Buying rare palms

[Jtee]

Hello. Where does one purchase rare palms? Such as the hybrid varieties and different sabals and such.

I almost purchased a sabal uresana on eBay but the order was refunded. It was coming from Texas so I’m assuming it was damaged or just out of stock.  I’m not really interested in growing from seed but would like to purchase a small seedling at least. 

[Meangreen94z]

I think they are playing it safe until they know for a fact what is alive but also presentable enough to sell. . I would say end of March beginning of April is a safe bet on availability of the most palms.

[Keys6505]

6 hours ago, Jtee said:

Hello. Where does one purchase rare palms? Such as the hybrid varieties and different sabals and such.

Floribunda

Texas Cold Hardy Palms (which is probably where you were getting the Uresana from)

[DAVEinMB]

@Jtee also check out jungle music

[ahosey01]

7 hours ago, Jtee said:

Hello. Where does one purchase rare palms? Such as the hybrid varieties and different sabals and such.

I almost purchased a sabal uresana on eBay but the order was refunded. It was coming from Texas so I’m assuming it was damaged or just out of stock.  I’m not really interested in growing from seed but would like to purchase a small seedling at least. 

Other palm enthusiasts is big.

I’ve learned more about more species and got my hands on more specimens because of other palm enthusiasts in the year or so I’ve been doing this than I probably would have in 10 years back in the 90s, because of the internet.

[Collectorpalms]

I posed this question a few months ago. There are very few reliable sources of rare cold hardy palms today compared to about the high around 10 years ago.

You are at the mercy of private individuals. The For Sale thread on here, is one place to check out often. The rare stuff goes fast. Good Luck.

[Fallen Munk]

Patrick Schafer is a good source.

[Collectorpalms]

I tell you what with the exception of 1 fellow palm board member. Trying to order palms from businesses mentioned on here is just agonizing. I won’t name names, but no one seems to want to do proper business. You get 1 reply max then no follow up.
 

I have had to get refunds Reversed through my creditcard several times.
 

Anyone else experience the same issues!

 

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[PricklyPearSATC]

On 3/2/2021 at 5:55 AM, Keys6505 said:

Floribunda

Texas Cold Hardy Palms (which is probably where you were getting the Uresana from)

The only Floribunda that sells palms seems to be located in Hawaii...
Is there are another nursery/seller with the same name?

[Collectorpalms]

3 minutes ago, PricklyPearSATC said:

The only Floribunda that sells palms seems to be located in Hawaii...
Is there are another nursery/seller with the same name?

Jeff Marcus (Floribundas Palms) is great. But he no longer sells cold hardy palms. Of his hundreds of plants only 1 is cold hardy enough on his list and it’s a seedling. He did reply to me. Said he just basically sells from his own offspring of palms in Hawaii now. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

@Jtee Check out @Phil at Junglemusic.net There in SoCal and can ship just about anything you could imagine especially cold hardy stuff. Granted there not PT member prices and shipping can get expensive but I have been buying palms from them for over a decade. Good luck with your hunt for rare palms tho. I did purchase S.Causiarum and S.Louisiana from them last 

T J 

[Jtee]

I checked out jungle music but they are too expensive for my taste

[Collectorpalms]

25 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

@Jtee Check out @Phil at Junglemusic.net There in SoCal and can ship just about anything you could imagine especially cold hardy stuff. Granted there not PT member prices and shipping can get expensive but I have been buying palms from them for over a decade. Good luck with your hunt for rare palms tho. I did purchase S.Causiarum and S.Louisiana from them last 

T J 

Ok since you mentioned Phil, I replied to his sale item, then asked about two more palms with questions,  then he didn’t get back to me period after two follow up emails. Shipping cost was $50 for one 5 gallon plant. 
I Have even met him in person ( seems nice in person) at his nursery and placed orders awhile ago when I was getting started. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

1 minute ago, Collectorpalms said:

Ok since you mentioned Phil, I replied to his sale item, then asked about two more palms, then didn’t get back to me period after two emails. Shipping cost was $50 for one 5 gallon plant. 

Email is not there bread and butter. I always just call them , they pick up almost everytime unless there already on the phone. There a small family nursery. Definitely give them a call its much faster. Don't believe there open on Sunday 

T J 

[Collectorpalms]

17 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Email is not there bread and butter. I always just call them , they pick up almost everytime unless there already on the phone. There a small family nursery. Definitely give them a call its much faster. Don't believe there open on Sunday 

T J 

I don’t like calling. I like to have pictures and prices in writing. I am fine with texting though.... 

He is a drop shipper or sorts doesn’t grow his own palms, I spent probably big money on hybrids that didn’t come true. I sent pictures of them to Patric the hybridizer and he said they were wrong. I had a 15 year old Phoenix theo from him that appears dead. It was about 15 ft tall. Canarys are hardier than Theo’s! Or it was mismarked. It never clustered at base.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

17 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

He is a drop shipper or sorts doesn’t grow his own palms

That might not be exactly true I have been to the nursery and have seen his growing areas. Reach out to him and they will send pics of any palms they have in stock. I wouldn't rely strictly on email with them in my experience. As a long time buyer I can and will send emails but i don't expect a quick response. As you may have noticed there is alot of SoCal PTers that sale palms but don't ship @DoomsDave haha Also @Phil use to be the PSSC president at one time 

T J 

[Collectorpalms]

8 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

That might not be exactly true I have been to the nursery and have seen his growing areas. Reach out to him and they will send pics of any palms they have in stock. I wouldn't rely strictly on email with them in my experience. As a long time buyer I can and will send emails but i don't expect a quick response. As you may have noticed there is alot of SoCal PTers that sale palms but don't ship @DoomsDave haha Also @Phil use to be the PSSC president at one time 

T J 

I have been there too.... he gets Most of his palms and definitely cycads from growers. Drop shipper was wrong term though! My bad. I don’t have an issue with how he attains his inventory. But he is at the mercy of the honesty of the growers.... I would buy 10 palms today if he would reply! 
The whole point is that buying palms is a challenge and that is an understatement, if I wasn’t such a enthusiast I’d given up a long time ago.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

4 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

The whole point is that buying palms is a challenge and that is an understatement, if I wasn’t such a enthusiast I’d given up a long time ago.

I absolutely understand that and I feel really bad for you and your garden and really wish I could've seen it before this last freeze. Yourself and a few other PTers in the Dallas area definitely had gardens that needed to be seen =/ 

T J 

[Collectorpalms]

30 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

I absolutely understand that and I feel really bad for you and your garden and really wish I could've seen it before this last freeze. Yourself and a few other PTers in the Dallas area definitely had gardens that needed to be seen =/ 

T J 

Thank you! My goal is to still have a good collection. I didn’t give up. Things are just so up in the air I am a little strung out and confused at the moment, lol I can’t replant until I know for certain my big boys are dead because the removal needs space. I am going to have a container ranch of new plants for a year where I can’t put anything new yet. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Swolte]

I have the same experience with Jungle Music. I also prefer email or text (with pics) but this is a drag when dealing with Phil. I now just pick up the phone and I often get a deal done the same day and shipped any following Monday. I'd say, 90% of the time I have a good experience when it comes to being satisfied with the palm, packing, and time. I am sure they have their reasons but they charge an arm and a leg on shipping and (sometimes) on the palm when compared to other mail order nurseries.

Despite these things, I am patient and understanding with them. I find Phil to be far more knowledgeable than the average palm grower and I am grateful these specialty nurseries exist. They are among a handful and they do have a great selection. They need our support so I try to be a bit more tolerant and understanding (than I normally am, heh...).

[Collectorpalms]

25 minutes ago, Swolte said:

I have the same experience with Jungle Music. I also prefer email or text (with pics) but this is a drag when dealing with Phil. I now just pick up the phone and I often get a deal done the same day and shipped any following Monday. I'd say, 90% of the time I have a good experience when it comes to being satisfied with the palm, packing, and time. I am sure they have their reasons but they charge an arm and a leg on shipping and (sometimes) on the palm when compared to other mail order nurseries.

Despite these things, I am patient and understanding with them. I find Phil to be far more knowledgeable than the average palm grower and I am grateful these specialty nurseries exist. They are among a handful and they do have a great selection. They need our support so I try to be a bit more tolerant and understanding (than I normally am, heh...).

I also try to be patient, I know what goes into running a business and a nursery. I ran one for 10 years in my spare time. 

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Jimhardy]

I bought Trachycarpus Oreophilus,T.latisectus,T.Geminisectus,T.Manipur (Naga Hills),T.Takil

about 5 years ago....try fining them now. ) :

[Collectorpalms]

5 minutes ago, Jimhardy said:

I bought Trachycarpus Oreophilus,T.latisectus,T.Geminisectus,T.Manipur (Naga Hills),T.Takil

about 5 years ago....try fining them now. ) :

Where? You can’t is my guess. Do you want to sell? I’ll be interested!

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

40 minutes ago, Swolte said:

I am sure they have their reasons but they charge an arm and a leg on shipping and (sometimes) on the palm when compared to other mail order nurseries.

Part of the S/H cost is the phyto sanitary they provide shipping out of California. So before any palm is shipped out they have to have someone inspect said shipment before release. No other nursery does this besides Floribunda who obviously can't ship anything out of Hawaii without said paperwork. 

T J 

[Collectorpalms]

6 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Part of the S/H cost is the phyto sanitary they provide shipping out of California. So before any palm is shipped out they have to have someone inspect said shipment before release. No other nursery does this besides Floribunda who obviously can't ship anything out of Hawaii without said paperwork. 

T J 

Maybe so but isn’t it for a whole order? $150 shipping on three palms is what I was quoted. $50 each, so there was no price break down. Do they do an excellent shipping job or do larger ones look a little rough? What company do they use?

when I was a nursery I got a special shipping rate from negotiations.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Collectorpalms]

2 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

@Jtee Check out @Phil at Junglemusic.net There in SoCal and can ship just about anything you could imagine especially cold hardy stuff. Granted there not PT member prices and shipping can get expensive but I have been buying palms from them for over a decade. Good luck with your hunt for rare palms tho. I did purchase S.Causiarum and S.Louisiana from them last 

T J 

Do you have a picture of the Sabal Causarium as sold.? I asked him bout that one.?

[Jimhardy]

3 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

Where? You can’t is my guess. Do you want to sell? I’ll be interested!

I got them from you....haha.  just kidding but I did get some stuff from you..

I looked on E-bay a while ago and saw you don't have items(Palms) for sale and

looking at some saved sellers...they are all gone...even the people I bought tree ferns 

and other stuff from...I have a Naga hills in a pot,also a T.Princeps and 3 (I think) T.Princeps x T.Wagnerianus

all the others I named are in the ground,I cut them back a little(a lot) for covers over winter...they are

all quite small.

Not sure I would want to sell any right now as they are back ups for the stuff thats planted

and the prices these days are so unfair compared to the glory days 5-10 years ago... ) : 

[JohnAndSancho]

Shipping from Phil definitely isn't cheap, but the plants are packed well enough that UPS could drop them out of an airplane and no dirt would spill. I've bought multiple plants from another nursery, and the roots from all 3 different species were all tangled together in moss and foil. 

 

It was also really cool when I called Phil to place my 2nd order that he remembered me and remembered I just got promoted - nice considering I'd only spent $100 with him at that point. 

 

He ships UPS Ground and packs these things like they're going to war. Shipped in grower pots. 

[Jimhardy]

I didn't know they dropped them from planes...that explains a lot!  

[JohnAndSancho]

1 minute ago, Jimhardy said:

I didn't know they dropped them from planes...that explains a lot!  

They could lol. Phil and his crew go through lots of wood stakes and packing tape 

[Collectorpalms]

3 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Shipping from Phil definitely isn't cheap, but the plants are packed well enough that UPS could drop them out of an airplane and no dirt would spill. I've bought multiple plants from another nursery, and the roots from all 3 different species were all tangled together in moss and foil. 

 

It was also really cool when I called Phil to place my 2nd order that he remembered me and remembered I just got promoted - nice considering I'd only spent $100 with him at that point. 

 

He ships UPS Ground and packs these things like they're going to war. Shipped in grower pots. 

How many days in mail? Ships Monday, arrives.... Friday or the Following week?

[JohnAndSancho]

Just now, Collectorpalms said:

How many days in mail? Ships Monday, arrives.... Friday or the Following week?

Pay on Friday, ship on Monday, arrive Thursday for me. And I'm only 30 mins away from you so you should expect about the same. 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

42 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

Do you have a picture of the Sabal Causarium as sold.? I asked him bout that one.?

 This was sold to me as a band size palm in June 2019 

[Collectorpalms]

15 minutes ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

 This was sold to me as a band size palm in June 2019 

Thanks!

[Swolte]

4 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

Maybe so but isn’t it for a whole order? $150 shipping on three palms is what I was quoted. $50 each, so there was no price break down. Do they do an excellent shipping job or do larger ones look a little rough? What company do they use?

when I was a nursery I got a special shipping rate from negotiations.

I agree, packing is strong. I did find a broken 'knee' on a Sabal once. They may survive a war but UPS...
  

Edited April 4, 2021 by Swolte