Chamaedora microspadix

[TonyDFW]

This is the 4th growing season for this Chamaedora microspadix in Dallas. Zone 8b. 
it seems to want to grow as a single trunk.  My other same species palms Produce more suckers. What is your experience with this palm? Thanks. 

[Fusca]

My C. microspadix seedling has 2 suckers and is only about 15" tall - perhaps a third of the size of yours.  Below is a C. radicalis on the left with the C. microspadix on the right - I'll try to get a better pic of it.

Jon

[DAVEinMB]

11 hours ago, TonyDFW said:

This is the 4th growing season for this Chamaedora microspadix in Dallas. Zone 8b. 
it seems to want to grow as a single trunk.  My other same species palms Produce more suckers. What is your experience with this palm? Thanks. 

I have 2 microspadix in the ground and they are suckering like crazy and are a bit fuller than yours near the base. 

Do yours burn or defoliate at all during the winter? Mine haven't been through a full season yet so I'm not sure if they should receive any protection. I see yours is up against a brick wall which I'm sure helps. 

[Laaz]

Maybe a hybrid.

[TonyDFW]

Last winter it didn’t defoliate. Some winters the leaves and thin stems may burn off. I have had some in the ground for 15 years. 

[Chester B]

Mine sucker. They’re about 5’ tall. 

[David York]

Tony, your palm isn't microspadix, they just don't grow like that and they are a clustering palm too.

What you appear to have is Chamaedorea adscendens which is a solitary palm. Not as hardy as microspadix.

Edited March 18, 2020 by David York

[amh]

I'm interested in this species, what is the coldest temperature that it will survive?

[Collectorpalms]

I have Chamadorea Radicals tree form, and they have lived through a brief dip to 14.5. I have them in pretty sheltered areas in mostly Shade. But I think they can handle some sun. I would not plant them full Texas Sun. They are more of an understory palm. Microspadix suffered from my water and always looked ratty. Radicals is a tough one.

[amh]

44 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

I have Chamadorea Radicals tree form, and they have lived through a brief dip to 14.5. I have them in pretty sheltered areas in mostly Shade. But I think they can handle some sun. I would not plant them full Texas Sun. They are more of an understory palm. Microspadix suffered from my water and always looked ratty. Radicals is a tough one.

I'd be growing it under oak and elm canopy.

Was the water issue from hard or softened water?

[Collectorpalms]

12 minutes ago, amh said:

I'd be growing it under oak and elm canopy.

Was the water issue from hard or softened water?

College Station city water has excessively high Sodium. Austin uses surface water so sodium isn't an issue. I wouldn't use softened water though. My brother is the Austin area does not have an issue using city water. When I took a shower there, I felt like it was sand coming out of the shower.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Collectorpalms

[amh]

2 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

College Station city water has excessively high Sodium. Austin uses surface water so sodium isn't an issue. I wouldn't use softened water though. My brother is the Austin area does not have an issue using city water. When I took a shower there, I felt like it was sand coming out of the shower.

Okay, that's why I asked. Some friends used to live in College Station and I remembered the city water was full of sodium. I'd be using aquifer water which is alkaline.

[Collectorpalms]

Our aquifer water IS salt water basically ( NOT REALLY BUT BAD ENOUGH)... And very alkaline. It is death to plants. Directly from water report: "College Station relies entirely on groundwater for its drinking water supply, pumping water from 10 deep wells in the Simsboro Aquifer, and one well in each in the Carrizo and Sparta Aquifers, located in northwest Brazos County."

TOTAL DISSOLVED SOILDS: 448 - 662

pH 8.5 - 8.7

Sodium 181 - 207 PPM.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Collectorpalms

[amh]

13 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

Our aquifer water IS salt water basically.

Wow, I just looked up your water quality report.

181 to 207mg/l for sodium, my area is 5 to 15mg/l.

[amh]

Does anyone know the shelf life for Chamaedorea radicalis and Chamaedorea microspadix seed?

[necturus]

In my yard, C. microspadix has been more vigorous. I preferred the look of C. radicalis in the past, but the vigor issue has made me favor C. microspadix. And it's grown on me.  They can both survive in full sun here but look really ratty.

Tony's does resemble C. adscendens.

[amh]

5 hours ago, necturus said:

In my yard, C. microspadix has been more vigorous. I preferred the look of C. radicalis in the past, but the vigor issue has made me favor C. microspadix. And it's grown on me.  They can both survive in full sun here but look really ratty.

Tony's does resemble C. adscendens.

I'm thinking of a combination mass planting. I have some shady areas that could use a privacy/noise hedge.

[Phyllostachys]

On 12/17/2020 at 2:43 AM, amh said:

Does anyone know the shelf life for Chamaedorea radicalis and Chamaedorea microspadix seed?

C. radicalis seeds can last a few months at least. I have one female that produces fruit yearly and I've often forgotten to plant them promptly. I've planted some after about 6 months and still had most come up, though some took months to germinate. With C. radicalis, I don't throw away any seeds that didn't germinate. When I get tired of waiting for the stragglers to come up, I throw the remaining seeds in the pot of another plant and often find that they will eventually germinate (even up to a year later).

[amh]

8 hours ago, Phyllostachys said:

C. radicalis seeds can last a few months at least. I have one female that produces fruit yearly and I've often forgotten to plant them promptly. I've planted some after about 6 months and still had most come up, though some took months to germinate. With C. radicalis, I don't throw away any seeds that didn't germinate. When I get tired of waiting for the stragglers to come up, I throw the remaining seeds in the pot of another plant and often find that they will eventually germinate (even up to a year later).

This is good to know, I've read conflicting information on seed viability over time.

So, whats the consensus for Chamaedorea microspadix cold hardiness? Will it survive a warm 8a under canopy?

[DAVEinMB]

1 hour ago, amh said:

So, whats the consensus for Chamaedorea microspadix cold hardiness? Will it survive a warm 8a under canopy?

I got mine from Penny's Palms outside of Columbia, SC. She said she was able to grow them no problem there. Not sure if they were sited under canopy but that always helps

[amh]

12 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

I got mine from Penny's Palms outside of Columbia, SC. She said she was able to grow them no problem there. Not sure if they were sited under canopy but that always helps

Okay, I just looked up that area and its labeled 7b, so it should be able to handle my area.

[TonyDFW]

Here is an update to the original post from December 2020

[Manalto]

Thanks for the update. Looks really nice in the shade. Kind of has a Polygonatum thing going on.

[DAVEinMB]

11 hours ago, TonyDFW said:

Here is an update to the original post from December 2020

Definitely looks more like microspadix now. Good looking plant and solid growth 

[amh]

really nice.

[Patrick]

Nice chunky leaves. I was going to say it looked a little oblangata-esque, but if I recall oblongata has glossy leaves.

 

In my area the microspadix can handle full sun, though it gets a little burnt (my neighbor misplanted one but it's still doing well after several years). We have some HOT sun in the summer with low humidity. It likes a little more shade and can handle pretty cold temperatures. I think only radicalis is more cold hardy?

[buffy]

On 12/20/2020 at 12:38 PM, amh said:

This is good to know, I've read conflicting information on seed viability over time.

So, whats the consensus for Chamaedorea microspadix cold hardiness? Will it survive a warm 8a under canopy?

Yes it will. Given a little shelter, they do fine. I have both radicalis and microspadix growing for 10+ years. 

[Laaz]

Chamaedorea microspadix will probably survive 8A, but you will need to cut the stems back every year as the tops will burn badly below 18F.

Edited December 31, 2020 by Laaz

[amh]

8 hours ago, buffy said:

Yes it will. Given a little shelter, they do fine. I have both radicalis and microspadix growing for 10+ years. 

Good, I'd be growing them in a frost free area under oak and elm canopy. Are the microspadix root hardy under 15F?

8 minutes ago, Laaz said:

Chamaedorea microspadix will probably survive 8A, but you will need to cut the stems back every year as the tops will burn badly below 18F.

Is this for exposed plants or all planting locations?

[Laaz]

Mine are under palmetto & citrus trees, the few times we have dropped below 18 the top of the stems burnt way back. Most stems came back after I cut about 6 inches below the visual damage.

[amh]

3 minutes ago, Laaz said:

Mine are under palmetto & citrus trees, the few times we have dropped below 18 the top of the stems burnt way back. Most stems came back after I cut about 6 inches below the visual damage.

Thanks for the clarification.