Veitchia merrillii commonly called Christmas Palm or Manila Palm originated in the Philippines and the South Pacific and has adapted well in Guyana, the Caribbean and Florida. In its native Philippines this palm is a popular landscaping plant in the capital, hence the name ‘Manila Palm’. It can be best described as a dwarf version of a Royal Palm which it matches in beauty if not in height.
The Manila Palm is a single stem palm which has a smooth, grayish stem ringed by semi-circular frond scars and slightly swollen at the base. It has a short green crownshaft, which supports its neatly compact crown of about a dozen plus pinnate leaves and can grow to a height of approximately 10 to 15 feet.
During the year, green berries can be seen on the trunk, but they begin to ripen by early December to brilliant red berries looking almost like