Family: Arecaceae

Beccariophoenix madagascariensis, commonly known as the Window Palm or Giant Window Pane Palm, is a majestic, solitary palm tree native to the rainforests of Madagascar. It is a large, unarmed palm, meaning it lacks spines or thorns, and can grow to over 40 feet tall. This palm is critically endangered in its wild habitat but is highly prized in cultivation for its ornamental beauty and its resemblance to the Coconut Palm. Historically, local communities have used it for food and construction materials.

Window Palm presents a low overall risk of becoming an invasive pest in Hawaiʻi. While it is suited to our tropical climate and produces seeds that can be spread by birds, several key factors limit its potential to spread uncontrollably. It is slow to mature, taking over four years to flower for the first time, and does not produce seeds in large quantities. Furthermore, it does not form dense thickets, reproduce vegetatively, or tolerate fire. Its status as a critically endangered species with specific growing requirements further reduces its weedy potential. For these reasons, it is considered a low-risk choice for Hawaiian gardens.

High Risk Traits:

• Repeatedly introduced outside native range
  
• Intentionally dispersed by people (horticulture)
  
• Produces viable seeds
  
• Self-compatible (can reproduce alone)
  
• Animal-dispersed (birds, lemurs); seeds survive gut passage

Low Risk Traits:

• No naturalization or weediness evidence
  
• Not spiny, toxic, allelopathic, or a fire hazard
  
• Not shade tolerant; requires specific soils
  
• No vegetative reproduction
  
• Slow-maturing (>4 years to flower)
  
• Low seed production; no seed bank
  
• Limited dispersal (not by wind, water, or as a contaminant)
  
• Killed by mutilation or fire (single-stemmed)