A couple of quickies from the yard

[redant]

Coconut on steroids. This coconut was found by my son 4 years ago as a tiny sprout on a nut floating in the river. For the first 2 years of it's life it had no irrigation, in the last 2 years it was beaten to a pulp by 3 hurricanes. I have about 40 or so coco's but none grow like this monster. You can see a 4ft fence behind the tree to give some idea of scale

[redant]

This Veitchia arecina has turned into a stunning palm. A triple that had been moved from it's original spot 3 years ago to this location. Thought that would kill it but it has done fantastic.

[redant]

Same Veitchia arecina different view.

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Isn't she the cutest little thing! Any guesses? Should have bought a couple when I got this one and only. Didn't realize how nice of a palm it would be.

[spockvr6]

(redant @ Aug. 16 2006,10:16)

QUOTE

Isn't she the cutest little thing! Any guesses? Should have bought a couple when I got this one and only. Didn't realize how nice of a palm it would be.

Doug-

That looks an awful lot like an odd subspecies of Coccothrinax crinita that I have.  I believe it came from seeds from Fairchild and was referred to as "subspecies veccicia" or something to that effect.  I am sure I have the spelling wrong!

[spockvr6]

(redant @ Aug. 16 2006,10:13)

QUOTE

This Veitchia arecina has turned into a stunning palm. A triple that had been moved from it's original spot 3 years ago to this location. Thought that would kill it but it has done fantastic.

Those are real beauts Doug!

Veitchias are fast becoming some of my favorite palms.  As such (climate be damned!) I have now planted something like 13-14 of them in my yard, mostly in protected locations, along with another 25-30 seedlings in pots.

These things are humorous in growth rate.  Ive also found that these palms have, without exception, started growing immediately when planted.  They seem to require zero acclimating time.  And, theyll also take full blazing sun right from day one with nary a browned tip.

[BobbyinNY]

Doug,

the growth on that Cocos is just incredible.... What type of magical soil do you have in your yard?

[redant]

(spockvr6 @ Aug. 16 2006,10:26)

QUOTE

Veitchias are fast becoming some of my favorite palms.  

I love them too.

[redant]

(BobbyinNY @ Aug. 16 2006,10:59)

QUOTE

Doug,

the growth on that Cocos is just incredible.... What type of magical soil do you have in your yard?

That's the funny thing, my soil stinks, pure white sugar sand with a nice thin layer of pine needle compost.

This coco may be a Jamican tall, a couple still survive by the river, most are dieing of LY though.

The seed was rather large, the base of the palm is extreamly fat, the frond length is HUGE.

[redant]

(spockvr6 @ Aug. 16 2006,10:23)

QUOTE

That looks an awful lot like an odd subspecies of Coccothrinax crinita that I have.  I believe it came from seeds from Fairchild and was referred to as "subspecies veccicia" or something to that effect.  I am sure I have the spelling wrong!

Right species, wrong sub-species.

[BobbyinNY]

That's the funny thing, my soil stinks, pure white sugar sand with a nice thin layer of pine needle compost.

This coco may be a Jamican tall, a couple still survive by the river, most are dieing of LY though.

The seed was rather large, the base of the palm is extreamly fat, the frond length is HUGE.

I think you hit it on the head, Doug..... I re-potted my cocos from Miracle gro into a mix of half perlite and it's been growing alot faster now.... It seems like cocos LOVE almost pure sand..

[Jeff Searle]

The coconut looks great,looks like it's stretching for the sun.

 Your coccothrinax would almost be impossible to desribe. It's not C. crinita unless your growing it in lots of shade, because it normally would have a much more compact head of leaves, very stiff leaves.

 It should do real well in the sandy soil.

[spockvr6]

(redant @ Aug. 16 2006,11:33)

QUOTE

(spockvr6 @ Aug. 16 2006,10:23)

QUOTE

That looks an awful lot like an odd subspecies of Coccothrinax crinita that I have.  I believe it came from seeds from Fairchild and was referred to as "subspecies veccicia" or something to that effect.  I am sure I have the spelling wrong!

Right species, wrong sub-species.

I will take a pic of mine tonight and post it for comparison!

[spockvr6]

(Jeff Searle @ Aug. 16 2006,12:01)

QUOTE

 Your coccothrinax would almost be impossible to desribe. It's not C. crinita unless your growing it in lots of shade, because it normally would have a much more compact head of leaves, very stiff leaves.

 It should do real well in the sandy soil.

I am going to guess that this palm was, in the least, grown in shade while in a pot.

All of the Coccothrinax I have came from a nursery where they were in a good amount of shade.  I immediately planted them in full blazing sun.  The sun did its best to burn the leaves off, but the palms actually did OK.  All the new growth is extremely compact and doesnt have the stretched out look as seen in the palm above.   Consequently, the palms are all now actually quite a bit shorter than when I got them, but they are much "stouter" looking.

[spockvr6]

(BobbyinNY @ Aug. 16 2006,11:48)

QUOTE

I think you hit it on the head, Doug..... I re-potted my cocos from Miracle gro into a mix of half perlite and it's been growing alot faster now.... It seems like cocos LOVE almost pure sand..

Hmmm....you guys now have me thinking about repotting some Golden Malayans I have into pure sand.  God knows Ive got all I want of it for free

[redant]

The coccothrinax is grown in light shade. An internet search of the particular sub only turns up one picture of an adult plant so I gather it's rather rare in cultivation.

It does seem to love the sand!

[amazon exotics]

The coco's do great in beach sand. I plant lots of them on Sanibel & Captiva islands and never use a different soil. They also do well in nice Florida dirt. ( the dirt inland is different than on islands ). Basically they are not very picky of the soil like some palms can be. Just throw a coconut down and they grow.

[Dave-Vero]

Rob Barron, a excellent dune restoration specialist, thinks Coccothrinax argentata should be hardy up to Brevard County.

I nearly lost a Coccothrinax planted this spring; it would probably have been happier to stay in a pot on the walkway on the east side of the house, where it could gradually move into full sun.  That walkway has turned into something of an acclimation facility--pots start at the shady end and gradually move toward the sun.  

Right now, the walk is holding an Archontophoenix tuckeri that I'll plant when we get a wet spell.    My four-plant experiment says that they're a bit happier as youngsters when kept in a bit of shade or sheltered under a big bush.  So I should be marketing fast-growing, short-lived beautyberry (Callicarpa) bushes as palm shelters.

[redant]

Here's one for Larry, my baby triple royal pushing along!

[redant]

Well killer & I where in the yard, Killer fetching some sticks & me taking a couple of pictures.

From the movie Alien

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My most profuse bloomer

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Serenoa repens recently trimmed up

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A couple of spindles

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Long shot of what is going to be a palm forest. Many in the ground already they just need to grow faster!

[redant]

Killer, don't even think of trespassing  

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Long shot of one of the property lines. So many palms in there, to many to list.

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Another little guy.

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Happy Majesty!

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Got wood? well almost.

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Ribbon palms. Really very nice palms but hard to capture them properly in a picture.

[redant]

So far so good. Please stay green I pray to the great palm gods.

[redant]

Cant wait till she opens another frond. This one has had great red fronds all it's life other then the last one which was green. What's up with that?

[spockvr6]

(redant @ Aug. 16 2006,18:45)

QUOTE

Here's one for Larry, my baby triple royal pushing along!

Doug!

That thing has FATTENED up big time since the last photo!  Outstanding!

Theres nothing that compares to a chubby Royal.

[spockvr6]

(redant @ Sep. 01 2006,09:47)

QUOTE

Ribbon palms. Really very nice palms but hard to capture them properly in a picture.

Those are beauts.

Ive also got many of them and really appreciate them as excellent landscape "staples" that I never really have to worry about.

[Trópico]

Nice pics! The spindles and the Jamaican tall continue to be my favorite

[Kris]

Dear Redant  

thanks for the picture of that lovely pet.

he is hugable.

guys once in a way these pictures too are very

relaxing_thanks very much for the KILLER.

Love,

Kris.

[paulgila]

great pics!i love the beccariophoenix & the dense plantings!

[BigFrond]

Very nice Redant!  Those are great pictures.  Man, you have a ranch size land.  I wish I have 3-5 acres to create my little jungle.  I noticed you have a silk floss tree.  Bummer, I had to get rid of mine because my 1/4 acre land cannot support a fully grown specimen.  Hehehe... they take too much palm space.

[redant]

(BigFrond @ Sep. 01 2006,13:50)

QUOTE

Very nice Redant!  Those are great pictures.  Man, you have a ranch size land.  I wish I have 3-5 acres to create my little jungle.  I noticed you have a silk floss tree.  Bummer, I had to get rid of mine because my 1/4 acre land cannot support a fully grown specimen.  Hehehe... they take too much palm space.

Yeah trying a silk floss. We are losing pine trees left and right due to hurricanes, then beetles. Stressed trees attract the beetles. Trying to plan for the future to have some canopy trees when the pines are gone. This guy is a good 200+ feet away from the house so I'm comfortable that it will never land on my roof during a storm.

Thanks to all for all the nice comments.

[Walter John]

Great great great. Love to see photos down the track for a before and after show.