Butia microspadix

Dwarf Wooly Jelly Palm

Country Of Origin: Brazil

O:31:"craft\elements\db\CategoryQuery":84:{s:27:"�yii\base\Component�_events";a:0:{}s:35:"�yii\base\Component�_eventWildcards";a:0:{}s:30:"�yii\base\Component�_behaviors";a:1:{s:12:"customFields";O:35:"craft\behaviors\CustomFieldBehavior":169:{s:5:"owner";r:1;s:34:"�yii\base\Behavior�_attachedEvents";a:0:{}s:10:"hasMethods";b:1;s:16:"canSetProperties";b:1;s:8:"address1";N;s:8:"address2";N;s:4:"city";N;s:5:"state";N;s:3:"zip";N;s:7:"country";N;s:11:"climateZone";N;s:6:"czZone";N;s:6:"czCity";N;s:10:"czProvince";N;s:9:"firstName";N;s:8:"lastName";N;s:5:"email";N;s:8:"password";N;s:12:"emailAddress";N;s:6:"photos";N;s:10:"photoSize1";N;s:14:"photoLocation1";N;s:14:"photoPlanting1";N;s:6:"photo3";N;s:6:"photo4";N;s:6:"photo5";N;s:14:"photoLocation2";N;s:14:"photoLocation3";N;s:14:"photoLocation4";N;s:14:"photoLocation5";N;s:10:"photoSize2";N;s:10:"photoSize3";N;s:10:"photoSize4";N;s:10:"photoSize5";N;s:14:"photoPlanting2";N;s:14:"photoPlanting3";N;s:14:"photoPlanting4";N;s:14:"photoPlanting5";N;s:10:"photoGroup";N;s:5:"photo";N;s:4:"size";N;s:8:"location";N;s:14:"typeOfPlanting";N;s:5:"agree";N;s:4:"body";N;s:10:"commonName";N;s:4:"zone";N;s:7:"minTemp";N;s:7:"zoneAlt";N;s:10:"growthRate";N;s:17:"lightRequirements";N;s:8:"heightFt";N;s:7:"heightM";N;s:9:"soilPhMin";N;s:9:"soilPhMax";N;s:8:"priority";N;s:5:"seeds";N;s:8:"seedling";N;s:8:"fourInch";N;s:9:"oneGallon";N;s:11:"threeGallon";N;s:13:"photoSpecies1";N;s:13:"photoSpecies2";N;s:13:"photoSpecies3";N;s:13:"photoSpecies4";N;s:13:"photoSpecies5";N;s:12:"abbreviation";N;s:15:"metaDescription";N;s:13:"metaPageTitle";N;s:11:"socialImage";N;s:19:"descriptionFallback";N;s:17:"globalSocialImage";N;s:13:"titleFallback";N;s:16:"pollAnswerMatrix";N;s:5:"label";N;s:12:"selectedPoll";N;s:5:"image";N;s:10:"recentPoll";N;s:10:"userPhotos";N;s:5:"sizeX";N;s:10:"imageTitle";N;s:21:"inPersonalCollectionX";N;s:9:"locationX";N;s:8:"speciesX";N;s:9:"photoDump";N;s:7:"species";N;s:19:"inPrivateCollection";N;s:15:"typeOfPlantingX";N;s:20:"formerScientificName";N;s:11:"headingList";N;s:4:"text";N;s:7:"heading";N;s:8:"careTips";N;s:8:"mapImage";N;s:13:"speciesPhotos";N;s:4:"user";N;s:20:"inPersonalCollection";N;s:11:"speciesPage";N;s:11:"assignments";N;s:16:"leafTypeDropdown";N;s:23:"countryOfOriginCategory";N;s:10:"linkTarget";N;s:11:"buttonLabel";N;s:12:"externalLink";N;s:12:"internalLink";N;s:9:"inHabitat";N;s:21:"skipPhotoFieldsDetail";N;s:20:"skipPhotoFieldsLabel";N;s:20:"recentSpeciesUpdates";N;s:14:"twitterProfile";N;s:16:"instagramProfile";N;s:15:"linkedinProfile";N;s:15:"facebookProfile";N;s:10:"crownshaft";N;s:14:"threadsProfile";N;s:16:"temperatureRange";N;s:9:"zoneTitle";N;s:15:"newsDescription";N;s:12:"newsImageUrl";N;s:8:"newsLink";N;s:10:"newsSource";N;s:28:"conservationScaleDescription";N;s:28:"conservationScaleStatusColor";N;s:17:"conservationScale";N;s:19:"userFacebookProfile";N;s:20:"userInstagramProfile";N;s:18:"userThreadsProfile";N;s:14:"imagePositionX";N;s:16:"shortDescription";N;s:11:"buttonTitle";N;s:14:"imagePositionY";N;s:6:"newTab";N;s:7:"linkUrl";N;s:10:"hideAuthor";N;s:11:"linkEntries";N;s:14:"authorOverride";N;s:8:"category";N;s:13:"contentBlocks";N;s:12:"callToAction";N;s:12:"calloutTitle";N;s:8:"embedUrl";N;s:6:"images";N;s:15:"singleImageSize";N;s:12:"shopCategory";N;s:14:"shopifyProduct";N;s:13:"speciesSelect";N;s:8:"products";N;s:14:"blueskyProfile";N;s:18:"userBlueskyProfile";N;s:7:"subject";N;s:6:"soilPh";N;s:8:"soilType";N;s:5:"habit";N;s:9:"continent";N;s:7:"website";N;s:14:"attractionName";N;s:7:"address";N;s:14:"collectionSize";N;s:11:"ratingImage";N;s:12:"gardenPhotos";N;s:6:"garden";N;s:16:"whereThePalmsAre";N;s:6:"rating";N;s:18:"ratingDescriptions";N;s:10:"level3Text";N;s:10:"level1Text";N;s:10:"level2Text";N;s:14:"youtubeProfile";N;s:55:"�craft\behaviors\CustomFieldBehavior�_customFieldValues";a:0:{}}}s:6:"select";a:1:{s:2:"**";s:2:"**";}s:12:"selectOption";N;s:8:"distinct";b:0;s:4:"from";N;s:7:"groupBy";N;s:4:"join";a:1:{i:0;a:3:{i:0;s:10:"INNER JOIN";i:1;a:1:{s:9:"relations";s:14:"{{%relations}}";}i:2;a:4:{i:0;s:3:"and";i:1;s:40:"[[relations.targetId]] = [[elements.id]]";i:2;a:2:{s:18:"relations.sourceId";i:386863;s:17:"relations.fieldId";i:150;}i:3;a:3:{i:0;s:2:"or";i:1;a:1:{s:22:"relations.sourceSiteId";N;}i:2;a:1:{s:22:"relations.sourceSiteId";i:1;}}}}}s:6:"having";N;s:5:"union";N;s:11:"withQueries";N;s:6:"params";a:0:{}s:18:"queryCacheDuration";N;s:20:"queryCacheDependency";N;s:5:"where";N;s:5:"limit";N;s:6:"offset";N;s:7:"orderBy";s:0:"";s:7:"indexBy";N;s:16:"emulateExecution";b:0;s:11:"elementType";s:23:"craft\elements\Category";s:5:"query";N;s:8:"subQuery";N;s:12:"contentTable";s:12:"{{%content}}";s:12:"customFields";N;s:9:"inReverse";b:0;s:7:"asArray";b:0;s:18:"ignorePlaceholders";b:0;s:6:"drafts";b:0;s:17:"provisionalDrafts";b:0;s:7:"draftId";N;s:7:"draftOf";N;s:12:"draftCreator";N;s:15:"savedDraftsOnly";b:0;s:9:"revisions";b:0;s:10:"revisionId";N;s:10:"revisionOf";N;s:15:"revisionCreator";N;s:2:"id";N;s:3:"uid";N;s:14:"siteSettingsId";N;s:10:"fixedOrder";b:0;s:6:"status";a:1:{i:0;s:7:"enabled";}s:8:"archived";b:0;s:7:"trashed";b:0;s:11:"dateCreated";N;s:11:"dateUpdated";N;s:6:"siteId";i:1;s:6:"unique";b:0;s:11:"preferSites";N;s:6:"leaves";b:0;s:9:"relatedTo";N;s:5:"title";N;s:4:"slug";N;s:3:"uri";N;s:6:"search";N;s:3:"ref";N;s:4:"with";N;s:16:"withCustomFields";b:1;s:13:"withStructure";b:1;s:11:"structureId";N;s:5:"level";N;s:14:"hasDescendants";N;s:10:"ancestorOf";N;s:12:"ancestorDist";N;s:12:"descendantOf";N;s:14:"descendantDist";N;s:9:"siblingOf";N;s:13:"prevSiblingOf";N;s:13:"nextSiblingOf";N;s:16:"positionedBefore";N;s:15:"positionedAfter";N;s:17:"�*�defaultOrderBy";a:2:{s:20:"elements.dateCreated";i:3;s:11:"elements.id";i:3;}s:53:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_placeholderCondition";N;s:51:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_placeholderSiteIds";N;s:39:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_result";N;s:47:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_resultCriteria";N;s:46:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_searchResults";N;s:42:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_cacheTags";N;s:42:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_columnMap";a:0:{}s:51:"�craft\elements\db\ElementQuery�_joinedElementTable";b:0;s:8:"editable";b:0;s:7:"groupId";i:11;} map image

About Butia microspadix

This species is an exceptionally small and highly specialized solitary palm that grows with its trunk completely underground, giving it the appearance of a tuft of grass rather than a typical palm. Its narrow, feather-shaped leaves emerge directly from the soil and form a low, compact crown rarely exceeding 60 cm (2 ft) in height, allowing it to blend seamlessly into the grassland vegetation of its native habitat. The leaves are grey-green and finely divided, an adaptation that helps the palm remain camouflaged among surrounding grasses. The flowering structure develops close to ground level and produces small, rounded fruits that play an important ecological role as a food source for native wildlife. This species is endemic to southern Brazil and occurs in scattered, highly localized populations, making it one of the most geographically restricted and easily overlooked members of the genus.

Climate Zone 9a
Min Temp (F/C) 20 to 25 F / -7 to -4 C
Leaf Type Pinnate
Height 3 Ft / 1 M
Growth Rate Slow
Conservation Status
Not Evaluated
Habit Solitary
Soil pH 5.0-8.0 (Wide tolerance)
Soil Type Sandy

Cultivation Tips

This species grows naturally in open subtropical grasslands known as campos gerais, where it is exposed to full sun, seasonal rainfall, and periodic drought. It performs best in full sun when cultivated and benefits from well-drained soils, particularly sandy or clay soils that do not remain constantly saturated. Although it appreciates regular watering during active growth, it is more drought-tolerant than most tropical palms due to its grassland origin. This species has demonstrated moderate cold tolerance and can survive light frosts, reflecting its native range in southern Brazil where winter temperatures periodically drop near freezing. Fertilize lightly two to three times per year with a balanced palm fertilizer to encourage slow but steady growth, as this species naturally develops very slowly.

Share Your Palm Tree Photos
To Contribute To Project Palm!