Colpothrinax aphanopetala

Colpothrinax aphanopetala is an accepted palm species with a solitary trunk and large, fan-shaped leaves. Kew records it from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, where it grows in wet tropical forests. [Kew Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:20002583-1) ## Form and Flowers The palm has a single trunk and a crown of divided palmate leaves; its trunk is not swollen like that of the related Cuban palm C. wrightii. A Panamanian tree atlas describes heights from 3 to 20 m, reddish or lightly pink flowers, and green leaf surfaces with pale undersides. The flowers and fruits appear in the rainy season, with observations from May through December in Panama. [STRI Tree Atlas](https://panamabiota.org/stri/taxa/index.php?clid=0&taxauthid=1&tid=63379) ## Natural Setting This species grows in wet tropical forests, commonly in premontane and cloud-forest settings. Field records span wet ridges and, in some places, saturated lake margins, so local conditions vary. The species-specific palm account describes typical trunks around 15–20 m and notes shorter adults at exposed, windswept sites. [Kew profile](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:20002583-1) · [Palm Grower's Guide](https://palmpedia.net/wiki/Colpothrinax_aphanopetala) ## Growing Conditions The palm account recommends a moist but well-drained position and describes the species as quite slow growing. It is a tropical forest tree, so its native wet-forest setting should guide siting and climate decisions. [Palm Grower's Guide](https://palmpedia.net/wiki/Colpothrinax_aphanopetala) ## Maintenance Allow time for establishment and keep the root zone moist while providing good drainage. The species-specific reference describes slow growth and does not recommend a pruning schedule. [Palm Grower's Guide](https://palmpedia.net/wiki/Colpothrinax_aphanopetala)