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Just an update for fellow palm talkers. After Texas Palm apocalyptic of 2021, and following bad winters and drought, I had enough. I made the leap to move to Zone 10b Santa Barbara. Anyone, that loves palms and plants in general, you will love visiting here. There is a great mix of everything from healthy Trachycarpus, possible the largest Jubaeas in USA, still thriving Canaries, Fishtails, Kentia, kings and newer plantings of Royals and such, all living near each other. Here are just a sample:

Here is an update on my Ceroxylon quindiuense. The seed collection was in Columbia, 1978, by my late palm mentor, Garrin Fullington. I ground planted it in the spring of 1983. It is a sibling from the same seed batch as the two plants in San Francisco Botanic Garden. I have not found aborted flowers on the ground yet, so the gender is unknown.

The Howea fosteriana it needs no introduction, it speaks for itself. Theres even a couple of variegated ones in the garden!

We Aussies like to exagerate, lol!

A very easy variety of chamaedorea to grow the microspadix, tough, cool tolerant with a little dry tolerance. Loves the shade and will always be happy if given a little attention. A nice palm for landscaping with predictable growth patterns and thin stems. Sets seeds easily and germinates just as easy. An all round easy chamaedorea species to grow you just need shade.

Okay... it may not be me you want to see so much... so more of the palm.

Just a calculation error from Tim I think....46.4c = 115.5f!

Went palm shopping today and got some new additions Chamaedorea metallica for the wife Another Dypsis sp. Mayotte. Flowering size Dypsis sp Baby Red Stems. Trunking. Hoping to make hybrids with it Unknown Big Chrysalidocarpus. Any ideas? Couple Kerriodoxa elegans for the front bed Cyrtostachys renda x elegans (C. 'Hybrid') Last but not least...Cyrtostachys renda variegated. Holy grail palm.

I was in Fayetteville for a funeral in March, and picked up some seeds. They pretty much all sprouted, and the deer and squirrel ate them up. I have 2 left that are growing like weeds. 1 went into a rock bed I’m working on. This one is staying in a pot. 4 months old and swallowing up a half gallon.

A couple of flushes on one of my favorites, Encephalartos eugene-maraisii.

A few flushing caudex on this Encephalartos munchii x manikensis x munchii clump.

Spotted this beauty opposite the mother in laws house! Iam always palm nutting about it to her! You know Sue this palm is……

I tried 3 species of Ceroxylon, all of which died in the summer

Seaweed extract it’s a great soil tonic helps reduce stress and when you water in your heatwave it’s a bonus!

Richard here they produce many seeds, this plant has produced 5 flowering spathes full of seeds

There are Ceroxylon quindiuense and other Ceroxylon sp that survived the Melbourne record temperature of 46.4C/155.5F back in 2009. As long as it’s infrequent and not coupled with high humidity they don’t seem to have any ill effects to heat. Shade helps, but last year was the first year I didn’t put shade cloth over my C quindiuense and it had its best summer so far despite some direct sun and a couple of 40C+ temps.

Oh well, perhaps I will be lucky enough to be able growing a Buccaneer or a Royal...

Bumped this last year, I suppose it is time for another bump...

Here's one of Jonathan's seedlings a few years later. Gives an idea of what you can expect down the road.

I currently have a green and a blue Encephalartos arenarius flushing at the same time. It’s interesting to see the difference between the two plants. The blue one is two headed since germination and much younger but grows a bit faster than the green one. The blue one also has gnarlier looking leafs while the green one tends to look more organized even though it’s flushing a bit unevenly on this flush.

I live 50 miles south of Darold in a much warmer zone and my 17 year old C. quindiuence in partial shade has endured many heat waves to around 100°F (38°C) and a few in excess of that, without any adverse effects. Same goes for my other Ceroxylon species. My summer climate is otherwise very mild. This summer has been almost entirely in the 70sF.

One palm that grows to absolute perfection in my climate the weddlianum or wedding palm. Such a delicate palm when a seedling and is always popular as seedling with non palm nuts. I have had them sell as I deliver them to retail nursery being snapped up off the delivery trolley. There beautiful and even more so when mature and given a nice clean up. So easy to grow and germinate, I just love them!

Two things that rarely happen these days. Starting a life long hobby when young & being able to see the results nearly 50 years later. Congratulations @Darold Petty

wow, fantastic, Jon.

Shakespeare couldn't have said it better, Richard

Sometimes using those saws was pretty arduous.

The pink ones on the far left are in "mostly sun" (sun comes in from the right side of this photo, and is somewhat blocked by the flamethrower, and plants not shown on the right side of the photo). These pink Neos + the purple one right behind them (Neoregelia "Bird Rock") do relatively well for the pink/purple color range. The full-sun hero though is "Aechmea Blanchetiana" in orange or yellow coloring. ☀️

I still don't understand why it is so rare here in Mexico

Below are recorded weather information at precisely 16:31 local time. Lowest recorded temp on the 25th of July (after midnight until dawn) had been so far 28 C. Are lows that high in Melbourne during heat waves? Whenever I tried as juvenile a Ceroxylon quindiuense outdoors, it used to thrive until mid of summer with rapid decline afterwards.

I've done it again. This one actually seems to have potential. Problem this time is for sure in the roots. It was in a pot that was way too big and some of the roots were starting to rot. Cut off as many rotted roots as I could and repotted in fresh soil and a smaller pot. Gonna allow it to dry out some before doing anymore watering.

I have about 100 insignis just germinated so ten years time I should have some nice examples! But the lytocarum genus are beautiful.

Iam the same and if it comes from my garden even better.

How long did it last and what had been the lowest evening temp on same day?

Except for the crocs, they are really huge, as their hunting is not permitted and so they have the chance to get old.

This is true lol. They are quick fellas!!

Okay... since I wasbout talking to an SDGE rep earlier today checking to make sure not trimming or removal needed... (yet). From today.. many weeds as usual.. so I won't show those.. I'm 6 foot tall, so there's your size reference.

Fantastic! Darold has also grown an attractive Ceroxylon parvifrons. Knowing Darold, I think more than one actually!

Anticipation is building. Lc. MOONWIND 'MT. MADONNA' 1989, (Lc. Eva Shill x Lc. Elizabeth Off). I've had this one for 36 years. Purchased from Rod McLellan (Acres of Orchids, in CA) back when we relied on those beautiful, glossy, mail-order catalogs. Normally a late-November bloomer but I'm finding that growing with these better quality led lights, that sometimes it just doesn't matter what the bloom season. Will keep you all posted in next few days...

Facebook Marketplace Freebie! 4 hours round trip, an hour to dig up, and another hour to get it situated in its pot...I think I am officially an addict

Bottom center - Southern California

Few more….

Better late than never… female dyer, female Nubi, male Nubi, Tri and aren.

So awesome Darold!

Not really, since the other two are about 2 miles away, so no chance for seed.

Here’s a few updates from the old neighborhood.

That Copernicia macroglossa is at its picture perfect stage! 👍 Once they gain some trunk height, they kinda lose their uniqueness unless you have the land area available to maintain them as a 'haystack'. Here's mine,where I actually had to tie up the fronds as they started to grow into the line of traffic. 🤷‍♂️ aztropic Mesa, Arizona

One grand palm that’s spectacular, while I have only seen pictures of them and juvenile seedlings, they seem rather special to me. So far they have taken two cool winters down to 2 degrees last winter and 3 degrees Celsius this winter, I did lose two last winter and one with spear pull but that one is looking even stronger this season and picking up pace. The only thing I thought I did wrong last winter and killed two was water them to much in winter that’s all I can think off grower mistake, unless it was something else iam unaware off. So it’s always good to report on unknown new varieties being grown outside in the cool subtropical winter. So a zone push try and is very encouraging so far for subtropical growers. Gor such a spectacular palm that’s new to cultivation in my area.

Awesome Darold. Hey, I never knew you were that old 🤣

Might as well throw them in 3 or 5 gallons once they start popping.

Great pictures and palms, thanks for posting. Your Chrysalidocarpus Nauseosus is a great size! Love all of your hybrids as well.