to 16 metres tall, but plants grown in culture remain much smaller. The palm has a slim, slow growth while it does produce many sucklings. Its beautiful red colour is visible at a young age. Regarding plant care, it is very important to have high humidity, to keep the soil moist and well permeable, and to keep the temperature between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. This is a proper tropical species, so it is not the easiest plant to take care off. However, if you can offer it the right circumstances and care, it is a truly spectacular plant to have.

Sowing description:
The seeds are viable for a short time, so it is best to sow as soon as possible when receiving the seeds. First, soak the seeds in water for 3 - 5 days and sow them in sowing mix. Keep the soil moist and germinate at 25 to 30 degres Celsius. Germination can occur after a couple of weeks, but it can also take months. As long as the seeds are still hard germination can occur. 

Sowing time:
Whole year

Level of difficulty:
Challenge