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Operculicarya hyphaenoides (Jabihy) - A slow growing winter deciduous shrub or small low branched treelike plant to 5 feet tall with thick gnarled trunks. It has inch long pinnately compound leaves with tiny dark green leaflets that have revolute margins and raised venation on the underside with fine hairs. When mature it produces small greenish red flowers.
Plant in full to part sun in a well-draining soil with occasional to infrequent irrigation. It appears hardy to winter temperatures experienced in coastal southern California but likely would need protection elsewhere. A great plant for its natural bonsai-like appearance.
Operculicarya hyphaenoides grows in a small area around in the province of Toliara in southwestern Madagascar. It was first described in 1944 by the French botanist Joseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la Bāthie (1873-1958) who specialized in the plants of Madagascar. His name as abbreviated H.Perrier is most familiar to those interested in Malagasy plants since many plants from there are named for him. The name for the genus is from the Latin word 'operculum' meaning a "small lid" and the Greek word 'karya' for a "nut tree" in reference to the operculate nut-like seeds. The genus has eight species of which seven are endemic to Madagascar with the eighth, O. gummifera, found in Madagascar and on the Comoros Islands. The specific epithet of this species is a reference to the palm genus Hyphaene with the Greek suffix 'oides' indicating this plant resemblance to Hyphaene.
The plants we have at the nursery of this species are seedlings raised by Joe Stead, instructor in the Horticulture Department at Orange Coast College at Orange Coast College that Joe grew from stock plants he hand pollinated. We also grow the larger Malagasy Elephant Tree, Operculicarya decaryi.
The information displayed on this page about Operculicarya hyphaenoides is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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