Livistonia nitida vs decora

[Palmə häl′ik]

Differences? They're about eight feet apart, four inch caliper... First picture will show the two, nitida being more spread out and Decora seems more compact.

- Ray.

[Palmə häl′ik]

.....more nitida

[Palmə häl′ik]

...more decora

[sonoranfans]

compactness tends to be increased with more sun exposure. I dont have nitida, but my decoras are not so compact. In two years the decoras will be expanded and weeping... Right now they look very similar to other livistona, that will change quite a bit.

[KrisKupsch]

I question if any are nitida at all. Anyone else think this also? They all look like decora and or drudei. Livistona nitida has darker green, broader leaves that dont cascade at least at this age.

[Phoenikakias]

I question if any are nitida at all. Anyone else think this also? They all look like decora and or drudei. Livistona nitida has darker green, broader leaves that dont cascade at least at this age.

I tend to agree. Nitida at this age is very similiar to australis, latter having green doots while former has bronze on the boots. At least this is what I used to know as distinction feats.

[dalmatiansoap]

This in my L. Nitida in September

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/U%20moga%20Cace/IMAG5855.jpg

[Kailua_Krish]

I question if any are nitida at all. Anyone else think this also? They all look like decora and or drudei. Livistona nitida has darker green, broader leaves that dont cascade at least at this age.

Agreed, both look too finely divided. Either way theyre nice palms

-Krishna

[Tampa Scott]

decora leaf on mature palm

[Palmə häl′ik]

Here's what I just noticed... My nitidas got a rather pronounced hastula, what the decora of the same size doesn't. Or actually, its there just notso pronounced as the nitidas....

[Palmə häl′ik]

....and the decora of the same size:

[Palmə häl′ik]

....but here's my almost trunkin decora with hastula, so it eventually becomes more pronounced...

[Alberto]

I

I question if any are nitida at all. Anyone else think this also? They all look like decora and or drudei. Livistona nitida has darker green, broader leaves that dont cascade at least at this age.

Yes I agree! My L.nitida I grew from seeds look totally different from this ones.

[Jon T]

Agreed that they look a lot more like decoras. I have three five year old nitidas and three 5 year old decoras. "Nitida" means "shiny," and my nitidas are a bright shiny green with broad leaflets kind of like a chinensis. The link dalmatiansoap posted looks just right for a nitida...yours remind me of decoras or maybe mariaes or rigidas, something with thinner deeply divided less shiny leaflets. We need some Aussies or Donald Hodel or a grower to chime in.

[dalmatiansoap]

Here are two more

All others I have as Decoras looks like ones in first two posts

[Palmə häl′ik]

.... I'm also noticing fibers near hastula on both my decoras, but none on the 'nitida'.

[Palmə häl′ik]

Things are becoming more pronounced as these two get some size...

I have noticed the L.nitidas petioles are filled with "mealybug" type markings, which I think are called floccose...

[Palmə häl′ik]

...and heres a decora with almost straight green petioles... Virtually no markings...

[Palmə häl′ik]

...another of the nitida, and then the pair together:

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Others have already said this, but I'll add my same observation: neither of the above two palms look like a livistona nitida to me. I've got both growing here and they look very different. The ones shown in the picture above all look like decora/decipiens.

Livistona nitida looks almost like a washingtonia.

This is a decora: leaflets are completely separated.

this is a nitida: leaflets are held together much more:

This is another nitida, same thing here:

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Here's another decora for comparison:

[Palmə häl′ik]

Axel yours are so small.

My palms come from a knowledgable, and experienced source. I have no reason to doubt him...

"Dont shoot the messenger", yakno...

Whos to say theyre not from hybridized seed?

Who knows.

I have to go by what I bought it as.

I mean hey, this source used to work at a botanical garden in SoFL. Why would I doubt his say?

- Ray.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Axel yours are so small.

My palms come from a knowledgable, and experienced source. I have no reason to doubt him...

"Dont shoot the messenger", yakno...

Whos to say theyre not from hybridized seed?

Who knows.

I have to go by what I bought it as.

I mean hey, this source used to work at a botanical garden in SoFL. Why would I doubt his say?

- Ray.

Small? Yours look about 5-6 feet, mine are maybe 1-2 feet shorter than yours, not that far off. But nitida actually becomes even more washingonia like as it gets bigger, so the fact that yours are larger and still both look totally decora-like only re-inforces the likelyhood none of them are actual nitida.

If you go by what you bought things as no matter if it doesn't actually match ID wise with what's on the label, then that's like putting your head in the sand. Even the most reputable people and nurseries have made mistakes. I've bought many plants that didn't turn out to be what they were advertized.

No shooting of the messenger going on, I honesty won't feel bad if you ignore my observation, that's really up to you to do what you like with the information that's given. All I am saying is it's pretty doubtful you've actually got a nitida. You might have an interesting hybrid though. For what it's worth, nitida is the least interesting of all the livistona and serves mostly as a substitute for washingtonia in cold 8b climates. So you're actually better off with two decora-like palms, they look far more attractive.

Brahea, sabal and livistona are good example of genera that commonly get mis-labeled even by the most knowlegable people. Not to mention they often hybridize, and they often are hard to distinguish as seedlings.

[Palmə häl′ik]

....just out of curiousity, what makes you so sure youve got what you claim to have?

[Daryl]

Agreed that they look a lot more like decoras. I have three five year old nitidas and three 5 year old decoras. "Nitida" means "shiny," and my nitidas are a bright shiny green with broad leaflets kind of like a chinensis. The link dalmatiansoap posted looks just right for a nitida...yours remind me of decoras or maybe mariaes or rigidas, something with thinner deeply divided less shiny leaflets. We need some Aussies or Donald Hodel or a grower to chime in.

Jon, the 'nitida' refers to the shiny black fruit of this species.

regards,

Daryl

[Daryl]

I forgot to mention earlier...I don't think that either of the palms in the OP look like L.nitida

regards,

Daryl

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

....just out of curiousity, what makes you so sure youve got what you claim to have?

Had a palm society meeting at my house, got several independent id's besides my own, but since you asked, people found other things that were mis-identified. So I have my share of unknown ID palms.

[Phoenikakias]

What is this fuss all about? The palms in the OP are clearly not nitida. Even better for the owner. A hybrid Livistona is to me more desirable.

[Palmə häl′ik]

No fuss.

Fair enough. I can accept the fact that its not nitida. No sweat.

Its just that it was purchased as...

Thats all.

Thx all for clearin this up.

- Ray.

[Palmə häl′ik]

The more I look at it, the hotter she looks...

Heres a breakdown on the questionable palm:

[Palmə häl′ik]

Looks alright for a "cold tolerant" palm...

[Palm crazy]

Here’s what my little L. nitida looked like before planting this summer, looks a lot like a washy.

Also this nitida I bought came from Florida.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Palm crazy

[Phoenikakias]

Cute juvenile palm

[Palmə häl′ik]

...just thought I'd share some updated photos... Theyre takin off

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Livistona decora is a great palm, one of my personal favorites. Just wait till they start really pushing vertical growth! Mine in JAX grew 3-5' a year once it finished rooting in and fattening up the crown. Once it reached about 20', it began to flower and the growth rate slowed to a crawl. By then it's toothy petioles were well above the point where they would do damage. I couldn't believe how fast it shot upward when it made up its mind to get going!

[Palmə häl′ik]

Thx for the info Keith.

Are you still in Winterhaven?

Just wonderin cuz I was out there a couple weeks ago doin some work out at LegoLand, and couldn't help but notice a few Royals on some commercial lots out there...

My first thought was, how bold of them... But I think all those lakes, and being somewhat, downtown theyve gotta real good microclimate... wow

[Marius]

Hi Everyone. Opinions please: L decora or nitida?

[Marius]

Two more pics 

[Kailua_Krish]

i vote decora

[Marius]

38 minutes ago, krishnaraoji88 said:

i vote decora

Thanks krishnaraoji88