Suckering Dypsis of some sort

[quaman58]

Hey all,

I posted pictures of this 3 or 4 years ago. It's one of those that's been called D. "clumping ambositrae", since that's how the seeds came in. I don't know what it is. Baronii, onilahensis, a hybrid, or something else? Anyway, got it as a 1 gallon in late 2005. I put it in the ground in late 2006 & it took off about a year later. It's got a beautiful green trunk, a white crownshaft & a great fuzzy look at the leaf bases. Here are a couple older pics from 2009:

As it's matured, it's developed a really hard recurved leaf & a has a crown that is as good as it gets. It adds about 6 leaves a year on each of the 2 main stems, & increases in height by 18" a year. Still very fast.

A couple pics of the palm from yesterday:

[quaman58]

A couple more pics for the flower I.D nerds...One interesting last thing is that the inflorecences are sort of "stacked". Although this is the first year it's flowered, the main stem is pushing new spathes almost all the way to the newest leaf. (4 so far). Maybe they all do this, I'm no expert.

[Perito]

Slick Willy?

[MattyB]

It's a vigorous as all get out D. onilahensis/baronii type. Mine is flowering now too. I love this palm. 4" pot directly into full all day inland sun and it starts pumping!

[richnorm]

You really need a botanist to narrow the ID, but would not baronii have a reddish flower? Baronii also has a ruminate seed unlike onilahensis. My guess is a form of onilahensis (like Slick Willy).

[quaman58]

Is there supposedly a difference between Slick Willy & Dypsis sp. "bef"? For some reason I thought someone said that they were the same. Could be wrong..

[richnorm]

Is there supposedly a difference between Slick Willy & Dypsis sp. "bef"? For some reason I thought someone said that they were the same. Could be wrong..

I have always thought sw=bef=brevinodes. brevinodis was sunk into onilahensis.

[quaman58]

I have some small "befs"; they seem very "leafy" at a very young age. That is, each leaf carries a lot of leaflets even when the palm is very small. Kinda like Hedyscepe. This palm looked like your traditional, run of the mill- thin trunked Dypsis when small.

[DippyD]

Who cares what it is, where do I find one!!!!

[Bags]

I have this palm too. It went straight in the ground from a liner a few years ago and now has its first ring of trunk and five stems. Does not seem anything like slick willy to me. Slick willy has a heel and is so slow. To me this palm to me looks more closely related to the upright onilahensis variety. It is a great plant what ever it is

[MattyB]

When young look for a clumping D. onilahensis, purple stems, white petiole, no powder. Not even close to bef/brevinoides/slick willy, which is a heeled tillering Palm when young.

[joe_OC]

Brett,

I have that palm as well. I bought it from Jungle Music a few years ago as "suckering ambositrae". It does not look like yours though. Mine looks more like a baronii. I will post pics when I get a chance.

[joe_OC]

Here is a pic of mine:

Close up of crown...looks very much like a baronii:

Here is a pic of my onilahensis...very different looking palm altogether:

[quaman58]

Looks like the same plant to me Joe. I think the biggest difference is that I'm obviously the superior palm grower.

Kidding, of course. I did however notice that this palm is a heavy feeder; it was yellowy, with burned tips 2 or 3 years ago. I really boosted the fert on this one & it changed it dramatically. Makes sense, given how fast it wants to grow.

[joe_OC]

Last winter was a tough one! It's clear that you feed your palms much more than I do. Mine is growing facing south and is in full sun. From the pics it seems mine has a lot more colors (yellow) than yours.

Here is a pic of my baronii:

Here is a close up...very similar to my "suckering ambositrae":

[joe_OC]

hmmm....a lot less glaucus on the trunk in the first palm. It has always been more of a lime green.

[richnorm]

I have two from the same seed batch (and a mystery seedling which might be a third). They look quite different, one is much finer with chocolate-purple colours and the other has baronii colours and fewer stems. The flower colour is not consistent with baronii but maybe there is variation?

[MattyB]

Joe, I think your first one is the same palm. Like you noticed, the trunk has that distinct line of distinction of where the green trunk and powder crownshaft starts. Although, I have noticed that as it gets older the trunk starts to get some powder too.

[Kennybenjamin]

I also have this palm and have posted a few photos of it previously, I love this palm!! I wasn't sure though that mine was a suckering palm..... It has 2 stems that that are pretty much twins ( look to be the same age, same height, same number of leaves and they take it it turns to both open leaves and drop off the dying ones ). When I acquired my specimen I was sure it was a double planted ambositrae but then it grew way to fast and it became apparent it was something different. There has never been any sign of any more stems being developed, looks like its going stay with its original 2. I have always wondered if it was double planted, suckering or twin embryo's. Chances if it being double planted are slim as mine is the only one I have ever seen in my 13 years with palms, it came in to the nursery in a batch if ambositrae's.

Does anyone know if this is a true naturally occurring species or a hybrid?? It certainly grows quick like a hybrid!!

Bret (quaman), mine looks very much like yours only a little younger, I will be very interested to see if yours sets viable seed. This may help id if it's a hybrid or not? I believe many hybrids don't set viable seed?

I will post a photo very shortly

[Kennybenjamin]

Here is a couple of the earlier photos I have on record (27th Oct 2011)

And the most recent I have (13th Feb 2013), it has grown considerably since then and is now up to the eve of the house

I have noticed a funny "twist" happening to all the newest leaves within the last 6 months or so??

[Perito]

This onilahensis is showing some promise. Most of them are suckering. I only hope they turn out something like Bretts.

[joe_OC]

Brett,

How much sun does yours get? Mine has a lit more yellow on it, and is a lighter green. I feed it, but I attribute the color to the amount of sun it is getting.

[DippyD]

This onilahensis is showing some promise. Most of them are suckering. I only hope they turn out something like Bretts.

IMG_0173.jpg IMG_0174.jpg

Hey perry,

This is a completely different palm, looks to me more like arenarium or lutescense. But you never know! Looks very happily grown

[Perito]

This onilahensis is showing some promise. Most of them are suckering. I only hope they turn out something like Bretts.

IMG_0173.jpg IMG_0174.jpg

Hey perry,

This is a completely different palm, looks to me more like arenarium or lutescense. But you never know! Looks very happily grown

The coloring does look like D. arenarum which I wouldn't mind. Thanks for pointing that out!

[quaman58]

Brett,

How much sun does yours get? Mine has a lit more yellow on it, and is a lighter green. I feed it, but I attribute the color to the amount of sun it is getting.

Joe,

This gets sun until about 1:00; it's on the East side of the house. But it's getting above the roof line now, so that will be a moot point soon. I don't think they mind full sun. I think just a decent fert twice a year, mulched on top & enough water & you'll see a significant change for the better. Mine was bad enough a couple years back that I posted on this board about it's condition. The first thing I did was throw some Ironite at it as well. Took a few months to see the change. Hope this helps!

Bret

[joe_OC]

My palms are growing fine. They get all day sun.

[joe_OC]

My palms are growing fine. They get all day sun.