What's the 'gem' of your palm collection now?

[palmfriend]

Hello there,

for me it is at the moment my Clinostigma harlandii with its first pinnate going leaf...

I am looking forward when my C. samoense and ponapense will hopefully follow...

best regards

Lars

 

[Pando]

I've posted images of this crazy thing before, which still manages to exceed all my expectations with every new leaf.

Picture taken today. Image is straight from the camera, with all automatic, normal settings (Sony point-and-shooter). 25% reduction has been applied with Faststone Photo Resizer, and watermark added for posting. No other edits or enhancements have been done to the image. Obviously the leaf is backlit by sun, but this is how it looks 

Dypsis sp. "Maroantsetra":

 

Edited August 6, 2017 by Pando

[Cindy Adair]

Oh that is gorgeous! Another for my wish list.

[Anthony_B]

I only own one palm.  However, I do currently live in Pennsylvania.  I purchased a little Canary Island Date Palm seedling back in March off of eBay.  They are my favorite palm.  I will shortly by moving to southern coastal North Carolina.  I don't think it'll survive down there, but I'm going to try.  With a little pop-up greenhouse from December 15 - February 15, I think I can get it pretty big.

It is next to my Dwarf Orinoco banana, which I purchased back in June.  A few weeks ago it was barely a single leaf.  Now it's almost 2 feet tall, bananas grow so quickly.  I am confident I will be able to fruit this in coastal North Carolina.

[Missi]

On 8/6/2017, 2:26:11, Anthony_B said:

I only own one palm.  However, I do currently live in Pennsylvania.  I purchased a little Canary Island Date Palm seedling back in March off of eBay.  They are my favorite palm.  I will shortly by moving to southern coastal North Carolina.  I don't think it'll survive down there, but I'm going to try.  With a little pop-up greenhouse from December 15 - February 15, I think I can get it pretty big.

It is next to my Dwarf Orinoco banana, which I purchased back in June.  A few weeks ago it was barely a single leaf.  Now it's almost 2 feet tall, bananas grow so quickly.  I am confident I will be able to fruit this in coastal North Carolina.

Push 'dat zone!! 

[Jeff Searle]

7 hours ago, Missi said:

Push 'dat zone!! 

Lol!

[Anthony_B]

8 hours ago, Missi said:

Push 'dat zone!! 

I bought the CIDP as a little twig bag in March.

http://i.imgur.com/VFeWkim.jpg

I left it outside all day every day.  It was exposed to a lot of highs in the 30's and 40's.  I had to bring it in some nights, I didn't want it exposed to 20 degree temps at that size.  It took everything like a champ in our cold, gray Pennsylvania March and it didn't really start to grow til June when temps got into the 80's regularly.  I was afraid it didn't root but then it took off and quintupled in size.

 

As a point of reference, here was my banana in June when I bought it.  Mind you, this is a dwarf variety so it is slow growing for a banana.

http://i.imgur.com/JvmuRdo.jpg

All of you palm nerds would do well getting into bananas.  They are just at as fun if not more because they are much tougher plants and literally your hard work bears fruit.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Anthony_B

[Missi]

12 hours ago, Anthony_B said:

I bought the CIDP as a little twig bag in March.

http://i.imgur.com/VFeWkim.jpg

I left it outside all day every day.  It was exposed to a lot of highs in the 30's and 40's.  I had to bring it in some nights, I didn't want it exposed to 20 degree temps at that size.  It took everything like a champ in our cold, gray Pennsylvania March and it didn't really start to grow til June when temps got into the 80's regularly.  I was afraid it didn't root but then it took off and quintupled in size.

 

As a point of reference, here was my banana in June when I bought it.  Mind you, this is a dwarf variety so it is slow growing for a banana.

http://i.imgur.com/JvmuRdo.jpg

All of you palm nerds would do well getting into bananas.  They are just at as fun if not more because they are much tougher plants and literally your hard work bears fruit.

I can grow some beautiful banana plants...but when it comes to growing good fruit, that's where I fail. I have 'Dwarf Cavendish' and 'Raja Puri' and their fruits never get larger than like 4" and get black specks all over them. The first couple years I composted/fertilized and mulched the heck out of them. Didn't matter. 

[Anthony_B]

1 hour ago, Missi said:

I can grow some beautiful banana plants...but when it comes to growing good fruit, that's where I fail. I have 'Dwarf Cavendish' and 'Raja Puri' and their fruits never get larger than like 4" and get black specks all over them. The first couple years I composted/fertilized and mulched the heck out of them. Didn't matter. 

I was told from a guy in Raleigh, NC, how to fruit them.  You basically cut the pseudostem down to about 3-4 feet in height and dig up the corm, then store them wrapped in a tarp in a cold garage that sees 40 degree temps.  The 40 degree temps keep them dormant an inactive, but it doesn't hurt their greenery.  Then, at the first signs of spring after frost you plant them.  This gives them enough of a jump to produce fruit if you choose a short cycle variety.  He fruits bananas in a 7b.

That is why I chose Dwarf Orinoco to try and fruit.  They are small enough that they'll be easy to store cut down to almost mature height and their ripening cycles are faster.

This guy fruits them with some success in a 7a in Tennessee.  Me in an 8a, and you in a 9b especially, should have great success.  I'm guessing your fruit is just coming in too late and they're getting funky from the cooler, damp fall temps?  Just a guess.

http://www.bananas.org/f15/time-put-bananas-sleep-winter-310.html

Edited August 8, 2017 by Anthony_B

[Tomsky]

My gem is a multiple-trunked Phoenix Roebelinii.  For many years, it was a big round mound.  I wanted it to look like the habit of a smaller Phoenix reclinata.  I would occasionally cut out the small suckers and it would just look like a big round mound with holes.  Finally, I cut out all except the larger stems.  That left 44 stems, but it still looked like a big bush.  Then I cut out some of the larger stems to space things so one can see the individual trunks.  There are now 17 trunks left.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Tomsky

[Scott Cohen]

I can't choose 

Licuala Cordata and  C. Renda hybrid

[The Palm Nut]

I Think it would have to be my Grandis of so many years 

 

 

 

[Matt in OC]

Dypsis coursii or marojejyi. My happiest of four. 

[Missi]

On 8/8/2017, 1:02:32, Anthony_B said:

I was told from a guy in Raleigh, NC, how to fruit them.  You basically cut the pseudostem down to about 3-4 feet in height and dig up the corm, then store them wrapped in a tarp in a cold garage that sees 40 degree temps.  The 40 degree temps keep them dormant an inactive, but it doesn't hurt their greenery.  Then, at the first signs of spring after frost you plant them.  This gives them enough of a jump to produce fruit if you choose a short cycle variety.  He fruits bananas in a 7b.

That is why I chose Dwarf Orinoco to try and fruit.  They are small enough that they'll be easy to store cut down to almost mature height and their ripening cycles are faster.

This guy fruits them with some success in a 7a in Tennessee.  Me in an 8a, and you in a 9b especially, should have great success.  I'm guessing your fruit is just coming in too late and they're getting funky from the cooler, damp fall temps?  Just a guess.

http://www.bananas.org/f15/time-put-bananas-sleep-winter-310.html

Okay, but what about people who want to get nice fruit but live in the subtropics where they only see a few hours of 40 degrees per year? LOL

[Missi]

On 8/8/2017, 4:29:38, Scott Cohen said:

I can't choose 

Licuala Cordata and  C. Renda hybrid

 How old is your gorgeous cordata? I just got a wee seedling. Any tips for keeping it happy, or just grow it like the more common Licualas?

Edited August 11, 2017 by Missi

[Anthony_B]

1 hour ago, Missi said:

Okay, but what about people who want to get nice fruit but live in the subtropics where they only see a few hours of 40 degrees per year? LOL

I would think with those temps you can just leave them in the ground all year and they'll be just fine.

[topwater]

Of all my gems, some sparkle a little more brightly than others!  Currently, I'd pick Areca macrocalyx, its starting to get some pink when the leaf base first comes off. 

[topwater]

And she can take some heat, high of 116f under the glass today. 

[Scott Cohen]

On 8/11/2017, 12:38:15, Missi said:

 How old is your gorgeous cordata? I just got a wee seedling. Any tips for keeping it happy, or just grow it like the more common Licualas?

I imported it as a rather large plant several years ago, but from seed they are slooooow. However, they speed up drastically as they get larger.

[topwater]

Catechu dwarf has been impressive too.  It looks like its doubled, tripled in size in the last year. Coke bottle for scale  

Edited August 14, 2017 by topwater

[DoomsDave]

On 8/5/2017, 11:03:31, Pando said:

I've posted images of this crazy thing before, which still manages to exceed all my expectations with every new leaf.

Picture taken today. Image is straight from the camera, with all automatic, normal settings (Sony point-and-shooter). 25% reduction has been applied with Faststone Photo Resizer, and watermark added for posting. No other edits or enhancements have been done to the image. Obviously the leaf is backlit by sun, but this is how it looks 

Dypsis sp. "Maroantsetra":

 

pant pant pant

licky

[Cindy Adair]

On August 13, 2017 at 1:32:15 AM, Scott Cohen said:

I imported it as a rather large plant several years ago, but from seed they are slooooow. However, they speed up drastically as they get larger.

I grow my only one like any other Licuala. Its sibling did not survive shipping to VA. Then after inspection there I packed it in a box and took it on a plane to PR to be planted directly in the ground as a tiny seedling. Then I abandoned it for 3 months. Never watered it, ever.

It even took to being dug up and put back in a pot without losing a leaf. Now it is growing pretty fast under shade cloth and the grass like first leaves long ago became round. I am looking for a good safe spot where I hope it will grow large (well, large for a Licuala cordata). Seeing these intermixed with L. orbicuaris in a garden in Borneo along with others from the IPS was quite memorable.

Good luck with yours!

[Missi]

On 8/11/2017, 1:47:36, Anthony_B said:

I would think with those temps you can just leave them in the ground all year and they'll be just fine.

Oh I know, but I'm referring to my troubles with fruiting my bananas 

[Missi]

On 8/12/2017, 7:06:14, topwater said:

Of all my gems, some sparkle a little more brightly than others!  Currently, I'd pick Areca macrocalyx, its starting to get some pink when the leaf base first comes off. 

 

On 8/13/2017, 8:13:39, topwater said:

Catechu dwarf has been impressive too.  It looks like its doubled, tripled in size in the last year. Coke bottle for scale  

How do you grow these in Texas? I ask because I'm looking for places in the U.S. other than South Florida where my super tropicals will thrive. My hubby will have to relocate to a different office if he is to get the promotion he so very much wants. They have offices all over the country, but I want to move to another subtropical climate. Maybe I'll have him inquire with the offices around your area. Any other subtropical Texas areas?

On 8/14/2017, 5:37:56, Cindy Adair said:

I grow my only one like any other Licuala. Its sibling did not survive shipping to VA. Then after inspection there I packed it in a box and took it on a plane to PR to be planted directly in the ground as a tiny seedling. Then I abandoned it for 3 months. Never watered it, ever.

It even took to being dug up and put back in a pot without losing a leaf. Now it is growing pretty fast under shade cloth and the grass like first leaves long ago became round. I am looking for a good safe spot where I hope it will grow large (well, large for a Licuala cordata). Seeing these intermixed with L. orbicuaris in a garden in Borneo along with others from the IPS was quite memorable.

Good luck with yours!

@Cindy Adair Wow, amazing little thing!! I'm so glad yo hear they're resilient! I hope L. orbicularis is as well, because I got one of those...along with L. sallehana   All 4" sizes. Any tips on growing those would be appreciated as well.

Edited August 15, 2017 by Missi
Oops! Didn't add my reply to Cindy! Better now ^_^

[Matt in OC]

Areca vestiaria maroon leaf is my runner up. 

[topwater]

On 8/15/2017, 7:14:48, Missi said:

 

How do you grow these in Texas? 

@Cindy Adair

Easy, you buy a house where the previous owner put a glass ceiling on a courtyard patio with a 10 to 20 foot tall roof. Voilà, instant zone 11b. 

[Missi]

21 hours ago, topwater said:

Easy, you buy a house where the previous owner put a glass ceiling on a courtyard patio with a 10 to 20 foot tall roof. Voilà, instant zone 11b. 

Oh, is that it?! LOL Do you have a pic, though?

[topwater]

Here's the short end, L. grandis and Iguanura wallichiana.  

[topwater]

Tall end, about 20 feet to the top. 

[topwater]

And the obligatory C. renda, I think it was the first thing I put in the ground but it's been really slow. If the rain ever lets up I'll take pic of the outside.  

Edited August 28, 2017 by topwater

[Missi]

@topwater Absolutely gorgeous! Is it all dirt for planting on the ground, like, can you turn it into a greenhouse, or is there concrete/tile?

[topwater]

This is very much a work in progress Missi, lots of trial and error, plenty of stuff has died. I learned quick I had to use RO water as tap is too hard, the mulch literally was turning white. View from my bedroom door. Pardon the mess but ironically, I'm using my day off to water in here

[topwater]

For the tall end, a pair of A. macrocalyx surrounding a Licuala. I'm open to suggestions as to what else to plant in here, I'm probably as palm dumb as anyone on this board, I try to make up for it with enthusiasm    In case you're wondering, the pvc pipe is to hang shade cloth, which all of this stuff still needs. 

[topwater]

This silver joey was supposed to be a centerpiece in the middle, however: 1) Its too slow, I won't live long enough, 2) I had it outside to get some rain and a giant Majesty palm just blew over and crushed it, just finished propping it back up  

Edited August 29, 2017 by topwater

[Jim in Los Altos]

My seven year old Chambeyronia hookerii is at the top of my list. 

[realarch]

Be careful Jim, don't you be falling off that roof now. Anything for that photo though.

Tim

[Missi]

22 hours ago, topwater said:

This silver joey was supposed to be a centerpiece in the middle, however: 1) Its too slow, I won't live long enough, 2) I had it outside to get some rain and a giant Majesty palm just blew over and crushed it, just finished propping it back up  

I feel your pain...I give my J. magnifica words of encouragement each time I water it, but to no avail  However, my altifrons is growing in relative leaps and bounds! Do you have an altifrons to compare your magnifica to? I'm wondering if this is typical, or if my magnifica slowed due to a recent scale outbreak that I now have under control...Think yours would speed up if you gave it more shade?

[topwater]

7 hours ago, Missi said:

IIt! Do you have an altifrons to compare your magnifica to? I'm wondering if this is typical, or if my magnifica slowed due to a recent scale outbreak that I now have under control...Think yours would speed up if you gave it more shade?

It's in the shade, it looks chlorotic because I had the bright idea to put a bunch of stuff in the back yard to get some rain. Instead of gentle rain we got a wretched north Harvey wind. What you're seeing is wind damage, not sun. And no, my space limitations allow room for only one joey, those dudes get big!  

[Jim in Los Altos]

9 hours ago, realarch said:

Be careful Jim, don't you be falling off that roof now. Anything for that photo though.

Tim

[Missi]

9 hours ago, topwater said:

It's in the shade, it looks chlorotic because I had the bright idea to put a bunch of stuff in the back yard to get some rain. Instead of gentle rain we got a wretched north Harvey wind. What you're seeing is wind damage, not sun. And no, my space limitations allow room for only one joey, those dudes get big!  

Wait...wind damage makes them look like that? I thought wind just tatters leaves. How does space make them look that way? Like scientifically how does it make the leaves look chlorotic? I'm asking because I'm curious how stuff works. 

Also, I don't have room for all my palms when they're mature (God-willing they make it to maturity ), but I find joy in the growing of different species and watching them develop  BUY ALL THE PALMS now, when they out-grow my lanai...cross that bridge then....or build a shade house  haha