Crook Fruit Palm

Crook Fruit Palm, Loxococcus rupicola, is a single-stem palm endemic to southwestern Sri Lanka and associated with wet tropical habitat. [Flora of Sri Lanka](https://floraofsrilanka.com/species/1) describes its form, while [Kew’s Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:668095-1/general-information) accepts the species and records its native range. ## Form and size The dull-green trunk is slightly swollen at the base and marked by close-set leaf scars. Mature palms are reported at 5–12 metres tall, with a narrow 10–12-centimetre trunk; the crown typically carries about ten leaves, each 1.4–2.5 metres long and 1–1.2 metres wide. The long, broad leaves need generous overhead and lateral clearance as they develop. ## Habitat and placement Kew places the species in the wet tropics, so it is best suited to a warm, humid tropical garden or a large conservatory able to provide similar conditions. Its large leaves and upright, solitary trunk give it a strong architectural presence. ## Maintenance Use legally propagated material rather than collecting wild plants: Flora of Sri Lanka notes that the species is protected in Sri Lanka. Keep it in a warm, humid setting and allow room for the mature crown.