Tri-Bears: let's see 'em...

[Palm Tree Jim]

On 2/15/2017, 8:36:00, Josh-O said:

I'm about to plant two more

Which garden Josh?

Currently, I have 2 planted and one more in a 5G pot.

Not sure if I want 3 in the ground......

[colin Peters]

 

From seed a few yrs back, Starting to speed up now. Nice color at base.

aloha

[BS Man about Palms]

2 hours ago, colin Peters said:

 

From seed a few yrs back, Starting to speed up now. Nice color at base.

aloha

Kinda looks like a standard decaryi?

 

[colin Peters]

Funny Iv'e never seen a juvenile decaryi so not sure how the hybrid differs from standard. Bought the seed as hybrid, maybe they were not?? I'll just have to wait and see

aloha

[Daryl]

Here's a couple I had in my old garden...they were good growers, but to tell the truth, the mature palms were not overly appealing to look at...Caryota gigas for scale...the trunks on these were about 14" at chest height

 

 

 

[Palmə häl′ik]

Woah Daryl, that things huge!   Nothing spectacular about the trunk once mature eh?  That things by far the biggest ever!

 

Here's a good photo showing the "triangularization", is that even a word?  of the crownshaft:

[Mark M @ S. Oceanside palms]

This ones been in the ground for about 4 years.  Thanks to the BS man!

[Josh-O]

7 hours ago, Mark M @ S. Oceanside palms said:

This ones been in the ground for about 4 years.  Thanks to the BS man!

Bill RULES!!!!

[Ben in Norcal]

Anyone know where to get more of these?  Mine has done so well, I want more.

[Monòver]

4 hours ago, Ben in Norcal said:

Anyone know where to get more of these?  Mine has done so well, I want more.

I want to know the same, in Europe!

[Ben in Norcal]

I checked in with Seabreeze and I can confirm they no longer sell/ship these. 

[sonoranfans]

Here is my tri-bear from Mike Evans, mike had both pure lepto and the hybrid, easily recognizable as the riangular shape of the leafbases.  It saw the winter 2010 just a few months after planting and a two consecutive frosts as a 5 gallon size.  It partially defoliated to one spear and 2 half burnt leaves and stalled for a year.  But slowly it came back and is producing some thick red fur.  It has some big long, straight(not recurved) leaves.

[Dusty CBAD]

So a recent post by @Chris Chance got me thinking about what I might be noticing about tri bears. 

I assume Chris’ is from Sea Breeze out of Florida? That’s where mine came from, 15g @Firepalm that he had been growing from a liner size for 7years and was his last one not in the ground. His tri bears in the ground where all big but didn’t seem like they were going to be as big as some of the older ones I’ve seen around PT and in person. I believe the Sea Breeze ones are all around 7-9 years old?
 

It seems that the Sea Breeze batch of tri bears aren’t getting as fat and large as the older ones that are growing in CA. Maybe @BS Man about Palms @LJG or @Hilo Jason @Josh-O can speak to this. I know these guys all have/had multiple in the ground. Mark McGinnis has one in south Oceanside that is massive. Not sure where the older ones even came from. I understand there is variability, especially in hybrids, and maybe the size difference is all due to age. Hoping someone with a little more experience and knowledge about the history of tri bears can clear it up for me, thanks!

Dustin

And here’s a mine. Second pic is planting day, August 20th 2021. First pic is a week ago. So about a year apart. Most impressive thing about the growth is how fast the base is fattening up. 

Edited August 4, 2022 by Dusty CBAD

[iDesign]

I was actually wondering the same thing!

One possibility... my Tri-bear (and likely the one @Dusty CBAD owns) is a "Dypsis leptocheilos x Dypsis decaryi" (i.e., leptocheilos/teddy mother). But I noticed that Seabreeze is currently working on making some "Dypsis decaryi x Dypsis leptocheilos" (decaryi/triangle mother) versions.

My own theory is that some of the more "chunky" tri-bears out there might have had dacaryi/triangle as the mother. Is that what's going on by chance?

Here's an example of a tri-bear (from Palmpedia) that I would consider to be the fat "chunky" type...

...

And here's a photo of mine (which I believe is leptocheilos mother)...

Looking at these three photos, my initial impression is that neither @Dusty CBAD nor my palm is likely to be as much of a "chunk" as the example photo. With mine perhaps being a *little* fatter than Dusty's. Is that what other people are seeing?

Or is it a situation where the example palm is chunky because it had a triangle mother, while ours have teddy mother... thus neither of our tri-bears will be as chunky as the example palm?

Or do we just need to wait and all CA tri-bears will be "chunks" at some point?

Thanks for any info on the "chunky bear" vs "skinny bear" situation!

[Chris Chance]

2 hours ago, Dusty CBAD said:

So a recent post by @Chris Chance got me thinking about what I might be noticing about tri bears. 

I assume Chris’ is from Sea Breeze out of Florida? That’s where mine came from, 15g @Firepalm that he had been growing from a liner size for 7years and was his last one not in the ground. His tri bears in the ground where all big but didn’t seem like they were going to be as big as some of the older ones I’ve seen around PT and in person. I believe the Sea Breeze ones are all around 7-9 years old?
 

It seems that the Sea Breeze batch of tri bears aren’t getting as fat and large as the older ones that are growing in CA. Maybe @BS Man about Palms @LJG or @Hilo Jason @Josh-O can speak to this. I know these guys all have/had multiple in the ground. Mark McGinnis has one in south Oceanside that is massive. Not sure where the older ones even came from. I understand there is variability, especially in hybrids, and maybe the size difference is all due to age. Hoping someone with a little more experience and knowledge about the history of tri bears can clear it up for me, thanks!

Dustin

And here’s a mine. Second pic is planting day, August 20th 2021. First pic is a week ago. So about a year apart. Most impressive thing about the growth is how fast the base is fattening up. 

I did get mine from Seabreeze back when they shipped. I just think with hybrids there's some variation since they get a different percentage from the parents. Mine leans more towards leptocheilos where as some more decaryi. Also growing conditions definitely make a difference also. Mine had some leaf burn at 30 last winter but it's only the ends. 

[surfermatt]

Great questions. And would love to see any updated pics of anyones tri bears. Such a rad palm. 

[LJG]

I have a Searle and a Seabreeze Lepto x dacaryi. Both are fat. I have a decaryi x Lepto from Australian seed 20 years back and it’s fat. The interesting thing is the father appears more in these hybrids. First pic is Decaryi father. Leaflets are keeled, the crown is tristichous. Truck more rough like Dadaryi. Second pic is the Lepto dad and shows more even leaf arrangement and less keel on leaflets. Trunk more smooth. 

[iDesign]

4 hours ago, LJG said:

The interesting thing is the father appears more in these hybrids...

Very interesting... thanks for sharing your observations on these! All of your Tribears are very attractive, but it's especially great to see the differences.

The comment about your tribears more closely resembling the father more makes me wonder whether that might be the case with some of the other Dypsis hybrids as well. So far my Dypsis decipiens x (likely) Dypsis onilahensis appears to favor the onilahensis (father) side a bit more... though it's still too young to say for sure. I'm nerdy enough to find hybrid palm genetics quite interesting.

I just recounted, and I'm now up to 24 different Dypsis types (it's obviously my favorite genus). Most are small at this point, but I've heard Dypsis often cross-pollinate, so who knows what kinds of franken-palms might be born in my yard years from now. 

* Dypsis rosea x prestoniana? Dypsis lafazamanga x carlsmithii? Dypsis onilahensis x mananjarensis?  Fun to imagine the possibilities, though hard to imagine something cooler than a well-grown Tribear 

[LJG]

4 hours ago, iDesign said:

Very interesting... thanks for sharing your observations on these! All of your Tribears are very attractive, but it's especially great to see the differences.

The comment about your tribears more closely resembling the father more makes me wonder whether that might be the case with some of the other Dypsis hybrids as well. So far my Dypsis decipiens x (likely) Dypsis onilahensis appears to favor the onilahensis (father) side a bit more... though it's still too young to say for sure. I'm nerdy enough to find hybrid palm genetics quite interesting.

I just recounted, and I'm now up to 24 different Dypsis types (it's obviously my favorite genus). Most are small at this point, but I've heard Dypsis often cross-pollinate, so who knows what kinds of franken-palms might be born in my yard years from now. 

* Dypsis rosea x prestoniana? Dypsis lafazamanga x carlsmithii? Dypsis onilahensis x mananjarensis?  Fun to imagine the possibilities, though hard to imagine something cooler than a well-grown Tribear 

Those pictures make the palms look yellow and brown tipped. They aren’t so ugly in person

Yes, a few other of my crosses show more dad too. 
 

Dont get too attached to the Dypsis nomenclature. It’s about to be blown up. Most likely into 3-4 genus. Just like the olden days 

[Looking Glass]

5 hours ago, LJG said:

Those pictures make the palms look yellow and brown tipped. They aren’t so ugly in person

Yes, a few other of my crosses show more dad too. 
 

Dont get too attached to the Dypsis nomenclature. It’s about to be blown up. Most likely into 3-4 genus. Just like the olden days 

Looks like Tribears inherit the thirst for tons of potassium from their Teddy side of the family.  My teddies/Leptos here want tons of it constantly, or they demonstrate their displeasure.  

[The Gerg]

13 hours ago, LJG said:

Dont get too attached to the Dypsis nomenclature. It’s about to be blown up. Most likely into 3-4 genus. Just like the olden days 

Oh man, this should be fun. I’m still trying to get used to “Chambeyronia” oliviformis. But this doesn’t surprise me with just how large the Dypsis genus is and how much diversity within it there is. Should be interesting.

[Palmə häl′ik]

Mine got hit by lightning about a month or so ago...  I just noticed it's oozing stuff out, I'm pretty sure it's done...

[LJG]

14 hours ago, Looking Glass said:

Looks like Tribears inherit the thirst for tons of potassium from their Teddy side of the family.  My teddies/Leptos here want tons of it constantly, or they demonstrate their displeasure.  

They do like a little more than other Dypsis, but the pictures make them worse than they are live. Bad pics. 

[PJP]

Picked these up from Seabreeze also

[Hilo Jason]

On 8/4/2022 at 6:04 AM, Dusty CBAD said:

So a recent post by @Chris Chance got me thinking about what I might be noticing about tri bears. 

I assume Chris’ is from Sea Breeze out of Florida? That’s where mine came from, 15g @Firepalm that he had been growing from a liner size for 7years and was his last one not in the ground. His tri bears in the ground where all big but didn’t seem like they were going to be as big as some of the older ones I’ve seen around PT and in person. I believe the Sea Breeze ones are all around 7-9 years old?
 

It seems that the Sea Breeze batch of tri bears aren’t getting as fat and large as the older ones that are growing in CA. Maybe @BS Man about Palms @LJG or @Hilo Jason @Josh-O can speak to this. I know these guys all have/had multiple in the ground. Mark McGinnis has one in south Oceanside that is massive. Not sure where the older ones even came from. I understand there is variability, especially in hybrids, and maybe the size difference is all due to age. Hoping someone with a little more experience and knowledge about the history of tri bears can clear it up for me, thanks!

Dustin

And here’s a mine. Second pic is planting day, August 20th 2021. First pic is a week ago. So about a year apart. Most impressive thing about the growth is how fast the base is fattening up. 

 

 

Mine was from Searle, part of the first batch of these that made their way from Florida to California.  This picture is from June 2019 which is the last time I photographed the garden, before we sold the property.  I haven't had the desire to go back and see this garden on recent trips to California as I don't want to see it not looking like it used to.  I hope the new owners are enjoying and caring for the garden, but you never know!  

[Hilo Jason]

On 8/6/2022 at 5:56 AM, LJG said:

I have a Searle and a Seabreeze Lepto x dacaryi. Both are fat. I have a decaryi x Lepto from Australian seed 20 years back and it’s fat. The interesting thing is the father appears more in these hybrids. First pic is Decaryi father. Leaflets are keeled, the crown is tristichous. Truck more rough like Dadaryi. Second pic is the Lepto dad and shows more even leaf arrangement and less keel on leaflets. Trunk more smooth. 

Len - great to see updated pictures of yours.  They are getting tall! 

Not to get off topic, but would love to see an updated picture of your Big Red sometime and I'm sure others would too.  Still on my wish list after all these years! 

[LJG]

2 hours ago, Hilo Jason said:

Len - great to see updated pictures of yours.  They are getting tall! 

Not to get off topic, but would love to see an updated picture of your Big Red sometime and I'm sure others would too.  Still on my wish list after all these years! 

Ask and you swill receive. Its to the right of the TriBear in bottom pic

Ill get a better pic tomorrow.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

On 8/7/2022 at 2:02 PM, Palmə häl′ik said:

Mine got hit by lightning about a month or so ago...  I just noticed it's oozing stuff out, I'm pretty sure it's done...

That is absolutely unfortunate to happen to a beautiful palm. Crossing my fingers it's not a goner =/

T J 

[sonoranfans]

On 8/7/2022 at 12:29 AM, Looking Glass said:

Looks like Tribears inherit the thirst for tons of potassium from their Teddy side of the family.  My teddies/Leptos here want tons of it constantly, or they demonstrate their displeasure.  

Might be high soil calcium which inhibits the uptake of potassium.  My teddy in somewhat sandy soil is a moderate K feeder, not nearly as problematic as a cuban copernicia.

[Looking Glass]

26 minutes ago, sonoranfans said:

Might be high soil calcium which inhibits the uptake of potassium.  My teddy in somewhat sandy soil is a moderate K feeder, not nearly as problematic as a cuban copernicia.

I don’t have any Copernicia to compare here.   But with the teddies, I find myself putting down potassium a lot.  They are are the first to show K deficiency warning signs (with roebelenii) but respond well to extra K and stay green all the way down.   I treat at the first sign in the oldest leaves, and they seem to eat all that I’ll give.   

[tinman10101]

the pic of @LJG  tribear in his frontyard does not do it justice.  quite possibly because he has an iphone.    ... Here is a more true to life pic and I would say its pretty spectacular.  I am not a dypsis guy just because I can't grow them in my garden but when I visited, I had to take a pic of this one because it was pretty amazing.

 

[BS Man about Palms]

Decided to take a rarely seen quick snap of my Tri-bear from my 2nd floor view.. taller foxy lady to right.

 

 

[LJG]

 Thanks Tin 

[Cocoa Beach Jason]

This is one of the seabreeze nursery hybrids. 

[Hilo Jason]

On 8/8/2022 at 5:55 PM, LJG said:

Ask and you swill receive. Its to the right of the TriBear in bottom pic

Ill get a better pic tomorrow.

Oh yeah!  You know, I saw that palm in the picture and thought to myself "what is that Dypsis with the almost black crownshaft", hah!