Guihaia argyrata - a most uncommon fan palm

[PalmatierMeg]

A few days ago Christian Faulkner dropped by to see how our gardens were faring after Hurricane Irma. We were walking through my Caribbean Garden when he saw my Guihaia argyrata and asked if he could record it for his palm blog sometime in the future. I said of course and took my first close look at this palm for the first time in forever. It's been in the ground since before the Caribbean Garden was even a dream, so I can hardly call it an invader. This is one slow growing palm and, over the years, I wasn't sure it was going to make it. I got it early on as a palm acquisition. This species is hard to find and few people have even heard of them. It comes from southern China and northern Vietnam where it grows on limestone cliffs and is called the "Silver-backed Vietnamese Fan Palm" and "Chinese Needle Palm." Its resemblance to the American needle palm is uncanny. It supposedly clumps but mine hasn't yet. Trunks reach 3' tall, clumps up to 6' wide. Dark green leaves are deeply cut and backed with silver. It is a gorgeous little thing, but, unfortunately, dioecious so my little palm will not produce viable seeds. As it has never flowered I don't know its sex. It is remarkably cold hardy: zones 8b to 11. Too bad it is so incredibly slow growing. But if you stumble across one, scarf it up. You won't be sorry

Guihaia argyrata

[PalmatierMeg]

Guihaia argyrata Cont'd

[Phoenikakias]

Most probably your palm is a girl. Just a hunch of mine... 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Very nice

[Palmarum]

6 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

... This is one slow growing palm and, over the years, I wasn't sure it was going to make it. I got it early on as a palm acquisition. This species is hard to find and few people have even heard of them. It comes from southern China and northern Vietnam where it grows on limestone cliffs and is called the "Silver-backed Vietnamese Fan Palm" and "Chinese Needle Palm." Its resemblance to the American needle palm is uncanny. It supposedly clumps but mine hasn't yet. Trunks reach 3' tall, clumps up to 6' wide. Dark green leaves are deeply cut and backed with silver. It is a gorgeous little thing, but, unfortunately, dioecious so my little palm will not produce viable seeds. As it has never flowered I don't know its sex. It is remarkably cold hardy: zones 8b to 11. Too bad it is so incredibly slow growing. But if you stumble across one, scarf it up. You won't be sorry

Guihaia argyrata

It is a cool little palm that does its own thing, for a very long time. It seems to have disappeared from sales, as I haven't seen any but one or two large specimens. I do meet the occasional collector or two looking for it, mainly to collect the genus more than either species. It is popular among fan palm, Rhapis, Licuala, and Maxburretia enthusiasts. After 16+/- years, mine has not flowered either, but it has been container grown. I would have planted it, but has been picky when it comes to light exposure and seems to enjoy being containerized. It might have two or three suckers, minus its first one I accidentally cut off while weeding (didn't expect it to be there). I have seen larger ones in S. Florida private collections, but I do not remember if they were mature.

Ryan

[BS Man about Palms]

Josh picked one up from Axel that is huge. I hope it fared ok in the transplanting?