Parajubaea torallyi

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

Parajubaea sunkha in wild.- Top of the mountains with Mr. Ananias Mariscal from Vallegrande.- Because the local people harvest the fibre it was not easy to find fruits in the hundred palms there.-

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

This are P. MICROCARPA. Two large,  dougther of the very tall showed previously.- Theres a person at the botton for the scale.-

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

a var. TORALLYI.

This was planted in 1970 from seed.-

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

VAR TORALLYI: Another planted in 1970, its yet young and not well cared.- Note the large mass of dense fibre in the trunk.

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

var. torallyi.Two sizes.-the taller planted in 1970

[merrill 406]

Hi, Gaston:

Thank you very much for the photos of P. sunkha.  I will watch mine with  great interest.  Best Wishes, merrill

[PalmGuyWC 1,479]

Gaston,

Thanks for the great pictures. I have two P. torallyi in the ground, but now I realize I have no more room for my P. microcarpa, but I do have a nice P sunkha, and I will try to find a place to plant it, since it seems to be smaller than the others.

I had no idea that these palms became so massive. I would say they are right there on the scale with Jubaeas in size. Two houses are to be built near me and they have plenty of space. I'll have to sweet talk the new tennants to see if they would plant a Parajubaea, or any other palms.

Dick

[osideterry 83]

The P. torallyi v torallyi photos are killin' me. I planted mine 2 years ago in a planting bed 3ft deep and next to my sidewalk. Having seen Gary Wood's mature ones, I was thinking it as thick as a queen, or at worst a butia. I would have never stuck a CIDP or Jub there!

[ghar41 201]

Wow.  There is nothing published out there (that I know of) that has anywhere near this kind of stuff.  Thanks, Gaston, and all others who have contributed.

California looks more and more perfectly suited for Parajubaea's to grow to full proportions.

I'm allowing mine to reach for water and will continue to deep irrigate this tree.

Thanks again!  

[Alberto 1,533]

This is one of my 4  P.sunkha germinated from seeds.

Sorry could not download the pic.

[Scott 10]

Gaston - The Sunkhas in post 39 are really excellent. This palm seems like it would real well in my climate. Do you know what it's cold hardiness is?

Terry - I know what you mean.... I'm so glad for everybody's contributions here before I planted my torallyi. It's HUGE!!!!!  And gorgeous.  I'm quickly growing to love these palms .

Thanks everyone for all the contributions!

[osideterry 83]

Scott - I just re-measured that planting bed and it's 42". I'm not moving the palm afterall. Now I have to figure out where to put that P. sunkha.

[Scott 10]

Terry - do you have a picture of the palm in it's surroundings?

[osideterry 83]

It's leaves are just starting to split. Nobody would be impressed. I'll take a photo maybe tomorrow anyway.

[PalmGuyWC 1,479]

Ladys and Gents,

If your planting a P T V T, allow plenty of room and not near a walk way or a drive way. As someone described in another thread, they are like a gangly teenager, all arms and legs. They want to spread as a young plant and take up a lot of room. I suppose as they grow taller, the fronds will be up and above traffic, but expect them to slap you in the face the first few years.

Dick

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

(Scott @ Sep. 05 2007,21:28)

QUOTE

Gaston - The Sunkhas in post 39 are really excellent. This palm seems like it would real well in my climate. Do you know what it's cold hardiness is?

Those palms at post 39 are the same then post 38.-

This winter here was very hard, we had hard frost and snow and my small sunkhas were untouched.- The minima was of -5,4° C.-

Something more, the diameter trunk of sunkha is somewhat like a queen palm, but in microcarpa i saw thick and no so gross trunks, variable.-

[PalmGuyWC 1,479]

From the reports from Gaston and some of our Australian friends, it seems this a colder winter than normal in the Southern hemisphere. Last winter we got whacked by colder than normal in the Western parts of the U.S. I'm wondering  what waits for those of us in the Northern hemisphere this winter?

Usually colder winters run in a series, rather than just one issolated one. I have several marginal palms that I'd like to get in the ground, but I think I'll wait until next spring. I'll be better prepared this winter than I was last.  I have about half a dozen marginal palms in the ground that I will have frames for this coming winter. I'll cover with plastic and a light bulb or two.

I have a P. sunkah and a P. microcarpa that have become pot bound and need to go in the ground. I guess I'll move them up to a larger sized pot and wait for next spring. I've found when Parajubaeas become pot bound, they slow their growth considerably.

I hate winter!!!

Dick

[Scott 10]

I hate winter too! While at MattyB's party, someone was saying that a surfer was reporting warmer than normal water in the ocean. Perhaps that's an indicator?

[Adam from Oz 12]

We had a typical Winter here except for a couple of very cold nights and unusually warm days - 26C in Winter here is a touch odd.

Spring is springing. Let's just hope it brings some reign.

Wonder how my P. torallyi var. torally torallyi and, just in case you didn't get it the first time, torallyi will cope with my cr8p soil ???

Cheers,

Adam

[STEVE IN SO CAL 14]

(Scott @ Sep. 08 2007,12:20)

QUOTE

I hate winter too! While at MattyB's party, someone was saying that a surfer was reporting warmer than normal water in the ocean. Perhaps that's an indicator?

Remember Scott...these guys pee in their wetsuits. He could just have an overactive bladder   :cool:

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

A question for the californians is if watching the picture on the posts 39 and 40, the low srub plants landscape is simmilar to what place in California, or if remember you to some vegetation of there....

As close its a dry thorn srubs with some cactus, i would imagin simmilar to your chaparral.-

[Nigel 50]

(PalmGuyWC @ Sep. 07 2007,10:56)

QUOTE

From the reports from Gaston and some of our Australian friends, it seems this a colder winter than normal in the Southern hemisphere. Last winter we got whacked by colder than normal in the Western parts of the U.S. I'm wondering  what waits for those of us in the Northern hemisphere this winter?

Dick, here it was the wettest summer ever recorded. May ,June and July saw record rainfall, and summer did not exist.

You have to go back to the eighties to find weather remotely like this here, and those wet summers were followed by brutal winters by todays standards.

Enough to kill everything but Chamaerops and Trachys anyway..

[STEVE IN SO CAL 14]

(Gaston in Argentina @ Sep. 08 2007,16:49)

QUOTE

A question for the californians is if watching the picture on the posts 39 and 40, the low srub plants landscape is simmilar to what place in California, or if remember you to some vegetation of there....

As close its a dry thorn srubs with some cactus, i would imagin simmilar to your chaparral.-

Yes Gaston, that looks like a dead ringer for native Cal landscape. Interesting you mention cactus. I think more Parajubaea die here from too much water than from freezing.

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

(STEVE IN SO CAL @ Sep. 08 2007,17:18)

QUOTE

(Gaston in Argentina @ Sep. 08 2007,16:49)

QUOTE

A question for the californians is if watching the picture on the posts 39 and 40, the low srub plants landscape is simmilar to what place in California, or if remember you to some vegetation of there....

As close its a dry thorn srubs with some cactus, i would imagin simmilar to your chaparral.-

Yes Gaston, that looks like a dead ringer for native Cal landscape. Interesting you mention cactus. I think more Parajubaea die here from too much water than from freezing.

Steve.

The pics were taken in may fall months, autome, after a summer rainning season.- August is suposely a lot drier.-

The cactus were mostly a single specie of Trichocereus and Opuntias (several).-

[AJQ 10]

WHAT !  A MASSIVE UK Freeze?  

Doesn't bare thinking about.........

Regards Andy.

[swamptreenelly 25]

Even in California you see old palms where homes used to be!

[AJQ 10]

I have just bought another Parajubaea tor tor. Are these solitary palms or clumping?

As I have 2 together in the same pot!

If they are solitaires, then how easy or difficult will it be to separate them?

I was quite surprised to find that there were 2 together......

And I don''t really have any room to plant a double.......H..E..L..P..!

Regards Andy.

[AJQ 10]

A couple more shots.

Regards Andy.

[PalmGuyWC 1,479]

Andy,

I have heard conflicting accounts about disturbing the roots of Parajubaeas. Some say they are easy to transplant, and others that it's difficult. Parajubaea T V T has an enormous trunk, and it's a huge palm. I would say you have two choices: Either cut away and sacrafice the smaller palm, or you could wash away all the soil from the roots and try to seperate them. (carefully) If you are going to try to seperate them, I would do it immediately as summer is drawing to an end. I have found P. T V T is only cold hardy down to 25F or about (-3.5 C). They will survive lower temps. but with foliage damage.

Dick

[sonoranfans 1,730]

Love all the PVT pics Gaston, those palms are truly treasures of the palm world. I have (3) PVT strap leafed seedlings that I bought by mail this past march, and they do appear to take heat very well even at this young age. Typically my area has 85-90 100F+(38C+) days a year, but it can cool off 30 degrees over night when humidity is low(it mostly is, except the monsoon season- which is here now). My seedlings are slow growing in the heat, but the color is deep grey/green, they are very healthy in my dry, hot environment, in shade but not in the shadehouse. I have a large number of small seedlings in pots and these are some of the toughest in my desert heat. I would put them ahead of Phoenix Rupicola, livistona decipiens, royals, foxtails, and similar to phoenix sylvestris in their hot/dry tolerance. I have a hope that these great trees can be used in the place of syagrus romanzoffiana as shade trees, or in place of washingtonia robusta as ornamentals here in arizona.

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

Sonoranfans.

They are more expected to grow in dry then in an humid climate.- They come from a semidry habit and in those altitudes the air can get very low moisture.-

Temperature of 38º C. is ok, here they are exposed to 40º C. of our summer without trouble.

Yet, they seems to be tolerant to grow in different climate ranges....

Gaston, Cordoba, AR

Love all the PVT pics Gaston, those palms are truly treasures of the palm world. I have (3) PVT strap leafed seedlings that I bought by mail this past march, and they do appear to take heat very well even at this young age. Typically my area has 85-90 100F+(38C+) days a year, but it can cool off 30 degrees over night when humidity is low(it mostly is, except the monsoon season- which is here now). My seedlings are slow growing in the heat, but the color is deep grey/green, they are very healthy in my dry, hot environment, in shade but not in the shadehouse. I have a large number of small seedlings in pots and these are some of the toughest in my desert heat. I would put them ahead of Phoenix Rupicola, livistona decipiens, royals, foxtails, and similar to phoenix sylvestris in their hot/dry tolerance. I have a hope that these great trees can be used in the place of syagrus romanzoffiana as shade trees, or in place of washingtonia robusta as ornamentals here in arizona.

[sonoranfans 1,730]

Sonoranfans.

They are more expected to grow in dry then in an humid climate.- They come from a semidry habit and in those altitudes the air can get very low moisture.-

Temperature of 38º C. is ok, here they are exposed to 40º C. of our summer without trouble.

Yet, they seems to be tolerant to grow in different climate ranges....

Gaston, Cordoba, AR

Love all the PVT pics Gaston, those palms are truly treasures of the palm world. I have (3) PVT strap leafed seedlings that I bought by mail this past march, and they do appear to take heat very well even at this young age. Typically my area has 85-90 100F+(38C+) days a year, but it can cool off 30 degrees over night when humidity is low(it mostly is, except the monsoon season- which is here now). My seedlings are slow growing in the heat, but the color is deep grey/green, they are very healthy in my dry, hot environment, in shade but not in the shadehouse. I have a large number of small seedlings in pots and these are some of the toughest in my desert heat. I would put them ahead of Phoenix Rupicola, livistona decipiens, royals, foxtails, and similar to phoenix sylvestris in their hot/dry tolerance. I have a hope that these great trees can be used in the place of syagrus romanzoffiana as shade trees, or in place of washingtonia robusta as ornamentals here in arizona.

Gaston,

I am excited to have these potentially massive hot and dry tolerant pinneate palms. My seedlings have seen 46C(115F) 2x and 43C(110F) or so a half dozen other times this year. Just to give you an idea of the climate in the AZ sonoran desert, we had 32 days of 110F or more last year(it was a record number). This ruggedness was displayed within 5 months of planting them out as bare root seedlings, c'est incredible. A few years ago I wanted a jubaea, but they wont take the dry heat here. I am glad to find the parajubaea as a better, much faster growing substitute in the hot and dry.

Edited August 13, 2008 by sonoranfans

[Gaston in Argentina 8]

Sonoranfan

I have hear much about your place Gilbert from my friends in Arizona.- Much about that city. They say theres a nice climate there, not so hot.-

It seems every arizonians love their state.-

But im amused of your 6% humidity!

As in mars planet :-)

Cheers, Gtn

[sonoranfans 1,730]

Sonoranfan

I have hear much about your place Gilbert from my friends in Arizona.- Much about that city. They say theres a nice climate there, not so hot.-

It seems every arizonians love their state.-

But im amused of your 6% humidity!

As in mars planet :-)

Cheers, Gtn

Gaston,

Fortunately, the 6% humidity doesnt last through the summer. In july it tends to 25-40%, much better for all my palms. But there is that early summer dry heat where 5-8% w/40-45C can go on for several weeks. At that time, water does wonders cooling temps down. A backyard sprinkle after sunset can drop temps 25F or 14C in about 15 minutes. In the hot/dry I cool things off(myself and the palms) at the end of every 2-3 days with a sprinkler wet down. Gilbert can be very comfortable for humans, with the proper use of water and shady spots to sit. I have an evaporative cooler outside, costs almost nothing to run, but allows me to sit in a 75-85F(25C+/- 5) degree shady spot on the hottest days. In that respect, perhaps Gilbert has very comfortable weather. But to sit in the direct sun for more than an hour is almost never comfortable except early mornings and when ambient highs drop below 75F(3-4 months a year). Many palms do not grow well here in the hot and dry, this makes the parajubaea torallyi a very special species for this environment with its heat/cold tolerance and lower water demands compared with most other pinneate palms. The spears seem to push slowly so far, but these PVT's are still small seedlings, a size(~2' height overall) that all palms grow slowly.

best regards

Tom

[AJQ 10]

Hi there Dick,

I have managed to separate them both, with only minor (smaller) root damage. The major roots seem very healthy and were starting to coil around the bottom of the pot but I managed to separate them all intact. I have re-potted them with the original compost mix plus some extra manure and a good dose of Palm booster. Fingers crossed that they do OK. I shall monitor them very closely over the next few weeks for any sign of growth or decline. No pictures at the moment as it started to chuck it down with rain....surprise, surprise....!!

I guess they should really be planted out but I think I'll keep them in their pots until next spring. That way I can move them under cover if the weather turns bad and gets really cold or we get any snow. It should help them re establish a bit better after the stress of being separated.

Regards Andy.

[PalmGuyWC 1,479]

Hi Andy,

I know how tedious it can be to untangle roots, but sounds like you did a good job. I would expect moving them up to a larger pot and protecting them this winter is a smart move. They should be ready for the ground next summer.

Dick

[AJQ 10]

Here are the both of them in their separate pots.

Regards Andy.

[Tyrone 1,910]

Andy, I wonder if they shot from the same seed. Parajubaea have three pores just like the coconut and sometimes there is more than one embryo per seed. The first plant probably germinated, so was potted up, and then sometime down the track embryo number two came up. Nice score.

I hope they do well for you.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Urban Rainforest 157]

Parajubaeas are an awesome palm for So Cal and really seem to like our climate. I have planted in the ground 2 P. Coccoides, 2 Parajubaea Torallyi, 1 P. Sunka and 1 P. Microcarpa. All are overhead and one of the P. Torallyi is getting huge. It was planted 6 years ago from a tiny strap leaf seedling and now it has a trunk dia. of 21" and is well over 15 ft. tall. It is so big it is hard to get a decent pic of it in my yard. Here is a pic taken a couple of years ago.

Steve

[AJQ 10]

Thanks for the replies guys, fingers crossed that they both make it ok.

Steve I don't think mine will be as fast as yours. Is this a normal growth rate for you guys in the Sou Cal?

Regards Andy.