You can't beat this palm!

[JD in the OC]

The board does seem to have slowed lately.  So here's my contribution.  Probably my favorite palm for obvious reasons.

It's a 5-gallon I picked up recently.  Probably one of the largest ones in California I reckon.  It's about 4 feet tall.

JD

[deezpalms]

JD ~ where'd ya get that fine specimen??

[Dave Butler]

Thats a hard one, I give up whats the obvious reason ???

[JD in the OC]

I got it at a sale in San Diego from a cycad grower.

Its really cool how the striping kind of magically appears once the leaf has opened fully.  The petiole was completely white (in the bottom photo) and then began showing the striping once the leaves began opening (top photo).  I have taken a picture of it every day since it began opening.  I'm going to make a short video clip with it.

I'll post a pic of the whole plant once this leaf is fully opened.  

JD

[Jeff Searle]

Nice pictures, a sweet palm. For me, I'v had some problems with this species with a fungus causing the spear leaf to die first ,then the rest of the palm. Where as Caryota zebrina, which has the similar stripings on the petioles, grows fine. But C. zebrina is thee slowest of all Caryotas.

[Dave Butler]

Would we call this one a Caryota ophiopellis that JD bought, Snake Skin Palm?

[JD in the OC]

Yeah, I've killed plenty of seedlings.  But I figure this one is already a 5 gallon, so it should be a tough SOB.

I have two 3gallon zebrinas that do very well, albeit slow.  They are definitely more cold hardy though.

Yes Dave, it is a Caryota ophiopellis, native to Vanuatu.

[Kris]

Hi JD,

that snake skin fishtail palm is terrific & Superb.

I hope you have germinated it from the seeds,would you

kindly contribute your expertise on how to germinate

palms from seeds and its precautions, do & Don'ts.

As i have created a thread under palmtalk_seed  germination

Teq. wish you and other members who have successfully

germinated palms from seeds to share your knowledge with

others who wish grow palms from seeds by themselves.

Kindly do the needful !

One Man One Tree...

Love,

Kris (From S.India).

[JD in the OC]

No, I didn't germinate this one.  It's 7 years old from seed.

I have germinated C. ophiopellis.  Best way is baggie method with peat with fungicide mixed in.  Keep on heat and plant the seedlings once they form a 3 inch root.

C. zebrina is a little harder as they have dampened off for me.

JD

[Walter John]

Hi folks,

I won this Caryota zebrina at our recent palm society raffle. Thought I'd poke it in this thread, give you a look see.

[Walter John]

another angle

[Zac in NC]

Wal-You lucky man you. Wow! You won that?!?!!?!?!?!?! Incredible.

Zac

[Walter John]

There's an old saying, "You got to be in it to win it".

[BS Man about Palms]

C O O L !!!!!!!!