Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted April 30, 2021 So I put in an order with Floribunda early in the month, and it came the other day 2-day shipping. Everyone arrived reasonably happy, being well packed and secured. The box weighed 70lbs and cost about $90 to ship. UPS made sure to drop-kick the package 600 times enroute, but still the palms arrived in decent shape from half way around the world. Yippie! Many of the Palms are potted in tiny, jagged lava rock stones. So I made sure, in my haste and excitement, to fling a bunch here and there, sporadically around my place. I managed to get a few right outside the doorway, so that they could greet the full weight of my bare heel as I take my first step out the door in bare feet. I’m sure they will forever be with me now. I got some B Alfredii.. Cyphophoenix elegans.... Chambeyronia macrocarpa and hookeri... this is the type of Palm-crack they send to get you hooked. Areca vestiaria reds... Ravenea hildebrandtii... Dypsis orange crush... and Dypsis lafazamanga sprouts... Wish me luck.... 20 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PalmatierMeg 7,331 Report post Posted April 30, 2021 Great selection! I want to make another order in the near future. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reyes Vargas 787 Report post Posted April 30, 2021 46 minutes ago, Looking Glass said: So I put in an order with Floribunda early in the month, and it came the other day 2-day shipping. Everyone arrived reasonably happy, being well packed and secured. The box weighed 70lbs and cost about $90 to ship. UPS made sure to drop-kick the package 600 times enroute, but still the palms arrived in decent shape from half way around the world. Yippie! Many of the Palms are potted in tiny, jagged lava rock stones. So I made sure, in my haste and excitement, to fling a bunch here and there, sporadically around my place. I managed to get a few right outside the doorway, so that they could greet the full weight of my bare heel as I take my first step out the door in bare feet. I’m sure they will forever be with me now. I got some B Alfredii.. Cyphophoenix elegans.... Chambeyronia macrocarpa and hookeri... this is the type of Palm-crack they send to get you hooked. Areca vestiaria reds... Ravenea hildebrandtii... Dypsis orange crush... and Dypsis lafazamanga sprouts... Wish me luck.... Good luck man. I am jealous. 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted April 30, 2021 (edited) Do you guys leave stuff in this lava rock for long??? I won’t have time for a couple days, but it seems like these will dry completely out if they don’t get water ever 12 hours. Its amazing they grow in it. It’s like pure gravel. Edited April 30, 2021 by Looking Glass Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WaianaeCrider 1,584 Report post Posted April 30, 2021 2 minutes ago, Looking Glass said: Do you guys leave stuff in this lava rock for long??? I won’t have time for a couple days, but it seems like these will dry completely out if they don’t get water ever 12 hours. Its amazing they grow in it. It’s like pure gravel. My last two orders went into the shade house. About 50% shade and stayed there for months as I cleared land and got around to planting. I have a water timer irrigating every morning around 6 a.m. for about 10 minutes. I lost 3 in the shade house not sure why. About 30 made it into the ground over the next few months. As a matter of fact I think there is still a Dypsis in there now for like 10 months and looking just fine. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
palmfriend 1,926 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 Great selection! All the best with them - good luck and Happy growing! best regards from Okinawa - Lars 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John hovancsek 1,464 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 2 hours ago, Looking Glass said: Do you guys leave stuff in this lava rock for long??? I won’t have time for a couple days, but it seems like these will dry completely out if they don’t get water ever 12 hours. Its amazing they grow in it. It’s like pure gravel. This is a good mix of soil and cinder. It will be fine in it for a while , sometimes I think it holds water to well. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Palms Brisbane 481 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 Lovely, good luck 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 14 minutes ago, John hovancsek said: This is a good mix of soil and cinder. It will be fine in it for a while , sometimes I think it holds water to well. That’s good. I don’t have experience with this type of medium. It is more rock than anything I’ve used before. And it’s approaching close to 90F during the day here lately, so I was hoping it wouldn’t dry out too quick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoomsDave 10,024 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 My garden is lots of Floribunda some almost thirty years old! Good luck @Looking Glass! 6 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoomsDave 10,024 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 14 minutes ago, Looking Glass said: That’s good. I don’t have experience with this type of medium. It is more rock than anything I’ve used before. And it’s approaching close to 90F during the day here lately, so I was hoping it wouldn’t dry out too quick. Lava rock works best in deluge conditions like in Hawaii where Floribunda is located. I’d recommend shifting to a more conventional medium like regular potting soil. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt in OC 1,194 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 In my experience, the Floribunda soil is great for a long time depending on the palm and if it’s in shade. Nice order! 3 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fusca 2,874 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 5 hours ago, Looking Glass said: hookeri... this is the type of Palm-crack they send to get you hooked. I'm hooked on hookeri... 2 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billeb 478 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 I’m diggin those Cyphophoenix Elegens! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaname-kun 190 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 Congrats on your order--they are looking good! The Floribunda potting mix has always worked fine for me in Fort Lauderdale. I think Jeff uses it to meet phytosanitary requirements in California and some other states that don't allow plants to be shipped in soil. You can wait to repot until the palms are outgrowing the pots. (Some of the 1-gals are very near that stage when Floribunda ships them.) It's important to keep them in shade for several weeks--or even months as we approach the South Florida summer--and water once daily. In another 5 years, those Cyphophoenix will be stunning! And Floribunda's red Areca vestiaria are very good, too (need some shade permanently here, though.) They can start out a bit slow, but then take off. You've seen mine . . . . 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redant 1,597 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 19 hours ago, Looking Glass said: So I put in an order with Floribunda early in the month, and it came the other day 2-day shipping. Everyone arrived reasonably happy, being well packed and secured. The box weighed 70lbs and cost about $90 to ship. UPS made sure to drop-kick the package 600 times enroute, but still the palms arrived in decent shape from half way around the world. Yippie! Many of the Palms are potted in tiny, jagged lava rock stones. So I made sure, in my haste and excitement, to fling a bunch here and there, sporadically around my place. I managed to get a few right outside the doorway, so that they could greet the full weight of my bare heel as I take my first step out the door in bare feet. I’m sure they will forever be with me now. I got some B Alfredii.. Cyphophoenix elegans.... Chambeyronia macrocarpa and hookeri... this is the type of Palm-crack they send to get you hooked. Areca vestiaria reds... Ravenea hildebrandtii... Dypsis orange crush... and Dypsis lafazamanga sprouts... Wish me luck.... Nice haul. B Alfredii need gobs of room so beware. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted May 1, 2021 6 hours ago, Kaname-kun said: Congrats on your order--they are looking good! The Floribunda potting mix has always worked fine for me in Fort Lauderdale. I think Jeff uses it to meet phytosanitary requirements in California and some other states that don't allow plants to be shipped in soil. You can wait to repot until the palms are outgrowing the pots. (Some of the 1-gals are very near that stage when Floribunda ships them.) It's important to keep them in shade for several weeks--or even months as we approach the South Florida summer--and water once daily. In another 5 years, those Cyphophoenix will be stunning! And Floribunda's red Areca vestiaria are very good, too (need some shade permanently here, though.) They can start out a bit slow, but then take off. You've seen mine . . . . I’ve got shade for little plants like this. Some of the 1 gallons I’d like to get into a different mix and bigger pots this week. (Alfredii & Cyphophoenix). They took some side blows and are a little loose in the pots. I’d like to start exposing these to some sun before too long maybe in a couple weeks. The rest will be in the shade for quite some time or forever. The 4-inchers look terrifyingly fragile, as do the neonatal seedlings. Infant mortality might end up being high, but I’ve got to start somewhere. Your A. vestiaria are real lookers, as is all of your other stuff! Thanks for the tips. “Big things have small beginnings”.... lol. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
el-blanco 599 Report post Posted May 2, 2021 Looks great. I ordered from Jeff 3 years ago and all went straight into the ground: C. Nucele C. Elegans B. Hapala Chameyronia Macrocarpa C. Woodsonia to name a few and all doing very well. The areas I planted were all shaded. Palms were largest he sold at the time and were very large. keep us posted! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HtownPalms 301 Report post Posted May 2, 2021 Awesome selection! I can't wait for the day I receive my first Floribunda shipment. Good luck with the Areca vestiaria, I have killed a lot of those through slow deaths! 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redant 1,597 Report post Posted May 3, 2021 On 5/1/2021 at 3:14 PM, Looking Glass said: I’ve got shade for little plants like this. Some of the 1 gallons I’d like to get into a different mix and bigger pots this week. (Alfredii & Cyphophoenix). They took some side blows and are a little loose in the pots. I’d like to start exposing these to some sun before too long maybe in a couple weeks. The rest will be in the shade for quite some time or forever. The 4-inchers look terrifyingly fragile, as do the neonatal seedlings. Infant mortality might end up being high, but I’ve got to start somewhere. Your A. vestiaria are real lookers, as is all of your other stuff! Thanks for the tips. “Big things have small beginnings”.... lol. I'm not doing the seedlings anymore, just to many deaths. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knell 447 Report post Posted May 7, 2021 On 4/30/2021 at 3:42 PM, Looking Glass said: Do you guys leave stuff in this lava rock for long??? I won’t have time for a couple days, but it seems like these will dry completely out if they don’t get water ever 12 hours. Its amazing they grow in it. It’s like pure gravel. Black cinder is far and away the best rocky/draining/mineral component of a mix. It is just... perfect. However, since it drains so well, watering takes the organic (peat, etc) material with it, and can be hard to maintain the upkeep / fertilizer schedule. Replant in a mixture that is more suitable to your climate with a higher ratio of organic material, but KEEP THAT BLACK CINDER and mix it in with your new blend. Look up the price of it at your local garden store and you will see another good reason to keep it. 1 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted July 2, 2021 (edited) Here’s a 2month update on the Floribunda order…. Within a few weeks I repotted everybody in my own soil mix, but kept the black cinder as a top dressing. Mostly a bunch of slow-pokes so far. They all got fertilized with Palmgain and chelated iron a couple of times. It’s been raining a lot for the past 2 weeks, so they all got really soaked, but remain ok. Little Beccariophoenix alfredii seem to be quite happy. I’ve moved them into bigger pots and full blazing sun with no burning and they are putting out new leaves and may be the fastest of the order. Cyphophoenix elegans also went into full sun after being repotted. No burning, gained a little hight, but are just very slowly working on those spikes. Chambeyronia macrocarpa and hookeri look a tad beat-up and are slow as molasses. (My baby Pseudophoenixes may be out growing them). They get a little splash of sun here and there but I’ve protected them so far, because they can’t take much, and are too slow to outgrow any damage right now. They are all slowly pushing spikes, but none have opened yet. Ravenea hildebrandtii is in part sun in the morning and evening, and pushing out new leaves here and there. Seems to actually tolerate some direct sun well. Dypsis sp. Orange Crush seems super slow. I have them scattered around in various part sun. Some managed a new leaf, some are just sitting there with no growth. These seem to take a bit of sun, but are very sleepy. Dypsis lafazamanga seedlings all made it so far, even the bonus fragments that were mixed in there. This little guy is the happiest of the bunch….. I’ve moved them to direct overhead mid day sun from about 11-2. They seem to handle it OK. Some got a little too wet from all of the rain and yellowed a bit. Areca vestiaria red was the only loss so far. The sun shifted on me and they were getting just a little rising sun in the early morning. I thought that would be OK….big mistake. They fried to a crisp very, very quickly. This one survived off a single fried leaf, and now is opening another in full protected shade on the porch. The other fried to the roots, dried up and died… RIP. So overall, only one murder…. Edited July 2, 2021 by Looking Glass 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merlyn 2,064 Report post Posted July 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Looking Glass said: Here’s a 2month update on the Floribunda order…. So overall, only one murder…. I'd call it accidental homicide, it sounds so much nicer than murder! I've been thinking of doing a Floribunda order for a while, thanks for the great pictures! There are a bunch palms that are just tough to find anywhere else, especially the understory ones like Geonoma and Reinhardtia. I'm guessing what made your order expensive to ship was all the 1 gallon pots? It looks like you had 9x 1 gallon, 8x 4" and 1 seedling pack. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted July 2, 2021 12 minutes ago, Merlyn said: I'd call it accidental homicide, it sounds so much nicer than murder! I've been thinking of doing a Floribunda order for a while, thanks for the great pictures! There are a bunch palms that are just tough to find anywhere else, especially the understory ones like Geonoma and Reinhardtia. I'm guessing what made your order expensive to ship was all the 1 gallon pots? It looks like you had 9x 1 gallon, 8x 4" and 1 seedling pack. 12 - 1 gallons (4 Alfi, 4 Chamby, 2 C elegans, 2 Vestiaria) actually. I think it’s worth it though. I like getting palms young, but man those 4 inchers and seedlings are fragile and will take a while. I’ve got my hands full for most of this year, but next time I’m going to get a little more adventurous, with a few things that should make it, but you just can’t find down here. If you’ve got time, space, and patience, you could really back up the truck on some babies, and you’d get a good bang for your buck with the shipping. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merlyn 2,064 Report post Posted July 2, 2021 33 minutes ago, Looking Glass said: 12 - 1 gallons (4 Alfi, 4 Chamby, 2 C elegans, 2 Vestiaria) actually. I think it’s worth it though. I like getting palms young, but man those 4 inchers and seedlings are fragile and will take a while. Yeah that's very true. I'd prefer to get 1g or 3g palms to start with. They are more expensive, but will grow faster and be much less likely to croak due to shipping stress. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PJP 100 Report post Posted July 2, 2021 My February order is still in the original soli mix they came in. Ive had no issues. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scott W 743 Report post Posted July 2, 2021 Thanks for the pics. I have an order shipping on the 12th, so at least I know now how it'll arrive. Shipping is gonna be crazy though I'm sure from Hawaii to Florida! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted July 2, 2021 55 minutes ago, PJP said: My February order is still in the original soli mix they came in. Ive had no issues. The original soil actually stayed quite wet once you get down there. It was a bit loose though and it kept them a little wobbly in our winds. I just wanted get the transplant over with, and get them in bigger, fatter, heavier pots with sandier soil, so they could lock in and adapt along, and I could let them sit for a year if needed. What did you pick up? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PJP 100 Report post Posted July 3, 2021 Cyphophoenix Alba Dypsis Baronii Black Stem Reinhartia Latisecta “compact” Geonoma SP entire leaf Loxococcus rupicola Burretiokentia Viellladii Geonoma Atrovireus Euterpe SP Orange Dypsis SP Maroantestra Areca Mandacarrii Pinanga SP Maroon Pinanga SP Yellow Pinanga Crassipes Cyrtostachys Loriae Cyrtostachys Bakerii Dypsis Pilulifera Dypsis Saintelucei Dypsis Prestonia Dypsis Rosea 2 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted July 3, 2021 3 hours ago, PJP said: Cyphophoenix Alba Dypsis Baronii Black Stem Reinhartia Latisecta “compact” Geonoma SP entire leaf Loxococcus rupicola Burretiokentia Viellladii Geonoma Atrovireus Euterpe SP Orange Dypsis SP Maroantestra Areca Mandacarrii Pinanga SP Maroon Pinanga SP Yellow Pinanga Crassipes Cyrtostachys Loriae Cyrtostachys Bakerii Dypsis Pilulifera Dypsis Saintelucei Dypsis Prestonia Dypsis Rosea You don't mess around... Do ya. I'd love to try Dypsis Saintelucei, Euterpe Orange, and something Burretiokentia in the future. I really want to give a go at Acanthophoenix Rubra in the future when some major landscaping/drainage is finished. That would be like my holy grail of palms, if it would take. So many great options out there. Good luck with your's. Post some pics for the love of god! I come here mostly for the palm-porn! 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted July 3, 2021 Well, someone must have heard the complaints, because I woke up to this…. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted August 31, 2021 4 month update on floribundas….. Beccariophoenixes seem to all be chugging along…. Happy and easy. Starting to go a bit pinnate…. Cyphophoenix elegans made progress but 1of 2 seems to have have cooked a new leaf in the heat…. Not a good sign. Spear is Ok, so we shall see…..but I may lose one. Going to move them to a cooler spot now. It’s very hot against that dark fence. Chambyronias all popped new leaves, but 1 macrocarpa suddenly croaked one day. Not sure why. The rest are doing well…… Ravenea hildebrandtiis are all ok, moving along slowly….. took a little burn when they had to move for 2days due to work on the house. Dypsis Orange Crush seems to like it dry, they didn’t seem to like the wet weather much, browning spots appeared with the rains. I cut way back on water and they seem happier. I’m letting them dry out more between watering. They are all growing differently, but hanging on… Dypsis lafazamanga seedlings are all at least alive, growing ok, all at different rates also. Some area yellowy and don’t respond to iron or nitrogen, but they still grow. Maybe my mix was too dense or the pH is too high? This one is still the little king, going pinnate now. Arecra Vestiaria Red was the big casualty of the group… I let them get too much sun, and one continues to hang on barely, while it’s partner fried quickly… those seem to need almost total shade at my place. Won’t attempt those again for years, until I have some big shade areas. Overall, it’s been a bit of a learning experience so far. 2 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hilo Jason 3,692 Report post Posted September 1, 2021 3 hours ago, Looking Glass said: 4 month update on floribundas….. Beccariophoenixes seem to all be chugging along…. Happy and easy. Starting to go a bit pinnate…. Cyphophoenix elegans made progress but 1of 2 seems to have have cooked a new leaf in the heat…. Not a good sign. Spear is Ok, so we shall see…..but I may lose one. Going to move them to a cooler spot now. It’s very hot against that dark fence. Chambyronias all popped new leaves, but 1 macrocarpa suddenly croaked one day. Not sure why. The rest are doing well…… Ravenea hildebrandtiis are all ok, moving along slowly….. took a little burn when they had to move for 2days due to work on the house. Dypsis Orange Crush seems to like it dry, they didn’t seem to like the wet weather much, browning spots appeared with the rains. I cut way back on water and they seem happier. I’m letting them dry out more between watering. They are all growing differently, but hanging on… Dypsis lafazamanga seedlings are all at least alive, growing ok, all at different rates also. Some area yellowy and don’t respond to iron or nitrogen, but they still grow. Maybe my mix was too dense or the pH is too high? This one is still the little king, going pinnate now. Arecra Vestiaria Red was the big casualty of the group… I let them get too much sun, and one continues to hang on barely, while it’s partner fried quickly… those seem to need almost total shade at my place. Won’t attempt those again for years, until I have some big shade areas. Overall, it’s been a bit of a learning experience so far. Those Dypsis Lafazamanga can be a bit funny. Some grow like crazy and look amazing, others are always yellow. I have had several of these yellow ones and have never been able to get them to green up, regardless of fertilizer. They keep growing, but always yellow. Not sure why and I’ve never really experienced that with any other Palm here in my garden. By the way, great updates! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted May 3 Well, it’s been about a year for this Floribunda order, and the next one comes tomorrow, so here how everything worked out so far in Florida…. Beccarriophoenix Alfredii…. 4x-1gallon. These were steady growers quickly transplanted to 3 gallons, and acclimated to full sun. All 4 made it, growing moderately fast with variability. I planted a squat, well rooted one in a severe all-day sun area, and it seems to have taken well. I gave one as a gift, and still have the tallest and smallest which I will unload to someone. Cyphophoenix elegans…. 2x-1gallons. This is the slowest of the slow. I mean really slow. It seems to build a very strong root system, but it is 1/3 the speed of my various Pseudophoenix sargentii. I killed one, like an idiot, totally my fault…. Put in in with some palms that took off and shaded it, then I let roof water hit the crown, by the time I noticed what was going on, it was a spear pull. The other is fine, but slow. Chambeyronia macrocarpa and hookerii…. 2x+2x-1gallons. Slow and don’t tolerate too much sun. Wobbly at first. Up potted to 3 gallons. Of these, the two hookerii are much stronger. One macrocarpa looks good, but smaller. One macrocarpa suddenly collapsed into mush and croaked during the rainy season. Ready for the ground now. Areca vestiaria reds…. 2x-1gallons. These were doing fine until the sun shifted and I thought a little Florida sun would do them good. They fried to a crisp instantly…. Ravenea hildebrandtii…. 4x-4inchers. All doing well. Happy, medium growers in the shade of their Roebellini nursemaids. Uppotted to 1 gallons and tucked into the understory. Dypsis sp Orange Crush…. 4x-4inchers. Hate me and hate their life. Potted into 1 gallons. Two turned to mush and melted. The other two are unhappy in sun or shade. They seem to like it dry, if they like anything at all here. Dypsis sp. lafazamanga… 6x+-seedlings. These are happy here. Variable in size and strength. Growing well in a lot of sun here and there. Potted strong ones into 1g singles, small ones into doubles, and the three weakest into a triple. One is wasting it’s energy trying to flower already. Even the tiny extra fragments included grew. 0% mortality. 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
palmfriend 1,926 Report post Posted May 5 Nice progress - congratulations! Please let us know about your next order - when it has arrived. Lars 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Looking Glass 879 Report post Posted May 5 1 hour ago, palmfriend said: Nice progress - congratulations! Please let us know about your next order - when it has arrived. Lars Oh.. it arrived today….. will post it later tonight. Thanks for the good cheer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WaianaeCrider 1,584 Report post Posted May 5 I have 9 one gallon palms arriving in about a week. Can't wait. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
