Planting palms together to create "multiples". I'm considering something creative

[rprimbs]

I want to create some unusual "multiple" palms. Like a Archontophoenix purpurea, with a A. myolensis, and a A. maxima. Or a Chambeyronia macrocarpa, with a C. hookeri, and a C. species Houailou. Will this work? I don't think I've ever seen a multiple Chambeyronia.

[edric]

Let me see if I've got this right, you want to take trees, and bunch them together, and make them look like a bush? Ed

[rprimbs]

Let me see if I've got this right, you want to take trees, and bunch them together, and make them look like a bush? Ed

Sort of... A different type of "bush". One with three trunks angling off in different directions -- and a little variation between each. Even a lot of variation! Like if I put a A. maxima in between an A. purpurea and and A. myolensis.

I was just wondering how much this might stunt the palm trees. And if certain types wouldn't grow well or take to this.

[realarch]

Actually it works beautifully. The bases have become really fat, much more so than a solitary and

Chambeyronia having a somewhat sparse crown just looks so different. This was an

experiment when I acquired it as a 15 gal. double just to see how it would grow and I think it looks great.

It's a 'watermelon' variation.

[Bill Austin]

Here are a few that I have done in the past.

phoenicophorium borsigianum 3 planted together

dypsis madagascariensis 2 planted together

dictyosperma album 2 together

[Zeeth]

I did this with a Veitchia, foxtail and Carpentaria planted together. They're still growing so I'm not sure how it'll look but it should be interesting

[quaman58]

Go for it! Keep trying different stuff. I'm trying different species together; usually "high/ low" species. One double that comes to mind is Brahea brandigeei & Brahea decumbens. I think it will be a cool look.

[MattyB]

Washingtonia, Syagrus, Brahea

[Tropicgardener]

Last year I planted 3 Christmas palms together, they look great that way......looks best when odd numbers are used such as 3 or 5.

[Jeff Searle]

This actually has been done for several, several years now with very nice results. Using Archontophoenix , or Chambeyronia will look very nice, bit certainly can't see how it will look like a bush. I've see Bottles and Spindles that were actually beautiful when they got larger with trunk. With any multiple trunk plantings, you always run the risk of one palm getting left behind the other two and end up much shorter and very thin. Try to use equal palms in height. And as mentioned above, stick with odd numbers, except for doubles.

[redant]

I have several of these experiments going as well, a royal flanked by two V. arecina, then a Livistona chinensis surrounded buy 4 foxtails, and several other combos. They are still in pots and look like they will be real nice.

[ErikSJI]

Seems like a great idea.

[JasonD]

I saw some unpleasant combos yesterday of Washingtonia robustas with Trachycarpus fortunei tightly planted.

[Ken Johnson]

Just look at Ralph Velez's whole yard!

[Mandrew968]

I plant everything that close!

[DoomsDave]

rp:

Are you looking for an odd combo, or are you using the varied types as a more effective screen?

[rprimbs]

rp:

Are you looking for an odd combo, or are you using the varied types as a more effective screen?

I'm looking for an odd combo. Like three types of Chambeyronia. Realarch's looks great!

[DoomsDave]

rp:

Are you looking for an odd combo, or are you using the varied types as a more effective screen?

I'm looking for an odd combo. Like three types of Chambeyronia. Realarch's looks great!

Well, you can sure have LOTS of fun with that. How about three kinds of Royals: regia, oleracea/princeps and borenqenia? Three different caryotas . . . etc.

Sounds cool, indeed.

[Mandrew968]

If you can grow them, a triple Gaussia would be cool--all different species.

[tikitiki]

I have done this as well. Try different species of similar looking palms. Ups you species list while looking great. I have done this with three large dypsis and in 20 years I'll tell you how they look..

[Walter John]

A popular combo is Royal+Alex+Soliatire, a bit boring though, I'd give the Chamby group a shot, but add Euterpe to two Chambys. I have been converted over the years to tight group planting.

[rprimbs]

A popular combo is Royal+Alex+Soliatire, a bit boring though, I'd give the Chamby group a shot, but add Euterpe to two Chambys. I have been converted over the years to tight group planting.

Wal, I've got the Chamby group in the ground. Just three Chamby's -- hookeri, macrocarpa, and species houailou. I confess that that I don't know that much about palms and I'd never heard about Euterpe before. I did an internet search and saw pictures of Euterpe edulis "orange crownshaft", and I've got to get that palm!! I'd love to do a grouping of three of them!

[John Case]

Just to add to the discussion, in my area, Queenpalms have been planted by the zillion. In the years since this fad has taken place, lots of them are now 25 to 30 feet tall.

The groupings of these palms, whic are solitary by nature, appears to weaken their root structure. When the big winds come through, and they do to the tune of 30-40 MPH and gusts even higher, the large crowns catch a significant amount of wind (which seems to come after heavy rains) and these group plantings take to the air.

OK, I exaggerate, but for the past 4 years in my neighborhood we have had Queen palm group planting failures as they get uprooted and fall. Thus far, no home have been destroyed but think it is just a matter of time.

I do not know what will happen with othe species or mixed species but it may be something to considered once the trees reach mature size and if there is the risk of high winds....like hurricanes or tornadoes, perhaps....

just a thought....

[rprimbs]

Just to add to the discussion, in my area, Queenpalms have been planted by the zillion. In the years since this fad has taken place, lots of them are now 25 to 30 feet tall.

The groupings of these palms, whic are solitary by nature, appears to weaken their root structure. When the big winds come through, and they do to the tune of 30-40 MPH and gusts even higher, the large crowns catch a significant amount of wind (which seems to come after heavy rains) and these group plantings take to the air.

OK, I exaggerate, but for the past 4 years in my neighborhood we have had Queen palm group planting failures as they get uprooted and fall. Thus far, no home have been destroyed but think it is just a matter of time.

I do not know what will happen with othe species or mixed species but it may be something to considered once the trees reach mature size and if there is the risk of high winds....like hurricanes or tornadoes, perhaps....

just a thought....

Thank you that is certainly something to consider. I've never seen Queen palms do that but perhaps it doesn't get as windy down here.

I'm growing my palms on a very sheltered northwest facing slope where they will get almost no wind. In fact my whole property is very sheltered and I've got a surprisingly good microclimate here. And I think that the decomposed granite here is good for a palm tree to anchor its roots into. If you saw my hillside you would think that it was solid granite but you can actually dig it with a shovel if you fill the hole with water first -- so the palms put their roots right down into it.

Here's one of the little groupings of palms that I planted. I confess that these were the last palms that I planted and unlike the other palms -- which I was more concerned about -- I was a little slow getting the shade cloth up and they got a little burnt from the sun. But they're looking better now than when I took this picture. It seems that things are growing like crazy in this heat.

[miamicuse]

I noticed this quadruple royal in my neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale.