Normanbya normanbyi and Wodyetia bifurcata flowering seasons?

[Kostas]

Hello

I am very interested to know the flowering seasons of Normanbya normanbyi and Wodyetia bifurcata. Do they overlap or not? What is the chance of hybridization occurring between them? Do their habitats overlap anywhere?

I know Leu Gardens has them both and have both flowered in the past. Eric?

Thank you very much in advance!

[Tropicgardener]

Their habitats are certainly quite distant from one another and don't overlap........... Wodyetia bifurcata occurs in and is limited to the Cape Melville area and Normanbya normanbyi occurs further south and is common along the Daintree River....... I have been to both habitats and there are no Black Palms growing anywhere near Cape Melville that I could see.

As whether or not hybrids could form I don't know.............Foxtails do tend to flower year round in this area and from memory I think Black Palms have a reasonably lengthy flowering period which definitely overlaps. I have seen both growing and flowering side by side but don't know if they would hybridize or not.

[Kostas]

Thank you very very much for your detailed reply Andrew,I appreciate it a lot!!! So,theoretically,they do have good chances to cross if grown together as they do not have to have any built in mechanisms to prevent it.

Personally,I like the Normanbya way better and I am growing seedlings of it but are extremely slow to gain any size here for some reason. What would you suggest as a growing environment,what conditions and soil and what to do to speed those beauties up?

Thank you very much in advance!

[Tropicgardener]

Kostas, good to see someone else who likes Normanbya better than Wodyetia .................. Normanbya is naturally a slower grower than Wodyetia, likes to be fed more and prefers more shelter when young which are sone of the reasons I think it is not grown as much plus the fact that Wodyetia is becoming a bit of a weed (at least here it is).

[Cedric]

From what I've seen Normanbya looks magic in the shade, its at its absolute best in the shade in fact and needs lots of water deep rich soil humidity and shelter, it's not drought hardy at all like Wodyetia is. When grown well it looks its best as a youngster IMO like a giant fern, as it gets older it looks more and more like a wodyetia, certainly in the full sun.

I was rather surprised to read on PACSOA that seedlings of Normabya "look rather scrawny and unattractive, and it isn't until the palm gets to several meters high that the thick plumed leaves appear". IMO its the reverse, as youngsters in the shade its looks remarkable, but when it gets the plumed look it almost reverts to Wodyetia also nice but not the same. Maybe theirs weren't sheltered enough so the flat held, wide on one plane almost fish tail leaflets were deranged somewhat by the elements.

In the full sun it follows that I personally prefer Wodyetia as Normanbya loses that delicate fern like character quite a bit once it gets sun and isn't as tolerant of the vagaries of watering. Give Wodyetia lots of water and it will also positively dance with joy, though. Quite happy with the dry too even if the leaflets roll up at midday. I have seen them growing on the waters edge, roots right in the water and they look incredible, completely different, the leaves are much much longer and droop beautifully the leaflets full and bushy plumed wide as outstretched arms waving in the slightest breeze.

On the question of will they "hybridise" Im 'almost' sure they will and very easily. Might be best to chop off the flowers on one if you want the other. I thought there was question of when not if they were going to be put into Wodyetia, one species?

[Tropicgardener]

Normanbya will grow quite well and still look good out in the full sun........certainly they are not as drought tolerant as their natural habitat is completely different to that of Wodyetia and they like to be well mulched and fed..........You may be surprised that many of us palm growers here in Queensland actually prefer Normanbya...........Yes Wodyetia is attractive but it is also highly overused so therein is part of the reason for the attraction to Normanbya but personally I find Normanbya to be more attractive. I know that at least in Florida they have problems growing it to its full potential but I can assure you that it is a super attractive palm and one of my favourite native palms.

As for hybridisation.............I wouldn't be so sure. As I mentioned earlier I have seen these 2 species growing side by side and fruiting. No person I am aware of has ever come up with any hybrids between the 2 species. If they had I am sure that we would have heard about it by now. I am not saying that it wouldn't happen, just saying that there is no evidence that it has happened so far.

[Cedric]

Then there is some hope that im getting the real thing then as someone is growing on seedlings for me and they have both species growing on their property in Thailand.

I haven't seen the seedlings yet or the seed they came from but I reckon it might be difficult to tell them apart or even if they were hybrids.

I have seen these growing in the shade as young palms and fruiting palms in the sun and personally I found them beautiful, beautiful enough to have to get them grown for me so I don't find it at all surprising growers in Queensland prefer them to the almost ubiquitous foxies. I did prefer them in the sheltered shade though. I agree I like Wodyetia too I tend not to let popularity cloud any palms intrinsic beauty, well grown and stunningly well grown most palms are incredibly nice.

Put it this way, though. I would be surprised if they couldn't very easily hybridise but very pleased if they can't. (: