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Favorite genus?


ahosey01

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What is your favorite palm genus and why?

The more I plant and learn, the more I’m partial to Sabal.

I like that they run the gamut from small (minor) to large (causiarum), that they range from bomb-proof (sp. Birmingham) to tender (mauritiiformis), that some can take full, melt-your-face AZ desert temps (120+) and that others can survive dips into the single digits, and some (uresana) can do both.  I like that they’re slow growers - makes the large ones more satisfying. And last, I like the costapalmate leaves.  It’s like having the best of both worlds in leaflet arrangement.

Whats yours?

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Hedyscepe.........Recurved and keeled fronds, crownshaft, self-cleaning fronds,  but not so heavy as to cause damage, most beautiful blue-green trunk, huge, bright red seeds. 

                          Downside ?   can be erratic grower, (might or might not grow for you),  slow growing, occasionally subject to root pathogens, requires regular moisture

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San Francisco, California

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As much as I respect your opinion and Darold's, you are both incorrect. :D

In terms of things I can grow here - how can Chambeyronia not be everyone's absolute favorite?

Maybe Cyrtostachys if we include things I have zero chance of growing?

Certainly, I have never understood the Cocos obsession...I mean they are nice and all, but not like an "epic" palm in my mind.

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Ben Rogers

On the border of Concord & Clayton in the East Bay hills - Elev 387 ft 37.95 °N, 121.94 °W

My back yard weather station: http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=37.954%2C-121.945&sp=KCACONCO37

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12 hours ago, ahosey01 said:

What is your favorite palm genus and why?

The more I plant and learn, the more I’m partial to Sabal.

I like that they run the gamut from small (minor) to large (causiarum), that they range from bomb-proof (sp. Birmingham) to tender (mauritiiformis), that some can take full, melt-your-face AZ desert temps (120+) and that others can survive dips into the single digits, and some (uresana) can do both.  I like that they’re slow growers - makes the large ones more satisfying. And last, I like the costapalmate leaves.  It’s like having the best of both worlds in leaflet arrangement.

Whats yours?

I don't have a favorite yet, but Sabal is a strong contender for the reasons given.

Mature Sabals are very impressive, especially in person..

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Trachycarpus, because I am hateful.

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Andrei W. Konradi, Burlingame, California.  Vicarious appreciator of palms in other people's gardens and in habitat

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I'm pretty into Copernicia these days, It's a real shame I have no chance in hell of growing them.

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Love the Australian Archontophoenix as a underutilized genus in this area but one I have learned to appreciate for their practicality and beauty.

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Hydriastele - incredibly diverse group of palms.

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El Oasis - beach garden, distinct wet/dry season ,year round 20-38c

Las Heliconias - jungle garden ,800m elevation,150+ inches rainfall, year round 15-28c

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1 hour ago, Ben in Norcal said:

 

In terms of things I can grow here - how can Chambeyronia not be everyone's absolute favorite?

I greatly admire this palm, but I believe my yard is too cool for acceptable growth.  

Ben, how many fronds do you get per year on each palm ??

 

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San Francisco, California

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10 minutes ago, Darold Petty said:

I greatly admire this palm, but I believe my yard is too cool for acceptable growth.  

Ben, how many fronds do you get per year on each palm ??

 

Not being funny, but have you tried it Darold?  At best 1-2 fronds a year even here where we have all the heat you could want.

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Ben Rogers

On the border of Concord & Clayton in the East Bay hills - Elev 387 ft 37.95 °N, 121.94 °W

My back yard weather station: http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=37.954%2C-121.945&sp=KCACONCO37

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What?

JUST ONE???

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Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Wait 

Dypsis 

such variety 

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Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Hyphaene currently, seems to be under appreciated ....

also enjoy Brahea, Borassus, Livistona , Acrocomia , some Sabal......

as far as the more tropical....Dypsis 

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3 hours ago, Really full garden said:

Hydriastele - incredibly diverse group of palms.

Have to agree with this. Some of my favorite palms period are the rainforest emergents like H. costata and H. longispatha. But there's also the more petite and delicate understory stuff like H. beguinii, the stately H. ramsayi that comes from drier habitat, and even the semi-aquatic H. rheophytica.

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Jonathan

Katy, TX (Zone 9a)

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Cocos nucifera....

I know. It's not the rarest. In fact, it's the most common in the world. 

However, I still love 'em.

 

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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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Sabal.

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Hesperia,Southern CA (High Desert area). Zone 8b

Elevation; about 3600 ft.

Lowest temp. I can expect each year 19/20*f lowest since I've been growing palms *13(2007) Hottest temp. Each year *106

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8 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

I greatly admire this palm, but I believe my yard is too cool for acceptable growth.  

Ben, how many fronds do you get per year on each palm ??

 

I have Chambeyronia macrocarpa growing in pots which are kept outside 95% of the year and they grow fairly well in the cool weather here (uk) so I’d be surprised if they didn’t do well in your area :) 

grown from seed they have actually been fairly speedy (at least in uk standards)

James

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For me, favourites are the Ceroxylon, very slow to get going but it’s nice to have some more unusual palms growing outdoors in pots that are very uncommon in this area. 
Slowly expanding my collection of any palm that can grow in the cooler weather here and maybe tolerate a bit of frost. Helps to create interest even if they have to stay in pots their whole lives here. 

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11 hours ago, Ben in Norcal said:

Not being funny, but have you tried it Darold?  At best 1-2 fronds a year even here where we have all the heat you could want.

Now my memory has been jogged, I recall that Keith Jaeger in San Rafael gets only 1-2 fronds per year.  He has plenty of summer daytime warmth. 

I do have 3 five-gallon plants that I am trialing on the patio.

Plantasexoticas.  thanks for your input.  I will be more patient with my plants. 

Here is some 'eye candy' of my Ceroxylon quindiuense. It has about 6-8 meters of trunk now.  (37 years in the ground from a 75 cm plant.)

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San Francisco, California

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Tough to choose just one! Off the top of my head I’ll go with Ravenea. There are a ton of different Ravenea and I like a lot of them. 

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Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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Pinanga licuala and hydrostele are my top 3. It is hard for me to choose one 

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12 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Wait 

Dypsis 

such variety 

I second Dypsis. (Honorable mentions for me are burretiokentia, kentiopsis, cyphophoenix & chambeyronia)

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Phoenix. Extremely spectacular palms and quite cold hardy as well. Canariensis, dactylifera, reclinata, sylvestris, just beautiful palms.

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Licuala and its 167 species...

Including its close cousins Lanonia (13 sp.) and Johannesteijsmannia (4 sp.).

Licuala is such a diverse and detailed genus, its spans a huge native range. More species are being found and I can imagine there are many more out there to be discovered. They vary in detail so much, but yet when you see any member you can instantly know it's a Licuala or maybe a Lanonia. Many of the species can be identified by way of vegetative means without need for an inflorescence, but of course, some do require that weird fruit color or strange flower arrangement to narrow down the identity.

That perfectly rounded crown of pinwheel-shaped, deeply divided, palmate leaves is just so addictive. Even a smaller, containerized individual is just utter eye candy to the Palm junky; with just a few of those leaves drawing their gaze. A 3-gallon size specimen will often begin to show more of the final leaf form of the species and instantly says 'Get me', like a moth to a light. There are more reasons, but really you just have to look at them to know why.

There are other genera that are favorites of mine, but Licuala has always been floating around in the top ten for a very long time.

Ryan

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South Florida

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Hi there,

I go with...

vj01.thumb.jpg.8ef3fb83ead40aaf220ca1fa68e931b9.jpg

...my beautiful Veitchias (here V. joannis) because they are superfast and recover always quickly 

from typhoon damages. 

But I got to confess that I truly like to establish another species over here, too...

Bild_2021-01-04_103650.png.e83065816d63937e7d55c30e2d497ec9.png

...Clinostigma samoense (copyrights by @Kim). In my eyes one if not THE most beautiful palm in the

world...:wub:

PS: I don't want to complain too much since we are already gifted with another very nice looking species...

sl01.thumb.jpg.8d5bca7b17f12ec21282dfb30c3a9de6.jpg

...our Satakentia liukiuensis.:greenthumb::D

best regards from Okinawa -

Lars

 

 

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Copernicia.  There a lot of monophyletic genera that are close.  Dictyospermum, sabinaria, carpoxylon, lemurophoenix...tough to choose.

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So far, my highly unscientific polling method has four clear leaders based on this thread:

Dypsis

Hydriastele

Licuala

Sabal

This would be an interesting question for a large palm-enthusiast sample size.

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Also want to throw this out there...

Surprised nobody has said Wallichia.  If I could grow em - and I had a lick of experience with any of them - they may be my favorite.

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Almost seems like cheating to go with a super genus like Dypsis or Hydriastele which were previous separated, but it’s probably Dypsis for me. Such a range of forms, colours, sizes and a few even have good cold and cool hardiness. 
 

Other than Dypsis, Chamaedorea is another favourite. Probably the most number of species suitable for my climate of any genus. Syagrus probably gets a bad name from poorly grown S romanzoffiana, but now that Lytocaryum has been lumped in, there’s an impressive variety in there now too. 

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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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Butia, all the way baby.

 

A palm related to the coconut that is cold hardy with delicious fruit and mini coconut nuts.

Beautiful arching fronds and thick trunks. I love the way they sway in the breeze.

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Los Angeles, CA and Myrtle Beach, SC.

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My first thought was Beccariophoenix, because Alfredii lets me grow a coconut look-alike that survives a 25F freeze without dying.   Or Licuala for Peltata v. Sumawongii for a freeze-hardy giant round fan that handles sun and shade.  But I can't pick a genus based on a single species. So it would have to be Copernicia, which has more of my favorites than any other: Fallaensis, Baileyana, Macroglossa, Gigas, Prunifera, Alba, etc.  

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Another impossible question of choice! :huh: 

It seems wise to pick a genus with LOTS of variety. Some of my beloved palms belong to genera of few or single species, much too limiting. Kerriodoxa, Tahina, Johannesteijsmannia, Marojejya, etc.  But Licuala, well, now there are a LOT of Licuala species, and though I only grow a handful, they are all stunners! Pinanga a close second in terms of beauty, and exceeding in terms of numbers. Then there is Dypsis... a ridiculous number of species, undoubtedly will be split off in the future. But for sheer beauty, I will fall back on Licuala.

These Licuala peltata v. sumawongii have been featured many times in my photos, for easily justifiable reasons.

(Edit: I reserve the right to change my mind in any future thread!) :innocent: 

DSC_8015.thumb.jpg.b1a04ef6fe21e0c7e6a1b3cb01a52704.jpg

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Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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1 hour ago, Kim said:

Another impossible question of choice! :huh: 

It seems wise to pick a genus with LOTS of variety. Some of my beloved palms belong to genera of few or single species, much too limiting. Kerriodoxa, Tahina, Johannesteijsmannia, Marojejya, etc.  But Licuala, well, now there are a LOT of Licuala species, and though I only grow a handful, they are all stunners! Pinanga a close second in terms of beauty, and exceeding in terms of numbers. Then there is Dypsis... a ridiculous number of species, undoubtedly will be split off in the future. But for sheer beauty, I will fall back on Licuala.

These Licuala peltata v. sumawongii have been featured many times in my photos, for easily justifiable reasons.

(Edit: I reserve the right to change my mind in any future thread!) :innocent: 

DSC_8015.thumb.jpg.b1a04ef6fe21e0c7e6a1b3cb01a52704.jpg

These are the questions I enjoy posing!

This Licuala looks like a more symmetrical version of the paper fans we used to make as kids.  Tremendous specimen.

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