This has become a popular ornamental all around the world in tropical and subtropical areas. One attractive feature for landscape gardeners is that this palm can obtain a height of 20 feet within 5 years if grown on good soil with ample water and fertilizer. On campus an attractive specimen can be found in the Williams Building court yard. In Hawaii the seed is known as monkey nut and is used in making jewelery and leis. It originates from the South America (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay).
In Queensland Australia and Southern Florida it is considered to be an invader. In Florida (designated a category II) means it hasn't been shown to impact native plant communities so far but it is clearly naturalized and showing signs of being a problem. In this case it is spreading from planted areas in a few counties in the southern half of the peninsula - apparently mostly in developed areas. Its fruit are bird dispersed.
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| Williams building courtyard, with Queen Palm. |
