LIVISTONA's

[Kathryn 53]

And I’m growing chinensis. This triple was planted in late 2001 from a 7-gallon pot. The plants were all about the same size. Now, the tallest one on the left has 5 feet (1.5 m) of clear trunk and the smallest on the right has 3 feet (0.9 m). The third trunk is almost directly behind the one on the right. About two years after I planted these, I was regretting planting them as a triple and considered digging them up and separating them. I’m glad I was too lazy to do this since I really like the way they look now.

These two were dug from someone’s yard and given to me in 2001. They each had at least a foot of trunk, but didn't grow much for a while due to the transplant. The one on the left has almost 5 feet of clear trunk and the right has about 4 feet (1.2 m).

[FRITO 34]

I am growing L. Chinesis and trying to germinate Saribus but I think my seeds rotted out.

Pictured is one of my Chinesis.

trunk detail

Kathryn,

regarding the L. Chinesis:

those are some beautiful lush specimens.  Any tips on fertilizing or culture requirements on these? How much water relitively do they like? I can't seem to overwater the 3 I have.

I almost killed one due to watering the crown in winter. but some Daconil fungicide brought it back to life after a fight. I have since been more careful how I water but this drought has caused 1 multi plant specimen a dryout of some leaves.

thanks~

[Jon North Padre Island 2]

I have Livistona:

australis

benthalmii

chinensis

decipiens (decora)

drudei

jenkinsiana

mariae

muelleri

nitida

saribus

woodfordii.

I have had two L. robinsoniana which did not survive.

[palmtreesforpleasure 427]

Hi Tyrone

What time of year did you get seed, seed is available from these from about march to may, they flower in spring.

Fruit are globose to pyriform, to 10-12 mm long by 10-11mm wide, and semi-gloss purple-black at maturity.

The seed is ellipsoidal, 8-9mm long. The hard endosperm is partially intruded on one side by a kidney-shaped seed coat intrusion (information source is John Dowe' James Cook University, Townsville)

hope this helps Tyrone

regards

colin

[Tyrone 1,974]

(palmsforpleasure @ Sep. 29 2007,23:45)

QUOTE

Hi Tyrone

What time of year did you get seed, seed is available from these from about march to may, they flower in spring.

Fruit are globose to pyriform, to 10-12 mm long by 10-11mm wide, and semi-gloss purple-black at maturity.

The seed is ellipsoidal, 8-9mm long. The hard endosperm is partially intruded on one side by a kidney-shaped seed coat intrusion (information source is John Dowe' James Cook University, Townsville)

hope this helps Tyrone

regards

colin

Thanks for that info Colin. That is not what I have then. I collected the seed at the beginning of August. The seed is much much smaller, sort of globular to elliptical, and about 5mm average diameter at a guess. The fruit is a glossy black colour, with very thin pulp. Do you know any Livistona that has a seed that small? It's a big palm for such a small seed, at least 20m tall at a guess. Does anyone up that way know the palms I mean?

regards

Tyrone

[palmtreesforpleasure 427]

Hi Tyrone

saw these plams the other day, as well as some other Livistona, it is hard to tell them apart. try the council's Garden and Parks dept in Townsville, or ring John Dowe

regards

colin

[Kris 1,365]

Dear Friends  

thanks for posting stills of fan palms in discussion,since its very informative to guys like me..

lots of love,

Kris  

[Brad-Tampa 25]

All of these Livistona are growing in Tampa and withstood whatever cold weather was thrown at them during the Florida freezes of the '80's:

L. australis

L. drudei

L. decipiens (name change?) with Borassus

[Brad-Tampa 25]

L. decipiens X chinensis

This came as L. cochinchinensis but may be hybrid with L. chinensis

L. chinensis

L. saribus with Queens

[Tyrone 1,974]

(palmsforpleasure @ Sep. 30 2007,00:35)

QUOTE

Hi Tyrone

saw these plams the other day, as well as some other Livistona, it is hard to tell them apart. try the council's Garden and Parks dept in Townsville, or ring John Dowe

regards

colin

I've done a bit of research based on seed size and Livistona benthamii seems to be it. I'll have to grow em up and that will prove it one way or the other.

regards

Tyrone

[Kathryn 53]

And finally, here is my Livistona saribus. This palm was planted in April 2005 from a three-gallon pot. I had a second three-gallon saribus at the time I planted this one. It is still in the pot and not much bigger than it was two years ago.

[Kathryn 53]

I had a Livistona australis in a pot, but I can’t find it. I think it may have perished in the great flood. I’d like to plant more Livistona, but I think this is about all I can grow here, and I’m running out of room.

Everyone has posted some great shots. I especially like the tall rotundifolia. I can’t wait until I can take pictures of mine looking up into the crowns like that – at least another ten years from now.

[Kathryn 53]

(FRITO @ Sep. 29 2007,21:45)

QUOTE

regarding the L. Chinesis:

those are some beautiful lush specimens.  Any tips on fertilizing or culture requirements on these? How much water relitively do they like? I can't seem to overwater the 3 I have.

I am lucky that I have great soil and receive regular rain – about 65 inches evenly throughout the year. During the first few years after planting, I would thoroughly water these if I didn’t rain for over two weeks or so. I fertilized these once or twice per year with palm fertilizer.

Also, I never trimmed a green frond until during the last year and I only did this so I could work in the beds beneath them. Now I will go back to removing only brown ones.

[glbower 4]

Good question; I've never stopped to count.

In ground:

1) drudei

2) mariae

3) boninensis

In pots ready to plant next spring

4) saribus

5) nitida

6) rotundifolia

But my fave is this ...

7) beautifully curving double decora

[Brian_K 0]

Glbower,  Your picture is the reason I bought two decoras...  Thanks!

[AJQ 10]

Currently L. chinensis, decipiens, planted out. Nitidia in a pot outside, don't know where I'll plant it yet.And a Decipiens x chinensis, which is still in pot indoors.

Livistona decipiens, with some great growth for this year. I kept it in its pot the first year and kept it on the "dry side" as I was told they didn't like wet feet!!!! WRONG.... they love it. I should have planted straight away as they Love wet feet. The older growth deteriorated very quickly keeping it on the dry side.

Livistona chinensis, The first 2 fronds were badly damaged due to me wrapping the palm during it's first winter and the fronds rotting at the rachis of the first and half way up the second with 50% rot damage. I cut the 1st off as it served no pupose to keep such a badly damaged frond. The second I left as it was.

Earlier this year the palm burst back into life, with only about about 15- 20 % damage on the spear that I could see and another spear looking much healthier.

This has now fully opened with minimal tip damage. There are 2 new spears and these are this years growth with no sign of any damage at all. Next year I'm hoping for it to be half way back to it's former glory

The newest fan to open looks a whole lot better and measurses just over 6 foot across..

I think these could be a good palm for some parts of the UK. especially Norin Iron hey! Happy days!

Regards Andy.

[www.dadluvsu.com 226]

I'm only groing one species  I have 2 strap leaved specimen growing in pots...  L. inermis...  Maybe one day they will be tall and wispy...  I picked that one cause I thought it might endure Florida windy seasons better than most.

[Fred Zone 10A 15]

Trunking:  Livistona australis, L. decora, L. chinensis (3)

Not yet trunking:  L. decora (2), L. nitida and L. mariae

I wish I had room for more.

With my fast-draining soil this genus loves frequent watering in the warm months.

[Al in Kona 576]

While most Livistona don't usually over excite me, there are a few that I find attractive for one reason or another.  I've always liked the weeping leaflets on L. decora (formerly L. decipiens).

 

When I saw the Introduction full color page photo of L. victorae in the book PALMS by Alec Blomberry & Tony Rodd, I wanted one.  Well, I'm still looking for one because the one little plant I did have died.

L. speciosa with its huge rather flat shinny leaves caught my eye some time ago and I do have a young plant of that growing (see pics below).

When I first heard about and saw a photo of L. muelleri, I liked it and since it was called "Dwarf fan palm" (by Queensland palm people) I thought how nice to have a dwarf circular flat leaved Livistona.  I later found out it can grow very tall but is very slow growing.  I do have a small 1-gal. size plant of it yet to plant out.

L. robinsoniana interests me too, said to be perhaps the most graceful of the tall Livistonas.  Another big plus for me is that its long deep green petioles are unarmed.

The below pics show my Livistona speciosa grown from seed brought back from the IPS Biennial held there some years back.

[Al in Kona 576]

Livistona speciosa leaf close up.  These measure approx. 1.4m or more (4.5+ft.).

[Archontophoenix 0]

I am currently growing Livistona australis, chinensis, concinna, decora (which is native to my area), fulva, muelleri, nitida, rigida and rotundifolia. I am chasing L. australis 'Eungella" which is also native to my area, L.alfredii, benthamii, carinensis, lanuginosa, speciosa, jenkinsiana, mariae, saribus, and victoriae. My eventual goal is to have a specimen of all the Australian native Livistona species.

[Exotic Life 111]

Interesting treath with lot of good picture's... I don't have got any livistona species in my collection so far. Strange thing is, i like this palm species very much, and maybe the decora (if that is the good name) the most because the "droopy" look.

I only know that some people have tried chinensis and australis in the ground here in the Netherlands but 'that was not so good succes. I know now somebody that have a decora in the ground.

So over a couple years maybe i wanna try also some Livistona species.

Robbin

[ghar41 201]

(Kathryn @ Sep. 29 2007,09:07)

QUOTE

I’m growing Livistona decora. I have three in the ground the size of the one below. I grew them from seeds I collected from Harrah’s casino downtown. I’d have to check my records to be sure, but I think I collected the seed about five years ago – these are fast!

I bought this one from a palm society auction. It still had strap leaves and is probably about the same age as the one above – I put it in the ground a year earlier and it is about two feet taller than the other three.

Kathryn,

This is a stunning palm.  Where can I find one like this?  Anyone have these for sale?  Nor Cal or mail order?

Wow.

[ghar41 201]

I don't have many Livistona's.  I bought this as L. decipiens.

[ghar41 201]

L. saribus.

[ghar41 201]

L. chinensis.

[Kathryn 53]

Sorry Glenn, that’s definitely not decipiens, which is now called decora – no weepiness. It looks like Chamaerops humilis. Livistona chinensis has long been my favorite palms, but the decora is a close second and will probably take first spot in my heart as mine mature.

Let me know if you don’t find a Livistona decora (formerly decipiens) for sale locally and I might try to ship you a small one.

[ghar41 201]

(Kathryn @ Oct. 01 2007,21:27)

QUOTE

Sorry Glenn, that’s definitely not decipiens, which is now called decora – no weepiness. It looks like Chamaerops humilis. Livistona chinensis has long been my favorite palms, but the decora is a close second and will probably take first spot in my heart as mine mature.

Let me know if you don’t find a Livistona decora (formerly decipiens) for sale locally and I might try to ship you a small one.

HI Kathryn,

Thanks for the reply and the offer.  

 I dont have any more pics of it, but its definitely not C humilis.  It has classic decora petioles, with those small but nasty saw-like spikes that differ from the longer spikes of Chamerops .....yet, like you noticed, the leaves lack the weepiness.  Who knows....

Im always so impressed with decora when I see it grown in humidity.  The ones Ive seen on Oahu were really beautiful.  Yours are right there though.

Thanks again.

[SubTropicRay 120]

L. inermis is pretty rare William.  Where did you acquire the seed?

[Scott Mcintosh 0]

I am growing Livistonia australis*, chinensis*,decora*,muelleri*,saribus*,benthalmi,jenkinsiana,drudei. ( * notes flowering size )

[Walter John 217]

(Ray, Tampa @ Oct. 02 2007,14:38)

QUOTE

L. inermis is pretty rare William.  Where did you acquire the seed?

he doesn't have to answer that. ::

[Tad 15]

decora

[Tad 15]

muelleri(sp?)

[Tad 15]

chinensis, behind the lazy washie

[Tad 15]

austarilis and decora, I planted these insanely close to see if some cross pollination might not occur some years from now!

[Tad 15]

saribus, seed from another forum member in FLA.

[Tad 15]

another batch of chinensis by the front door

[Carlo Morici 116]

L. decipiens is now:   Livistona decora (W.Bull) Dowe

L. mariae subsp. occidentalis is now:   Livistona nasmophila Dowe & D.L.Jones

Both name changes were published in Austrobaileya, in 2004.

In the Palmetum in Santa Cruz we keep about 12 species. I am particularly fond of L.lanuginosa, L.fulva, L. chinensis, L. saribus and L. benthamii. I would really like to try the less common species from New Guinea, Borneo and Philippines, but L. benthamii is the only one I could get (one). There is a lot of space to try them here. Can anybody help? A trip to New Guinea?

L.fulva at the Palmetum , about 1 year ago.

Carlo, Tenerife

[M@ximus 31]

(Carlo Morici @ Oct. 03 2007,11:59)

QUOTE

L. decipiens is now:   Livistona decora (W.Bull) Dowe

L. mariae subsp. occidentalis is now:   Livistona nasmophila Dowe & D.L.Jones

Both name changes were published in Austrobaileya, in 2004.

In the Palmetum in Santa Cruz we keep about 12 species. I am particularly fond of L.lanuginosa, L.fulva, L. chinensis, L. saribus and L. benthamii. I would really like to try the less common species from New Guinea, Borneo and Philippines, but L. benthamii is the only one I could get (one). There is a lot of space to try them here. Can anybody help? A trip to New Guinea?

L.fulva at the Palmetum , about 1 year ago.

Carlo, Tenerife

Carlo,  if   you  want  for  palmetum  I  could  ship   you   seedlings   of   inermis, muelleri, (  but  maybe   you  already  have  them)  and  some  seeds  of  robinsoniana

Ciao M@x

[Carlo Morici 116]

I will check the records and contact you on PM. Actually the Livistona benthamii was borne in Rome (!) and then brought to Tenerife by the Roman palm collector Piero Pazienti.

Carlo