Cocos palm
Syragrus romanzoffiana
family
Arecaceae
origin
Exotic
declaration
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Council Pest Vegetation (BCC Natural Asset Local Law)
Common names
Cocos palm, Butia palm, Feathery coconut, Giriba palm, Queen palm.
A large palm tree with a single smooth grey trunk growing up to 20 m tall. Its massive leaves can reach up to 5 m in length on mature trees. These leaves consist of a thick main stalk and numerous (300-500) very long leaflets (up to 1 m long and 3 cm wide).its large branched flower clusters (up to 2 m long) contain numerous small yellowish or cream-coloured flowers. The stalkless flowers are borne in groups of three, one flower in each group being female and the other two being male. Its egg-shaped fruit (2.5-3 cm long) from green to yellow and then orange when fully mature.
Impact
Impact
Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland due to its ability to prolifically reproduce creating thick carpets of seedlings that outcompete recruiting native species. Cocos palms can injure or kill flying foxes. These impacts include:,
- When eaten green by flying-foxes, cocos palm fruit can be toxic.,
- Sticky palm fruit can cause severe constipation. This causes dehydration and death in younger flying-foxes.,
- Flying-fox toes can get caught in palm flower sheaths, causing injuries as animals try to,escape.,
- Flying-foxes can be trapped in the strappy frond leaves, causing distress or death and,they can damage wing membranes on the tough flower spikes.,
- Young flying-foxes can get seeds caught behind their canine teeth, leading to a slow,death by starvation.,
- Flying-foxes may come down to ground level to eat dropped seeds, increasing their, vulnerability to attack from dogs and cats.,
- If the palms are planted near barbed wire or inappropriate netting, flying-foxes can be, caught and trapped.
Location
Location
Characteristics
Characteristics
Similar Species
Similar Species
Cocos palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) is regarded as an environmental weed in Queensland due to its ability to prolifically reproduce creating thick carpets of seedlings that outcompete recruiting native species. Cocos palms can injure or kill flying foxes. These impacts include:,
- When eaten green by flying-foxes, cocos palm fruit can be toxic.,
- Sticky palm fruit can cause severe constipation. This causes dehydration and death in younger flying-foxes.,
- Flying-fox toes can get caught in palm flower sheaths, causing injuries as animals try to,escape.,
- Flying-foxes can be trapped in the strappy frond leaves, causing distress or death and,they can damage wing membranes on the tough flower spikes.,
- Young flying-foxes can get seeds caught behind their canine teeth, leading to a slow,death by starvation.,
- Flying-foxes may come down to ground level to eat dropped seeds, increasing their, vulnerability to attack from dogs and cats.,
- If the palms are planted near barbed wire or inappropriate netting, flying-foxes can be, caught and trapped.
