This ancient solitary palm has horizontal ringed branched trunks, lying above or below the soil. The arching divided dark green fronds appear vertically forming a spreading crown and the male or female flowers appear on an upright club-like flower-head. 

Hardiness zones 10 to 12 

Nypa fruticans is naturally found from the Malay Archipelago to Papua New Guinea, northern Australia and extending to eastern India. It is also found China, Ryukyu Islands of Japan and eastwards to Micronesia. 

It grows along tidal creek-banks or mangrove estuaries and around lagoons with the prostrate trunks submerged in the mud or appearing above the ground producing advantageous roots.

It tolerates dilute saline water in a sunny wind protection and grows in poorly drained heavy soils that are moist and organic rich and is drought and frost tender.

The Mangrove Palm is grown for its graceful habit and is planted around ponds or along creek embankments for stabilisation. It is used in parks or large tropical gardens for a jungle effect establishing in 3 to 5 years, requiring reliable moisture. It is suitable for costal regions tolerating salt and has numerous uses in its native regions including thatching and weaving or the petioles are used in construction of huts. ID 2999

Note:
Pollen from the species was found in rock strata in the Northern Hemisphere dating back 100 million years, when the first flowering plants appeared.

Nypa (ni-fa) fruticans (fru-TEE-kan-s)

Arecaceae (ar-ek-AY-see-ee)	
(Palmae)
Palm Family