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My vent about one of most hated palms


KentiaPalm

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45 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

I am in agreement with this.  

 video I made of our locals. 

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"it's not dead it's sleeping"

Santee ca, zone10a/9b

18 miles from the ocean

avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

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1 hour ago, JLM said:

On the plus side, Sabal Palmettos look like dandelions!

2020-02-16 (2).png

2020-02-16 (3).png

Dandelions look like a Copernicia alba :)

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@sarasota alex wow it does lol

Palms - 4 S. romanzoffiana, 1 W. bifurcata, 2 W. robusta, 1 R. rivularis, 1 B. odorata, 1 B. nobilis, 2 S. palmetto, 1 A. merillii, 1 P. canariensis, 1 BxJ, 1 BxJxBxS, 1 BxS, 3 P. roebelenii, 1 H. lagenicaulis, 1 H. verschaffeltii, 9 T. fortunei, 1 C. humilis, 2 C. macrocarpa, 1 L. chinensis, 1 R. excelsa

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As a parent to both of these trees I must say I don’t mind either of them especially D. decaryi, but Queens are indeed very needy. I don’t mean to come off as trite,  but all palms do hold their own beauties. Triangle palms almost look like a regal and prim shuttlecock of feathers from a masquerade, while a well grown Queen looks like a gentle yet sentinel like palm with dark green plumes as « feathers ».

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On 2/18/2020 at 5:19 PM, KentiaPalm said:

To each your own on taste and preference in particular palm species used in the landscape.

Triangle Palms (Dypsis Decaryi) is hideous.

It looks like it came off the side of a dirt road covered in dust suffering from a fungal disease on it’s mutated/bludgeoned crownshaft.
 

I prefer my Bismarckias and Archontophoenix thank you

opinions anyone?

I agree with u 100%. Triangle palms are ugly. I hate their growth habit. 

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Nope, don’t dislike any palm. I’ve still got 3 Washies that were here when we bought the place. They’re beautiful, although a bit costly to maintain because of their size. But they make up for it by being perfectly spaced for 2 hammocks strung between them. Spent many comfortable hours drifting off underneath them. My late uncle was an early member of the IPS (originally from WW2 era Germany) and described his love for most any well grown palm as the “elegance “ they provided in the landscape. My opinion as well..

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Bret

 

Coastal canyon area of San Diego

 

"In the shadow of the Cross"

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On 2/18/2020 at 7:15 PM, James B said:

Nothing is uglier than a Washingtonia or Sabal or any fan palm. I’ll take Dracaryi any day over a fan palm.

licualata is the only exception lol.

God, there are so many incredibly beautiful fan palm species. I’ve never heard anyone make such a blanket statement about them before. 

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Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

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Elegant Homes and Gardens

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58 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

God, there are so many incredibly beautiful fan palm species. I’ve never heard anyone make such a blanket statement about them before. 

Agreed. Also it helps the overall look of the landscape to have a mixture. 

Edited by Jeff985
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Feather palms are indeed graceful and add a soft texture to the landscape with the idea of coconuts fronds.

whereas fan palms like cabbage palms which are a dime a dozen in Florida are not as dramatic adding a courser/xeric looking texture to the landscape ,

but Jeff’s absolutely right , take them out and your perfect exotic palm garden would be missing something...

James B you are also entitled to your opinion like I am about decaryi lol 

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5 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

God, there are so many incredibly beautiful fan palm species. I’ve never heard anyone make such a blanket statement about them before. 

I used to be in that camp, mostly because of the weedlike nature of the saw palmettos that infested my backyard for years.  They'd slice my arms up by just looking at them from across the yard, I swear!!!  I still have mostly feather palms, but added a bunch of different Livistona, Copernicia, Coccothrinax and non-razor-sharp Sabals.  :D 

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5 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

God, there are so many incredibly beautiful fan palm species. I’ve never heard anyone make such a blanket statement about them before. 

I agree. Ive been to gardens where they only planted pinnate palms and they look bland and boring. Fan palms break up the monotony. Huge sabals and bizmarks create a focal point that i dont see many pinnate palms being able to achieve. kerriodoxa, licuala, rhapis, coccothirinax, lodoicea, copernicia ect... are incredible.  To each their own I guess. 

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"it's not dead it's sleeping"

Santee ca, zone10a/9b

18 miles from the ocean

avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

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I am always a fan of washingtionia filifera, one of the truly grand palms as it ages.   I wont grow queens or decaryi here and I wont grow brahea armata or washingtonia filifera here either.  I have tortured quite a few species of palms trying to make them conform to my environment, and watching them struggle was not enjoyable.   I once grew some nice queens because they were the only feather palm available that could take 9a in the desert.  If I had to live there again I would go all mule palms and beccariophoenix alfredii because I think they can be happy with less maintenance and look better anyway.

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Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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9 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

God, there are so many incredibly beautiful fan palm species. I’ve never heard anyone make such a blanket statement about them before. 

Jim I would add I do find Bismarckia to be attractive due to its color and to a lesser degree Chamaerops. Overall though fan palms are not my cup of tea.

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On 2/18/2020 at 5:19 PM, KentiaPalm said:

 

It looks like it came off the side of a dirt road covered in dust suffering from a fungal disease on it’s mutated/bludgeoned crownshaft.
 

I prefer my Bismarckias and Archontophoenix thank you

 

On 2/19/2020 at 7:37 AM, LJG said:

 

I’ve said it before. If Decaryi were super rare, it would be one of the most desirable palms around. Well grown ones are gorgeous and nothing else looks like them

So what some see as a fungal disease on it's mutated/bludgeoned crownshaft, others find unique and beautiful.  I personally find a garden with only pinnate crownshafted similar looking palms a little boring.  Variety in shape, color, pinnate/palmate leafs, size and mixtures of other plants provide the most appealing plantings.  A palm garden without companion plants that have different shapes and sizes would also get boring.  So my Dypsis decaryi is right up front, oriented so it's grey/green leaves don't protrude into the walkway, contrasting against a greener decipiens, and yes, a fan palm (Pritchardia maideniana), with Cycads, Aloes and succulents in proximity.  Given that my garden is in a climate that would otherwise be a coastal desert, I've elected to complement my palms with more drought tolerant plantings in many places.

While I'm not a fan of Washingtonia's in or near my garden, nor Phoenix roebelenii or queen palms, it isn't because they lack beauty.  It is that they are overused in my area.  I do have to say I find it perplexing that someone can be a palm fan and make a blanket statement about hating the palmate species  (yes pun intended).  There are so many spectacular palmate palms that others have mentioned and many many more.  The variety offered between just a few genus of palmate palms like Coccothrinax, Pritchardia, Copernicia and Licuala is spectacular.  The ability to use these to contrast with crownshafted pinnate palms is endless.  I guess that's why my wife calls me a palm geek.

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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24 minutes ago, Tracy said:

 

So what some see as a fungal disease on it's mutated/bludgeoned crownshaft, others find unique and beautiful.  I personally find a garden with only pinnate crownshafted similar looking palms a little boring.  Variety in shape, color, pinnate/palmate leafs, size and mixtures of other plants provide the most appealing plantings.  A palm garden without companion plants that have different shapes and sizes would also get boring.  So my Dypsis decaryi is right up front, oriented so it's grey/green leaves don't protrude into the walkway, contrasting against a greener decipiens, and yes, a fan palm (Pritchardia maideniana), with Cycads, Aloes and succulents in proximity.  Given that my garden is in a climate that would otherwise be a coastal desert, I've elected to complement my palms with more drought tolerant plantings in many places.

While I'm not a fan of Washingtonia's in or near my garden, nor Phoenix roebelenii or queen palms, it isn't because they lack beauty.  It is that they are overused in my area.  I do have to say I find it perplexing that someone can be a palm fan and make a blanket statement about hating the palmate species  (yes pun intended).  There are so many spectacular palmate palms that others have mentioned and many many more.  The variety offered between just a few genus of palmate palms like Coccothrinax, Pritchardia, Copernicia and Licuala is spectacular.  The ability to use these to contrast with crownshafted pinnate palms is endless.  I guess that's why my wife calls me a palm geek.

Couldn’t agree more. While I love archontophoenix, kentopsis, various dypsis, etc. even to palm enthusiast they look similar. To no enthusiast they look the same. When someone looks around at the garden it doesn’t take long for their eyes to stop wandering. Mixing it up with pinnate, palmate, crownshaft, non crownshaft, gray trunks, brown trunks, curved trunks, straight trunks, smooth trunks, not so smooth trunks, green fronds, gray fronds, towering palms, dwarf palms adds depth. Throw in some bird of paradise, bananas, red bananas, philodendron, bamboo, etc. and now your eyes can’t stop looking around, trying to take it all in. There is an art to creating a lush tropical garden. Variety and placement is essential. I would agree that all palms can look good if properly placed and cared for. Some just require more strategic placement than others. 

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With Syagrus weddelianum and a Carpentaria trunk (seedling that didn't get removed), back corner of the yard.  Live oak leaves in the foreground.  What's not to like?

 

911522273_DypsisdecaryibackyardFeb2020.thumb.jpg.5054da6f68372b8c82cd72ce50071977.jpgWith 

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Fla. climate center: 100-119 days>85 F
USDA 1990 hardiness zone 9B
Current USDA hardiness zone 10a
4 km inland from Indian River; 27º N (equivalent to Brisbane)

Central Orlando's urban heat island may be warmer than us

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I dont hate any palms.  But I laugh when I hear someone generalize feathers are better than fans.   Most who first come into the hobby go right for the feathers because they are more tropical looking(though sabal mauritiiformis may be very close).  I have many of both because they complement each other.  The feathers have(mostly) nice green crowns and can have beautiful trunks.  I have satakentia, kentiopsis, achrontophoenix(4sp), dypsis, and they are gorgeous.  But out front the giant fans reflect the sun with a variety of color tones from blue green to silver blue.  Their leaf colors are more reflective in the sun, making them glow at dusk.  Bismarckia and copernicia glow at sunset with greys and light blue greens, a time when many pinnate palms tend to fade to the background.  I'll take mine 1 part fan and 2 parts feather than you!

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Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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1 hour ago, Jeff985 said:

Throw in some bird of paradise, bananas, red bananas, philodendron, bamboo, etc. and now your eyes can’t stop looking around, trying to take it all in.

How do you think I feel in Costa Rica?

I love variation and difference in texture, especially when it’s chaotic.

I see everyone’s points but there’s lots that agree with me and lots that must protest their love and unwise investments towards decaryi .
 

To each there own :innocent: ..... :sick:

image.jpg

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Don’t forget about livistona chinensis. So underrated. Especially when grown in the shade. Not exactly exotic but their trunks that to me resemble coconut trunks and their large canopy with the droopy leaflets, I don’t see how anyone could not like them. 

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4 minutes ago, Jeff985 said:

Don’t forget about livistona chinensis. So underrated. Especially when grown in the shade. Not exactly exotic but their trunks that to me resemble coconut trunks and their large canopy with the droopy leaflets, I don’t see how anyone could not like them. 

So true! Took the words right out of my mouth. 

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The breakdown of the palms species described today is roughly: 18.5% palmate, 81% pinnate, and 0.5% double-pinnate. If you count all of the undescribed species out there, vast majority of which are rainforest species and are pinnate, the true share of palmate palms is probably around 16-17% or 1/6th of all palms. I feel that it's also the perfect ratio to have in a garden 1:5 palmate:pinnate. 

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25 minutes ago, Estlander said:

Common or not, I love Sabals. Yes, over pruned they’re not much to look at. 

 

 

I agree. They’re very common all over the southeast, but still one of my favorites. A healthy one with between 2 and 25 feet of trunk is very attractive. Especially when in the shade. I do think they look disproportionate once they reach a certain height though. At 50+ feet their canopy looks really small. Fortunately it takes a lifetime for them to get to that point. 

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I love Sabal palmetto, whether I am looking at one in Florida or Virginia. 

Edited by PalmTreeDude

PalmTreeDude

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There really isnt many palms that I would hate or even dislike. I may choose to not put certain palms in my yard. Most well grown palms of any species are beautiful. Now I will say this I'm not a fan of branches double and triple headed palms. They look so unnatural to me and I would be bummed if one of my prized palms branched one day haha 

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T J 

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Would it be blasphemous to say I don't like the all-palm look? Or even the all monocot look. To me it's just too loud. Dicots add necessary harmony and balance imo. It's hard to contrast one skinny pinnate palm against a backdrop of more skinny pinnate palms. 

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Jonathan

Katy, TX (Zone 9a)

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1 hour ago, sonoranfans said:

But I laugh when I hear someone generalize feathers are better than fans.   Most who first come into the hobby go right for the feathers because they are more tropical looking(though sabal mauritiiformis may be very close).  I have many of both because they complement each other. 

Yup... part of my Carlsbad back yard paints what you describe.  A costapalmate Sabal mauritiiformis, pinnate Foxy Lady & Chambeyronia, bi-pinnate Caryota, and yes, hiding behind those out of view a Dypsis decaryi and a palmate Pritchardia affinis; agave's, Encephalartos, stretzlia and hibiscus to round things out.  Wish you could see the Dypsis decaryi in the back with it's "mutated bludgeoned crownshaft":mrlooney:.

20190722-104A4319.jpg

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33.0782 North -117.305 West  at 72 feet elevation

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7 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Would it be blasphemous to say I don't like the all-palm look? Or even the all monocot look. To me it's just too loud. Dicots add necessary harmony and balance imo. It's hard to contrast one skinny pinnate palm against a backdrop of more skinny pinnate palms. 

A fair point but it depends on the variety and the overall layout And size of the landscape. If space is limited it can’t be wasted. For me palms are the priority. I will say that I do hate pretty much everything deciduous. If it looks dead for half the year it doesn’t have a home in my yard. 

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1 minute ago, Xenon said:

Would it be blasphemous to say I don't like the all-palm look? Or even the all monocot look. To me it's just too loud. Dicots add necessary harmony and balance imo. It's hard to contrast one skinny pinnate palm against a backdrop of more skinny pinnate palms. 

 Don't know about that, lol  a large Hyphaene thebaica would certainly capture a lot of attention.. Imagine 3 or 4 reasonably maintained, mature specimens towering above other stuff in a big garden.. Wish they grew a bit faster though.

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4 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

 Don't know about that, lol  a large Hyphaene thebaica would certainly capture a lot of attention.. Imagine 3 or 4 reasonably maintained, mature specimens towering above other stuff in a big garden.. Wish they grew a bit faster though.

Think you wanted to quote OC2Texaspalmlvr, he's the Hyphaene hater :P And yes, a mature branched Hyphaene is definitely stunning and one of my faves. 

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Jonathan

Katy, TX (Zone 9a)

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Just now, Xenon said:

Think you wanted to quote OC2Texaspalmlvr, he's the Hyphaene hater :P And yes, a mature branched Hyphaene is definitely stunning and one of my faves. 

Doh! lol..:rolleyes: Good catch :)

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15 minutes ago, Jeff985 said:

I will say that I do hate pretty much everything deciduous. If it looks dead for half the year it doesn’t have a home in my yard. 

Im finding it hard to like Delonix regia in my area Jeff I’ve seen them flower in other places and they are lush and covered in a mass of bloom whereas here in the lowland tropical jungle they are particularly unattractive the almost look deciduous and lack flowers, then again it isn’t the monsoon season.

flamboyant trees people

 

E5F856D7-9D9E-4A50-B425-A299933F5EFE.jpeg

Edited by KentiaPalm
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In my back yard I have a non palm backdrop from my neighbors. The neighbors directly behind me have 3 large live oaks. On one side they have a live oak and an orange tree. On the other side several large untamed hibiscus. I get the backdrop without giving up space. I don’t get the benefit of overhead canopy however except from my queens and  p. sylvestris which don’t provide a lot. 

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I always plant things on purpose to block out people’s ugly views either for privacy or preference.... or both :lol:
 

jeff palms don’t create much of a canopy compared to trees. I mean yes some palms grow to astronomical sizes and shade thins out but in general palms will fill my personal garden 

Edited by KentiaPalm
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6 minutes ago, KentiaPalm said:

I always plant things on purpose to block out people’s ugly views either for privacy or preference.... or both :lol:
 

jeff palms don’t create much of a canopy compared to trees. I mean yes some palms grow to astronomical sizes and shade thins out but in general palms will fill my personal garden 

I agree. I wasn’t suggesting my palms provide a lot of shade. I was simply saying if I want to plant something that would benefit from overhead canopy that’s my only option. I also agree about strategic placement for privacy and blocking out unfavorable views. Luckily at this house I didn’t really have to do that because of my neighbors large trees. 

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7 minutes ago, Jeff985 said:

I agree. I wasn’t suggesting my palms provide a lot of shade. I was simply saying if I want to plant something that would benefit from overhead canopy that’s my only option. I also agree about strategic placement for privacy and blocking out unfavorable views. Luckily at this house I didn’t really have to do that because of my neighbors large trees. 

Exactly. Not plugging this business. That said, he has some funny videos regarding privacy and palms.  Especially palms which produce pups.

 

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

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2 hours ago, Xenon said:

Think you wanted to quote OC2Texaspalmlvr, he's the Hyphaene hater :P And yes, a mature branched Hyphaene is definitely stunning and one of my faves. 

Hah I had to look the palm up cause I had no idea what it was. So that palm looks alot more natural then the pics I have seen of other genus that had branched =/ Once again if a palm is grown well it can be beautiful =) 

unnamed.jpg

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T J 

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3 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

There really isnt many palms that I would hate or even dislike. I may choose to not put certain palms in my yard. Most well grown palms of any species are beautiful. Now I will say this I'm not a fan of branches double and triple headed palms. They look so unnatural to me and I would be bummed if one of my prized palms branched one day haha 

You mean like this Normanbya normanbyi in my back yard ? :greenthumb:
82281309_3225612447455502_4737784617560440832_n.jpg.ee1cef1596280d05a1fcccb48654d71e.jpg82634366_3225612440788836_213065218656305152_n.jpg.f78e0c5929099d5a24892e44123f0b3b.jpg83171307_3243156749034405_2963570727510343680_n.jpg.33846db5cc86bf3012a9376f6c41c8b3.jpg83645251_3225612437455503_5769653714470043648_n.jpg.da70559b25b6c7281ff6f7519ef16e4c.jpg84600771_3243156829034397_8756445728127057920_n.jpg.80775d71a0248a370d88db58132792ec.jpg
It's at least 25 years old....then commenced a double head ?

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