Actinorhytis calapparia

[Mandrew968 1,778]

Hello, Palmtalk! This weekend, at the SFPS fall palm sale, I purchased an Actinorhytis calapparia. I have heard this palm is about as hardy to cold as a Betel nut palm(should be fine for my yard, in this case). What I would like to know is how it performs in a basic soil(high ph), and what kind of sun exposure it can take at its current size(almost 4 and a half feet tall). All suggestions, comments and experiences would be welcomed! Thanks

[Kim 4,056]

My neighbors in Hawaii planted a bunch of these along their driveway in a lawn area in full sun. They are fairly fast growers, but the soil is more acid than base.

[Mandrew968 1,778]

My neighbors in Hawaii planted a bunch of these along their driveway in a lawn area in full sun. They are fairly fast growers, but the soil is more acid than base.

Thank you, Kim--how tall were they when they went into the full sun?

[paulgila 206]

i saw it once.

[Mandrew968 1,778]

i saw it once.

Well that explains everything!

[paulgila 206]

it explains one thing.

[Kim 4,056]

My neighbors in Hawaii planted a bunch of these along their driveway in a lawn area in full sun. They are fairly fast growers, but the soil is more acid than base.

Thank you, Kim--how tall were they when they went into the full sun?

I'd say after planting they were around 4 feet tall. Bear in mind, that's East Hawaii full sun, where most days have partial cloud cover and rain is generous. Your Florida "full sun" may be different.

[Jason in Orlando 20]

I think I read that they have some tolerance to cold, perhaps handling a slight freeze for short periods (Riffle & Craft I think).

Jason

[Eric in Orlando 4,866]

They have cold tolerance for brief dips just below freezing but not tolerant to long cool/cold spells. Our small one was killed during the long 2009-2010 winter. I would say the cold hardiness is very similar to Adonidia. I will try it again.

There used to be one at a palm collectors house in Cocoa Beach. It had survived the horrible freeze in Christmas 1989. He lost his coconut palms but the Actinorhytis survived. Think he said he recorded down to 23F. He lived just a few blocks off the beach and it used to get bad salt burn every winter from strong NE winds. I think it finally died from salt burn a few years ago as it had grown above the fence and rooftops that gave it some protetcion from the salt winds.

[Mandrew968 1,778]

From what I have seen in some local private gardens, this palm likes more sun than shade...

[Walter John 220]

I had one, but then it stopped raining for 3-4 years.

[aussiearoids 371]

Enormous seeds on these suckers , and they can be very fast growing .

Must get me some .

[ariscott 49]

I don't have one either, Michael. Is it easy to find there?

[Mandrew968 1,778]

Unless you live in Hawaii, or Southern Asia, I would assume they're hard to come by...

[realarch 6,306]

Just thought I'd throw in a couple of photos of the seeds, juvenile, and mature Actinorhytis.

Collected these two seeds at the beginning of last year, easily germinated, and just waited for a good root system to pot them up.

The seeds are a bit bigger than a golf ball and about as solid. I liked the way the end caps just popped off when germination began.

Planted out a few months ago and they are a fast grow. The last pic is of the mature mother palm, (to the left ), at the local zoo.

[Walter John 220]

PFB had them for sale the other week.

[aussiearoids 371]

That would be Palms for Brisbane hey Wal .. There was a few very large ones up Whyanbeel rd at the Kircheners place , they grow mangosteens and durians and taro .,

[hanapalms 13]

If it's fast growing, I could use a few in my garden. The crowns look a little like Adonidia merrillii.

[Pedro 65 1,009]

If it's fast growing, I could use a few in my garden. The crowns look a little like Adonidia merrillii.

Looks closest to a Carpentaria, but a tad Grander with its longer leaves.

[ariscott 49]

carpy look alike, hey... Hhhmmmmm

[PalmatierMeg 7,422]

I really wanted one once but read they are cold sensitive.

[Peter 384]

I might be remembering wrong, but didn't I see some very tall ones growing in the rainforest section at Fairchild?

[Mandrew968 1,778]

Wodyetia or Normanbya? Carpentaria or Actinorhytis? After finally learning how to say Actinorhytis, I'll take Actinorhytis. And I agree: a grander Carpentaria.

[palmsOrl 2,044]

I really wanted one once but read they are cold sensitive.

When did that ever stop you before Meg?

[PalmatierMeg 7,422]

I really wanted one once but read they are cold sensitive.

When did that ever stop you before Meg?

Wise guy. I probably would try it if it stayed a manageable height & I could keep it potted. But it doesn't and wrestling two 4' and a 6' Cyrtostachys are enough (not to mention the Bentinckia and a couple Pinangas).

[palmsOrl 2,044]

I so agree. I just can't help but get some of these. Tonight, even with a forecast low of 47F, I huddled all of my super cold sensitives (Dransfieldia now included) into a corner and aimed a dish heater at them.

-Michael

[hanapalms 13]

I take my hat off to all of you who have to contend with cold weather.

[Mandrew968 1,778]

I take my hat off to all of you who have to contend with cold weather.

Ya know, when I first got into palms, I was a little bummed that I couldn't grow certain palms like Cyrtostachys and Hydriasteles, but as I mature as a palm snob, I am greatful that our winters are pleasently cool yet not too cold.

[Oliver K. 3]

I take my hat off to all of you who have to contend with cold weather.

I feel that was referred to me, too...

currently im carrying pots with palms from my balcony to my living room every evening (because of impending night frost) just to carry them out the next morning. Since they are still small (1-3 years old), I do this also with pretty cold hardy species like Sabal uresana, Phoenix theophrasti, Brahea 'super silver', Nannorrhops ritchiana, Livistona mariae and Washingtonia robusta. I don't wanna take the risk of losing them.

Back to main topic: This is what I love about Palmtalk...before, I dropped in on a german palm forum, and all I found was articles about winter protection of palms (mostly trachycarpus). Changing to palmtalk, I instantly came across this thread about this quite rare palm species whose name I had in mind (I swear!) last evening and again this morning, although I don't own it. Maybe because its name reminds me of the germinated seedlings' name that I planted yesterday: Actinokentia divaricata.

I guess I'll never read about Actinorhytis species in that german palm forum.

[PalmatierMeg 7,422]

I take my hat off to all of you who have to contend with cold weather.

I feel that was referred to me, too...

currently im carrying pots with palms from my balcony to my living room every evening (because of impending night frost) just to carry them out the next morning. Since they are still small (1-3 years old), I do this also with pretty cold hardy species like Sabal uresana, Phoenix theophrasti, Brahea 'super silver', Nannorrhops ritchiana, Livistona mariae and Washingtonia robusta. I don't wanna take the risk of losing them.

Back to main topic: This is what I love about Palmtalk...before, I dropped in on a german palm forum, and all I found was articles about winter protection of palms (mostly trachycarpus). Changing to palmtalk, I instantly came across this thread about this quite rare palm species whose name I had in mind (I swear!) last evening and again this morning, although I don't own it. Maybe because its name reminds me of the germinated seedlings' name that I planted yesterday: Actinokentia divaricata.

I guess I'll never read about Actinorhytis species in that german palm forum.

Oliver, my hat is off to you and all you do for your palms. I hope Actinokentia does well for you as a potted palm. It is a beautiful little palm I really like but I've killed off two of them. They really, really hate heat and humidity.

[Mandrew968 1,778]

I have seen them in hot humid greenhouses locally(a big one too!) so I am not sure why you can't grow them... you have other palms I would consider much harder to grow and looking excellent. Do they like a non acidic soil?

[Ken Johnson 199]

I remember getting this plant at the Palmfest 2005 auction. I planted it in the ground as a 5 gallon in 2006, and it slowly died after the January 2010 cold. I thought it would make it through but the crown collapsed. The other years I might have gotten tip burn once or twice. I think they have a cool weather sensitivity as well.

Edit: Sorry this is Christian, I am on Ken's computer, so this happened in Venice, not Miami.

[Mandrew968 1,778]

Venice gets colder than Cutler Bay, so I think(hope) I'll be fine

[Mandrew968 1,778]

Man, I can't believe I never put any photos of this palm! I will look for some pics of when I initially planted her. She was about two feet tall at planting from basically a 1 gallon. This palm is FAST. It's too early to tell, but it may be my fastest palm--and it's planted very near to my two fastest palms(Ptychosperma vestitum and Archontophoenix maxima) so this will be an interesting race to watch. I recently got a lot of seed from this palm so I will be eagerly awaiting those to start popping!

[brodklop 15]

I have 3 growing that are steady growers in the sub tropics. About the same as for a betel nut. I grew mine from seed collected in Townsville. Good germinators and robust seedlings. The leaves have a bluish cast over them. Mine are shaded partially by other palms.

[Mandrew968 1,778]

Exactly right, Brod. They do have a bluish cast and the seed is very large, so robust seedlings and good germination are what I would expect.

I couldn't find a predacessing photo...

[Nate DeWees 1]

There are a hand full of mature specimens (Actinorhytis) at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai, if anyone happens to make it over to the Garden Isle. Three on the reading palms trail in the McBride Garden, and a couple in Allerton Garden. Fast and easy to germinate, speedy growers, prolific seed producers when happy, and highly underused. I have seen them in Hawaii on the windward side and south side in full sun from a rather young age. The specimens in the McBride Garden were in part shade when young before emerging through the canopy to receive full sun, and they are doing great. As far as being cold hardy...I don't know. I would assume they would be able to handle briefs periods of cold down to at least 28. Plant em, you never know until you try.

[doranakandawatta 2,831]

I love this species, it's why I am bumping this topic, and I hope you Palmtalkers from 2011-2012 will post new pictures of your Actinorhythis calapparia.

Here some trees in the srilankan countryside.

[GrumpyGrower 87]

Here are my two seedlings from my friend in Singapore, starting to grow very fastly

[PalmatierMeg 7,422]

I've tried several in the ground and all declined and died. I think they can't take my alkaline soil so I won't try again. Bummer.