To limit the risk of transmitting COVID-19 coronavirus, the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) has changed its operations. The Conservatory and gated outdoor gardens are temporarily closed to the public, while Bartholdi Park and the Terrace Gardens remain open. Please monitor this website for updates to operating status. Many resources can be accessed online, including educational materials, virtual tours, informational videos, and our winter programs will all be online. Connect with resources from home at www.USBG.gov/AtHome.
Plant Botanical Name:
Wodyetia bifurcata
USBG Plant Location:
Conservatory
Conservatory Room Location:
Jungle
Plant Threat Level:
Threatened
The Foxtail palm was largely unknown until 1978, when an Aboriginal man named Wodyeti shared his knowledge of its existence. Found only in a remote area of Queensland in northeastern Australia, the enormous demand for this newly described genus fueled illegal collection of wild plants and seeds, nearly decimating its few populations. Legal propagation eventually cooled demand for the wild-collected plants, and today, Wodyetia bifurcata is one of the world's most popular landscape palms. The entire native population is protected within the Cape Melville National Park, where it appears to be successfully regenerating. However, the species is listed in the Nature Conservation Act (Queensland) and is still listed on the IUCN Red List.