Closure notice

NOTICE: The Conservatory will close at 2 pm for an official government function on Tuesday, May 5. The Conservatory and the National Garden will be closed on Wednesday, May 6, for an official government function, reopening at 10 am on Thursday, May 7.

Foxtail palm

Foxtail palm (Wodyetia bifurcata)
Plant Botanical Name: 
Wodyetia bifurcata
USBG Plant Location: 
Conservatory Room Location: 
Plant Threat Level: 

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.