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Rhopalostylis affectionados, seen this before?


cbmnz

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Feeling very lucky  to be in one of the few places that might be Covid free now (no new cases in entire country for 16 days straight), decided it was time to give the local managed nature reserve some revenue to walk round the premier enclosure for first time in ages. As with no international visitors their revenue is going to dive.

Anyway, noticed something unusual on a grand old R. Sapia that has spent its life under the canopy. It is pushing two unopened spears at same time. I have never noticed that before on a  Rhopalostylis, has anyone else?

Bonus picture is of a native pigeon perching/feeding just above another nice specimen.

 

 

 

 

20200607_161817.jpgtwo_spears.jpg

20200607_162804.jpg

Edited by cbmnz
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It’s hard to see in these photos but virtually all of my Rhopalostylis shoot double spears. :)

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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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Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

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I've never actually noticed how many spears nikau push out even after being in many thick forests of them.

Speaking for oneself we probably don't usually notice or see spears on established Nikau around NZ cites and gardens due to height and nature of upright shuttlecock shape where the spear is tightly surrounded by other fronds. But in this case and many other canopy situations the Nikau almost looks like another species with low arching graceful fronds, so it's probably more noticeable.

I found a pic I took last may of one that appears to have two spears:

image.thumb.jpg.de3706d01c4d12e998d00ee09d60e409.jpg

Still can't get over how beautiful these palms are in in a dense grove beneath canopy...

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20190531_093417.thumb.jpg.6c3765a6bab5f5b415f5f42e24735805.jpg

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Sipalms, thanks for posting , habitat shots are the best ! :greenthumb:

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San Francisco, California

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Be funny if this was common and I never noticed until now. As sipalms said, most of the time don't get to see the new spear as it's up high and surrounded by a tight cone of newer fronds. I checked every other Nikau on the remainder of the track and did not see another double spear. Interesting question is why the palm does it, as by not opening the first spear before pushing the next it's getting no photosynthesis.  Be interesting if there is a seasonal correlation to it.

 

 

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1 hour ago, cbmnz said:

Be funny if this was common and I never noticed until now. As sipalms said, most of the time don't get to see the new spear as it's up high and surrounded by a tight cone of newer fronds. I checked every other Nikau on the remainder of the track and did not see another double spear. Interesting question is why the palm does it, as by not opening the first spear before pushing the next it's getting no photosynthesis.  Be interesting if there is a seasonal correlation to it.

 

 

My small Chatham Island form already pushes 2 at a time and it’s only about 1m tall. I don’t know many adult palms at all that only push one spear and open before the next comes, it’s just that sometimes it isn’t as noticeable because the second spear is fused to the first in some species. 

Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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Have 6 Rhopies, 3 Chatham are coming up on 2 years in the ground, will be watching with interest when they start to double spear.

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One of my nikau is doing it now. I see this a lot in my kentias too.

Haven't been out on any native reserve tracks since the lock down started so I tried doing a painting of some nikau instead lol.

IMG_20200610_132235[1].jpg

painting.jpg

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Mine tend to do the double spear thing. One is more advanced than the other though and they start off fused together. A few weeks after separation the longer one opens and the cycle continues.

Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

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On 6/7/2020 at 3:54 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

It’s hard to see in these photos but virtually all of my Rhopalostylis shoot double spears. :)

C3C0B0F0-39E2-42CB-A90D-9A3ABA95BAA1.thumb.png.61ee943af755daef9539dd4c9a2c52b8.png

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Jim, your garden is really bewdiful, with palms Clivias and bananas, or are they heliconias? 

 

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Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

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8 hours ago, Tyrone said:

Jim, your garden is really bewdiful, with palms Clivias and bananas, or are they heliconias? 

 

Hi Tyrone, Thanks you! I have some Heliconia but that ringed trunk on the left side of picture #2 is Strelitzia nicolai (Giant Bird of Paradise). 

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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

Facebook Page

Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

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@cbmnz you lucky expletive.

Such a habitat!

More? Kiwis, all the rest, who cares about the Hobbits . . . .

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On 6/13/2020 at 2:07 AM, Jim in Los Altos said:

Hi Tyrone, Thanks you! I have some Heliconia but that ringed trunk on the left side of picture #2 is Strelitzia nicolai (Giant Bird of Paradise). 

Strelitzia nicolai are bullet proof and quite tropical looking for the non tropical climates. I’ve got a few planted around the place too. I need to plant a couple of jubaeopsis in amongst them to give them that authentic subtropical South African look.

Also I agree with Dave. Kiwis post up those nikau pics. We never tire of them.

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Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

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Here’s a Rhopalostylis baueri of mine doing the double spear thingy.

62BFF9C2-EDC0-443D-B762-D48A431E40C3.jpeg

1A343B06-B0B8-4D63-9618-FCA03EA60DC4.jpeg

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Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

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