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Actinokentia divaricata


Kathryn

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I got this palm over five years ago. It has been slow and isn't holding as many leaves as in the past. The first picture below is from 2005 and it had four leaves with a new one emerging. It has been in the same pot in the same location except for a few days in the garage some winters and I fertilize with Nutricote twice a year.

The last few years, it has been holding only two to three leaves - as shown in the three other pictures below taken today. Several weeks ago, the two older leaves were green and healthy looking. As the newer leaf emerged (a nice light red color), the oldest leaf began turning brown. What could be causing this?

post-158-1256137779_thumb.jpg post-158-1256137798_thumb.jpg post-158-1256137808_thumb.jpg post-158-1256137825_thumb.jpg

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If you haven't repotted it with new medium for the last several years, maybe it needs it now. I made the mistake of planting one these in the back yard 18 months ago (before I knew it couldn't take high heat & alkaline soil) and it croaked before winter. Now I have a seedling in a 1g which I will leave potted forevermore.

But I wonder if in the long run this palm simply can't take lowland heat & humidity, i.e. it needs a So. Cal. mediterranean climate. Hope someone knowledgable weighs in.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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I got this palm over five years ago. It has been slow and isn't holding as many leaves as in the past. The first picture below is from 2005 and it had four leaves with a new one emerging. It has been in the same pot in the same location except for a few days in the garage some winters and I fertilize with Nutricote twice a year.

The last few years, it has been holding only two to three leaves - as shown in the three other pictures below taken today. Several weeks ago, the two older leaves were green and healthy looking. As the newer leaf emerged (a nice light red color), the oldest leaf began turning brown. What could be causing this?

post-158-1256137779_thumb.jpg post-158-1256137798_thumb.jpg post-158-1256137808_thumb.jpg post-158-1256137825_thumb.jpg

How long did it take that leaf to be crispy? Did it happen over the course of a month, or slowly but surely? It looks like a portion of the roots were damaged by over or underwatering. The stem near the top of the pinnate leaves looks almost black. I really want to say it stayed too wet with the extra rain you had this year, but only wild guessing.

Can you give some details on your care so that we can better diagnos?

48 degrees north. Extremes 15f to 95f. Cool and Temperate Mediterranean clime.

Average July hi/Lo 72/52 - Average Jan hi/lo 45/38 - Precipitation 20 inches.

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For growers in places like us, this plant is so slow that if any set back happens (fungus, pest, etc), it is usually not going to recover. The largest one I have only holds three leaves. I get one leaf a year. Like clockwork, new leaf opens, oldest leaf dies.

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

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They don't like too much summer heat and sun I have found. At least as an early seedling, which all mine are. They also don't like being eaten by rats. :( High humidity with nothing higher than 32C and good air movement in a shady but not dark environment has kept what I have left going well. They do need repotting as it's been a couple of years. I had 100% germination with this species too, then it's all slow going from there.

Best regards

Tyrone

Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

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kATHRYN:

Repot, won't hurt, wait till spring, they're slower than well, pick your expletive!

Here in the Death Camp, they hold about 4 leaves.

Slow.

But, theygrow. .

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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For growers in places like us, this plant is so slow that if any set back happens (fungus, pest, etc), it is usually not going to recover. The largest one I have only holds three leaves. I get one leaf a year. Like clockwork, new leaf opens, oldest leaf dies.

So true. Disappointingly slow, but I'm sure it will be beautiful when I'm 75.

Jason

Menlo Park, CA  (U.S.A.) hillside

Min. temp Jan 2007:  28.1 deg. F (-2.2 deg. C)

Min. temp winter 2008: 34.7 deg. F (1.5 deg. C)

USDA Zone 10A since 2000

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Many of palms that I have planted in plastic or glazed ceramic containers seem to struggle - terra cotta seems to work best. I was about to put this one in a terra cotta pot but figured I'd post it here first.

Meg - I knew these didn't like the heat, sun, and humidity, but wasn't aware about alkaline soil. I'll address that when I pot it.

James - I didn't pay attention to how long it took but I assume it was about a month. This palm has put out four leaves this summer.

Len - Last year this one held three leaves and this year it is down to two. Hopefully it will recover from whatever effected it.

Tyrone - Luckily I don't have a rat problem. :) Was that with your seeds or the seedlings?

Dave - I think I will pot it now and maybe keep in inside during the winter.

Jason - I kind of like it being slow so it will stay smaller for longer and I can enjoy the new red leaf. Just wish it would keep more leaves.

How sensitive are the roots? How do these palms do indoors?

Thanks for all the replies!

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I got this plant barerooted from an ebay vendor on 6-17-06...

6-17-06Actinokentiadivercata.jpg

A longer growing season down here helps this palm throw somewhere between 2-3 leaves per year, but it will not tolerate disturbace, one leaf fell off before the new spear opened during the move to recent sale and back to the shadehouse... and I think I stalled the new leaf opening, maybe due to undersized pot? (Time to pot up?) If left to it's own devices, it reliable holds 3 leaves, as Len said as the new one opens the old one dies off like clockwork. It's one of my favorite palms, I hope I can get it to set seed one day in it's container.

Pics taken today..

DSC04951.jpg

DSC04952.jpg

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I've got to figure the roots on this baby are touchy... Probably not Joey sensative, but not too far off. I'm glad it grows so slow, I don't have to worry about killing it too often! B)

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Kathryn:

I'd keep it indoors in NO in the winter, no two ways. You can get much too cold for it survive sometimes.

However, your summer heat and humidity should make it happy outdoors the rest of the year.

Properly treated, I think it will be an awesome potted palm for you!

Keep us apprized, dear!

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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I've got to figure the roots on this baby are touchy... Probably not Joey sensative, but not too far off. I'm glad it grows so slow, I don't have to worry about killing it too often! B)

I haven't found them touchy, just slow . . . . . under the best of conditions.

By the way, you're getting great growth on yours!

LOVE the 7-11 style measuring lines on the wall. (Or, like the county jail . . . . :hmm: )

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Kathryn,

I checked about half a dozen of mine. All of them were planted around 1996-1997, typically from 1G pots. Every single one now holds four "good" fronds, without exception. The tallest one is about 14-15 ft tall with just over 5 ft of trunk. Not exactly speed demons, but they're certainly not slow. At least not here! :)

Bo-Göran

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

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Hi Kathryn,

As others says this palm do handle very few leaves. Your one seems to grow in very good conditions regarding the number of new leaf you had. There is no problem for me with the way the old leaf turned brown. I don't tink there is any problem with the decreasing number of leaves it holds. I have several of those and especially two from the same growers. The one on the attached pics is smaller but growing a little bit faster than the other one. It does handle 4 leaves as the other one just holds three.

SDC12290-1.jpg

Mat.

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I repotted mine a few weeks back from a 1gal to 3gal. It didn't skip a beat.

It even thanked me by opening up it's reddish/pinkish new frond!

It's color has since went away, but here it is yesterday:

post-3028-1256560124_thumb.jpg

Brandon, FL

27.95°N 82.28°W (Elev. 62 ft)

Zone9 w/ canopy

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For growers in places like us, this plant is so slow that if any set back happens (fungus, pest, etc), it is usually not going to recover. The largest one I have only holds three leaves. I get one leaf a year. Like clockwork, new leaf opens, oldest leaf dies.

Len - that is exactly what mine does with the exception of getting two new fronds a year instead of one. That may have to do with the greater amount of rainfall here. Not a speed demon. :huh:

Coral Gables, FL 8 miles North of Fairchild USDA Zone 10B

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here a couple of pix of mine with a new frond. It is planted under the shade of a live oak in black clay on the south side of the yard. Happily, it survived our incredibly hot summer with little problem. With some luck it will come through the winter without needing any protection.

post-201-1257277028_thumb.jpg

post-201-1257277038_thumb.jpg

Clay

South Padre Island, Zone 10b until the next vortex.

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