Dypsis Sp. dark mealy bug

[The Gerg]

First of all if you read the thread title and viewed it hoping to see a really nice specimen I apologize for misleading you. 

But a few years back I got a Dypsis sp. dark mealy bug from Floribunda. The first pic below shows it not too long after I got it. I let it acclimate to my climate awhile and then finally went ahead and put it in the ground. Not long after the spear opened up and looked great. Then the thing went completely dormant with all the leaves eventually dying off. It was not rapid. It was gradual. But, it left the plant with no remaining leaves. I finally gave up on it and dug it out. Of course I put it in a pot hoping that someday maybe, just maybe it might surprise me.

Well today it has. I finally see signs of life from it. I was on my patio having my morning coffee and was looking through some of my potted plants and low and behold, I see a new spear poking out of the soil. So I am very happy to see this. Of course, I am wondering will this thing ever be able to maintain holding several living leaves at once for me. Nonetheless, happy to see it is still living after digging it up a few months ago after a couple years of no new spear.

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2019 by The Gerg
Deleted duplicate picture

[BS Man about Palms]

Good luck!!

 

[quaman58]

I have found these to be tough in both definitions of the word. First, they are pretty difficult to kill outright, as yours has shown. They do have that remarkable will to live. The problem with us attempting to grow these in our temperate climate is that it’s just too cool. Just a few more degrees year round seems to make all the difference. A bit of relief from the sun in our low humidity helps as well. So there you go; just find a warm shady spot in your yard and you’ll be just fine.  

[Tracy]

6 hours ago, quaman58 said:

So there you go; just find a warm shady spot in your yard and you’ll be just fine.  

A fine sense of humor Bret!

[BS Man about Palms]

13 hours ago, quaman58 said:

I have found these to be tough in both definitions of the word. First, they are pretty difficult to kill outright, as yours has shown. They do have that remarkable will to live. The problem with us attempting to grow these in our temperate climate is that it’s just too cool. Just a few more degrees year round seems to make all the difference. A bit of relief from the sun in our low humidity helps as well. So there you go; just find a warm shady spot in your yard and you’ll be just fine.  

Planted your big boy yet Bret?

 

[quaman58]

That I did Bill; probably six weeks back. So far, so good. The newest leaf is the tallest; hopefully that trend will continue..

[BS Man about Palms]

5 hours ago, quaman58 said:

That I did Bill; probably six weeks back. So far, so good. The newest leaf is the tallest; hopefully that trend will continue..

Looks great!! Looks planted over by your "nursery"? on the North side?  Good luck Mr.!  (Hey, its in the good juju zone only 30' from the fenestralis?! ) 

 

[The Gerg]

Looks nice. Good luck. Would love periodic updates on yours. Give us hope.

[quaman58]

10 hours ago, BS Man about Palms said:

Looks great!! Looks planted over by your "nursery"? on the North side?  Good luck Mr.!  (Hey, its in the good juju zone only 30' from the fenestralis?! ) 

 

Exactly right Bill. Took the place of my recently deceased Carpoxylon. Guess the area has it's limits!

[JubaeaMan138]

Killer size on that dark mealy mine is a little smaller and is opening up a new leaf right now. I noticed this leaf doesn’t have any color like it usually does . Mine came out of green house when I got it and took a beating when I first got it but it is doing pretty good now I think it has finally adapted for the most part. Recent heat has definetly woke it up and got t moving . 

[The Gerg]

For documenting purposes...6 months after my original post showing a long awaited new spear poking out about 1”, it has slowly grown to about 18” and finally opened up. I love these palms but not sure they will ever be a winner for me in my area. I will of course keep caring for it and see if it ever picks up speed. 

[TomJ]

They grow so slow that at this point,  I think a year of rehab in a greenhouse is needed.

Any setback in our cool climate is no bueno. 

I had one once upon a time that seemed to be moving along. It was about half the size of Brett's in the picture.

A big wind event blew a trash can on the new spear and broke it pre-opening.  It never could recover.

Like Brett said it hung around for almost two years showing some signs of life before.....

[TomJ]

oh yeah, the irony is I placed the trash can there to protect from the big wind event......  brilliant

[The Gerg]

11 hours ago, TomJ said:

oh yeah, the irony is I placed the trash can there to protect from the big wind event......  brilliant

Hopefully you can laugh about that now. 

[steve99]

I've had two Dypsis "dark mealy bugs" in ground for about 5 years now.    They can be slow-growing, although mine appear to grow along nicely with around two new leaves a year.

 

[Sabal Steve]

On 6/9/2019 at 2:55 PM, quaman58 said:

That I did Bill; probably six weeks back. So far, so good. The newest leaf is the tallest; hopefully that trend will continue..

Looking forward to more photos, in the coming years, Bret.  Looks like you got a good spot picked out.  I’d love to do an annual tour!

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by The Steve

[steve99]

Here's a few pics of my second Dypsis "dark mealy bug" which has been in ground for around 5 years now.    It was attacked by weevils the last two years which really set it back - it should look a lot better than it does.  Anyway, I have the weevils under control so things are looking better now.

 

 

 

[joe_OC]

On 6/9/2019 at 2:55 PM, quaman58 said:

That I did Bill; probably six weeks back. So far, so good. The newest leaf is the tallest; hopefully that trend will continue..

Bret - Can you provide and update on your Dark Mealy?

[DoomsDave]

On 12/23/2019 at 6:29 PM, steve99 said:

Here's a few pics of my second Dypsis "dark mealy bug" which has been in ground for around 5 years now.    It was attacked by weevils the last two years which really set it back - it should look a lot better than it does.  Anyway, I have the weevils under control so things are looking better now.

 

 

 

How about a quick update?

Hmm. AFTER weevils of doom? Holy cow, 2-4-6-8, might time to emigrate . . . .

[steve99]

11 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

How about a quick update?

Hmm. AFTER weevils of doom? Holy cow, 2-4-6-8, might time to emigrate . . . .

Here you go.  A new leaf opened a few weeks ago.

 

[joe_OC]

That's quite a colorful palm, Steve!

 

[tim_brissy_13]

My experience matches others in cooler climates. Really hard to outright kill, but mine never really put on any meaningful growth before eventually shrinking to nothing and giving up after maybe 5-6 years.  Far too cool here at 38S latitude, I won’t bother trying again. 

[steve99]

 

On 4/28/2020 at 12:40 PM, steve99 said:

Here you go.  A new leaf opened a few weeks ago.

 

My 

My Dypsis "dark mealy bug"  opened a leaf leaf just a few days ago..   It's starting to get some size about it now.

 

 

 

[Looking Glass]

33 minutes ago, steve99 said:

My Dypsis "dark mealy bug"  opened a leaf leaf just a few days ago..   It's starting to get some size about it now.

 

 

 

[TropicalGardenSpain]

wow  Beautiful palms! I have some tiny seedlings, looks like I have a while to wait till they are like that. 

[Cindy Adair]

4 hours ago, TropicalGardenSpain said:

wow  Beautiful palms! I have some tiny seedlings, looks like I have a while to wait till they are like that. 

Like you, most of my palms were purchased small or germinated myself. So long waits but the advantage is getting to see all the changes as they grow. I was reminded with that cute baby photo expressing the “wow” factor of Steve99’s gorgeous palm!

My only one has suffered various tortures mostly being stuck in a pot way too long associated with a move and then Hurricane María. However just today I noticed it has gotten happy recently and with the beginning wet season it might leap.
 

I will try for a photo soon. 

[deezpalms]

I had 6 4” from floribunda and not a single one made it. I’m going to wait at least until I can find a 1 gallon or bigger. 

[Matt in OC]

My little one in the ground just carked after its second winter. 

[TropicalGardenSpain]

On 4/1/2022 at 4:48 PM, Cindy Adair said:

Like you, most of my palms were purchased small or germinated myself. So long waits but the advantage is getting to see all the changes as they grow. I was reminded with that cute baby photo expressing the “wow” factor of Steve99’s gorgeous palm!

My only one has suffered various tortures mostly being stuck in a pot way too long associated with a move and then Hurricane María. However just today I noticed it has gotten happy recently and with the beginning wet season it might leap.
 

I will try for a photo soon. 

Looking forward to seeing the photo. Yes its great seeing everything grow and we can be proud with the achievement of starting from scratch. Its hard work dealing with seedlings but very rewarding when you start to get thing right. 

[Cindy Adair]

Thanks for the reminder TropicalGardenSpain!

I just walked a bit to the tree for these photos.

The size 7 women’s shoe in the lower left of the second photo gives an idea of size.

[pmaga]

On 6/10/2019 at 10:34 AM, JubaeaMan138 said:

Killer size on that dark mealy mine is a little smaller and is opening up a new leaf right now. I noticed this leaf doesn’t have any color like it usually does . Mine came out of green house when I got it and took a beating when I first got it but it is doing pretty good now I think it has finally adapted for the most part. Recent heat has definetly woke it up and got t moving . 

Are you growing it in a pot or in ground in Riverside? 

Edited May 21, 2022 by pmaga

[steve99]

 A new leaf opened on my Dypsis"dark mealy bug" a few weeks ago..  I suspect I might see some trunk very soon.

 

 

[D. Morrowii]

Man I just love these things.
@steve99 Yours look incredible! 
I have these 3 little FB specimens waiting in pots for their shot at greatness. Hopefully I can get at least one of them to that size. 
Anyone else growing these in Florida? 

[realarch]

Steve, that thing looks incredible! Definition of a specimen palm.

Tim

[steve99]

On 11/6/2022 at 3:21 AM, realarch said:

Steve, that thing looks incredible! Definition of a specimen palm.

Tim

 Thanks Tim.  I'm sure I'll be posting more pics before summer ends.

[bgl]

These are great palms! Bought 15 of them in 1G pots from Floribunda a number of years ago and planted them more or less in a group. Lost a few over the years, for various reasons, but happily the survivors are doing great. Seven in this photo, even though one of the larger ones is not easily visible. It's in the back, with the fronds towering over the smaller one in the front (#3 from the left). Leilani Estates, Big Island.