Livistona australis
Common name
cabbage tree palm
Family
Arecaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Monocotyledons
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Well naturalised on Kawau Island, otherwise mainly confined to the vicinity of plant specimens in urban areas. This is because the fruits are of sufficient size that most birds cannot consume them. However, kererū (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) can and do distribute fruit. This is possibly how it has become so well established on Kawau Island.
Flower colours
Cream
Life cycle
Long-lived tree. Reproduces exclusively by seed, which is a hard nut enclosed by a fleshy fruit. Fruit dispersed by birds and gravity.
Year naturalised
1980
Origin
Australia and scattered in tropics.
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Control techniques
Disposal Method
Hand pull or dig out seedlings (watchout for the spines), destroy fruiting adults. Plant only males, or remove fruiting panicles if the trees are desired.
Preferred Control
Its obvious—better not to plant it and use another palm species that does not set viable seed instead.
Tolerances
Cold sensitive
Etymology
australis: Southern