Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 16, 2018 I managed to find these Rhopalostylis sapida growing in my area. Our climate is perfect for them and was super excited to find some mature specimens growing here. I made contact with the owner and they were happy for me to post pics. Enjoy. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 16, 2018 Up loaded pics but they're not there. What the??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 16, 2018 Try again 2 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 16, 2018 11 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 16, 2018 12 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 16, 2018 Seed size difference between one lot of palms and another. Any thoughts on where these R sapida would have come from originally in NZ? 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbmnz 396 Report post Posted September 17, 2018 New at this, but something about the bulbous crownshaft and very upright crown looks more like pics I've seen of the Great Barrier Island form, than any other. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 17, 2018 2 hours ago, cbmnz said: New at this, but something about the bulbous crownshaft and very upright crown looks more like pics I've seen of the Great Barrier Island form, than any other. Thanks for your comment. As you are close to the action as it were in NZ I appreciate your thoughts. Will have a closer look at the great barrier island form pics on the web. They do have a very upright look to them and the crown shafts seem massive when up close to these palms. The pictures don't really do them justice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darold Petty 2,516 Report post Posted September 17, 2018 The ratio of diameter between the trunk and crownshaft is variable in the nikau palms I grow here in California. The greatest differential is when the palm is vigorous, and is developing several spadices simultaneously within the crownshaft. I would be cautious about assigning a geographic identity based just on this one character. I grow R. sapida x baueri, R. baueri, R. sapida Chatham Island, R. sapida Great Barrier Island, and R. sapida Little Barrier Island. By far, the most heavy bodied and overall large palm is the Chatham Island form. Here is a photo of my R. sapida 'Chatham Island'; but it does not always appear so bulbous. . In Keith Boyer's book he shows a massive palm next to a women with big sunglasses and a blue blouse. I was obsessed for years by this image, until Keith told me that the woman was quite petite, and that they had posed her adjacent to the largest palm they could locate on the small island. My plant of R. s. LBI has failed to achieve the dimensions of the one shown in Keith's book and mine just looks like any generic Rhopalostylis. 1 10 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 17, 2018 Darold your Chatham is massive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 17, 2018 Was looking at the rare palm seeds site and the closest look to the ones I saw here were the Auckland variety. Everything else had a much more open spreading crown. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darold Petty 2,516 Report post Posted September 17, 2018 5 minutes ago, Tyrone said: Darold your Chatham is massive. I will try to make an current image from the same perspective later, I'm super busy today ! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tassie_Troy1971 1,064 Report post Posted September 28, 2018 Thanks for the pictures Tyrone - so they are growing in west Australia My Chatham Rhopalostylis is the most robust form in the garden 1 11 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joe_OC 1,375 Report post Posted September 29, 2018 Here is my Catham Island sapida: 8 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PalmCode 154 Report post Posted September 29, 2018 They're growing well ! If I had to guess I'd say they were somewhere from the upper north island or one of the barrier islands. I took a pic of a North Auckland palm in the area I live. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tassie_Troy1971 1,064 Report post Posted September 30, 2018 On 9/29/2018, 10:25:22, joe_OC said: Here is my Catham Island sapida: Looks fantastic Jo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 30, 2018 12 hours ago, PalmCode said: They're growing well ! If I had to guess I'd say they were somewhere from the upper north island or one of the barrier islands. I took a pic of a North Auckland palm in the area I live. I think that's what they are. I don't have that variety yet. I may have around 3000 coming up now so yippee. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 30, 2018 On 29/09/2018, 6:20:44, Tassie_Troy1971 said: Thanks for the pictures Tyrone - so they are growing in west Australia My Chatham Rhopalostylis is the most robust form in the garden Your Chatham looks great. Since I've moved down all my rhopies woke up. My Chatham's grow quick down here. I'll have to take pics of some of mine. Not quite as bulky as in your pic but getting there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted September 30, 2018 On 29/09/2018, 8:25:22, joe_OC said: Here is my Catham Island sapida: Your Chatham looks great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joe_OC 1,375 Report post Posted September 30, 2018 On 9/28/2018, 3:20:44, Tassie_Troy1971 said: Thanks for the pictures Tyrone - so they are growing in west Australia My Chatham Rhopalostylis is the most robust form in the garden I agree about Chatham form being the most robust. I have two Cheesmanii flanking my Chatham. They were smaller to start, but the Chatham just towers over both of them. Trunk diameter is also much smaller for the Cheesmanii. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbmnz 396 Report post Posted October 7, 2018 These are Hamilton, NZ, council plantings, central city riverbank. Starting to trunk now, fronds less than 2m long. If that is genetic not just environmental this would be a good line for smaller gardens, they are not giants. Thinking of size as saw some absolutely enormous, presumably Chatham form on the weekend. Made me nervous about the three little PB12 Chathamica have just put in at home(one pictured). Oh well, if in years time they have gotten huge,and are bursting out of their space, it will be a good problem to have! 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manalto 385 Report post Posted October 7, 2018 There's no other word but "cute." I hope he appreciates the lack of competition and grows like a weed. What are council plantings? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbmnz 396 Report post Posted October 7, 2018 6 hours ago, Manalto said: There's no other word but "cute." I hope he appreciates the lack of competition and grows like a weed. What are council plantings? Plantings in a public area by the local city authority. These being native here helps their chances of being chosen for that, a lot. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manalto 385 Report post Posted October 7, 2018 There's a push toward using natives in many municipalities in the US, too. Makes sense for many reasons, especially water consumption. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted October 7, 2018 13 hours ago, cbmnz said: These are Hamilton, NZ, council plantings, central city riverbank. Starting to trunk now, fronds less than 2m long. If that is genetic not just environmental this would be a good line for smaller gardens, they are not giants. Thinking of size as saw some absolutely enormous, presumably Chatham form on the weekend. Made me nervous about the three little PB12 Chathamica have just put in at home(one pictured). Oh well, if in years time they have gotten huge,and are bursting out of their space, it will be a good problem to have! Thanks for the pics. Your little one won't burn in the summer then? I'd be scared to plant one that size in full sun here. It would be interesting to see your comments on that. I try to plant all my rhopies in shade to begin with. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbmnz 396 Report post Posted October 7, 2018 Covered the range with the three, one mostly shade, one am sun only and that one, pm sun till about 4pm then shade. Also put in a mainland one in heavy shade. I believe the advantage of the Chatimaca form is that they can take full sun better. Went to a specialist palm nursery and they advertise these as being sun hardened from the start - they were in full sun at the nursery. That said if that one is getting full midday sun as get into summer proper I may put up some shadecloth. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbmnz 396 Report post Posted October 9, 2018 Sorry, must backtrack a little. The Chatham form is advertised to be sun tolerant when larger. And these were in the sun in the plants for sale area of the nursery, unlike their Kentia et al which were all in a big shade house. However, the nursery has confirmed these 3 year old babies are yet to be exposed to full summer sunlight, so will get some suspended shade cloth over this and the other half day exposed one, sooner rather than later. These ones in link below are Chatham and are coping well with full sun, wind and salt exposure, but probably went in as PB95's or larger I guess. https://www.google.com/maps/@-37.6823778,176.1699894,3a,75y,92.85h,76.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1syQiDSswG-IXxVsqJiXAPNA!2e0!5s20180201T000000!7i13312!8i6656 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bennz 158 Report post Posted October 13, 2018 On 9/30/2018, 11:56:44, Tyrone said: I think that's what they are. I don't have that variety yet. I may have around 3000 coming up now so yippee. Hi Tyrone, "Yippee" because you love this form in particular, or because it is a nikau in general? Personally I much prefer the open crown forms, and actually prefer the cheesemanii and similar forms with open crowns and longer bare petiole region (more like Troys chatham palm). Occaisonally you find baueri/cheesemanii types that have almost a flat profile with the leaves held almost horizontally. My favourite type, almost like an old Cyathea medullaris in profile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted October 20, 2018 On 13/10/2018, 4:41:13, Bennz said: Hi Tyrone, "Yippee" because you love this form in particular, or because it is a nikau in general? Personally I much prefer the open crown forms, and actually prefer the cheesemanii and similar forms with open crowns and longer bare petiole region (more like Troys chatham palm). Occaisonally you find baueri/cheesemanii types that have almost a flat profile with the leaves held almost horizontally. My favourite type, almost like an old Cyathea medullaris in profile. Yippee cos I only have about 6 seedlings of the north island Auckland variety. Now I have the possibility of many more. I don't mind the upright shuttlecock look. It's pretty distinct. I can't think of another palm that looks like an Auckland nikau. I love the droopier open crown varieties too. Any Rhopalostylis is worth growing in my opinion. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbmnz 396 Report post Posted October 28, 2018 Thought I'd picture the local form in habitat. These are on the low slopes of Mt Pirongia, just SW of Hamilton, New Zealand. Seedlings are everywhere, it's hard not to step on them. They are very fern like in this very shady and damp stream valley. You'd wonder where the seeds are coming from, but then you find the adults. Hard to show in photos but the one at back of second photo was a very tall must be very old specimen. Then found these ones, in near full sun due to a gap in the canopy. Suspect this is what the "Pirongia form" would look like in gardens. A part of the track. 8 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joe_OC 1,375 Report post Posted October 28, 2018 Thank you for the pics. Always great to see palms in habitat! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PalmCode 154 Report post Posted October 29, 2018 On 9/30/2018, 11:56:44, Tyrone said: I think that's what they are. I don't have that variety yet. I may have around 3000 coming up now so yippee. Wow three thousand, have fun with potting up all those. I also find the Chatham form is by far the fastest growing and the largest. They handle the sun the best here as well even at a young age. Here's a pic of one of my chathams, it's around four and a half years old. It gets plenty of sun and is 1400 mm tall. 2 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BPK Palm Addict 240 Report post Posted October 29, 2018 Love the upright habit and the fat crownshaft. What a really cool looking palm. I wish I could grow one at my house but I'm sure they would not like the summer heat, or the alkaline soil. Joe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyrone 1,972 Report post Posted October 29, 2018 10 hours ago, PalmCode said: Wow three thousand, have fun with potting up all those. I like mass planting. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PalmCode 154 Report post Posted November 7, 2018 I agree, the more the better. You'll find Auckland ones can be very slow growing. One of my ones is just starting to trunk . I think it's around 15 to 20 years old... Good luck with your seeds. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cbmnz 396 Report post Posted November 13, 2018 I know this grove has been well discussed on here, but just wanted to record that I have seen it in person now. Photos from 2 days ago. Crazy how much it feels like you're on a tropical beach, not 40S of the equator! 5 10 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Darold Petty 2,516 Report post Posted November 13, 2018 Thanks for posting these photos ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coops 3214 83 Report post Posted November 14, 2018 Heres a couple of mine growing in geelong victoria and loving life 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoomsDave 8,650 Report post Posted November 14, 2018 On 10/7/2018, 11:40:52, Manalto said: There's a push toward using natives in many municipalities in the US, too. Makes sense for many reasons, especially water consumption. Yeah, but be very careful, at least in California. A lot of natives are highly flammable, and I mean H$llfire . . . . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoomsDave 8,650 Report post Posted November 14, 2018 On 10/29/2018, 4:16:24, Tyrone said: I like mass planting. Mass planting is the best! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites