Chamaedorea benziei

Description

Chamaedorea benziei is a robust solitary palm to a height of 5 m, with a green prominenly ringed stem of 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter. It's pinnae are among the thickest in the genus and covered lightly with a waxy, glaucous coating. C. benziei shares some characteristics in appearance, and is probably closely related, to C. woodsoniana. "This is turning out to be one of the largest Chamaedoreas, if not THE largest... but still not sure if it's really a new species, or just one that hasn't been properly identified, yet. It has a large, ringed green stem up to 2" in diameter, and long, arching deep green pinnate leaves with lancelote leaflets fairly spread apart along the rachis. No one knows where this palm first came from, but it started to show up on the nursery scene about 1993 and has recently become very popular, at least here in California, as it is a proven and hardy grower-very easy palm. Has long, upright stiff inflorescences that are bright orange and come from below the leaves." (Geoff Stein 2004)