Borassus and Corypha

[topwater]

After what seems like an eternity, I finally got two each of B. aethiopum and C. umbraculifera seedlings. I realize they are at best marginal in my 9b grow zone, but I've heard that once they get some size, they're compable to Bismarkia with regard to cold hardiness, and Bizzies have been good to me.  The Borassus were doing poorly but I think I had them planted too deeply.  I removed enough soil to get just the roots covered and am now crossing my fingers.  The Corypha appear to be doing fine.  Lastly, I need two C. baileyana to satisfy my love for giant fan palms. If anyone has any advice on how to keep these guys alive in pots until they have enough size to brave the elements I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

 

[topwater]

When I planted the Borassus I originally had buried it up to the top of the yellow area of the tubule (?). They looked bad so I brainstormed, decided they were planted too deep, and I removed soil down to the base of the giant bulb thing.  I hope I did good but I fear my Borassus are going to croak.  Any thoughts?

[palmfriend]

Wow, wow, wow - great species, all the best with them!

I am not a pro in this matter - I am sharing your interest of giant fan palms and looking foward to put my

one and only C. utan in the ground soon - but I would say your Borassus is still looking fine. Its colors

are strong and healthy - so, no need to be worried I would say.

Ok, now I am going to give way for the specialists in this forum - please keep us posted,

best regards

 

[topwater]

Any pics of the C. utan, serious shortage of Corypha on PT.  Thank goodness for Kris!

 

 

 

 

[doranakandawatta]

5 hours ago, topwater said:

Any pics of the C. utan, serious shortage of Corypha on PT.  Thank goodness for Kris!

 

 

 

 

Actually these two species belong to Srilankan landscape and culture,nYou should come and visit!

[topwater]

Thanks for the pics Philippe, Sri Lanka really is a jungle paradise.  

 

[sonoranfans]

I cant speak for the corypha, but I have a B aethiopum in a fairly warm 9B that is now about 8-9' overall and thickening up nicely.   Each set of new leaves are getting larger fast now. It started out very slow but its really healthy now, it glows..  Its in a dry zone of the yard, 2'+ deep sand with some clay down deeper which I ammended to 4' with more sand to ensure drainage.  It doesnt get but an incidental springler wetting 2x a week, plus rain.  Its definitely a low maintenance palm for me.  When my yard water system broke, it didnt seem to care, no stress showed after a month of no waer and minimal rain in summer when even my bizzies showed a little bit of dry stress.  Rod Anderson had a bigger one in arizona, they dont need humidity it seems as Rods looked very happy.  His palm saw under 25F one year after it was established(15'overall), but that was a radiational event, not such a long freeze as many advective events.  As I remember, Rods palm lost a number of bottom leaves but went right back to growing in subsequent years.  As I understand it, these palms grow some of the deepest roots of any palm starting with a sinker root to 100+cm deep while little growth occurs above ground.  I would put it in the ground as soon as its warm and dont make the soil too rick or water retentive, but mulch on top.  My Borassus saw two consecutive frosts in Dec 2010 and lows as low as 28F as a strapleaf. It mostly defolliated and came back, but I thought it was a goner since I had only planted in 3 months before.

[topwater]

Would you honestly put them in the ground at this size? Bear in mind, I'm on the cool side of 9b, we can go six years without a freeze, but '10 and '11 two hard freezes in a row. Texas weather is a total crap shoot. Yours look great!

Edited March 4, 2017 by topwater

[topwater]

I'm surprised Borassus isn't more widely grown in FL, I suppose there's a good reason, besides it being slow.  It would be the second thing I planted, after a ton of C. gigas.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sonoranfans]

Not sure what I'd do in texas but if I did plant in a pot it would be very deep.  Even the seedling I bought from Christian Faulkner had a container 14" deep and the sinker root was at the bottom of the container, rootbound, trying to find a way down turther..  The plant will be stunted till it gets in the ground, I think.  This also happens with the cuban copernicias bailey, falaensis etc., containers stunt them.  I probably would make a greenhouse tent over the palm in winter and might use a heatmat on the coldest nights.  And just ensure that it didnt get frozen until the roots have 3-4 years to establish.  You may have to protect it till it gets too big to tent, juvenile palms are always more sensitive and you have to get through that window of vulnerability to grow this one in 9B.  In a prolonged advective cold event the palm might not survive the same low temps.  I have seen some of these in soutth florida, but they dont look quite as happy/colorful as Rods in AZ, probably because of the continually wet rocky soil.  As far as these being uncommon, they arent easy to find.  The seeds are huge and only a fraction germinate.  Its also a huge palm, too big for many small yards.