Family: Arecaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Normanbya normanbyi, commonly known as black palm, is a striking tropical palm native to northeastern Queensland, Australia. It is valued for its tall, slender trunk, graceful crown of arching feathery fronds, and attractive dark green crownshaft. In landscaping, black palm is widely grown as an ornamental specimen in tropical and subtropical gardens, resorts, and large landscapes where it adds a lush rainforest appearance. It thrives in warm, humid climates with ample moisture and is appreciated for its elegant form and relatively fast growth.

Risks & Threats
Black palm is generally considered a low risk species for Hawaii. It is not widely associated with invasive behavior and has not shown evidence of causing significant ecological harm in tropical island ecosystems. While palms can occasionally spread from cultivation through seed dispersal, Normanbya normanbyi does not appear to aggressively naturalize or outcompete native vegetation. As with any introduced plant, responsible cultivation and monitoring are encouraged to help prevent unintended spread into nearby natural areas.

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Self-fertile
  
• Seeds dispersed by large water, large birds, humans and frugivorous mammals

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of naturalization or invasiveness elsewhere
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Landscaping and ornamental value
  
• Will not spread vegetatively
  
• Large fruit and seeds unlikely to be inadvertently dispersed