Joey Palm (Johannesteijsmannia altifrons)

Product description

This is perhaps one of the most beautiful and spectacular palms in the world. In the rainforest, the huge fan-shaped leaves grow from the ground up to a height of sometimes 6 meters, making them nothing short of spectacular. It is a rare species found in mountain forests of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia; from an altitude of about 300 meters. There, the palm grows along slopes in the lower layer of the rainforest. Because of this, the palm likes a location without direct sunlight and especially high humidity. A heated greenhouse would be ideal for growth, but it is also possible to grow this special species as an indoor plant. Make sure the location is warm and water the leaves regularly if the humidity drops below 70%. In addition, the species likes a well-drained soil with organic material. The soil can be kept slightly moist constantly and should not become too wet (and therefore not too dry either). Also, the roots of the plant are sensitive to disturbance, so repotting the plant must be done very carefully. Due to a taproot, it is advisable to take a deep pot and sow the seeds in a relatively large pot, so that the young plant does not need to be repotted immediately. 

The plant genus is named after the botanist Johannes Teijsmann. 

Sowing instruction: Soak seeds for a few hours in lukewarm water and sow shallowly in an airy mixture of seed soil, sand and Sphagnum moss (1:1:1). Keep soil slightly moist constantly (cover with foil or glass) and store at 25-35grC. Germination usually within a few weeks, but can follow as long as the seeds are hard.