Pseudophoenix sargentii

[Tyrone]

Well I know that this genus is about the slowest growing plant on Earth, but I was wondering if there is any trick to give these a little kick along and speed them up. I've got 3 little seedlings I germinated about a year ago and two are on there 2nd leaf and a spear, and the other one is one leaf and a spear as it came up later. But they seem to have got to this stage and slowed way down. I'm in the middle of summer, and where they are gets to at least 40C every day, and on hot days must approach 50C. They're very green and happy. I water them at night and they dry out during the day.

Do these put out deep root systems first then start to move along? What the secret with these guys? Is there any way to speed them up?

I look forward to your replies.

Best regards

Tyrone

[PalmatierMeg]

Tyrone, if you unlock the secret let me know.

Pseudophoenix are very slow but P. sargentii is at the fast end of the spectrum, just after P. lediniana, I think. I've germinated a number of seeds and my babies take their time, too. Sounds like you're giving them lots of heat (and sun?). Do you fertilize them? I bought a 1m tall sargentii in Dec. 2004, planted it in 2005. It grows 3-1/2 fronds each year, is nearly 2m tall and starting to trunk, so maybe they "speed up" after a certain point. Other than lots of sun, heat, adequate fertilizer and water I don't know any other ways to encourage them.

Don't get me started on my P. ekmanii. It and the Copernicia cowellii put out 1/2 to 1 frond/strap leaf per year.

[BS Man about Palms]

Tyrone, when I read this title I thought you had the secret. Then I realised, maybe it was question, not a statement.

So I thought two things.

First, be glad they are not eckmanii. Sargentii move at light speed compared to them.

Second, the only way I could think of to speed them up is to push them over the side of something. Then at least the speed of gravity comes into play. Don't suspect it will move much faster than that, or after that for that matter.

[Tyrone]

Tyrone, if you unlock the secret let me know.

Pseudophoenix are very slow but P. sargentii is at the fast end of the spectrum, just after P. lediniana, I think. I've germinated a number of seeds and my babies take their time, too. Sounds like you're giving them lots of heat (and sun?). Do you fertilize them? I bought a 1m tall sargentii in Dec. 2004, planted it in 2005. It grows 3-1/2 fronds each year, is nearly 2m tall and starting to trunk, so maybe they "speed up" after a certain point. Other than lots of sun, heat, adequate fertilizer and water I don't know any other ways to encourage them.

Don't get me started on my P. ekmanii. It and the Copernicia cowellii put out 1/2 to 1 frond/strap leaf per year.

It's good to know they are at the faster end of the spectrum. Is P lediniana the fastest then? From the sounds of it P ekmanii is for your great grandchildren's great grandchildren. They make Jubaea look like a lightening bolt.

My seedlings are on a table under my back patio which has a dark polycarbonate sheeting. It's 99% UV blocking. Will these take fullsun at 2 leaf stage? I have only given them some fish and seaweed solution every now and again. Maybe they are old enough for a small pinch of Osmocote tropical and some Micromax. I may try that. I checked PACSOA after posting this thread and it said they love limey soil. Can anyone vouch for that? Maybe I should give them a small pinch of lime and raise the pH a bit. I think our hot summer climate would be good for this species. They have no trouble through our mild winters either. They should love our dead lifeless often limey sands too.

Thanks for your info.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Tyrone]

Tyrone, when I read this title I thought you had the secret. Then I realised, maybe it was question, not a statement.

So I thought two things.

First, be glad they are not eckmanii. Sargentii move at light speed compared to them.

Second, the only way I could think of to speed them up is to push them over the side of something. Then at least the speed of gravity comes into play. Don't suspect it will move much faster than that, or after that for that matter.

No, it's a question unfortunately.

I had to laugh at your second thought. It kind of answers the sort of question like, "How do I make my Datsun 180B, go as fast a an F40 Ferrari?"

Best regards

Tyrone

[The Palm Nut]

Hi Tyrone

I purchased one of these a few years ago cost me 70 dollars, I was told it was 10 years old. It would be close to double the size now from when it was planted. The base of the trunk was about small finger size, now its thumb size or abit bigger.

It gets fullsun in winter for most of the day and summer about 60%. I rarely water it or feed it but it gets plenty of mulch around it. There are also lots of palms quite close to it fighting for there share of food and water. But not having another one to compare it with, I am still happy with its growth so far. The winters have had no effect on it as far as I can tell.

Good luck with yours.

Cheers

Mike

[Urban Rainforest]

Tyrone,The genus Psuedophoenix is a lesson in patience like no other! I purchased my Sargentii as a seedling and got one frond a year for 7 years. Once planted in the ground it slowly sped up to 1 and a half and then two fronds a year. Now it is at 3 fronds a year with a 12" dia. trunk and is blooming for the first time so there is hope! I have a Vinifera that is even slower. It took a year and a half to throw 1 frond in the container. I planted it last spring and it has since opened another frond and is really fattening up. These are slow but well worth the wait!

Stevo

[Davidl]

It seems when they are small they put out more fronds per year at least that is what I have observed here. They are not considered fast for sure but they are worth the wait.

[Tyrone]

Thanks for the info everyone. It seems like patience is the main ingredient to make these grow.

Best regards

Tyrone

[MattyB]

Tyrone,

Potting or planting them in an extremely light and dry medium (ie. 90% perlite, 10% potting mix) will yeild you the fastest growth for sure. I've bare rooted and replanted several like this and it speeds them up. They're still slow though but you can optimize them by doing this.

[Al in Kona]

Tyrone,

Regardless where this palm grows it is slow, especially during its first years. At least that has been my experience growing it. I planted a very small seedling with only 2 or 3 small strap leaves directly in the ground and by the 3rd year in the ground I was really thinking of pulling it out (like a bad weed) as it had grown so little so slowly. For whatever the reason it didn't get pulled out and in the 4th year it really started to grow! So I left it there and after about 14 years it looks like the pic below. Very happy it got left in the ground!

[Tyrone]

Wow Al. That's awesome.

I agree with you Matty about the free mix. They're still in their com pot and it's mostly perlite with some extra bits thrown in.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Shon]

Great picture Al. Your garden layout is really cool.

[migacebo]

It's good to know they are at the faster end of the spectrum.

Hi Tyrone, i don´t write much in this subforo, but I will do a exception (my english is slow and poor)

One example...

I bought my Pseudophoenix sargentii at august of 08. I did myself the same questions that you. I hope that this pics helps to known the possibilitys of this palm .

The first day in home, 5 cms of trunk:

Growth per days: 6(03-09-08), 15(12-09-08) and 55(22-11-08) days:

Today, 8 cms of trunk and four new fronds:

And the plant complete :

Ultimate thing, my climate is very dry. I live near of the sea and the middle %humidity is about 70%. My temp middle is about 20ºC in winter and 25º in summer. The historic maxima is 38ºC. The substratum is very drenante, but I do not dry.

I hope that this information helps her to know this palm

[Tyrone]

Thanks for the pictures and information migacebo. That's a beautiful specimen.

Best regards

Tyrone

[BS Man about Palms]

migacebo, that really was some superior documentation. Thanks!!

[DoomsDave]

It's good to know they are at the faster end of the spectrum.

Hi Tyrone, i don´t write much in this subforo, but I will do a exception (my english is slow and poor)

One example...

I bought my Pseudophoenix sargentii at august of 08. I did myself the same questions that you. I hope that this pics helps to known the possibilitys of this palm .

The first day in home, 5 cms of trunk:

Growth per days: 6(03-09-08), 15(12-09-08) and 55(22-11-08) days:

Today, 8 cms of trunk and four new fronds:

And the plant complete :

Ultimate thing, my climate is very dry. I live near of the sea and the middle %humidity is about 70%. My temp middle is about 20ºC in winter and 25º in summer. The historic maxima is 38ºC. The substratum is very drenante, but I do not dry.

I hope that this information helps her to know this palm

Don't worry about your Ingles! Mi Espaniol no bueno . . . .

You communicated everything very well. Again, don't worry . . .

You have given wonderful information. Keep visiting . . . por favor!

[Wai`anae Steve]

Not so sure this is a slow palm. Check out this link to see the growth of mine. Of course it's pretty warm here all year long.

My link