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So I was out in the yard working yesterday morning, pruning some older fronds off some of my Phoenix palms. As I was working on one of my CIDPs, I got jabbed by a nasty spine in the top of my hand, near my wrist. Now, since then I have been unable to close my hand, and I've been in some pretty serious pain. I would have never thought something small like that would affect my entire hand (muscles/tendons very sore) and forearm. There is actually a name for this condition: Palm Thorn Synovitis. If you are working around these, be careful. And wear eye protection!

OK everyone, here's your shot at fame....well, maybe just a bit of notoriety. IPS NorCal is redesigning their logo, deciding that the little Rhapis they've been using is less appropriate to California than the newly chosen study, Brahea armata. Brahea armata in full-flower glory is a beauty to behold, and it's that image that we'd like to capture. We are trying first to see if we can find a suitable photo, though we are considering artwork also for any of you artists out there. We are thus asking anyone with a great, uncluttered, focused photo of this palm to post them here. You can post here a down-sized file, and we can obtain a larger file size later if there is a suitable and chosen photo. You are welcomed to Photoshop it and add any effects you think highlight the subject best. Obviously, we're looking for just the single palm in the photo, no background buildings, etc -- a true artist's shot. You are also welcomed to take any type of shot you think is a great one, not necessarily of the whole palm in flower, but also parts or interesting angles, though the entire palm in flower is our first choice at this moment. If there is an obvious winner here, which we hope for as it will make our search so much easier, it has been proposed that the winner will receive a Brahea armata if possible to deliver. (We'll see if there will be other options...). A winning photographer will also receive credit on our IPS NorCal website: www.palmsnc.org So get creative everyone!

Please help select a winner from everyone's suggestions for naming the upcoming Big Island Palm Tour in May, 2011. I have removed the thread in which the names were suggested so as not to influence voting by whose suggestion is which. Please review the names and pick what you think would be appropriate for a week long palm crazy vacation in paradise. Of course the name will include the "Big Island" and "2011" as part of the name, so that part has been omitted for now. Depending on how the voting pans out there may be a second round of voting. If there is a run away winner, there will be no need. However, if there are 5-10 closely bunched, we'll do a quick run-off. Thanks for taking your time and helping out. Remember - this name needs to work in print (on T-Shirts and possibly other merchandise), and in general conversation. Thanks for taking your time and helping out.

I am curious to know how this species is growing for everyone in different parts of the world. Success stories? Failures? Pictures? (I am thinking about starting some from seed.)

Wake up Krish !!!

I grew up wih 2 CIDPs in my yard. My mother always warned me about the thorns. For some reason, they seem to cause a very painful piece wound, however I am not sure whether the same pain applies to any other type of puncture wound from a simiar type of thorn. The thorns of Bougainvillea are also really bad

Regarding growing them in SoCal, Bill Dickenson has a small one in Fullerton, CA. Its under shade so is not thriving, but maybe that helped it stay alive. I also know of some doing very well in Borego Springs, our north San Diego Co. desert. Mine died, and most other attempts that I heard of failed, including in Fallbrook and in the green house. But these were all seedlings. Maybe they will get easier when larger??? Here's Bill's palm:

15 to 20 years. Maybe. Dick

My photo of a nice plant from about 4 years ago in Thailand... growing in clay soils in a lawn in a very high rainfall climate! http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/47284/