Dypsis 'Honkona'?

[rprimbs]

I bought this palm years ago as a "Dypsis 'Honkona'" from JD Anderson.  Danny said that it would probably turn out like a Dypsis decipiens.    I confess that I have sort of neglected it -- watered with drip but never fertilized and planted in rock like DG.  The leaves are a little over a meter (4 feet) long so maybe it's big enough to identify.  

The leaves don't seem to be keeled like Dypsis decipiens.

 

[rprimbs]

So what is it?  Is it Dypsis 'Honkona'?

[richnorm]

DD can have a poker straight petiole/rachis.  I would go with Danny's observation.

[rprimbs]

5 hours ago, richnorm said:

DD can have a poker straight petiole/rachis.  I would go with Danny's observation.

Okay, maybe it is.  It's been in the ground for about five years so I think it will safely continue and grow big.  I will fertilize it next year and take pictures when it gets bigger.

[MattyB]

Doesn't look like DD to me.

 

[Tracy]

On 10/14/2019 at 5:16 PM, rprimbs said:

I will fertilize it next year and take pictures when it gets bigger.

 

On 10/16/2019 at 3:10 PM, MattyB said:

Doesn't look like DD to me.

I would agree that it doesn't look like a Dypsis decipiens to me.  Question is whether it looks like it is a Dypsis "honkona".  I got one about 4 years ago from Josh Allen as a 1 gallon, which if I recall he brought in from Floribunda.  It has a substantial heel, but has been pretty slow as many Dypsis can be at this size in California.  I'm curious what others experience is both locally in California and in other climates where it grows faster.  Do either Mr. Primbs or mine look like anyone else's known D. honkona at the younger stages?

[LJG]

The JD Andersen “Honkona” grows into the plant many are calling the Blue Decipiens. Also the stiff-leaf DD. Whether or not it’s a true DD and not something else, that needs to be figured out in Hawaii as this plant is flowering. The new “Honkona” you have Tracy,  I am almost convinced it is a hybrid with Dypsis “Bef”. In fact it grows very much like Bef. Suchin told me the seed came off their true Honkona, but this certainly isn’t straight Honkona like you find in Dennis Willoughby’s yard. This new one is a solid grower and handled sun very quickly. Looks like it will be a real winner here. 

[Tracy]

45 minutes ago, LJG said:

The new “Honkona” you have Tracy,  I am almost convinced it is a hybrid with Dypsis “Bef”. In fact it grows very much like Bef. Suchin told me the seed came off their true Honkona, but this certainly isn’t straight Honkona like you find in Dennis Willoughby’s yard. This new one is a solid grower and handled sun very quickly. Looks like it will be a real winner here. 

Thank you for that insight Len.  I waited a bit to put my D "Honkona" into the ground which may be why it has been at least as slow as my D "Bef" was at this stage.  I haven't seen any hybrid vigor thus far.  It also does not exhibit the white color on the rachis that my D "Bef" has, at least at this stage.  Some white turning to yellow on the newly opening leaf's rachis on my D "honkona", but not the same.  Maybe with some additional time it will pick up.  Are you growing it here in California or is your knowledge more from the specimens still at Floribunda from this potential hybrid?  I don't know if Josh kept any or sold all he brought in from Floribunda,  but I don't remember him having many of this particular plant when I picked up mine.

[LJG]

4 hours ago, Tracy said:

Thank you for that insight Len.  I waited a bit to put my D "Honkona" into the ground which may be why it has been at least as slow as my D "Bef" was at this stage.  I haven't seen any hybrid vigor thus far.  It also does not exhibit the white color on the rachis that my D "Bef" has, at least at this stage.  Some white turning to yellow on the newly opening leaf's rachis on my D "honkona", but not the same.  Maybe with some additional time it will pick up.  Are you growing it here in California or is your knowledge more from the specimens still at Floribunda from this potential hybrid?  I don't know if Josh kept any or sold all he brought in from Floribunda,  but I don't remember him having many of this particular plant when I picked up mine.

I grow it. Planted in full Vista sun too. I do know for certainly it is not the original Honkona everyone gets excited about when they see in Marcus garden or Dennis garden. So either accidental seed mix up or hybrid. I see a lot of Bef in this plant. Just me, but that’s what my guess is. Here is an older photo of the Honkona plant that first came around at Dennis house. You see nothing alike. 

“Honkona” is just another of the numerous Malagasy palm import follies where different plants get the same common local name. ‘Ambanja” and “Betafaka” type deals. 
 

 

[John hovancsek]

This palm looks a lot like hovomastiana when trunking 

[Hilo Jason]

Tracy,

I agree with Len that what you have is most likely a hybrid and probably crossed with Sp. Bef. The seeding “Hankona / Honkona” at Floribunda is next to a big seeding Sp Bef.

Here is a small “true” Hankona from Floribunda. The leaflets are plumose early on and seems like this is not a fast grower, even here in Hilo.  Planted from a 1 gallon pot a year or so ago.  Soda can for scale.

here’s the “hybrid”, planted not too long before I planted the “true” form.  This one is much faster.  Same soda can for scale.

 

[Hilo Jason]

And here’s a larger “hybrid” form. Split into 2, just like Sp. Bef splits. Getting very colorful.  

[Palm Tree Jim]

Jason, this hybrid is killer!

[Firepalm]

On 6/11/2020 at 6:18 AM, Palm Tree Jim said:

Jason, this hybrid is killer!

I second that Jim! Does anyone know if there are any available in SoCal?

[BS Man about Palms]

On 6/11/2020 at 2:10 AM, Hilo Jason said:

And here’s a larger “hybrid” form. Split into 2, just like Sp. Bef splits. Getting very colorful.  

[Hilo Jason]

On 6/10/2020 at 11:10 PM, Hilo Jason said:

And here’s a larger “hybrid” form. Split into 2, just like Sp. Bef splits. Getting very colorful.  

Updated photos, not even 2 years later. I honestly have no idea what this plant is. This is different than what I believe are Dypsis Hankona hybrids that come available from time to time through Floribunda. This plant never had a heal and went vertical very quick. Hankona hybrids have heals and take some time to get trunk (even though they are still fast) 

 

[Hilo Jason]

On 6/10/2020 at 11:07 PM, Hilo Jason said:

Tracy,

I agree with Len that what you have is most likely a hybrid and probably crossed with Sp. Bef. The seeding “Hankona / Honkona” at Floribunda is next to a big seeding Sp Bef.

Here is a small “true” Hankona from Floribunda. The leaflets are plumose early on and seems like this is not a fast grower, even here in Hilo.  Planted from a 1 gallon pot a year or so ago.  Soda can for scale.

here’s the “hybrid”, planted not too long before I planted the “true” form.  This one is much faster.  Same soda can for scale.

 

And here are the updated photos for this one. The true Hankona posted above is honestly about the same size so I didn’t even take a new photo of it. Very slow.

 
But the Hybrid has kept regular leaflets and is growing fast now.  I have a few more of these in pots and I believe this is the plant people have if they’ve gotten “Hankona” from Floribunda that doesn’t have plumose leaflets (like the true version has). 
 

size 10 shoe for scale

entire plant, probably 12-15 feet tall. Planted out from a 1 gallon about 3 years ago 

[Brian mac]

On 6/11/2020 at 5:10 AM, Hilo Jason said:

And here’s a larger “hybrid” form. Split into 2, just like Sp. Bef splits. Getting very colorful.  

Hey Jason any idea when any dypsis seeds will be available. Thanks sir 

[rprimbs]

Wow, those are nice!  I hope mine becomes colorful like that!  I've been neglecting this poor little palm.    Now I am motivated to fertilize it!

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, Hilo Jason said:

The leaflets on this seem to resemble the one I got from Josh that came from Floribunda.  Very nice structure, but obviously not the speed demon here that it is on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Thanks for sharing all the photos.  The one that split, actually makes me think of a hybrid with D ambositrae, for what that is worth.  Something to consider.

[Tracy]

On 6/9/2020 at 7:59 AM, Tracy said:

Question is whether it looks like it is a Dypsis "honkona".  I got one about 4 years ago from Josh Allen as a 1 gallon, which if I recall he brought in from Floribunda.  It has a substantial heel, but has been pretty slow as many Dypsis can be at this size in California.  I'm curious what others experience is both locally in California and in other climates where it grows faster.  Do either Mr. Primbs or mine look like anyone else's known D. honkona at the younger stages?

 

On 3/6/2022 at 1:21 PM, Hilo Jason said:

entire plant, probably 12-15 feet tall. Planted out from a 1 gallon about 3 years ago 

Updated photos of the one I am growing here acquired as Dypsis "Honkona" which is now some sort of Chrysalidocarpus.  Definitely not showing signs of being plumose if that is what the real deal should look like.  It is starting to show some color but appears quite different to me than my Chrysalidocarpus sp. "Bef" which was mentioned as a possible hybridizer in the listing above.  Will just have to continue watching to see how this develops.  It's been relatively slow, but not my slowest.

[Hilo Jason]

Your palm is looking great Tracy!  My large one referenced in this thread has a lot of seed on it. I’m hoping some will end up germinating. 
 

And just for kicks, here’s another “Hankona” that is showing some really nice red coloring. I have 2 of these like this. 

 

[Tracy]

Jason,  you need to share an updated photo of the one that provided seed recently.   I like the new ones with the color.  You will need to plant them in a prominent position in the new garden.  I hope things are progressing well with the house project too!

[Hilo Jason]

On 3/6/2022 at 11:16 AM, Hilo Jason said:

Updated photos, not even 2 years later. I honestly have no idea what this plant is. This is different than what I believe are Dypsis Hankona hybrids that come available from time to time through Floribunda. This plant never had a heal and went vertical very quick. Hankona hybrids have heals and take some time to get trunk (even though they are still fast) 

 

As requested by Tracy, here are some updated photos of this mystery palm. Now seeding. Fingers crossed for some germination. 
 

 

[Hilo Jason]

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

And here are the updated photos for this one. The true Hankona posted above is honestly about the same size so I didn’t even take a new photo of it. Very slow.

 
But the Hybrid has kept regular leaflets and is growing fast now.  I have a few more of these in pots and I believe this is the plant people have if they’ve gotten “Hankona” from Floribunda that doesn’t have plumose leaflets (like the true version has). 
 

size 10 shoe for scale

entire plant, probably 12-15 feet tall. Planted out from a 1 gallon about 3 years ago 

Updated photos of this Hankona Hybrid. Size 10 shoe for scale. Too big to get a photo of it all but still no sign of the first ring of trunk! 

 

[Hilo Jason]

On 12/22/2023 at 4:44 AM, Tracy said:

Jason,  you need to share an updated photo of the one that provided seed recently.   I like the new ones with the color.  You will need to plant them in a prominent position in the new garden.  I hope things are progressing well with the house project too!

Yeah these red ones will get a priority spot near the new house. Build is going well. Foundation is almost done (3 of 4 concrete pours are complete) and framing has started on the lower level of the house. Exciting to see it come together! 

[richnorm]

Have there been any Hankona come out as expected?  Could Hankona actually be a hybrid itself?

[Hilo Jason]

4 hours ago, richnorm said:

Have there been any Hankona come out as expected?  Could Hankona actually be a hybrid itself?

Early on in this thread you can see a photo of a plant I got that I believe to be a "true" hankona.  They are plumose from a very young age and seem to be extremely slow.  

[richnorm]

1 hour ago, Hilo Jason said:

Early on in this thread you can see a photo of a plant I got that I believe to be a "true" hankona.  They are plumose from a very young age and seem to be extremely slow.  

Ah, so that's not from the original seed source.  Potted palms here from that source (from the mid-90's) are still that size!