SW FL find! Hydriastele beguinii 'Obi Island' 7g

[PalmatierMeg 5,450]

Yesterday my husband and I drove down to Driftwood Garden Center in Estero, FL, to buy several 4-cu-ft bags of perlite to use in a repotting project. I wandered around the nursery but didn't see anything but the usual suspects until I saw two rare tropical palms in 7g pots: Hydriastele beguinii 'Obi Island'. Palms like this don't exist in SWFL where queens, foxtails and ubiquitous Christmas palms reign supreme. I sell seeds and seedlings all year in hopes I find treasures like this. I bought one and we bundled it home in the bed of our pickup. I almost feel bad about breaking up the pair but perhaps a PTer in SWFL will spring for the one left behind.

I plan to plant it in deep shade in the back yard jungle come spring to keep our Hydriastele dransfieldii company. Right now it sits on the back lanai where we can haul it indoors if the predicted cold front hits this weekend. See photos below

Hydriastele beguinii 'Obi Island', 7g, Cape Coral, FL

[Tracy 4,594]

5 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I wandered around the nursery but didn't see anything but the usual suspects until I saw two rare tropical palms in 7g pots: Hydriastele beguinii 'Obi Island'. Palms like this don't exist in SWFL where queens, foxtails and ubiquitous Christmas palms reign supreme. I sell seeds and seedlings all year in hopes I find treasures like this. I bought one and we bundled it home in the bed of our pickup.

Nice find.  Every once in a while one finds some unusual things at "regular nurseries".  I have a couple of nurseries in the neighborhood that surprise me with some gems once in a while.  They are close enough to stop in when out walking the dog, so the staff know us pretty well and don't mind if we walk through without purchasing.  Not very often do I find unusual palms at these places though.

[Mike Evans 517]

Hi Meg, you are going to really enjoy this palm in your garden.  I got one as a gift from another local collector about 2 years ago.  Now I owe him a variegated Foxy Lady.   I put it in the ground next to a Pelagodoxa, under some canopy.  Should do good in your area.   Love it!

 

[PalmatierMeg 5,450]

Mike, yours is absolutely stellar! Thanks for the input. I do have a young one in a 2g but it's got a long way to go. If you have a chance to get H. dransfieldii, grab it. Mine is going into its 3rd winter in the jungle after it outgrew our lanai. The leather leaf Hydriasteles have great potential here. My H. affinis just moved to a 2g and I have great hopes for it.

[redant 1,043]

These are really beautiful, I got several from HI shipped small, they are growing fast and easy. Mine are still in pots so they will be nice and warm come the x-mas cold front.