Double headed Palm ?

[greysrigging]

I've posed this question on the FB Page....
'Something very strange happening here methinks.... is this palm ( planted more than 25 years ago, in fact so long ago I've forgotten what it is ) actually branching ?
This part of the garden is up against my house, I used to have Carpentarias in here, but pulled 'em all out 15 years ago. Left this specimen intact as I knew it was something exotic ( either a Normanbya or Wodyetia I thought.)
But to branch at the 20' mark from the ground ?
Makes me think now it is a Dypsis lucubensis and a double headed one as it seems.
Comments ? Am I barking up the wrong tree here ?'
 

[Stevetoad]

looks like a Wodyetia to me. Ive posted some palms splitting in the past. Its an odd thing but happens every so often. I dont know why but I think most believe its from some past damage to the growing point. 

[greysrigging]

The latest pics






 

[The Germinator]

Nice! genetic mutation.

[Tyrone]

What’s in your water and was it struck by lightening? 

I think you should call it a Frankenwodyetia and sell seed from it.

[Blooming Genius]

I don't think it is a wodyetia but it has similar leaf structure, I have seen a few Phoenix Sylvesters produce multiple heads first they look sick then pop out new heads. Did your palm do this? go through a wilt or look of decline before growing an extra head? 

[coconuts_dont_growhere_but]

On 3/14/2020 at 5:16 AM, Blooming Genius said:

I don't think it is a wodyetia but it has similar leaf structure, I have seen a few Phoenix Sylvesters produce multiple heads first they look sick then pop out new heads. Did your palm do this? go through a wilt or look of decline before growing an extra head? 

its normal for most phoenix palms to grow suckers from the sides, though they are usually cut off

[greysrigging]

On 3/14/2020 at 9:46 PM, Blooming Genius said:

I don't think it is a wodyetia but it has similar leaf structure, I have seen a few Phoenix Sylvesters produce multiple heads first they look sick then pop out new heads. Did your palm do this? go through a wilt or look of decline before growing an extra head? 

I think its a Queensland Black Palm..... Normanbya normanbyi. Can't say I noticed anything out of the ordinary until I ventured up onto the roof 12 months ago to do a ham radio antenna installation for my son.

Edited March 17, 2020 by greysrigging
addition to post.

[NOT A TA]

I've noticed several Syagrus romanzoffiana around here with multiple growing point that started splitting way up high. Here's one on the right in pic below I check on regularly that gets no special treatment. Doesn't even get irrigation during droughts.

 

[greysrigging]

2 hours ago, NOT A TA said:

I've noticed several Syagrus romanzoffiana around here with multiple growing point that started splitting way up high. Here's one on the right in pic below I check on regularly that gets no special treatment. Doesn't even get irrigation during droughts.

 

Well there you go....not ever seen one of these develop 2 heads.... mind you they are not that common in Darwin, although they do ok, flower and set viable fruit in our climate.

Edited March 17, 2020 by greysrigging
addition to post.

[Merlyn]

Somewhere around here I have a photo of another Queen growing a second head.  I think it got torched in the January 2018 cold blast, I noticed it in around March 2018 growing out a second head off to the side.  Over the past year the original head has slowly died off, so it'll probably just end up being single-headed with a weird kink about 25' up.

[tropicbreeze]

It does look like Normanbya. I've seen a lot in habitat but never any with more than one head, that I've noticed.

"Two heads are better than one", but six!!! This Archontophoenix wouldn't have any problems getting a quorum for a meeting.

 

Edited March 18, 2020 by tropicbreeze

[greysrigging]

^^ Outstanding !....that is a beauty !!

 

[tropicbreeze]

 lot of people I know have spoken of branching Hydriastele ramsayi they'd seen. Not common, but not really rare. Found this one myself which decided to excel itself. Counted the trunks at the time and vaguely recall the number seven. But looking at the photo now I only see five. Also note, the first branching is at ground level and could be two plants that germinated up against each other. So, it's either a single five header, or one two header up against a three header.

Always thought I should go back there to see how it's going, if it's survived. Just haven't got around to it. They're quite fire tolerant, but it has been hammered quite a bit.