Pseudophoenix sargentii in CA

[Jdiaz31089]

So from this first picture to this is 4 years of growth???! I'd say it's not THAT slow

 

On 4/16/2012, 8:43:46, MattyB said:

Here's my largest P. sargentii, in the ground for 3 years from a 2 gallon pot.

 

40 minutes ago, MattyB said:

Here it is today.  P. sargentii on the L.  P. ekmanii center.  P. vinifera on the R.

 

[Yunder Wækraus]

2 hours ago, MattyB said:

Here it is today.  P. sargentii on the L.  P. ekmanii center.  P. vinifera on the R.

Beautiful palm

[Josh-O]

2 hours ago, MattyB said:

Here it is today.  P. sargentii on the L.  P. ekmanii center.  P. vinifera on the R.

If for some reason you get board of them and you want me to dig them out??? Just let me know.

[BS Man about Palms]

17 hours ago, Tracy said:

 

So Bill, do you have anything you want to say to Matty???  I couldn't resist. They all look healthy Matty, but definitely a speed difference among the species.  It makes me not feel guilty about splurging for something with some size when I planted my sargentii ssp saonae var navasana a few years back.  Its not speedy, but a plant that even non-palm people sometimes ask about when passing by my front yard.

Well, the sargentii is no surprise, nor is the eckmanii, the vinifera is....but more so anywhere other than Matts.!  And on that note, Matt, my lediniana is about the size of the vinifera and REALLY needs the heat to grow! Matt, if you want it, its yours! (Or if anyone wants to dig it, you are welcome to, Matt has first dibs). I thought it died years ago, except last summer when we had record heat on the coast, it started growing again!! 

[bubba]

Great to see dedicated palm growers like Bradford and others making successful efforts to grow out of the box. His and others efforts will be remembered.

[Sandy Loam]

Nice growth, MattyB!  

Not to digress too far off topic, but has the Southern California desert soil been a problem for any of you with Pseudophoenix Sargentii?   The reason I ask is that I am about to plant one of these in a spot that used to house a cactus garden bed.  The area is basically comprised of rocks with a little granular soil in between.  Maybe I need to dig the area out deeper to get right into the "real" soil beneath?   I assume that this palm won't mind the extremely high-draining conditions, but I don't want to plant it in a spot that has almost no "soil" per se.  (By the way, I won't be watering it.  Here, I let nature do the watering, so hopefully the rocky planting bed won't be a problem)

 

Also, this is a native palm in Southern Florida, but not up here in the north of Florida which is much colder overnight in winter.  I am just wondering if anyone knows what Pseudophoenixx Sargentti's maximum cold-tolerance is.  I saw a PalmTalk post where Pseudophoenix Sargentii had only experienced only minimal damage following an overnight low temperature of 23 degrees Fahrenheit.  I haven't had a temperature that low here for about six years, so I am hoping that I could get away with this palm for a while.  At some point in the next decade, we are likely to get another quick dip down to 18 degrees Fahrenheit, albeit only for one quick overnight low.   When that happens, will it kill this palm outright?   

 

Finally, there appears to be two types of Pseudophoenix Sargentii---  One is much slower growing and the other is faster growing with the rings showing greater separation on the trunk.   I assume that the slower-growing type has greater cold-tolerance, but I have no idea (?)  Does anyone know?  

 

Sorry to pepper you all with so many questions about this palm, but this happens to be the only "live" thread about Pseudophoenix Sargentii right now.

Thanks, all.

 

 

[HOGITZ]

these are about 12 years old the second one really has a wide base but suffered from a blight that killed one of my Pseudos but seems to be getting stronger now.

 

[Tracy]

8 hours ago, Sandy Loam said:

has the Southern California desert soil been a problem for any of you with Pseudophoenix Sargentii?   The reason I ask is that I am about to plant one of these in a spot that used to house a cactus garden bed.  The area is basically comprised of rocks with a little granular soil in between.  Maybe I need to dig the area out deeper to get right into the "real" soil beneath?   I assume that this palm won't mind the extremely high-draining conditions, but I don't want to plant it in a spot that has almost no "soil" per se.

As with most places, there isn't a lot of consistency in the soil here in Southern California to make a generalized statement regarding.  My homes are 3.5 miles apart and worlds apart in soil.  I'm growing the P. sargentii ssp saonae var navassana here in Leucadia in a very sandy soil which I did amend some to add more organics.  Its doing well for the climate.  In 3.5 miles away in Carlsbad, I have a heavy clay soil, and am growing a regular P sargentii.  The navassana is supposed to be faster, and it is for me, but due to the conditions its not a fair comparison.  My straight sargentii is getting shade now under a Caryota gigas, so is starved for sunlight, and few plants like the clay soil in Carlsbad as much as they appreciate the fast draining soil here in Leucadia.  I did get the navassana for Leucadia partly based on it's reputation for being faster.  If you are worried about your soil lacking sufficient organics, amend your hole as you plant it.  I can't address temperatures, as we don't get into the twenties in either location.  Good luck in Gainesville!

[Tracy]

bump.... update.  Love this palm as my "gateway".  Pseudophoenix sargentii ssp saonae var navassana

[quaman58]

10 minutes ago, Tracy said:

bump.... update.  Love this palm as my "gateway".  Pseudophoenix sargentii ssp saonae var navassana

That looks great Tracy. So, outside of us being told that we are purchasing var. navassana, are there any distinguishing features between that & a "normal" variety? I'm supposedly growing both, although the navassana is much smaller. Is that another teeny Psuedophoenix in the foreground?

[Tracy]

14 minutes ago, quaman58 said:

outside of us being told that we are purchasing var. navassana, are there any distinguishing features between that & a "normal" variety? I'm supposedly growing both, although the navassana is much smaller. Is that another teeny Psuedophoenix in the foreground?

It is growing at a much faster pace, but as I pointed out in my January post, there are significant cultural differences between where I'm growing my "regular" and my navassana.  I'm going on memory, but I think the navassana may have more re-curved fronds than the conventional, but I would expect the Florida folks will have more experience with this palm to guide us.  Hopefully some of them can answer your question Bret.

[Josh-O]

2 hours ago, Tracy said:

It is growing at a much faster pace, but as I pointed out in my January post, there are significant cultural differences between where I'm growing my "regular" and my navassana.  I'm going on memory, but I think the navassana may have more re-curved fronds than the conventional, but I would expect the Florida folks will have more experience with this palm to guide us.  Hopefully some of them can answer your question Bret.

something about this tree that catches my eye every time!!

I have 2 of them in the Vista Garden and they are cranking as well.

Thanks for posting your wonderful pictures Tracy

[realarch]

Certainly a show stopper Tracy. Very nice spacing as well.

Tim

[Palm Tree Jim]

11 hours ago, Tracy said:

bump.... update.  Love this palm as my "gateway".  Pseudophoenix sargentii ssp saonae var navassana

Great to see this plant is doing well.

 

[Tracy]

13 hours ago, quaman58 said:

Is that another teeny Psuedophoenix in the foreground?

Actually it is a teenie tiny Ravenea xerophila, which I put there expecting it would be slower than the Pseudophoenix.  I mound planted the xerophila along with the nearby cycads, to allow so that they don't get as much water as the Pseudophoenix.  The native soil is very sandy and fast draining so I've never had problems with the ones which appreciate the dryer conditions being negatively effected by my watering the Pseudophoenix much more frequently.