Acanthophoenix rubra aka Mascarene Islands Cabbage Palm

Acanthophoenix rubra is an evergreen palm in the Arecaceae family. Its common names include red palm, palmiste rouge, and barbel palm. It grows wild only on Mauritius and Réunion. Kew places its native range in Mauritius and southeastern Réunion. It lives in wet tropical forests, including lowland rainforest. Records also place it at 820–2,130 feet [250–650 metres] above sea level.

This palm forms one upright trunk with no branches. Height accounts differ between the sources. Useful Tropical Plants lists 33 feet [10 metres], with growth reaching 39 feet [12 metres]. PACSOA describes taller palms of 49–66 feet [15–20 metres]. The trunk can reach about 0.6 feet [0.18 metres] across. Its base flares outward, becoming more marked with age. Up to ten leaves form the crown. Each pinnate leaf can reach about 10 feet [3 metres] long.

Young trunks bear spines and show a strong red tint. The petiole is also bright red. This colour fades to dark brown as the palm ages. Strong black spines line the leaf rhachis. These reach about 0.07–0.1 feet [0.02–0.03 metres] long. The crown shaft also bears spines. These sharp parts matter when choosing a planting site. The supplied sources show male and female flowers. They give no flowering season or details about the fruit.

Useful Tropical Plants describes this palm as easy to grow. Young plants need shelter from full sun. Soil rich in organic matter helps growth. The same source reports some tolerance of light frost. It gives no tested minimum temperature or hardiness zone. PACSOA records slow growth in one garden specimen in Brisbane. That plant showed no damage from cold or wind. Growers raise the species from seed. It serves as an ornamental palm, with widespread planting in Mauritius.

People also grow this palm for its edible apical bud. This palm heart is a valued food in its native range. Harvesting the bud kills the tree, which cannot form side shoots. The young leaves are also gathered for food. A root decoction has a recorded use as a diuretic. This documents traditional use, not proof of medical benefit. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known hazards, but does not establish pet safety. Habitat loss and harvest for food threaten wild plants. Both main sources describe the species as critically endangered. Useful Tropical Plants ties that status to the 2011 IUCN assessment.