Ravenea rivularis

[JD in the OC]

Variegated majesty

[BS Man about Palms]

Variegated majesty

Thats cool!

[BS Man about Palms]

Vista, California

[phatmiata]

Just found this thread, that varigated one is killer!! Where can i get one of those!!

I got three today, all in 7-gallon pots, and about 10' high!! The 1st one I got at Home Depot was $16.99 and then I was at Lowes and found them even cheaper on sale for $8.98!! WOW!! So being a sucker for a good deal, I bought two more!! hahaha

[Pivi]

That's a steal. Both prices.

That ravanea would cost here 7 times more (around US$125) in season, and before season around us$75

Edited December 12, 2008 by Pivi

[amazon exotics]

the variegated majesty is mine. I found it at lowes about 3 years ago. PRALL'S in Cape Coral have a larger one. If I remember right, they found their's at lowes also.

[GREENHAND]

I was growing this one in zone 8 until it bit the dust.

[Walter John]

Here's mister stubby at my daughter's place, photo taken yesterday. Nice group of palms here one would have to say.

[ghar41]

I believe this palm is widely misunderstood. Ive seen many planted in this area quickly turn yellow, then disappear. Then I started to see some grow into massive young palms very quickly. This one in the photo is a few blocks from my house and it survived Jan 07 without a hitch. It's completely exposed and faces the west along with its blazing, late day, inland summer sun. Its growing just a few feet from a leaking sprinkler, and its muddy around the base.

Will Farrell was in town to pose next to it.

[Tampa Scott]

Anyone knows of a source of seeds in small quantities? Seeds are usually available in minimum quantity of a thousand.

My R rivularis flowered for the first time last year and turned out to be a female. The other rivularis is now also showing flower spathes. If it turns out to be a male tree I should have seed this year to give away.

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

After I saw that healthy Ravenea rivularis Glenn discovered a couple blocks away... and hearing that it made it through the winter 2007... I figuired I'd pick one up in the spring, harden it off then plant it... didn't have to wait that long... found this beauty at Home Depot in 7 gal size for only $24.94

Amazing that you can buy ANY palm this size for less than $25.

One thing that I would like to note, the 7 gal pot this palm was planted in at the nursery had no holes in the bottom for drainage. The lowest holes were about 6 inches above the bottom of the pot. Indicating to me that this palm likes its feet in water.

Not a problem in my front yard, where it will be planted... I tend to over water my lawn.

Jeff

Edited December 21, 2008 by Jeff in Modesto

[PalmGuyWC]

Jeff,

That's a darn nice looking palm, and the price is right. I think I will check out HD today. I've never tried R. rivularis before because I thought they were to cold sensitive for our area. I think I will give it a try. I've seen a few tortured individuals growing in Concord, so maybe with ample fertilizer and water, they might make it here.

Dick

[Tampa Scott]

The girl is now in flower...

[ruskinPalms]

I have always loved this palm. They do not care to be planted in highly competitive areas (i.e. dense mass plantings) in my experience. The combination of shade from taller palms and competition for water and nutrients leads to slow growth. I have two planted. I think one got bud rot when a big plumeria near it decided to drop all of its leaves onto the crown this fall. The other is doing a little better, but is slow at best. I think that in time, if one could get its roots a little deeper, then it would take off like a rocket here since I live next to a pond I don't think the water table is too far down.

[FRITO]

Greenhand that was a nice one! what temps did it experience that finished it off?

I have mine potted I would say in about a 10 gallon container. in dense soil with some perlite. holds lots moisture but drains well also.

I flood it with water whenever the hose is nearby and it loves it. ill say it again, I dont think they can be overwatered!

plant it in a low spot that seasonally floods, or nextto that leaky sprinkler, or next to a gutter downspout it will love it.

last winter 23.4 degrees was my low and it wasnt protected in its pot. it had 100% defoliation , spear was good though.

here it is after 1 season - 9 months

[GREENHAND]

Greenhand that was a nice one! what temps did it experience that finished it off?

I have mine potted I would say in about a 10 gallon container. in dense soil with some perlite. holds lots moisture but drains well also.

I flood it with water whenever the hose is nearby and it loves it. ill say it again, I dont think they can be overwatered!

plant it in a low spot that seasonally floods, or nextto that leaky sprinkler, or next to a gutter downspout it will love it.

last winter 23.4 degrees was my low and it wasnt protected in its pot. it had 100% defoliation , spear was good though.

here it is after 1 season - 9 months

19 deg did it in, no life left in it.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Here's a decent looking one that I found a few years ago in the Old Northeast section of St Petersburg FL. They usually look awful in the Tampa Bay area because people do not water or fertilize them enough, so this was a real treat to see such a large specimen.

[Tyrone]

The girl is now in flower...

Do you have a pic of the whole palm. How old is it?

Best regards

Tyrone

[Tampa Scott]

The girl is now in flower...

Do you have a pic of the whole palm. How old is it?

Best regards

Tyrone

Post #1 is a picture of the girl. Here is another of her. Planted in 1998 from a 3gal pot.

Edited December 25, 2008 by Tampa Scott

[Tampa Scott]

and a look at her trunk base...

[spockvr6]

Here's a decent looking one that I found a few years ago in the Old Northeast section of St Petersburg FL. They usually look awful in the Tampa Bay area because people do not water or fertilize them enough, so this was a real treat to see such a large specimen.

Thats a beaut Jeff!

That one and the ones at Scott's house are the nicest I have seen in these parts.

There is actually one that is getting to look relatively decent in my neighborhood. I cant understand it as its in the dead center of the lawn, gets full sun all day, is in pure sand soil, and yet gets nothing but lawn irrigation and still looks green and has a few feet of trunk.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Larry, here are a couple smaller ones that were growing a few blocks away. I doubt these get watered much other than lawn irrigation and it shows in the crown. Still, some nice fat bases were getting started on these two. They should be much bigger by now, this photo is a few years old.

[John Case]

I think it is tremendous that this group has found a new appreciation of the Majesty Palm. I have always really liked it but kept it to myself simply because it is so common.

They sell here for small prices (as house plants, of course).

It is one of the few palms that I seem to have an easy time with and they grow well here. Even in the freeze of 2 years ago, I only got browning of the tips. This year my small one put out 6 new leaves.

Thanks for this thread!

[Jeff in St Pete]

Ravenea rivularis is a hard to find palm in Costa Rica. These are the only ones I have found here in the last two years.

At Herrero's farm outside of San Jose

At another friend's farm in Manuel Antonio

[SunnyFl]

I have always loved this palm. They do not care to be planted in highly competitive areas (i.e. dense mass plantings) in my experience. The combination of shade from taller palms and competition for water and nutrients leads to slow growth.

Thanks for mentioning this. I planted two of them several months ago, and they've been declining ever since. (The one in the backyard is very healthy but will probably not grow much.) The two that aren't doing well are in a small area and surrounded by a thicket of crotons and hibs. Well, they were. Today I got out there, pulled out the hibs and crotons and transplanted them, and the rivs look happier already. Kind of daunting, how much water they need, but I really like these palms.

Yes they are getting more common in the St. Pete area, but just because a plant is common doesn't detract from its beauty. Ill health, though, does.

Jeff in Costa Rica, thank you for the photos - those are glorious palms. Any idea where the pic was taken of the two rivs planted along the road?

[phatmiata]

I planted mine in the cover of the tall mature oaks on my property, so they get plenty of shade, I also dug the hole about 3 feet deep, and filled it with a mixture of "Black Cow" 5-5-5, Miracle-Gro® Tree & Shrub Garden Soil, Miracle-Gro® Enriched Sphagnum Peat Moss, and Miracle-Gro® Garden Palm Soil. I figured since I got several the 7-gallon pots for less than $10 I could afford to go a little crazy on the soil. Lucky for me im on well water out here, so I can go heavy on the water if I want, but hopefully the rich soil I added will retain more water so I dont have to worry about watering as much.

Edited December 27, 2008 by ContractorChat

[Jeff in St Pete]

I have always loved this palm. They do not care to be planted in highly competitive areas (i.e. dense mass plantings) in my experience. The combination of shade from taller palms and competition for water and nutrients leads to slow growth.

Thanks for mentioning this. I planted two of them several months ago, and they've been declining ever since. (The one in the backyard is very healthy but will probably not grow much.) The two that aren't doing well are in a small area and surrounded by a thicket of crotons and hibs. Well, they were. Today I got out there, pulled out the hibs and crotons and transplanted them, and the rivs look happier already. Kind of daunting, how much water they need, but I really like these palms.

Yes they are getting more common in the St. Pete area, but just because a plant is common doesn't detract from its beauty. Ill health, though, does.

Jeff in Costa Rica, thank you for the photos - those are glorious palms. Any idea where the pic was taken of the two rivs planted along the road?

Hi Sunny,

They were growing in a neighborhood close to Kopsick down by the waterfront. I can't remember which street. There are some really nice palms and other tropicals growing in that area including many huge old Royals. The picture is at least 3 years old.

[Exotic Life]

Nice pictures again, that variegated one is very great!

[Tampa Scott]

and another one of mine. Planted from a 3 gal. pot in 1998. Flower stalks now appearing on this one.

And it is a male .

[Pivi]

I bought this one today. US$41, 33€

Some leaves are damaged, but it will recover very fast. It's pushing 3 spears at the moment, one has already started to open.

Edited February 28, 2009 by Pivi

[ghar41]

Jeff,

That's a darn nice looking palm, and the price is right. I think I will check out HD today. I've never tried R. rivularis before because I thought they were to cold sensitive for our area. I think I will give it a try. I've seen a few tortured individuals growing in Concord, so maybe with ample fertilizer and water, they might make it here.

Dick

I had a lot of leaf burn on many palms this winter, Rivvy's were no exception. My low temps werent as low as last year, but the amount of leaf burn was heavier. Maybe I let them get a bit dry...Im not sure...

Anyway, from what Ive seen on the Rivvy here in town, it grows quickly....and the price is right!

[freakypalmguy]

Jeff,

That's a darn nice looking palm, and the price is right. I think I will check out HD today. I've never tried R. rivularis before because I thought they were to cold sensitive for our area. I think I will give it a try. I've seen a few tortured individuals growing in Concord, so maybe with ample fertilizer and water, they might make it here.

Dick

I had a lot of leaf burn on many palms this winter, Rivvy's were no exception. My low temps werent as low as last year, but the amount of leaf burn was heavier. Maybe I let them get a bit dry...Im not sure...

Anyway, from what Ive seen on the Rivvy here in town, it grows quickly....and the price is right!

Funny you say that Glenn, I had more leaf burn this year as well. I have four and they all show some pretty good burn, whereas last year they were fine. I think I had more frost this year.

Matt

[PalmGuyWC]

It's strange that you guys mention leaf burn this year and not last, because I had the same thing, and we live in similar climates. Last year my low was 25.5 F and none of my variegated ginger was affected. This year (so far) my low was 27F around Xmas time and the ginger got burned. I think it must have been the duration of the freeze. I remember on the coldest morning, there was still frost in the shadows as late as 11 AM. Last year I had no damage on my Parajubaea TVT, and it was covered with frost several times. This year I got slight tip burn on some of the lower fronds. I see no damage on any of my other palms, but often times damage doesn't show up until we get some warm days.

Dick

[Tampa Scott]

Damage has now shown on my R. rivularis, after 2 lows of 29f with frost

[Tampa Scott]

and my other R. rivularis...

[Dave-Vero]

I've wondered about hardiness in central Florida. The one at Leu in Orlando has certainly done nicely.

The Vero Beach Museum of Art has a nice pair in front of the main entrance and some less-nice ones in big planters. I can't think of others around town. The moist part of my yard's already taken up with palms, so no majesties.

Saw some impressive 25-gallon plants on sale at a nursery near Stuart .

[VAgrown]

I have two majesty palms outside, and they are wrapped with burlap and Christmas lights. So far this winter they have survived. The temps dropped to 16 degrees one night and so far it looks like they will make it.

[nomolos]

Anyone got any avenue planting pics of these? I was wondering how they would go lining a driveway

[Palmateer]

Well-grown majesty palms (Ravenea rivularis) looking good in October 2010 in the mild-climate Shore Acres neighborhood of St. Petersburg.

Owner Kevin says he grew them from small pot size.

However, the 15-foot coconut palm next to his backyard (Tampa Bay) seawall didn't survive the cold spell of January 2010.

Edited January 6, 2011 by Palmateer

[Mandrew968]

Check out these puppies.