Cyrtostachys sp. 'Hybrid' - A Quick View

[Palmarum]

This is one specimen of the Cyrtostachys sp. 'Hybrid' growing in Jeff Searle's yard, as we toured it during the traditional 'Post Tour' after the Fall 'Ganza a couple weeks ago. I was looking through my photos and thought it could use its own topic before the regular topic is started. This is one of the more unique color forms I have seen among the hybrid complex and it is quite impressive when you see it in person. The colorful trunks are smooth and very glossy and the crownshafts are a perfect shade of orange-yellow. The tallest main stem was carrying an inflorescence, but it was difficult to photograph from the ground and not much in the way of detail could be discerned. To sum it up, it was weird looking. We could not tell if it had flowered, was flowering or was going to flower. A tall ladder was going to be needed for a better inspection and more photos. For now though, it was total eye candy.

- A view from the patio with Jim Glock for scale. The tour had just started and the palm was the second or third stop.

- Closer to the base and the diverse span of color. The clump was all suckers and no stolons. The trunks look like they had been air-brushed with paint and later buffed to a high shine. Since this palm took 29ºF (-1.7ºC) without any damage when it was a small plant, I wonder what it could handle now.

Ryan

[GottmitAlex]

I watched that video when it came out. What a magnificent palm specimen.

 

[John hovancsek]

I almost prefer this over renda. It is an amazing palm and hope mine will look like it one day

[bubba]

That is one impressive specimen! Does Jeff sell those and how fast do they grow?

[palmsOrl]

Wow!! Just..wow.  Thank you so much for sharing these photos of a mature clump.

[palmsOrl]

1 hour ago, bubba said:

That is one impressive specimen! Does Jeff sell those and how fast do they grow?

He sure does and they are significantly faster and more cold hardy than Cyrtostachys renda.

I think the hybrid is arguably as striking as Cyrtostachys renda.  Apple is very uniquely striking with its striped crownsafts and Theodora Butler is probably the most beautiful of all between the purple trunk and bright reddish orange cronshafts with striping.

[Neil C]

Amazing cold tolerance!!! Is renda an easy grow in southern Florida?

 

Regards Neil

[Valhallalla]

Fantastic palm! I got to see the specimen at Jeff's nursery a few weeks ago which is similar in size but not in the best location (crowded) for photos. Maybe I'll have the opportunity to see this one too some day. He had a few of this hybrid for sale but I just couldn't pull the trigger. Unfortunately this one seems to be a clumper not a runner but maybe that inflorescence will eventually provide seed. I enjoyed learning the story behind it and other Cyrtostachys variations and hybrids including the spectacular "Teddy Buehler" version.

Plain old boring C. renda can be grown in south Florida but it is hardly an easy grow. It is not really a fast grower to begin with and very much needs protection during the occasional cold events we get. I lost a ~20 year old 12-15 footer in January 2010 when I failed to take action to protect it from the extended cold we had. For this reason most people here keep them in containers so they can be moved when needed.

[Bigfish]

That’s really nice!  What’s the parentage?

[Palmarum]

2 hours ago, Bigfish said:

That’s really nice!  What’s the parentage?

I have a few ideas. It has been an ongoing puzzle and a fun one at that. The range in color forms makes me think there might have been more than two parents in the mix...

The plot thickens and so does the gene pool. All I have to go on is past descriptions of the parent or parents and what the offspring have been doing. The original parents are now under several feet of recently-made igneous rock.

Ryan

[GottmitAlex]

Does Jeff Searle know who the parents are?

[Palmarum]

22 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

Does Jeff Searle know who the parents are?

We have been both chewing on the possibilities for a while. His ideas are similar to mine, plus new discoveries about the hybrids seem to pop up at the strangest moments. Jeff might have an opportunity to learn more in the near future by way of a particular meeting.

Ryan

[Valhallalla]

I think we're gonna need to get Jerry Springer involved in order to determine the parentage.

[Bigfish]

1 hour ago, Valhallalla said:

I think we're gonna need to get Jerry Springer involved in order to determine the parentage.

That’s Maury Povich’s schtick now, lol!