By Kieran Tapsell, of Banksia Bushcare
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (Bangalow Palm) can be found in colonies along the escarpment, but they are not as common as the Cabbage Tree Palm. That may be because they are generally killed by fire. Cabbage Tree Palms survive fire very well and are one of the first things to sprout green after everything else is turned black.
As with the Cabbage Tree Palm, the Aboriginal people ate the Bangalow’s “cabbage”.
They grow from Queensland to NSW but are known to survive in gardens as far south as Melbourne.
Bangalows have lilac flowers and red fruits visited regularly by bowerbirds, catbirds and many others.
