The Flame Thrower Palm (Chambeyronia macrocarpa) is a monoecious and ornamental palm tree, native to the humid forests of New Caledonia in Oceania. It features a single, ringed, and elegant stem that can reach about 20 meters in height, but usually grows to 6 to 8 meters outside its natural habitat. The palm heart, covered by leaf sheaths, can be green, streaked with white (in the watermelon variety), or light yellow (in C. macrocarpa hookerii).
However, what really draws attention and makes this palm so special is the beautiful vibrant red hue of its young leaf. As soon as it emerges from the top of the crown, the leaf that rises above the rest displays this vibrant color for a few weeks or even a month, gradually shifting to brown and then to green, its color when mature. The leaves emerge in a spiral, are pinnate and recurved, with up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) in length. The inflorescences appear at the base of the palm heart, and the ensuing fruits are ellipsoid and red when ripe.
With a moderate to slow growth rate, the Flame Thrower Palm adds movement and color to landscaping, blending in small tropical groves alongside other trees and palms. Like a “flaming spear,” its red leaf is unmistakable, becoming the focus of the garden during its growth phase. When young, it is an excellent indoor species, adorning patios, balconies, and interior spaces, always protected from the strong midday sun.
It should be grown in fertile soil, rich in organic matter, and kept moist. When young, this palm requires partial shade or filtered light to develop, gradually gaining the ability to withstand full sun as it reaches adulthood, i.e., when it would begin to grow above and beyond the forest canopy.
The Flame Thrower Palm does not withstand prolonged drought and should receive supplementary irrigation during dry periods. Fertilize with palm-specific fertilizers. It tolerates light frosts or subtropical cold down to -5°C (23°F). Propagation is through seeds germinated in moist substrate.
