ID-please

[gyuseppe]

Hello to all

I had this with an exchange, have said it is a Chamaedorea,I see that it is not a Chamaedorea.

I think a arenga,is arenga?

thanks

[Joe palma]

Giuseppe,

It looks like a Ptychosperma.

I am growing one that looks very similar and the seeds were sold to me as mcautheri, even though mine do not appear to be clumping.

I'll try to get a pic of one for comparison.

-j

[paulgila]

i agree with joe--looks like a ptychosperma.

[palmazon]

jes

[CardiffPalmNut]

All I can say is it is NOT a Neoveitchia storckii, but it is a good looking palm.

[paulgila]

it probably has the same prospects for growth as an n.storckii in socal.

[gyuseppe]

thanks for the identification

as said Joe palma , if it is Ptychosperma mcautheri,this as resistant to minimum temperatures?

my climate is like that of central california

yes the plant is in good health

[Joe palma]

it probably has the same prospects for growth as an n.storckii in socal.

Well Paul, a bunch of these made it through the 2007 freeze as 1g plants under shade cloth.

I may have lost only one or two, where as I lost all of a batch of P. lineare right next to them.

I think it looks very similar to Giuseppe's, but no telling if it really is the same species.

As I mentioned the seeds were sold as P. macarthurii but not one has shown signs of suckering.

Took several pics of the palm and this is the only one that was not blurry. Not sure what my problem is?

[CardiffPalmNut]

Joe - I need to get to your place and get a few things, including one of these.

Bill

[Pedro 65]

Joe and Gyusepe, your Ptychos look very much Ptycho elegans ( Solitaire Palm).Its a great looking Aussie Ptycho that is even starting to come back in vogue here in Oz, and for a good reason..Its a great looking single palm.......not too large for small gardens....handles cold weather ( not frost).....plus..."its an Aussie". Pete

[Joe palma]

Pete,

You might be right but these have grown much slower and are staying smaller and tighter than any P.elegans that I have seen/grown before.

The seeds were from a group that hand picks them themselves, from a botanical setting, so unless they mixed the seeds up, they new what they were picking them from. Not sure how freely Ptychos hybridize, but that certianly could be an issue given the growing environment they came from. I've come to read that there is a solitary form of macarthurii also.

And, as I said, they made it through the 2007 freeze as small plants.

I have never had an elegans survive in my yard. I had 2 triples (15 gallon, ~7'+ tall) in the ground and several in containers (5g) and those died a long time ago (they go the same way the foxtails do, they absolutley don't like the winters in my yard). I don't even grow elegans/foxtails anymore. Wish I could though....

I don't know but we shall see.

-j

[Pedro 65]

Joe, Ptychos hybridise very readily, good luck with it. Pete

[Don Little]

Joe,

I would think that P elegans would do great for you in San Marcos. I have one that has done great for me in my area. Even last year with all the crazy wind we had, the wind blew so hard that the top of the crown just below where the new spear emerged was damaged leading me to believe that it was a gonner but came back nicely this year. It has gone through 3 or 4 winters and the only typical damage is a little tattering and yellowing of the fronds from the dry winds

[Joe palma]

Don,

I know others in the area have had success but they probably have them planted in more suitable environments, like full sun.

I have a piece of property that is on a pretty steep, northern facing slope. I have an enourmous 5 trunk eucalyptus that is very very tall and well over 100 yrs old, I am told. Add to that lots more trees underneath it. Some spots have 4 layers of shade. The houses above mine have huge queen palms grown very close together. My yard and house can be damp and cold all winter (I had to get a dehumidifier lfor the house last year, best thing I ever did!).

I have removed several other eucs and trimmed up my pine tree (going to have it trimmed again to get more sun in the yard and on the house)

The 2 triples I planted were not in enough sun. I hardly have any spots that have full sun most/all day. I am struggling to find a spot for a Brahea decumbens but there really isn't a good one left.

It's my experience that foxtails and the P. elegans just don't like the damp winters in mostly shade. And who knows, there may also be a pathogen in my soil, that they don't like and gets them during the winters. Soil drainage is not bad though.

[Don Little]

I know about the foxtails. First one I planted about 10 years ago in shade because that's what the nursery lady at lowes told me but was before I knew better. It's just there and nothing else and am going to put it out of its misery. I also have one in full sun that is doing great so possibly the sme with the elegans. A decumbens would be a great addition. I hope the Ptycho you have does well for you