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Chrysalidocarpus lutescens

life science Maturity 5-7 Next article →

The golden cane palm is a beautiful tropical plant.

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Dypsis lutescens)
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Dypsis lutescens)

It is native to Madagascar. People also call it the butterfly palm. This is because its leaves curve upward. The leaves look like butterfly wings.

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Dypsis lutescens)
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Dypsis lutescens)

Many stems grow from the base of the plant. These stems look like canes. They help the plant make a vase shape. The leaves have a yellow midrib, which is the middle part of the leaf. These leaves can have 40 to 60 pairs of small leaflets. In the summer, the plant grows yellow flowers. These flowers grow in clusters called panicles. The plant also makes small fruit. The fruit starts out gold. Then it turns dark purple or black. Some birds in Brazil like to eat this fruit.

This plant is a popular houseplant. It likes bright, indirect light. This means light that is filtered, like through a window. Too much direct sun can burn the leaves. It also likes moist soil. Do not let the soil get too soggy. In Madagascar, people used the plant to make fiber. They used this fiber to make fishing nets.

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File:Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Dypsis lutescens).jpg
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