"hardier" Bactris species growing in Orlando, FL

[Eric in Orlando]

Bactris is a genus of palms not much discussed on here. Most are native to tropical regions. I have been trying some here at Leu Gardens in Orlando, FL, USDA Zone 9b/10a. Several have proven hardy here in this climate. Currently we are growing the following Bactris species;

gasipaes

glandulosa var. baileyana

mexicana

setosa

I just planted a small Bactris gasipaes var. chichagui (formerly B. macana).

I had previously been growing several others but these were tender and died following the winter of 2009-10. These included;

glaucescens

grayumii

setulosa

So here are the Bactris growing well here.

[Eric in Orlando]

This is Bactris glandulosa var. baileyana. It is native to rainforests from Costa Rica to western Panama. This palm was planted in 2004. The winter of 2009-10 killed it back to the ground. It came back from the roots but in June 2012 a nearby tree was toppled in a storm and crushed it. It came back again and is now 20ft tall and suckering. It also has flowered and is setting fruit for the first time. Before it was growing under the protection of the tree canopy, now it is in the open. That is a Calamus erectus (a non-climbing species) to the left.

closeup into the crown

spines on the trunk

first fruit forming

base of the palm

[Eric in Orlando]

Bactris mexicana is native from southern Mexico to Nicaragua. This one was planted in 1998. It has tolerated temperatures into the upper 20sF several times with no damage. This palm was also crushed by the falling tree in June 2012 and has grown back to about 6ft.

[Eric in Orlando]

Bactris setosa is native to eastern and southern Brazil. This one was planted in Feb. 2001. It has been a slow grower. It has has never had any cold damage and was also crushed in 2012 by the falling tree. It came back from the roots and is about 4ft tall.

[realarch]

That glandulosa cross is beautiful, but those spines........ The leaf and crown habit are really attractive.

I've got a couple of 'spineless' B. gasipaes that are starting to set seed. Fast growers and I've let it sucker a bit so I can

harvest for hearts of palm.

Nice photos Eric.

Tim

[Eric in Orlando]

The last one is Bactris gasipaes, the Peach Palm. It is probably the most commonly grown Bactris. It is native to a wide region from Central America to South America. We have several specimens of B. gasipaes planted here.

This first Bactris gasipaes specimen is our oldest. It was planted in June 1994. Currently it is about 20ft tall. It has been killed back to the roots several times my freezes but always grows back fast from the roots. It was last killed back to the ground in winter 2009-10.

This particular specimen is only lightly armed with sparse spines.

[Eric in Orlando]

This Bactris gasipaes was planted in March 2011. It has been a fast grower and is about 7-8ft tall now. It is much spinier than the previous specimen.

[Eric in Orlando]

This last Bactris gasipaes was planted in June 2010. So far it has grown as a solitaire specimen and only has a few spines. It also has been slower growing than the other B. gasipaes specimens. (The palm behind it on the left is Attalea brejinhoensis and on the right, Salacca wallichiana.)

[Pip]

They look so beautiful but those spines! Do their spines make maintenance, around them difficult?

[Eric in Orlando]

That glandulosa cross is beautiful, but those spines........ The leaf and crown habit are really attractive.

I've got a couple of 'spineless' B. gasipaes that are starting to set seed. Fast growers and I've let it sucker a bit so I can

harvest for hearts of palm.

Nice photos Eric.

Tim

The B. gasipaes I have planted recently I grew from seed. I was looking for a seedling that stayed spineless but none did. A spineless form would be a really nice palm !

[Eric in Orlando]

They look so beautiful but those spines! Do their spines make maintenance, around them difficult?

You do have to be careful. If I am working around any spiny palm I wear thick gloves and eye goggles. I have been stabbed twice by palms (both were Phoenix) and a spine stayed lodged in my hand for a period of time. The first was in my hand for over a year and it was surgically removed. The 2nd was this past year. I was in my hand for almost a year. The puncture wound started swelling again so I dug around with a needle and squeezed out a spine over an inch long. Both times I had thick glloves on and still got stabbed!

[NApalm]

Wow. Thats some scary spine but beautiful palms. Thanks for the education on a rarely discussed specie

[Eric in Orlando]

Wow. Thats some scary spine but beautiful palms. Thanks for the education on a rarely discussed specie

You're welcome. Though they are spiny it is a beautiful genus of palms.

[redant]

I have a Bactris gasipaes that also was killed back to the ground in 2009-10. I really liked the palm but was kind of was happy it was killed because the spines do make it difficult. Well it's back in full force , can't figure out if I'm happy about that or not lol.

Edited October 6, 2014 by redant

[mnorell]

Eric, I'm still banging my head thinking that your Bactris glandulosa var. baileyana has regrown 20 FEET in two years' time? That to me is one beautiful palm. I'd love a few seeds if you have any to spare, to try it in the Keys. I'm getting interested in Bactris, a genus I've glossed over in the past after seeing some of the ungainly, dense clumps growing in some botanical gardens. That tree certainly puts any Acrocomia to shame, and the fact that it's clustering and can return from the roots so swiftly sounds like a great candidate for testing further northward in Florida and even into the Gulf states as well...if it can handle the extended chill of winter and return in spring. Of course the problem in such a climate would be dealing with those spiny trunks and leaves every year...adding a new dimension to spring cleaning!! I love all those needle-spine palms but I keep my distance and use very long-handled shears to cut and move fronds. At least you can see palm-spines most of the time, as opposed to some cacti with their minute, glassy spines that embed themselves by the hundreds in your skin before you realize they're even there...I've unfortunately had that fun experience in the not-too-distant past.

[tikitiki]

Eric,

You guys have done an amazing job with the palms there.

[Eric in Orlando]

I have a Bactris gasipaes that also was killed back to the ground in 2009-10. I really liked the palm but was kind of was happy it was killed because the spines do make it difficult. Well it's back in full force , can't figure out if I'm happy about that or not lol.

Bactris gasipaes is a nice palm, even with the spines !

[Eric in Orlando]

Eric, I'm still banging my head thinking that your Bactris glandulosa var. baileyana has regrown 20 FEET in two years' time? That to me is one beautiful palm. I'd love a few seeds if you have any to spare, to try it in the Keys. I'm getting interested in Bactris, a genus I've glossed over in the past after seeing some of the ungainly, dense clumps growing in some botanical gardens. That tree certainly puts any Acrocomia to shame, and the fact that it's clustering and can return from the roots so swiftly sounds like a great candidate for testing further northward in Florida and even into the Gulf states as well...if it can handle the extended chill of winter and return in spring. Of course the problem in such a climate would be dealing with those spiny trunks and leaves every year...adding a new dimension to spring cleaning!! I love all those needle-spine palms but I keep my distance and use very long-handled shears to cut and move fronds. At least you can see palm-spines most of the time, as opposed to some cacti with their minute, glassy spines that embed themselves by the hundreds in your skin before you realize they're even there...I've unfortunately had that fun experience in the not-too-distant past.

I just realized, the tree came down in June 2011, not 2012. I just caught the error. But it is still fast growing, 20ft in 3 years !

[Eric in Orlando]

Eric,

You guys have done an amazing job with the palms there.

Thanks!!!

[mnorell]

Eric, I'm still banging my head thinking that your Bactris glandulosa var. baileyana has regrown 20 FEET in two years' time? That to me is one beautiful palm. I'd love a few seeds if you have any to spare, to try it in the Keys. I'm getting interested in Bactris, a genus I've glossed over in the past after seeing some of the ungainly, dense clumps growing in some botanical gardens. That tree certainly puts any Acrocomia to shame, and the fact that it's clustering and can return from the roots so swiftly sounds like a great candidate for testing further northward in Florida and even into the Gulf states as well...if it can handle the extended chill of winter and return in spring. Of course the problem in such a climate would be dealing with those spiny trunks and leaves every year...adding a new dimension to spring cleaning!! I love all those needle-spine palms but I keep my distance and use very long-handled shears to cut and move fronds. At least you can see palm-spines most of the time, as opposed to some cacti with their minute, glassy spines that embed themselves by the hundreds in your skin before you realize they're even there...I've unfortunately had that fun experience in the not-too-distant past.

I just realized, the tree came down in June 2011, not 2012. I just caught the error. But it is still fast growing, 20ft in 3 years !

Yes, I think that still qualifies as amazing!

[realarch]

Eric, here are a few photos of the 'spineless' B. gasipaes in the garden. Four years old from 2 gal. Fast growers and at quick glance, especially the trunk, they resemble Queen palms.

There is a shovel next to the trunk for scale.

Look Ma! No spines. Funny, you'll find one small black spine every fourth ring or so.

[realarch]

At least when the fronds fall from these palms, they don't crush what's under them.

Developing fruit and a nice crown.

[Eric in Orlando]

Very nice!!!

Do the spineless ones cluster?

[realarch]

Eric, yes they sucker. Not prolifically, but enough that I do harvest some of the smaller ones out.

Tim

[TaylorPlantHunter]

On 10/3/2014 at 3:17 PM, Eric in Orlando said:

The last one is Bactris gasipaes, the Peach Palm. It is probably the most commonly grown Bactris. It is native to a wide region from Central America to South America. We have several specimens of B. gasipaes planted here.

 

This first Bactris gasipaes specimen is our oldest. It was planted in June 1994. Currently it is about 20ft tall. It has been killed back to the roots several times my freezes but always grows back fast from the roots. It was last killed back to the ground in winter 2009-10.

 

This particular specimen is only lightly armed with sparse spines.

 

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc37/Leu51/Pinnate%20Palms1/2014-10-03019_zps428494e7.jpg

 

 

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc37/Leu51/Pinnate%20Palms1/2014-10-03020_zps320db7a6.jpg

 

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc37/Leu51/Pinnate%20Palms1/2014-10-03022_zps35f118cd.jpg

Hello, do you know of a source for Bactris gasipaes in Florida? Im just a bit south of you in the Lake Wales area. Im collecting as many edible palms as possible.

[TaylorPlantHunter]

On 10/3/2014 at 3:16 PM, realarch said:

That glandulosa cross is beautiful, but those spines........ The leaf and crown habit are really attractive.

I've got a couple of 'spineless' B. gasipaes that are starting to set seed. Fast growers and I've let it sucker a bit so I can

harvest for hearts of palm.

Nice photos Eric.

 

Tim

Hello, do you ever grow out seed or have any you’d sell or trade of this spineless form?