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But I noticed it has "earned" the pet name I gave to Jubeas years ago when I first saw large trunking ones... Mine today.

Today, a new palm genus from Vitenam,Truongsonia lecongkietii, was published. This new palm is so peculiar that it required not only a new genus, but also a new tribe in the classification of palms (Truongsonieae) to accommodate it. Most extrpardinarily, its closest relative is the African genus Podococcus! It may be diminutive and unspectacular, but botanically it is even more remarkable than the discovery of Tahina (personal opinion, of course - I realise that this is heresy!) Unfortunately, only 10-15 plants are known in the wild, rendering it Critically Endangered. You can follow the link below to freely download the full article pdf, which is heavily illustrated for photographs. https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/view/phytotaxa.613.3.1

The late Richard Douglas, past president of the IPS.

I knew they were supposed to be slow, but after 12 years from a "small above the soil" 5 gallon my bailey has weathered 2 hurricane force wind events and a resulting spear mold infection that took 2 years to fully eradicate. IRMA had the worst hurricane damage by far, newer leaves cut the older ones up good with petiole thorns. It had half the leaves shredded on the windward side. Currently its 4-5 leaves short of a full crown but its growing quickly now. Three pics: august 2011 6 months after planting showing a new flush of leaves. Second pic 2017 just prior to iRMA and last pic today sept 4 2023. By comparison with the peak of the house roof of 16', it looks to be 2-3 foot taller overall so a few feet shy of 20', and just about 7' of trunk. I could tear the leafbases off with my hand but allowing them to fall off naturally leads to a more smooth trunk. The first 4 feet of leafbases are loosely held, a smooth trunk awaits in the near future. Annual growth in height and numbers of leaves increases as the palm matures so a slow start does not mean its slow in a 12 year scale. I'd say its a medium grower.

Great palm for California. I’m germinating seeds from this

Viewing this garden was a dream come true! Full album at this link with some photos included in this post: Click here for all the photos

About 10 years ago I repaired an AC unit for an old lady. I noticed that there was a stunted palm in a terracotta pot on the patio that had pushed itself up and exposed its roots and the trunk was skinny and many close growth rings. I told her I could plant it in her backyard but she said that She would like to give it to me. So I thanked her and took it home and planted it. Here are some photos

It's great to see my palms emerging over the fence as I take my afternoon exercise.

And a bit closer to explain why I call them that... because as they start to trunk and get larger.. they shed their leaf bases and become a palm you can't resist HUGGING!! I'm very happy my own Jubea is reaching "HUGABILITY"!! About 4' wide worth of wonderful palm to hold and cherish. I know there are pics of me doing the same... and others I know.

The stretched out Trachycarpus were shorter than the Choisiya shrubs you see today. And yes the Sabal minor is still there, albeit hard to see.

after being planted in Spring 2022…They survived Hurricane Ian…then Hurricane Nicole…almost completely defoliating both times as the petioles simply snapped under the wind strain. Here they are, 11 months after Ian, completely regenerated and producing inflorescence.

Some photo's of my palms. Summer was pretty bad here in contrast to the mediterranean where they had heatwave after heatwave. Chamaerops Vulcano Chamaerops Cerifera Trachycarpus Fortunei Chamaeops Humilis

I was at Juniper Level Botanic Garden in Raleigh, NC, which is the garden of Plant Delights nursery. I saw a great example of a mature sabal Louisiana that was about 8ft tall. I haven't seen many examples online so I figured I'd share. Based on the Plant Delights cold hardy palms blog post, I'm thinking this was planted around 1999,

I know many have palms from George Sparkman. I thought I would start a thread on your favorite Sparkman Palm. He was truly a great friend and that was further exemplified for the things he did for my family after my brother, Tri passed. My brother was close to George back in the days when he became a palm fanatic. Not a lot of people know this but after my brother passed, George was in Florida and he helped dig up some of Tri's rarest palms to repot and sell. A year later he showed up at my parent's house and handed them all the proceeds. It was a remarkable gesture to their friendship and one that neither I or my parents will never forget. So here's to you George ... hope you and Tri are chillin somewhere under a great canopy of palms. I have two that I treasure .... Ravenea Xerophylla that I got as a squat 5 gallon and a Foxy Lady in a 10 gallon. Both were planted in 2009 and here they are today ...

My house in Thurston County Washington is on the market and we got the keys to our new townhouse this morning. Going to be quite an adjustment from the space and privacy of 2 acres in the PNW. Fort Liberty (formerly Bragg) NC. Brought half a truck bed full of stuff. Lost a few things, I always expect dome attrition. It was a week on the road and the camper shell gets hotter than ambient. So I cooked a couple things. Mostly Trachycarpus, a handful of Sabals, some chamaedorea, a queen, Lytocaryum, butiagrus, a couple Mahonias, a fig and Olive i had laying around. Probably gonna see how long it takes to kill a Jubaea with humidity. Speaking of humidity.. man. The difference in climate here is staggering. This is my 3rd time living here though wo not unexpected. If you've ever been in the Army, ft Bragg is a wormhole. No matter how far you move away from it, you're always moving right back toward it at the same time. We've had 2 offers on our WA house already but I don't like to count your chick's before they hatch so we'll see how it goes. Breaking the lease here is surprisingly painless so we'll hopefully be getting into a proper house Lord willing. And that means putting plants in the ground. It's nice to see Sabal palmetto and minor, Trachycarpus, Butias, and Cycas in-ground here. Most of the plantings here just seem so forgotten-about. Neglected, overlooked, abandoned. I'll probably document some local palms but I know @ZPalms has documented a good handful already.

A few blue braheas and a lonely Bismark

3 years ago last month, I moved into my new home. It sat proud and pretty in the middle of mud and builders rubble, with the odd prickle weed surviving here and there. Not a worm to be seen, not even slugs, slaters or snails. It took me 4 months to clear all the rubble away and get the front yard level. The backyard is still like a roller coaster. Add 6 months of soil amendment, 4 boxes of worms (only needed 3 but Toti and Rupert ate the first lot) and many many bags of compost, gypsum and soil. After 10 months I planted my first palms. I think you will agree they have grown quite rapidly. The first photo is my Foxtail, brought home in a 20cm ( 9inch for the unlearned) pot and just under a metre tall. Next is my Teddy Bear Dypsis lastelliana. This was bought the same day as the foxtail, also in a 20cm pot. As you can see it's fronds are over the roof. The one at my old place reach 1 metre in 7 years. Okay you can all stop laughing at my chaotic backyard, it's a work in progress if you don't mind. My perfect palm, Trachycarpus fortunei. Had no luck with them at the old place, moved house then could not find a Windmill anywhere. I did have a pillage day at the 2021 PASCOA palm show and drove home loaded to the gunwhales with plants. They only had one Windmill for sale there, a very sorry looking specimen and it was adventurously price at over $100 ! Even a confirmed profligate like me said no way to that one. The following weekend I was dodging the peasantry at the local sunday market and saw a nice healthy, knee high Trachy in a 28cm pot for $20 ! The vendor assured me that it was a very healthy cabbage palm ! (Livistona australis) Just a couple of Chamadoreas, tepejilote in front and oblongata behind it, both about to hit the patio roof, once again from the 2021 palm show and purchased in 13 cm pots. (6 inches or so) and 30 tall. They just shot up so quickly that I must make my mind up whether to sell or plant in the very near future. Now everyone knows how perfect I am, but the next picture shows that even perfection can have a flaw. Here is mine. Chamadorea klotziana. No matter how often or well I staked it, the rotten thing was determined to make a U turn and eventually did just that. (obtained at the same time, place and size as the previous Chamadoreas) This is my mystery species Calyptrocalyx. It's a nice little thing, the new red leaves stay red for weeks. Best of all it's a single trunked species. Any clever clogs out there in palm land who know what it really is ? My posh lady's shade house. Le Jardin de l'Ange. Every home should have one. So now you lucky little people have had a glimpse into the home of Peachy, Poochies, Pusses and Parrots. I am not so vain, (almost humble in fact) to allow you to think that all my palms are sheer perfection but if you think I am going to show you photos of all my duds and failures, forget it !

The ever popular Bismarck palm if you have enough room to grow this impressive palm truely a spectacular palm a true die hard tough as nails iam sure the Palm community are familiar with this popular palm fairly easy to propagate being a remote germinating palm a good one to learn how to propagate for other more trickier remote germination palms

I had to clean my roof and gutters today with fire season approaching fast with very little rain it’s getting very dry my garden is starting to feel it especially the new plants I have planted so my spring planting has been put on hold it’s just too much to water with the established garden drinking what water I can put into it the new plantings are finding it difficult I may have to put coloured tape on them to spot them easier when I hand water but I did get to see my garden from a different point of view today I can see the canopy I created knowing there is an understory of hidden gems from the plant kingdom in there somewhere

Recently on our way down to Port Orford, OR to see the stunning blacklock cliffs, I decided to swing by Oregon's Largest Jubaea palms (unless someone else can show me a larger specimen?) and was Not disappointed. I did not expect the trunks to be THAT big. The owner was outside so I conveniently asked him about them. He says he bought them in Santa Rosa CA. (Santa something…pretty sure he said Rosa) and after a couple decades here they are. The easternmost one completely defoliated when they hit 9°F but recovered nicely since. He was kind enough to let me take some fallen seed home. I’ll give germination a shot 👍 If you’re down in that area, definitely check it out! It should be a roadside attraction in my opinion. He is aware of palm talk so if you mention that’s why you’re down there, he’ll probably say he already met someone from Olympia and now someone from Vancouver WA. I found the location on the other thread talking about these behemoths. Too lazy to link it now. (The last picture shows the cliffs)

Hi, as some of you may remember, an already germinated Nypa fruticans seed was washed ashore at one of our beaches this year's July. Because I have never seen one of them before and wasn't sure about it at all, I asked the palm community for an ID... ..and got it ID-ed within hours. Thanks a lot again! Since this is truly a very seldom find on our island, I will to do my best to make it happy. I have still no idea how to deal with it when gaining real size but there will be a solution one way or the other. Until then, here are some shots taken during the last few weeks... Day one - it was almost boiling at the shore - I immediately snapped a small bucket, filled it with cool water from my daughter's thermo and put it in after the cold water had warmed up a bit. Then the IDing happened and I looked at it with other eyes - I always wanted to grow a Mangrove palm but I had no idea where to buy these large seeds. (I often order at rps but I am not really sure if a huge package containing a couple of these big seeds would go through customs without trouble even with the proper documentation.) The first two days I kepted it well watered... ...and a new spear showed up. I was very happy because when I touched the seed at the beach for the first time, I was almost sure that it was a goner. At that time it was hot like a coal pellet from a BBQ grill. But fortuantely this was not the case, because a day later the new spear has grown significantly... However - after some research on the internet during the next days I changed a few things... I put it in a larger pot - I had no idea about it root's sensiblity and wanted to keep it untouched for the next months - and that one went into a bucket filled with rain water. Then I just let it alone... Sept5th - probably the first leaf but still unfolded... Sept12th - the first leaf has finally opened and it seems we get number two on its way (a bit hard to make out). Today, Septh24th - leaf number two has gained size, too - I guess, the plant is happy so far. I have grown several species during my still young "palmy career" but I got to admit that this one is kind of special and I am feeling challenged to do my best to keep this not only alive but really happy. I am planing to do some updates from time to time, so please feel free to follow me on this one during the (hopefully) next years. regards from Okinawa - Lars

I have noticed this palm several times from the water on our boat at the south end of Vashon island WA… always thought it was a big trachy from a distance. Finally got a little closer and realized it is a massive Washingtonia palm with the deck built around it. Along with a couple smaller ones to left. I was shocked when I realized! Has to be the largest this far north. Worth a share!

Human male, as in me for scale.

Well my view has gotten a lot better over the years!

Dropped a leaf sheath a few days ago, looking handsome. Tim

Phoenicophorium borsigianum caught my eye today

Started from seed late 2012. IMG_1806.mov

Sept. 10th 2023 update...

Another classic palm that is one for the collection the saintelucie with its straight as an arrow shuttlecock look shape cold tolerant a real winner in any garden situation I just love it absolutely gorgeous very easy to grow just add water

To keep myself busy with below average rainfall earlier this year I started clearing multiple jungle areas of my farm. Here I show the results of removing all the invasive plants covering a steep slope near my long driveway. There is a path at the bottom for looking up at palms. I had hoped to finish this months ago as having bare slopes in hurricane season is a bad idea. There were so many aggressive vines and bananas and Clerodendrums which send runners everywhere. And I was busy in other areas too plus still dealing with hurricane Fiona damage a year ago. You get a hint here at the before look below the mango. There is a channel for water run off there so it will remain the wild boundary. Below the cleared slopes there is a big nearly flat area great for more plants but probably a project for the winter. You can see a seed grown Chambeyronia macrocarpa below and I plan to group some New Caledonia palms at least in sight of this one. Way too late to divide my farm into geographical regions. No way am I going to dig up and move New Cal palms growing elsewhere on my farm. However from now on I can try to time collecting with endemics from upcoming IPS trips. I had also tossed tree fern fronds in this area which are heavy and slow to decompose. Great mulch for later. I have trimmed my jackfruit tree and tomorrow will thin out the pictured mango tree as I have learned large fruit falling on plants below is not good! Then finally I can position a bunch of palms impatiently awaiting their turn to escape their pots. Well I am the impatient one to see them grow better and make room in my shadehouse for more seedlings. I have learned that planting 3 minimum of each species (if I can obtain them) gives me a better chance of having at least one to survive beetles and hurricanes here! If you can not read the names on the labels please let me know and I will add captions. I will place these in their pots in tentative positions and reread information about their size and light preferences before actually planting. And if a significant storm develops while they are still in pots I will pull them up. Once planted they are totally on their own except for imidocloprid to minimize rhino beetle attacks. If you have tips for positioning any of the palms please let me know. And photos of yours at any age would be helpful too.

This one has been in the ground about nine years and has been producing seed for the past three years. This crop of seeds should be ripe in another six weeks. Overall dimensions about 3 m high and 4 m wide. Growing in black volcanic cinder and mulch on a steep slope. The tree to the left is a tall tree fern providing some dappled shade. Generally 3-4 m of rain a year, but the past 18 months have been unusually dry. Maximum annual temperature range ~60-85 F.