Allagoptera brevicalyx in South Florida

[Mandrew968]

This is maybe my favorite palm in the genus and certainly the rarest/smallest distribution of the five species. It has seeded for me already and the fruits were fairly tasty. If you look closely, fruits are starting to form for the second time, now. I have this planted next to a Dypsis decaryi as they have basically the same cultural needs. If you have a pool, I don't know why you DON'T have one of these, next to it. Super easy palm to grow, yet very few people are... it even has a bit of cold tolerance, I would bet. Of those lucky enough to have this gem in their gardens, why not show us yours? I implore you!

[Chris Chance]

I have a few of these but they're still seedlings. They have grown well so far sitting in the greenhouse. Mandrew you have a real nice one there. It's awesome to see one flowering! would you happen to have seed available in the future?

[Kailua_Krish]

I have a small one in a pot that is going in next to my parents pool (in Ocala) once the new construction is finished!

[Mandrew968]

I have a few of these but they're still seedlings. They have grown well so far sitting in the greenhouse. Mandrew you have a real nice one there. It's awesome to see one flowering! would you happen to have seed available in the future?

I am hoping to have seedlings in the future as the first set of seeds were sown, a while back, but yes; I do plan on having fresh seeds of this palm. I will post them in the sale section when they become so. Thanks.

[Mandrew968]

When researching this palm, I came up on the photos of Jeff Marcus in habitat with it, that Dean posted--they certainly look photoshopped with the insanely blue colors that seem to irradiate the retnas, but looking at the picture I first posted(which I can personally vouch as being NOT ALTERED), I can see how a specific ambient light could really bring out that searing blue!

[Chris Chance]

I'll keep my eye out when those do come available. I did see those habitat pictures your talking about. i couldn't believe how blue they looked. I'm sure lighting had something to do with it but never the less such a cool looking plant.

[Mandrew968]

This was the first batch of seed I got. Unlike what I have heard from Allagoptera arenaria growers, this palm has little problem setting seed without any other inflorescence around...

[Josh-O]

I've been looking for this plant here in california for some time.

When you get seeds do you plan of giving them out or selling them?

[Mandrew968]

Josh, I sell palms like you do. I give away more than I sell(by far), in an effort to promote palms, but some things I have to sell. If not for my wife, I couldn't afford to invest so much time into my quasi-business. The best I could do is an interesting trade. I have another brevicalyx in my yard, but is not ready to flower for another few years. I try to specialize in the ultra rare stuff; sometimes that gets me caught up in rare palms that are so obscure, they become near impossible to sell as juveniles and seedlings. Those usually make the best palms for giving to my neighbors(examples are rare Livistonas and rare Syagrus). Almost everyone I invite to my gardens is impressed with how much I do with so little...

[Josh-O]

I'm certainly up for buying some seed if you have any laying around?

[Mandrew968]

I'm certainly up for buying some seed if you have any laying around?

Josh, the ones I had, I ate. lol the fruit at least--still waiting for the babies to pop... but next batch, I will advertise to my fellow Palmtalkers

[Alicehunter2000]

Did a little quick search...not much info on cold hardiness. I would imagine it would be the least hardy of the Allagoptera species as it is from a pretty tropical area of Brazil. Not to derail the thread but how would you list the 4 species in terms of hardiness?

[Mandrew968]

Did a little quick search...not much info on cold hardiness. I would imagine it would be the least hardy of the Allagoptera species as it is from a pretty tropical area of Brazil. Not to derail the thread but how would you list the 4 species in terms of hardiness?

If I did, David, it would be complete conjecture, but my guess would be it's as hardy as a seashore palm.

[Beach palm]

I have grown this palm for over 20 years now. I bought it years ago at a palm sale at Fairchild gardens. I distributed many seeds over the years to numerous people including Jeff Marcus. Dale Holton bought almost all of the plants from Marcus and had the plant identified. Dale has had them available for sale in the past as he has seeding plants that he keeps in his nursery cycle. The plants will continue to clump over the years getting quite large at the base. The leaves become very curly and exotic looking as they get older. I always get comments about the plants from visitors. They are difficult to tell from an arenaria when young. As they get older they become more upright than an arenaria. They typically get about 7-8 feet overall height. They seed a lot more than arenaria. Their seed pods also are larger than an arenaria. About 17 years ago I gave several one gallon plants to my sister that lives at the beach in st. Augustine Florida 9a. I live in west palm beach which is where I started growing the plants. Despite total neglect at my sisters they are growing and doing fine. They have survived many very cold winters over that time. About 15 years ago I bought a house down the street in st. Augustine. I have had five plants growing at the beach for about 15 years. The coldest temperature I am aware of is mid-20's. The plants survive that without a scratch. I mean no burn at ALL. The only damage I have had to any of the plants was when we had the very cold winter a couple of years ago I had one totally unprotected from the northwesterly wind. The winds were extremely strong with temps in the 20's. That one plant lost one of its clusters. The plant survived without any other issues. All of the other plants were unscathed. Because the plants stay short they don't get up into heavy winds. I grow them in full sun. They do not grow as good in shade of any kind. They like water but not excessive amounts. I would say average to slightly more. Fertilize normal amounts. I am also growing arenaria, leucocalyx and the other species the name of which escapes me as I type this. All in st. Augustine. I have had arenaria there for years as well. The other two species have been there about five years. They are all flowering but I don't know if the young plants have set seeds in addition to flowers. They all prefer more sun than less. They are all cold hardy so far to the high twenties. Because of their dwarf growth habit they are protected from the cold winter winds which do the most damage. I know pictures. I am in south Florida now so when I get back up there I will take some pictures.

Rick

[Kailua_Krish]

I have grown this palm for over 20 years now. I bought it years ago at a palm sale at Fairchild gardens. I distributed many seeds over the years to numerous people including Jeff Marcus. Dale Holton bought almost all of the plants from Marcus and had the plant identified. Dale has had them available for sale in the past as he has seeding plants that he keeps in his nursery cycle. The plants will continue to clump over the years getting quite large at the base. The leaves become very curly and exotic looking as they get older. I always get comments about the plants from visitors. They are difficult to tell from an arenaria when young. As they get older they become more upright than an arenaria. They typically get about 7-8 feet overall height. They seed a lot more than arenaria. Their seed pods also are larger than an arenaria. About 17 years ago I gave several one gallon plants to my sister that lives at the beach in st. Augustine Florida 9a. I live in west palm beach which is where I started growing the plants. Despite total neglect at my sisters they are growing and doing fine. They have survived many very cold winters over that time. About 15 years ago I bought a house down the street in st. Augustine. I have had five plants growing at the beach for about 15 years. The coldest temperature I am aware of is mid-20's. The plants survive that without a scratch. I mean no burn at ALL. The only damage I have had to any of the plants was when we had the very cold winter a couple of years ago I had one totally unprotected from the northwesterly wind. The winds were extremely strong with temps in the 20's. That one plant lost one of its clusters. The plant survived without any other issues. All of the other plants were unscathed. Because the plants stay short they don't get up into heavy winds. I grow them in full sun. They do not grow as good in shade of any kind. They like water but not excessive amounts. I would say average to slightly more. Fertilize normal amounts. I am also growing arenaria, leucocalyx and the other species the name of which escapes me as I type this. All in st. Augustine. I have had arenaria there for years as well. The other two species have been there about five years. They are all flowering but I don't know if the young plants have set seeds in addition to flowers. They all prefer more sun than less. They are all cold hardy so far to the high twenties. Because of their dwarf growth habit they are protected from the cold winter winds which do the most damage. I know pictures. I am in south Florida now so when I get back up there I will take some pictures.

Rick

Very good to know! Mine actually came from Holton nursery via the Palm Beach society sale.

[Mandrew968]

I got my two(last ones he had) from Dale, also. I am on the lookout for leucocalyx and campestris... thanks for the added input, Beach palm! Which of the Allagoptera is your favorite, since you have them all?

[Kailua_Krish]

I got my two(last ones he had) from Dale, also. I am on the lookout for leucocalyx and campestris... thanks for the added input, Beach palm! Which of the Allagoptera is your favorite, since you have them all?

I got my A. leucocalyx from Jeff Searle about 6 years ago. No idea about where to get campestris.

[Beach palm]

All of Dale's plants are from my original seed source. When I bought the plants they were marked as campestris. Once they grew so much larger than campestris per the various texts we knew they were different. Dale took the time to get them identified. I bought the campestris and leucocalyx from Floribunda. While they are flowering they are too small to really see how they will turn out. The morphology of the plants change as they get bigger. They all look very similar when they are small. Once the leaves change the plants grow much faster. Pending what the leucocalyx and campestris look like brevicalyx is a must as it is a head turner. Everybody that sees those plants love their looks. I have had to go buy several from dale as gifts to friends that wanted one. I have found them all easy to grow here in Florida in full sun. They don't mind our sandy soils at all. All of my plants are growing just beyond the dunes of the Atlantic ocean without any effect from the salt at all. I have at least 10 arenarias and leucocalyx growing on my property. Check with dale to see if he has anymore available, you won't regret it. I did buy one larger leucocalyx from Jeff searle. His plants and dales are always top quality.

[Mandrew968]

Thanks for the information. Also of note is there are two different populations of campestris--one is a small bush type plant and the other is quite large...

[Mandrew968]

New batch of seed ripening...

[Mandrew968]

Further ripening...

[LJG]

Cool. Getting there. Do you have any rodents that could eat them?

[Mandrew968]

Cool. Getting there. Do you have any rodents that could eat them?

There are rodents everywhere, so I can't say 'no' but to this point, I have not had any predation on the seeds or fruit. Now when they start to fall off the stem, the beetles and other insects begin to eat the fruits.

[Mandrew968]

Update.

[edric]

Hi Andrew, finally got back to the Allagoptera, btw that is the nicest palm I've ever seen, please include me in your seedling order, thanks a whole bunch Andrew, Ed

Edited September 30, 2015 by edric

[MAPU 1]

I will have some of these for sale at the PBPCS sale Oct. 10 & 11.

Dale

[Mandrew968]

Update. First batch of seed got eaten-most likely a peacock... Second set I have gotten only one so far, to germinate. I am still waiting though...

[Mandrew968]

This is the brevicalyx in my front yard. It has finally started to flower and fruit. 

So far, I have only been able to germinate two seedlings from the second batch of seed from my in law's plant(first batch was eaten by peacocks).

[Mandrew968]

Just below the gigas.

[Mandrew968]

Flowers and fruits...

[Josh-O]

6 hours ago, Mandrew968 said:

Just below the gigas.

that gigas is outstanding!!!

[Chris Chance]

I planted seedlings in the ground a few years ago and they're starting to really get moving. Still have another seedling in the greenhouse. Hopefully mine starts to look like the others soon.

[Cindy Adair]

Outstanding Andrew! 

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I really like this genus, I need to try to find more species becsuse we only have arenaria.  They’ve been real easy here on the dry sand pile in Central FL.  It does take a while for them to replace shade grown leaves once planted in full sun.  They can be a bit awkward during the process.