Exotic Palms for the Water Garden
| Exotic palms are those that are not native. They are exotic in the sense that they are alien to our country and have predominantly been introduced as decorative garden plants. Amongst what nurserymen regard as being exotic are some of the finest palms for garden decoration. A select few of these are perfect for the bog garden or waterside planting, although there are many other fine species that will look good beside water, but only under ordinary garden conditions.
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 Many conventional garden palms are attractive waterside plantings.
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 Sealing Wax Palm
Cyntostachys renda
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The most exciting and spectacular of the swamp-dwelling foreign species is the Sealing Wax Palm, Cyrtostachys renda. A native of Malaysia, it inhabits permanent swamps, although in cultivation it will grow satisfactorily in moist heavy soil as well as a bog. The scarlet leaf bases and stalks make this one of the most striking palms for pond-side planting. The leaves are 2-3m long with narrow lance-shaped leaflets. A clump-forming species, it will grow in either sun or shade. Formerly known as C.lakka, it is a truly tropical palm and will struggle in sub-tropical conditions. It is easily raised from seed that is sown immediately after it ripens in a good soil-based seed compost in a heated propagator.
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| Salacca palms are also very fine garden palms, but need placing carefully as they are rather prickly and also spread from short branching subterranean stems, creating quite sizeable stands if not carefully controlled. Again these are very definitely tropical palms which will struggle in sub-tropical districts. There are several species cultivated, of which the Snakefruit, Salacca zalacca, is probably the best-known, often being grown for its tasty fruits alone. It is a good decorative palm too, as are Salacca wallichiana, with smaller fruits that still make good eating, and the easy-going Salacca affinis.
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 Salacca species produce tasty fruits.
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 Raffia Palm
Raphia farinifera
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The Raffia Palm, Raphia farinifera may not be well known, but certainly the raffia that is produced from it has been very familiar to gardeners over the years. A strongly suckering palm, this is excellent for colonising wet and boggy soil. Its trunks are rarely more than 3m tall, and are crowned by stiff upright, mid-green, feather-like leaves from amongst which a torpedo-shaped flower structure is produced that turns into a pendulous inflorescence up to 2m long and eventually becomes laden with scaly red fruits some 6cm long. Once a trunk has flowered it dies and is replaced by suckers. These can be lifted and separated for propagation purposes.
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