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A. cunninghamiana triplet division


TropiLocal

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About 3 years ago I planted 2, 15 gal A. cunninghamiana triplets. They’ve grown much slower than expected, but I think it’s due to me underwatering. Either way, I’m getting height impatient and I’m not digging the “bush effect” appearance I’m getting from the triplets.

I’m considering removing 1, possibly 2 (smaller stalks) from each triplet to let the remaining trunk(s) solely concentrate on growth without sharing water/nutrients. They’ve been regularly fertilizerd with BEST Palm Plus 13-5-8.

How does this species do with division?  Will I be able to reuse the removed divisions?  Will it greatly affect the remaining? Any specific instructions to follow?

If any further information would be helpful please let me know. Thanks!

DF8FEE01-6149-4E37-AA48-C66AB59EA1E0.jpeg

3A519487-61EC-4F7C-B8F2-F3FDE6EA4E78.jpeg

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Archontophoenix are single trunk palms so there is no division when removing a trunk. You're removing a completely separate palm tree. Growers plant three or more seedlings together to get the multi effect. If you want to eliminate any stems, just saw them off being careful not to damage the trunk of the palm you want to save. Incidentally, if you're in a hot dry climate, Archontophoenix do better when clustered or in tight groves as they tend to protect each other from hot dry winds as well as winter cold. Also, you can't over water them. They will appreciate all the water you can give them. Some of mine are growing with their roots constantly submerged in water and they love it. 

Edited by Jim in Los Altos

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

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That's right, at that size, you are highly unlikely to be able to separate the roots of the three separate palms successfully. 

If you move a few stones and saw what you don't want off at ground level and throw it away, what is left will look like what you prefer. What you remove you cannot save.

But there are no guarantees that what is left will grow any faster anyway, It may, it may not, but it won't look so bushy.

Removing the two smaller palms certainly will not bother the larger one.

Cheers Steve

It is not dead, it is just senescence.

   

 

 

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Thank you both. I’ll take out the smaller one from each group and go from there.  I’m coastal Southern California so there isn’t a huge annual temperature swing.

From what you can see in the pictures, they are A. cunninghamiana, not A. alexandrae, right?  There is no white on the undersides of leaflets, but the trunk is somewhat stepped where each petiole was attached. 

Edited by TropiLocal
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2 hours ago, TropiLocal said:

Thank you both. I’ll take out the smaller one from each group and go from there.  I’m coastal Southern California so there isn’t a huge annual temperature swing.

From what you can see in the pictures, they are A. cunninghamiana, not A. alexandrae, right?  There is no white on the undersides of leaflets, but the trunk is somewhat stepped where each petiole was attached. 

Be careful if you remove the small ones to not damage the roots of the bigger one, you can kill it if the roots are damaged, do not dig to not damage them ... 

And you right it is not A. Alexandrae it is A. Cunnighamiana, if you give them more water they will grow faster and look better, personally I like them planted with multi trunk they look good for me. 
You will probably change you mind and keep all of them :), below a pic from the web : 

mfh69YL.jpg

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  • 5 weeks later...

They do look pretty cool, I’ve not seen a grouping of 6 before.  I already removed the smallest from one group and the medium from the other to get height variance as they grow.  

I didn’t do any digging of roots, just a clean cut through the trunk 1” above the soil line. I sprayed with a fungicide, let them dry for a week + and covered back up with the surrounding rocks. 

Thanks for the responses!

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