Acoelorraphe wrightii, commonly known as Paurotis Palm, Everglades Palm, or Madeira Palm, is a clumping palm native to coastal swamps, marshes, and wetlands in the Caribbean, Central America, southeastern Mexico, Colombia, the Bahamas, and particularly the Everglades region of southern Florida. It is a slow-growing, evergreen palm that can reach heights of 16-23 feet (5-7 meters) with multiple slender, gray stems less than 6 inches in diameter. The fan-shaped, palmate leaves are large, measuring 3-7 feet wide, with a glossy light-green color on the upper surface and a silvery hue underneath, which adds to its ornamental value. The inflorescences produce small, white flowers followed by pea-sized fruits that mature from orange to black.

Paurotis Palm is valued for its striking clumping form and attractive foliage, making it a popular choice for wetland and riparian plantings, as well as in residential and commercial landscapes that can accommodate its moisture requirements. It is often used as a screen or accent plant. In cultivation, it requires consistently moist soil conditions and can tolerate occasional flooding, making it suitable for water gardens and boggy areas. It prefers full sun to partial shade and is relatively low maintenance once established. However, it is susceptible to lethal yellowing disease and should be monitored for signs of infection. Due to its protected status in Florida, ensure that any plants purchased are nursery-propagated rather than wild-collected.CC BY-SA 4.0