Bottle palm

A palm with a bottle-shaped trunk graces tropical gardens worldwide, though in the wild only a handful survived, on Round Island.

The bottle palm is a small palm growing 3–6 m tall, with a trunk that is strongly swollen at the base and narrows towards the top like a bottle. At its top it carries just a few arching, pinnate leaves with reddish stalks. The inflorescences emerge below the leaf sheaths, and the fruits turn black as they ripen. The palm stores water in its swollen trunk, which helps it survive on the dry, rocky slopes of a volcanic islet. Thanks to its unusual shape it is popular as an ornamental.

Significance in the country

It is endemic to Round Island off the north coast of Mauritius, where only a few wild specimens survived after goats and rabbits destroyed the vegetation. Removing these animals allowed the islet’s ecosystem to recover, and the palm has become a symbol of conservation in Mauritius.

Where it grows

Wild only on Round Island, north of the coast (Rivière du Rempart District); widely planted in gardens, including the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden.

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