Tropical African palm producing the world’s longest leaves (up to 25 m). The fibre stripped from the leaflet midribs — raffia — is the standard horticultural tying material and a key weaving fibre across West Africa and Madagascar.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 10–12 | −1.1 °C to 15.6 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H1c | 5 °C to 10 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 9 | −1 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 5–7 | 5 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Fibre stripped by hand from the underside of the young leaflet midribs — the standard horticultural tying and grafting material
- Major source of weaving and basketry fibre across West Africa and Madagascar — Madagascar in particular exports much of the world supply
- Plant flowers once at 20–30 years, then dies (hapaxanthic) — replant from seed for continuous supply
- Strictly tropical — needs warm humid frost-free conditions
- Not reliably hardy outdoors in Canada — Canadian zone values shown represent the system maximum and do not imply garden cultivation north of the warmest coastal pockets.
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Raffia palm against your zones