Guidance with Lipstick (red) palm, Cyrtostachys renda

[MiamiNorm]

Hello
We brought some seeds from Panama or Costa Rica (i cant remember) a year ago, and we planted a bunch of them in small pots. We keep them indoors, and they have germinated and are about an inch or 2 tall; damn they're slow growers. They look nice and green, but we want to make sure that they grow correctly.

1. Is it better to keep them indoors and potted? We had a nice sized one years ago, and one of our Miami December cold fronts killed it. Plus, I've seen them planted, and they can get big and bulky and climb on top of each other.
2. We have palm fertilizer, and we've been wanting to use it, but we're afraid that the palms might be too young for fertilizer. Can we use it on the little palms?

Thank you

[PalmatierMeg]

Keep them potted until they have some size on them. That might be several years. I would keep them outside under shadecloth when temps are above 50F; bring indoors below. Inside the house long term will be too dry and cool for them (a/c). Never let them dry out. I grew red & green lipsticks in pots on my lanai until they were 8-9' tall and touching the top of my birdcage, then sold them. My winters are too cold long term to plant them so I kept their enormous pots on dollies that I wheeled into/out of the house when lows fell below 50. Can't handle the logistics anymore so I'm done with them. Good luck. They are slow and tricky from seed but surprisingly easy the past 3g stage I bought mine at.

Cyrtostachys renda circa 2014

Cyrtostachys elegans circa 2014

[MiamiNorm]

Hello

This is what some of our stash looks like at present. We have them outside under shade, and the pale green color and brown stains worry me. Do we leave them alone? Or add something? 

Our bigger ones remain bright green and inside receiving partial sunlight through a door with window film. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

The cold killed all of mine... Bummer.

[MiamiNorm]

39 minutes ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

The cold killed all of mine... Bummer.

I am in Miami, so that's not a major concern for me. I want to know if I leave them be, or if they might need some chemical assistance via a fertilizer or liquid iron or something else. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I don't know what that soil is but it looks heavy for Lipstick's.  I wouldn't fertilize at that early of an age.  The risk of burning is quite high at that stage.

[Missi]

Need more water/humidity. More wet than dry. I keep mine in a dish of rain water I empty and replace a couple times a week.

[Jupiter1]

like a pampered pet!!

[MiamiNorm]

2 minutes ago, Jupiter1 said:

like a pampered pet!!

Wow, that's impressive. We haven't had much luck, I think. I say I think because while they haven't grown much (if any), they also haven't withered away. So the ones in the picture I attached (the rectangular planter box) seem to be in suspended animation.

We keep them inside, next to a door that gives them sunlight. Is it possible that the AC is drying them up? One post above stressed heat and humidity, but is it possible that my indoor setting is not the best for them??

 

[Jupiter1]

I've heard that a cool indoor breeze could do em in.  So I'd think your ac could def cause some ill effects. Hot muggy swamps are where they thrive. I'm no expert just what I've heard. Best of luck super awesome palms 

[MiamiNorm]

17 hours ago, Jupiter1 said:

I've heard that a cool indoor breeze could do em in.  So I'd think your ac could def cause some ill effects. Hot muggy swamps are where they thrive. I'm no expert just what I've heard. Best of luck super awesome palms 

Thanks again. Obviously putting them in direct sunlight won't harm them?? We did it with the little ones, and we saw the leaves turning brown. 

[voyager]

I am not very knowledgeable about growing Sealing Wax Palms.

I'm just lucky enough to have conditions they seem to do well in.

And, they were her when we bought the property.

I am not really a palm aficionado.

But, they are  my favorite of all the palms we have on our property.

I have been interested in what it takes for them to do well.

For me, this seems to sum it all up, from Wikipedia:

The most suitable environment for growth occurs in areas of Southeast Asian lowland peat swamp forests with the following characteristics:
good soil drainage, high sand content in the soil, a thin peat layer in the soil, a low carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) in the soil, low acid, and nutrient levels in the soil and water but relatively high organic substance levels. The palm grows well in full sun or shade but needs humid conditions and well-draining soil. However, it also tolerates flooding and can grow in standing water as its native habitat is peat swamp forests. It will not tolerate cold temperatures or periods of drought.

I have no idea as to what a low C:N ratio is.

But, the rest of it makes sense to me.

Ours sit on a pile of rocks with some soil mixed into them.

Ours are in full sun and are a light green.

A friend has some in a more shaded location that are a darker green.

They are watered by the overflow from our catchment tank and our high rainfall, 150in/yr.

We do get dry periods sometimes as long as a couple of months.

But,I have never watered them.

The heavy morning dew probably adds to their available water.

They apparently need good drainage as well as a lot of moisture.

Probably wont tolerate stagnant water.

High humidity also looks to be a requirement.

That may explain the browning of the tips.

We're at 750' elevation our lowest winter temps can go as low as the low 60°F.

Never seen it reach 90°F in summer, yet.

They might grow faster in warmer temps ...?

The are noted as being very slow growing, and taking a long time for seeds to germinate.

I admire your determination in starting them from seed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 27, 2019 by voyager
Add info

[Jeff Searle]

Leave these in shade all day at this size.  They will absolutely resent if you throw them out in full sun.

Drench with a liquid fertilizer, something like a Peters 20-20-20 is fine. 

And an occasional fungicide won't hurt to be safe.

That's it.....ohh and lots of patience!!!

Jeff

[MiamiNorm]

Thank you all

I shared the previous comments with my wife, and she reminded me that we did have them outside in partial shade, and they didn't do so well. You'd think that the high Miami humidity would be good for them, but in our case it didn't seem to work.  We gave them a long time, almost a year, and they didn't seem to thrive. Yet, inside, in the AC, they seem to be hanging on to some health.

We will try some fertilizers.

[PalmatierMeg]

I had absolutely no luck with these as seeds or tiny seedlings - all eventually croaked. I suggest you bite the bullet and invest in a larger palm, 3-7g, then treat it like a pampered pet.