Down in the jungle

[Tyrone]

Ari, it seems so weird hearing you talk about having to get sand in and finding some left over sand lying around somewhere. Here you can't get away from it. I find it amusing watching eastern states gardening shows where they truck in sand, or even get it in in bags. Over here, we're constantly trying to glug the soil up, get it to stick together and keep the nutrients in. If only it was warmer here, the Hydriastele would feel right at home.

Best regards

Tyrone

[ariscott]

There are some blocks closer to the swamp who has sandy soil, but mine has none. It is not clay either... so beats me if I know.... Lucky thing is that it is ex market garden, so it has quite good top soil....

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

They look fabulous too. Is it okay to ask how much ? Nah, I better not.

I can tell you, Wal.. but then I have to kill you.

Regards, Ari

You know I was thinking (yeh, yeh, I shouldn't overdo it), these palms I would rate as one of the top 5 best looking palms there is. Look at those leaves, the form of the palm, pure perfection, what a shame it's one of the toughest, maybe the toughest grows known.

In habitat, Hydriastele the show

[ariscott]

It is actually not as bad as I thought it would be.... but still expensive for me with Christmas is so close and I haven't bought the kids' christmas presents yet... . Daryl probably would tell you anyway.... They are very nice, but yes... so slow. My seedlings are growing, but still long way away from even getting to decent seedling size...

Regards, Ari

[Carlo Morici]

Well done, Ari. Show us when you will have them in the ground.

Hydriastele is marvelous ! Some areas of the palmetum are bad enough to plant some

[Walter John]

So much rain here, fungi on pembana

New leaf openings (amongst others)

Arenga pinnata

Archo maxima

Pinanga kuhlii

And a new spear arising on Kentiopsis pyriformis

[ariscott]

Well done, Ari. Show us when you will have them in the ground.

Hydriastele is marvelous ! Some areas of the palmetum are bad enough to plant some

Does it get cold where you are? This palm grows in extreme condition... very hot & humid in the wet season and dry and hot during the day and cool at night in the dry. Very very slow too... I have a few seedlings for 1.5 years now and they barely grow at all... You are welcome to try some seeds.. I will go and see whether they have any seeds on the trees at the moment... They are hard to germinate too. You have to put them in spagnum moss and leave them in the car so they can get 60deg heat during the day... and in a few weeks/months, they might germinate.....

Regards, Ari

[Carlo Morici]

Ari,

The palmetum can go down to 14 C in winter at night. Days are warm to hot all the year except Jan and Feb. Rainfall is about 250 mm, but the air is never too dry, as it is surrounded by water. Nights are mild to warm, because it is by the sea, but they are never hot because the sea is cold. We lack the hot & humid season, but Humid air + Irrigation make up a nice "hot & humid wet season".

How slow? How many years does it take from seed to "planting size"?

[ariscott]

I am not sure actually how slow... I would have to ask Helen on the weekend. She is an owner of the 2 mature ones... She should be able to tell me how slow....

Regards, Ari

[Daryl]

Bump...

Here are some jungle trunks...Chambeyronia 'hookeri' with Dypsis lanceolata in the background.

Daryl

[Walter John]

The afternoon rain has just passed and I was feeling photophunkie

Areca vestiaria

in maroon

in orange

[Walter John]

Double spears

Foxy Lady

Princess palm, look close and you will see two spears

[Daryl]

Wal, you had the same thought as me....

Here is a Dypsis that started opening yesterday. The rain helped it along a little today. Great colour in the leaf, and a good contrast to the Foxy Lady which is crossing it...

Daryl

[Walter John]

Hey Daryl, any clues to the name of that Dypsis ?

[Walter John]

Just a couple of garden angles from the back deck.

This bangalow leaf seemed to be pointing at me

[Walter John]

How white is this latania ?

[Daryl]

Hey Daryl, any clues to the name of that Dypsis ?

Dypsis sp 'ceraceus', 'nauseosa' and now 'tsaravoasira'

[Walter John]

Hey Daryl, any clues to the name of that Dypsis ?

Dypsis sp 'ceraceus', 'nauseosa' and now 'tsaravoasira'

too easy, thanks, see you tomorrow.

[Daryl]

Here's another one with a newly opened leaf...Hydriastele longispatha

And one with a strange coloured trunk...Foxy Lady

Daryl

[paulgila]

that is beautiful,daryl.simply amazing.

[paulgila]

that is beautiful,daryl.simply amazing.

[Walter John]

Here's another one with a newly opened leaf...Hydriastele longispatha

And one with a strange coloured trunk...Foxy Lady

Daryl

That Hydriastele shot looks like a design for a spaceship in the next Star Trek movie, that's one of your best Daryl, great pic, award winning.

[paulgila]

not sure why i keep double posting.

trying to get ahead in the stats maybe.

[ariscott]

I planted my H. ramsayi. I found a high, sandy and sunny position for it... I hope it likes it. You don't know how hard it is for me not to plant the 3's....lol. I haven't taken photos yet... I will once I weed around it!! I also planted a Veitchia winin and a mistery palm....

Regards, Ari

[ariscott]

There you go.... my palm with all its glory!! I wish I could keep all 3's....

It has been almost a week and it seems to like its new planting spot. Closer to the house (the only sandy area I have as the builder has dumped a lot of sand while building last year).... near the pool and carport area , when I get around to put them in... .

Regards, Ari

p.s. ignore the weeds.... it is rather out of control at the moment... The bare dirt/grass at the back is where I have been planting lawn plugs.... all 200 sq m of it!!

Edited December 4, 2008 by ariscott

[paulgila]

keliatan bagus!!!

[Daryl]

Ari, that Hydriastele looks fantastic! Can't wait to see it in person in a few days...

Here's a few more from my jungle...plenty of rain lately and hot, humid weather has been great for growth and new leaves are poppin' everywhere!

Daryl

Dypsis onilahensis 'bef'

Neoveitchia storckii

Archontophoenix tangle

[Walter John]

Archontophoenix tangle

Yes, I'm back, thanks to Dean. You can blame him in other words.

[ruskinPalms]

I love your garden Wal. You plant your palms densly like I do. To see yours doing so well makes me fell like less of a nut... By the way, you Aussies are killing me with all the great palm weather you are having! But at least someone out there has it good.

[Walter John]

I love your garden Wal. You plant your palms densly like I do. To see yours doing so well makes me fell like less of a nut... By the way, you Aussies are killing me with all the great palm weather you are having! But at least someone out there has it good.

It's not as easy as you think. I mean we have to decide which great palm growth we want to check out first, I've been stuck in the one spot for ages trying to decide, it can get a bit tough if you ask me.

These are fairly recent plantings.

Dypsis crinita, with one of the rabbits from Watership Down

Areca vestiaria

sneeking in some new guinea impatiens in the picture

[ariscott]

Some bugs killed my red areca vestaria... I pour some insecticide in the crown but too late... I think I have to get some more. And the thing is that they only attack the red ones, not the orange!!! How annoying!!

Daryl,

Your Neoveitchia storckii is gorgeous... How big and how old is it?

Regards, Ari

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

It's not as easy as you think. I mean we have to decide which great palm growth we want to check out first, I've been stuck in the one spot for ages trying to decide, it can get a bit tough if you ask me.

And Wal is trying to get off sets from his Hills Hoist Still, Dude listen to Donna "it won't happen"

if it did well, we'd all be so rich.

Cheers Mikey

P.s. Love the photo's guys.............

Edited December 9, 2008 by calyptrocalyx&licuala freck

[realarch]

Wal, how long has your pembana and Neoveitchia been in the ground. The pembana should be growing fast for you.

Tim

[Walter John]

Wal, how long has your pembana and Neoveitchia been in the ground. The pembana should be growing fast for you.

Tim

Hi Tim,

I had to scroll back to see which palms you meant. I have 6 different pembanas growing and the one I posted is about 2 to 3 years in the ground and just now starting to grow fast and strong. For me, this palm likes to get a good hold of it's position first, establishing itself then begins to power up as strong as any other.

The Neoveitchia in the pic is a brand new planting, about 2 months inground. Stole it from Rocky when the rest of the ratpack weren't looking. This is my second Neo and the first one has proven a certain amount of toughness, with regard to cold and drought, very surprising. I think Daryl's Neo has also proved hardiness beyond expectation.

[realarch]

Thanks Wal. I planted a cluster of pembana and they pretty much just sat for about 8 months and even declined somewhat and then all of a sudden took off and more than doubled in size within a 4 month period. I can hardly wait to get back to Hilo to see the progress. I planted a couple of Neoveitchia about the same size as yours back in late Sept. so it will be interesting to see the progress in both locations. Good work man.

Tim

[Walter John]

How small are your smallest palms in pots ?

Here's Neoveitchia storckii, a one leaf Licuala dasyantha and 2 x teeny Basselinia gracilis from 1600 metres up Mt Pane from memory.

[edric]

They look fabulous too. Is it okay to ask how much ? Nah, I better not.

I can tell you, Wal.. but then I have to kill you.

Regards, Ari

You know I was thinking (yeh, yeh, I shouldn't overdo it), these palms I would rate as one of the top 5 best looking palms there is. Look at those leaves, the form of the palm, pure perfection, what a shame it's one of the toughest, maybe the toughest grows known.

In habitat, Hydriastele the show

Hi Wal, what species Hydriastele is this, thanks, Ed

[Walter John]

Hi Ed, they be H.ramsayii formerly Gronophyllum ramsayii. Search on "Darwin ratpack" for further info.

[edric]

Hi Ed, they be H.ramsayii formerly Gronophyllum ramsayii. Search on "Darwin ratpack" for further info.

Thanks a bunch Wal, Ed

[realarch]

Hi Wal, boy sort of left that conversation hanging. In regard to those N. storckii, they were three gallon size when I planted them back in '08 and while not 'rockets'

have been steady growers. They are getting faster though and I might see those chocolate crown shafts fairly soon. Here are a couple of pics of then and now.