Common palm - but location is everything!

[bgl]

Syagrus romanzoffianum, the common Queen Palm, in the right location and in its natural habitat, and it's a beauty!  Here with Iguazú Falls, Argentina, as the backdrop.

[Xerarch]

Always love habitat shots, I’ve seen these in habitat in Uruguay, the form there seemed a little thicker. 

[Xhoniwaters1]

muy espectacular!

[Matthew92]

One of my favorite palms when they look this good!

[MKIVRYAN]

Wow!  that's an amazing shot!

[Kris]

Beautiful location and perfect postcard stills. ..

Love,

Kris.

[Palm Tree Jim]

Great habitat photos!!!!

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

First pic is amazing!

[cm05]

Wow. No place like home I guess.

[palmfriend]

Impressive photos! 

Thank you very much for letting us participate on your travel!

best regards

Lars

 

[ChrisJordanDDS]

Wow!  Very nice photos.  I've always thought that Queen palms are attractive if they're well taken care of.  The problem with the "common" palms like the Queen is that they are typically over-pruned, under-watered and under-fertilized around here...

[Phoenix Bob]

Will be visiting Iguazu Falls for the first time  in February.  Hope I can achieve just one photo as good as yours.  I have a mature syagrus as the center piece of my front yard, but it is way out of habitat here in the Arizonan desert.  It has done fairly well this passed year where temp variation has been between 120F and 34F.

[bgl]

Thanks for all your comments!  And PhoenixBob - since you will be visiting soon, I'll add a few general comments that may be helpful, and a few more photos. I should add that I didn't have time for any of the boat tours, but IF you decide to take one of them - be prepared to get VERY wet!

I had six hours there, which I thought would be excessive. It was NOT. I should add that I had pre-arranged with a driver from the hotel to pick me up at a certain time so I knew when I was dropped off exactly how much time I had at my disposal. In retrospect, eight hours would have been even better even though I did have time to walk on all the trails I wanted to explore during the six hours. So if you have a full day, say 9 am to 5 pm, that's pretty perfect, assuming you like to walk and see as much as possible. I would recommend three different areas. First, La Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat). You take a small train for about two miles and then walk on metal bridges for quite some distance (close to a mile I think) in order to get to the waterfall itself. Here are three photos from the walk and the waterfall itself.

[bgl]

Next, walk back to the train (and there is likely to be a wait of anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes because the trains can only take but so many people and they run every 15 minutes only). After you get off the train walk towards the trail that is marked "Lower Circuit". Don't be misled by the name in Spanish, "Circuito Inferior", because there is nothing "inferior" about it. In my opinion it was the more spectacular of the two main trails (see my next post). Take your time because there's lots to see along the way. Here are some photos from the Lower Circuit trail and some photos even have some palms in them!

[bgl]

After you finish the Lower Circuit, it's a short walk to where the Upper Circuit ("Circuito Superior") begins and here are a few photos I took as I was walking this one. It's likely to be hot and very humid in February, just as it was when I was there exactly a week ago, so dress accordingly. A hat is a good idea. Mosquitoes was not an issue. I think everybody I saw had on short-sleeved t-shirts. However, while mosquitoes fortunately seem to be missing, there is another very tiny insect that will attack and bite your ankles. Very annoying. Wearing long pants that are VERY lightweight would be an excellent idea, especially if they can be tied around the ankles in order to prevent access to these little nuisances.

(In the third photo below, notice the two individuals walking along the river, at the lower level).

[Fusca]

On 1/16/2018, 4:37:34, bgl said:

Syagrus romanzoffianum, the common Queen Palm, in the right location and in its natural habitat, and it's a beauty!  Here with Iguazú Falls, Argentina, as the backdrop.

Excellent photos!  How different is this area from Foz do Iguaçu, Brasil?  I've always heard a lot of how wonderful the falls are there, but that might be because I've traveled so much in Brasil compared with Argentina.  I've never been to either spot - I guess Londrina, PR is the closest city that I visited (maybe 500 km).  Both areas look very nice!

Jon

[bgl]

Fusca,

I didn't visit the Brazilian side so I am not in a position to compare. Next time!

Bo-Göran

[Fusca]

At first I thought you might have been in Brasil looking towards Argentina, but then I noticed the Spanish spelling and references and realized that you were in Argentina.  I guess its kinda like comparing Niagra Falls, NY and Niagra Falls, ONT!  It's the same yet quite different!    By the way, I also loved your Butia photos in the other thread.  I'm growing both of these common palms and love them!  I'll have to look through my Brasil photos and see about posting some habitat pics as well.  Unfortunately my photo taking skills are not nearly as good as yours!

Jon

[CLINODAVE]

Breathtaking pics, Bo. 

Edited January 25, 2018 by CLINODAVE

[Tyrone]

Thanks for the pics and info Bo. The poor Queen palm has developed a common as muck reputation and often are grown poorly as others have said but they are actually a great palm grown correctly and in the right setting. Your pics demonstrate that and they grow fine for me down here so I might let a few make there way into the landscape - in the right place.

[Alberto]

On 23/01/2018 18:14:14, bgl said:

A hat is a good idea. Mosquitoes was not an issue. I think everybody I saw had on short-sleeved t-shirts. However, while mosquitoes fortunately seem to be missing, there is another very tiny insect that will attack and bite your ankles. Very annoying. Wearing long pants that are VERY lightweight would be an excellent idea, especially if they can be tied around the ankles in order to prevent access to these little nuisances.

On 23/01/2018 18:28:16, bgl said:

 

 

 

 

Nice photos of the argentinian side of the ''cataratas do Iguaçú''. Thanks for sharing

This little mosquito we call here ''borrachudo''.  Borrachudos can cause heavy allergic reactions on the place they bite , specially when its the first time, like babies and some 20 dutch turist, my uncles that I medicated once. Use DEET and they will not come close. 

With all the heavy, excessive rains that are falling in Paraná this month and with the Iguaçú river full, the ''cataratas'' give a real spectacle. 

Edited January 26, 2018 by Alberto

[Alberto]

8 hours ago, Tyrone said:

Thanks for the pics and info Bo. The poor Queen palm has developed a common as muck reputation and often are grown poorly as others have said but they are actually a great palm grown correctly and in the right setting. Your pics demonstrate that and they grow fine for me down here so I might let a few make there way into the landscape - in the right place.

This queens specially in Bo´s first pic aren´t the most spectacular I´ve seen. They look a bit poor .

Edited January 26, 2018 by Alberto