Cherry Palm

Scientific name: Pseudophoenix vinifera

POWO Status: Tree

IUCN Red List threat level: Vulnerable

GPS Location: 17° 42′ 54.74″N, 64° 49′ 45.84″ W

Common Name: Wine Palm, Palma de Vino
Scientific Name: Pseudophoenix vinifera (Mart.) Becc.
Family: Arecaceae

Leaf Type: Pinnately compound fronds with stiff, feather-like leaflets
Evergreen: Yes — maintains green foliage year-round in tropical climates
Leaf Flush: New fronds emerge slowly from the apical bud at the crown
Senescence: Older fronds gradually yellow and die; dead fronds eventually fall or are shed, leaving behind characteristic leaf scars on the trunk

Inflorescence: Large, branched panicles that emerge below the crownshaft
Flower Color: Creamy white to yellowish
Blooming Period: Typically late spring to summer, though may vary by location
Pollinators: Bees, flies, and possibly wind
Phenological Indicator: Visible inflorescences below crownshaft with open flowers and insect activity

Fruit Type: Rounded drupe; green when immature, turning red to purple when mature
Fruit Development: Occurs in clusters along the inflorescence branches following flowering
Dispersal: Primarily by gravity and birds
Phenological Indicator: Clusters of ripening fruit turning red to purple; presence of dropped fruit beneath the canopy

Often confused with Pseudophoenix sargentii or P. ekmanii; verify species by trunk thickness and leaf structure if uncertain

Pseudophoenix vinifera is native to Hispaniola and historically used for palm wine extraction, often resulting in overharvesting

The species is slow-growing, and phenological changes—especially flowering and fruiting—can be subtle but seasonally distinct

Due to conservation concerns in its native range, tracking reproductive timing may support broader conservation awareness