A breathtaking and most desirable palm for the tropics, native to the beautiful Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean. Its large, undivided leaves, at least 2 m (7 ft.) long by 1 m (3 ft.) wide are a show in any garden. While young plants are quite spiny, older plants lose this protection. Seeds are rarely available.
The leaves of the thief palm provide shelter for geckos and invertebrates as the pleated surface acts as an effective litter trap thus providing cover for small animals. Locals use the large, dried leaves for thatching.
