Cocos palms have been a popular choice in Noosa gardens in the past.
Common name: Cocos palm
Scientific name: Syagrus romanzoffiana
Native to: South America
Habit: Palm tree growing up to 20m.
Leaves: Long stalk, up to 5 meters long with many leaflets. The leaflets have a ripped messy look and this helps distinguish this palm from others.
Flowers: Numerous small cream coloured and inconspicuous.
Fruits are on a drupe, numerous and orange in colour. The fruit is bigger than those found on the native species. This causes problems for the bats as they get stuck in their throats and they die from starvation. The Brisbane weeds link below notes other ways this palm harms the flying fox.
Birds spread the seeds a long way from parent tress and its common to find palms growing in otherwise healthy bush.
Control measures: small plants can be pulled out. Medium size trees respond well from the cut and paint method. Due to the size and weight of large tress they need to be removed carefully.
For more information:
Weeds of the Sunshine Coast page 196, 1st edition.
weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/cocos-palm
Michelle Newall
