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Richard, I have 6 that have just germinated, damn we are far away, otherwise I would have gladly given you 3.

That "Jungle Music argentata" is certainly not argentata. I used to live in a forest of them on Big Pine Key and we had large specimens on our property. C. argentata doesn't have those beautiful, neat, light-colored mummy-wrappings you show here, Tracy, and what fiber argentata does have doesn't extend down that far below the crown; and the leaves have a different form, they have a bit of a wave and the tips droop, it's not one of the "stiff" Coccothrinax. Also, I think you'd never see C. argentata attain the sizes you have here, when grown in coastal SoCal, in any reasonable time-span. It is slow even in a tropical climate. But these also don't look at all like the C. barbadensis/C. alta I know, which, as Bret notes above, doesn't have a blade fully encircling the hastula (mine here only cover a little over a half-circle). Though it's the species I always expect to see growing near the coast, since it may be the fastest-growing. This is why it's the one you really find in the trade in Florida on any sort of scale (often sold there as C. alta), it's maybe the only profitable one to grow. I have quite a few of them here in Palm Springs and have acquired them both from Phil and from Florida sources...and they match, so I think what Phil has sold (at least recently) as that species, does seem to be accurately labeled. I remember several decades ago, it seemed the most common one you'd see in SoCal was C. miraguama, and I have a feeling that may be what this is. The mummy-wrappings in particular on your beautiful specimen. I planted a miraguama at my old apartment-building in West Hollywood in the mid-90s (probably bought from Phil), and this looks somewhat similar in my memory, I remember how beautiful the wrappings were...unfortunately that one was removed at some point in the intervening years so I am relying on old memories. Some of the photos of miraguama on Palmpedia really resemble yours, though of course you have to assume that their pictures are accurate as well. But you might want to try to key it out in that direction (and note there are three subspecies with differences in the fibers...see Paul Craft's book on the Palms of Cuba). Phil has also carried C. montana in the past...I bought a "Coccothrinax sp." from him a year or so ago and spoke to Ricardo at the nursery about it, he said in his recollection they had carried C. montana in the fairly recent past, and I am inclined to believe what I bought there as "sp." may be that one, but it's very stiff, definitely looks different to me from what you're all showing here. Hopefully someone with some good Cocco-chops from Florida will chime in here with a more authoritative idea. This genus is a really underused one, in my opinion, just the right size for home gardens, especially courtyards, and I wish there wasn't so much confusion with all the species (and that more species were readily available)...also I wish they grew a little faster, but at least there are a couple of them that grow well in a variety of climates. The nice thing is that they're very ornamental from youth, so there's no reason to decide against planting them and enjoying them, at any size.

I originally bought this copernicia alba from Ken Johnson. It had 3'+ of trunk in mid august 2011, with a tiny crown due to sitting in 90 gal pot for years. Ken said nobody wanted it and he recommended it to me. It was delivered with a few other specimen palms(C oliviformis). Over the years I notice that each year a bunch of spears(~10 or more) at the same height rose up and pushed the previous years leaves down towards the horizontal. The new leaves open pretty quickly when the palm is ready. They can be seen separated against the sky fromt he old ones in a cluster. It reminds me of a new flush of flowers. SO I use the term "flush" when a good number of leaves open is quick succession( a couple weeks). A couple days ago against a story sky but some sun peeking through at my back I took a pic to show the "flush". The only other palm I have that does this is P, rupicola. The rest take a week or more between the opening of spears. This palm was hit by Hurricane Milton and lost some was as leaflets were bent. It was one of the better performers of the well exposed palms in my yard. Here it is with the dead leaves from Milton still hanging on. You can see this years flush is separated from last years by angle to the horizontal. As you can see its in sandy soil and has a little clay underneath at 2'. Its not in a wet spot irrigation or soil wise, and it did suffer in this drought but looks ready to go after the recent rains. The leaves are now self shedding to a smooth trunk the latest 3' of trunk(out of view here). Does anyone else out there have an alba story or a newly planted alba?

@Moe Exotic Looking at the pictures from top to bottom of this page (May 2024 to present), I believe you have more than doubled it's size. That is doing really good. Putting a string of Christmas lights wrapped around the base along with occasional blanket during the cold months has kept the core from frost or freezing, and the size of the leaves shows it. Jubaea grow year around especially when its raining. Only time of year our Jubaea slow down is late summer during the dry season after several months of no rain when the lower leaves die back and fall off leaving smooth trunk. In the above picture of our Jubaea taken couple days ago, some of the lower leaves are turning yellow to brown and getting ready to fall off. Some will say I should water the Palm during this dry season, but I have kept from doing that last 12 years as its native habitat in Chile has its own dry season. When our Jubaea were small without trunks and the lower leaves turned yellow and brown I would cut them off leaving stub, just as you have done, no harm done. The dead stubs will eventually fall off or break away when the base begins to swell and widen as each new leaf gets bigger and longer. Keep the core healthy and away from frost and it will continue to grow bigger and faster. Looking at your most recent photos I would say your couple years away maybe three from signs of a trunk. This also means that your Jubaea is in accelerated growth stage just like a child going into teenage years and will want more regular fertilizer. We have two Jubaea both same age but one is smaller probably because I did not fertilize it as much as the bigger one when they were young. Fertilizer can get expensive feeding two young Jubaea and I never seem to have purchased enough. I would do the fertilizing two to three times a year during the rainy months.

The wind heavily exacerbated the damage. This was also an odd freeze because the cold came more west to east than the more typical north to south or northwest to southeast. As such, the immediate gulf coast didn't experience much of an event since the cold air was modified by the warm gulf water. Further east, even very protected microclimates reached 25F-27F. An urban area with a lake to the west could typically stay 25F-26F, with some barrier islands on the east side of the state stopping the slide at 27F. Open areas had 40mph winds and temperatures in the low 20s. Some cold pockets reached the high teens. I didn't have more Coconuts surviving than Chambeyronia on my Next Big Freeze Bingo Card. We live and learn... I guess

Idk how to edit a post. Meant mild winter not molding winter 🤣. Please no molding winter

Hey Harry, it’s a little bit difficult to tell in your picture, but my observation is that barbadensis has a leaf that is not fully circular. Sorry for the less than great picture, but here’s a couple shots I took this morning.

Thank you all! It seems like I was correct in my top choice for the right reasons but the issue of finding a Howea forsteriana still remains. The person who had looked for it in 2018 seemed to have the same sort of trouble. (https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/58649-kentia-in-florida/#comment-877585). Any ideas on how I can get a decent one for a decent price in/to North Florida?

I only have A. Engleri and it does well here too @gyuseppe . Yours looks beautiful. Harry

Is East and West defined geographically or according to time zone division, so, as a matter of speaking, conventionally?

Looking good Garret! THese are my widest canopy crownshaft outside the royals. THey do throw some nice shade as they tend to hold more leaves than most. Mine were slow till that size then they started to add trunk about a foot a year.

Rained much of the day yesterday, the total in my straight walled bucket open to the sky was 2"+ yesterday. The ground is soaked, I sink a little walking on it in the garden areas. There is a glow to the yard this morning that I have not seen in a year. The retention ponds and the canal I haven't seen in a week look near full, not overflowed onto the grass but !6" below the lowest grass. It was 2' plus a couple months ago. The canal is higher than Ive seen in a year and the water is barely moving, a leaf on top moves about half a foot in 3 seconds. More rain is predicted for today late. We were in a severe drought still a week ago, the next update should be interesting.

Welcome ! You have chosen well , the Howea palms are great indoor choices . The Foresteriana being best suited for your situation. As was mentioned , Bell palms are much slower and probably would need more direct light . The Palor Palm ( Howea Foresteriana ) has been used for many years as a way to bring tropical foliage indoors . Use a pot with really good drainage ( I put smooth medium size pebbles in the bottom ), soil that has more of a sandy loam mixed with perlite , and a pot slightly larger than what it came home with. Do not over water , but they like regular watering . Let the top few inches dry to the touch in between watering , then water thoroughly ( you’ll want a nice tray under the pot ).The occasional outdoor shower and fresh air is a huge benefit . I would find a shady spot with a slight breeze for its holiday at least once a month , even over night if it isn’t below 50f or so. It sounds like a lot and they will survive with less , but to grow reliably , a bit of attention goes a long way. They will take low temps if planted in the ground and established but not cold. Good luck and enjoy . Harry Edit: interesting that you are finding them elusive where you are , they are quite common in Southern California . Most good nurseries have a few available. They are a bit expensive for anything over 3 gallon size. Howea Belmoreana are a bit harder to find.

Hopefully we have some warm years and they don't go under 20F for you. Mine took a lot of damage under 20F but less UV here for the next day warmup than you. Here is my Mule Palm playlist of the growth I had, https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpVDrk5W7jTdjQmxI4FEtmI7CrCvNqNKs&si=VFS-i1SLpo1BHruH

Cibotium glaucum finally decided to grow a new frond after almost a year. Is this normal?

Yes in the proteacea family, easy to propagate as well!

Me too, just light stuff. It was really weird watching it somehow dodge the area like that. Fits the pattern for my house though, but idk why it happens so often here.

Nice, different-is it a Protea?

2nd spell of 0 degrees last couple of nights here in south Auckland knocked out a couple of late flush cycad leaves that hadn't hardened off. A bit of cloud cover tonight eases the stress level a bit.

Hey! I bought one from Phil as well . Mine was not labeled and when I posted pics here I was told it was C. Barbadensis. Mine is about the same size . It grows slow and steady. Jungle Music had a few Cocothrinax species when I was there about 20 years ago so not sure if mine is the same as yours. Very small when planted and full afternoon sun . The fronds on the one I got don’t stay stiff and tend to relax with age . It has an orange-ish hastula . Harry Trunk is pretty typical Cocothrinax The fronds are more relaxed a year or so after opening Orange colored hastula. I’ve got this one labeled Cocothrinax Barbadensis. I was at one of Jungle Music’s sales many years ago and Phil had some that had no label and were too little to identify . These pics are from when I posted a while back ( couple of years?) . Someone on PT said it was Barbadensis. Since these photos were taken , and seeing others , I started giving it more water and feeding it . I believe mine is a different species than yours.

Wow. I knew you guys had it bad, but didn’t think it was that bad. Sorry to hear about the losses, a real kick in the stomach as a collector.

Have they been fertilised? Over fertilised will cause the leaf curling.

looking to buy some fresh parajubaea seeds. if anybody is growing a palm in california.

I notice the bougainvilleas other houses have (they are everywhere) and I haven't seen any like mine. All other bougs look happy. As for the soil, I tried one last year in the ground and it died.. I must mention I also have one in the ground, at a different spot with better soil (amended) and that one does not have shrivelled leaves something which makes me think that it's the pots.. perhaps too much water? But then I would expect brown leaf tips, not shrivelling

That said the curling makes me think something in the soil like a pathogen, let them dry out they are super tough. I also knew they are super tough; I remember my grandma had one in a terracota pot, and never watered it. It became a monster. The leaves are still moist inside.. I don't get it.