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It's been exactly 4 years since my Copernicia berteroana last flowered. Looks like this year will be the year to start some more seeds. Seems to be a scarcely seen palm in peoples gardens for whatever reason. Maybe a 4 year flowering cycle has something to do with it?🤔😄 aztropic Mesa, Arizona

I agree with the others that you’ve got an R. baueri. Incidentally, Rhopalostylis and Archontophoenix DNA is not similar and, therefore, cannot hybridize with each other.

@guillerman looks like you’ve got a really REALLY nice Rhop. baueri purple crownshaft just like mine!

When in Brisbane a must see place for any plant nut is the botanical gardens. The garden is improving with time and you can definitely see the age in some of the plants there. The tahina has tucked itself in and give it five years and a bit and it will be the showcase of the gardens, as you walk out of the visitors centre you will be greeted by the tahina welcoming you to the world of plants.

Has anyone seen anything like this before? I can’t help but wonder which Rhopalostylis variety it might be. My first thought was Chatham Islands, but I’m starting to doubt that. It could possibly be a Great Barrier Island form instead. Or even a naturally occurring hybrid with archontophoenix cunninghamiana? It’s surrounded by them.. Anyway what caught my attention is the very open crown and the extremely dark crownshaft color. I was also looking through some older Rhopalostylis photos and I think Geoff Stein used to have a few similar plants in cultivation. Curious to hear what others think on the variety — what are your bets?

I just couldn’t pass up on some of the plants on offer at the pacsoa show this weekend. Just a couple more for the collection! satakentia liukiuensis kentiopsis oliviformis Dypsis ambositrae Geonoma atrovirens licuala sallehana Calyptrocalyx flabellata pinanga sarawakensis loxococcus rupicola calyptronoma occidentalisDypsis sp Bill Beattie Basselina glabrata Dypsis orange crush calmus muelleri polyandrococus caudescens Calyptrocalyx yummutumecalyptrocalyx flabellata cocothrinax guargruana Mapu for the wife you know how it is fellas you gotta get the wife a gift when you spend up! Zamia pictaDypsis hetromorphusDypsis avisonii Dypsis DrannsfieldiiDioon Rio verdeDioon holmgreniiSchippia concolor All set to go in the garden for a bit more of that tropical look chamearops humillis cocothrinax eckmanii licuala fractiflexavietcha montgomerianadypsis procera

Here is an update on some of my palms. I worked this past week and got everything trimmed. Palms that were damaged but not on the updated list are still alive and firm but no active growth yet. PALMS Aiphanes horrida x minima (6’) -100% burn, already had about 25% burn from earlier cold, it always showed damage below about 35F every year but always quickly recovered, dead Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (20’) -major burn, new leaf opening Archontophoenix purpurea (7’)- 100% burn new leaf opening Arenga engleri (7’)- surprisingly burn on one leaf, several leaves burned, very delayed damage Brassiophoenix drymophoeoides (5’)- 100% burn dead Carpentaria acuminata x Adonidia merrillii (25’)- 100% burn no signs of growth yet Chrysalidocarpus psammophilus (3’)- 100% burn dead Cocos nucifera ‘Green Malayan’ (10’, 3’ trunk)- almost 100% burn but a few green leaflets and petioles still green, already push new growth, it already had about 20% burn from frost a couple weeks prior, cut out dead center growth and spear, no rot, now new growth is strongly pushing out! Euterpe edulis (10’, 5’)- both have 100% burn 10’ specimen is dead, 5’ opening new leaf Hyophorbe verschaffeltii (6’)- 100% burn new leaf opening Pinanga coronata (4’)- 100% burn main stem appears dead, suckers have new growth Pritchardia hillebrandii (3’)- moderate burn, still lots of green center spear pulled, cut and treated, new growth pushing out Ptychococcus lepidotus (5’)- 100% burn dead Ptychococcus paradoxus (6’)- 100% burn dead Ravenea rivularis (6’)- 100% burn new leaf opening Syagrus sancona (7’)- severe burn new leaf opening Wodhyethia bifurcata (4’)- 100% burn dead PANDANS Pandanus furcatus (15’)- 100% burn but green already pushing out removed all dead leaves, new growth pushing out Pandanus letocartiorum (decumbens) (2’)- 100% burn dead Pandanus penangensis (monotheca) (5’)- 100% burn dead Pandanus tectorius (spineless form) (3’)- 100% burn dead Pandanus tectorius, dwarf spineless variegated form)- 100% burn dead PALM-LIKE PLANTS Ravenala madagascariensis (15’)- 100% burn, new growth emerging Ravenala menahirana (Honkondambo) (3’)- 100% burn, new leaf emerging, new leaf emerged but petiole browned and collaped, cut and new growth emerging again Sphaeropteris cooperi (Cyathea) (10’)- 100% burn new fronds uncurling Strelitzia nicolai (10’)- 100% burn new growth emerging

Everywhere you look it’s more plants!

It’s a photographers paradise for plants!

Even if my garden is young, for some palms The circle is complete

It was a flamethrower when it came into this world and it’s going out as a flamethrower as well.

My minimum temperature was 13F this year, accompanied by freezing rain. My results were as follows. Chamaerops humilis (unprotected): No damage, actively growing. Chamaedorea microspadix (unprotected): Burning where ice accumulated, but actively growing. No damage to leaves that did not ice over. Chamaedorea radicalis (unprotected): Burning where ice accumulated, but actively growing. No damage to leaves that did not ice over. Sabal minor (unprotected): No damage. Sabal miamiensis (unprotected): No damage. Sabal miamiensis Leu garden hybrid (unprotected): No damage. Sabal uresana highlands form (unprotected): No damage and actively growing. Sabal uresana green/silver form (tarp wrapped around the spear base): No damage and actively growing. Brahea dulcis (covered by a tarp): Minor discoloration, but actively growing. Cycas revoluta (unprotected): Exposed leaves are burned, normal for temperatures below 14F.

Getting them established is key, but is very hard to do when you don't have average winters. The three winters that I have been here have been have all been below my zone - 23/24 was 8B, 24/25 was 8B and 25/26 was 9A. Not so good considering I'm supposed to be a 9B zone. The crazy thing is that I did in fact protect the majority of my palms last year and this year because I am trying to get them established. Comments below in red Needle palms. 2/4 of damaged, one spear pulled the other cosmetic. Last year 3/4 were damaged. I’ll never understand why these keep getting called the most cold hardy palm. - Not Protected Sabal causiarum 2/2 damaged with over 50% burn - Fully Wrapped in Frost cloth Mule palm - 1/2 damaged. Some older fronds growing off and spear broke off but is pushing new growth Fully wrapped in frost cloth BxJ - 1/2 damaged - cosmetic damage to spear Fully wrapped in frost cloth Butia 2/3 damaged - cosmetic damage to spear - Trunks and spears wrapped in frost cloth Chamaerops humilis - bad spear pull, I ripped it out of the ground in disgust. Fully wrapped in frost cloth CIDP - cosmetic damage to spear Fully wrapped in frost cloth Livistona nitida- 2/2 have very bad damage and fungus on about 2 fronds plus emerging spear. No spear pull and new growth is healthy. The density of the growing point makes it impossible to see down in there. Fully wrapped in frost cloth The rest of the Sabals, Washingtonia, Trachycarpus, Serenoa and of course Chamaedorea radicalis were unharmed. The radicalis were not protected and were the only palms I've had the last two winters that I had a 100% success rate with. Even my Chamaedorea microspadix outperformed many of the truly cold hardy palms. On paper none of the palms I listed should be bothered by 23F and around 12 hours below freezing.

What are they doing to that poor kentia, as an Australian I must stand up for one of finer palms living abroad in such cold conditions, please send my condolences to the palm!

Potting up a few more sprouts and spikes today, and a big thank you @tim_brissy_13 for the special little sprouts of lanonia, Pinanga and raphis varieties, it shall not be forgotten let us say, such a gift gets locked into the memory bank! And a few home germinated ones just to keep myself busy on the potting bench!

Two new Dypsis procera certainly got my eye attention after I planted them today!

Bismarkia

You had to be there it was like the heavens opened up and the palms fell to the ground! I couldn’t buy anymore I had no room left in the car, even left the wife at home so I had more room in the car. Those procera I grab one to start with then every time I walked past I grabbed another and eventually well you know I walked past five times, so iam no mathematical genius and I ended up with all five by the looks of it, one is even flowering🌱

a little bit of Italy in Australia, here they are everywhere

I'd also like to add I'm leaning more towards Butiagrus as the petioles have that mottled white stuff that is more associated with Syagrus.

I don't want to be complete doom and gloom though. I have been pleasantly surprised that my Washingtonia must truly be at least mostly filifera. It has pushed out some damaged spears already, but you can't even tell it was damaged at all unless you are up close. I also had several Chamaedorea radicalis seedlings that I started last summer come through easily. I didn't plant them until August. I gave them no protection and they have no overhead canopy either. They did fry in the freezing rain as I expected. Every single one of them is pushing out new growth with no intervention from me. I can't recommend these palms enough. I had my mature specimen in the ground for multiple Oklahoma winters with only unheated coverings during snow. It always came back from any damage by June.

The ‘ole’ Chrysalidocarpus paucifolius, aka ‘orange crush.’ Love the scale that growing in almost solid rock dictates. Tim

There’s a stack of palms up for grabs, at the pacsoa show this year. So for all those palm nuts out there head on up to Brisbane botanical gardens for a palm or two!

This is one of the things that I try and tell people, that every cold event is different. Just because your palms survived at a certain temperature before doesn't mean its guaranteed that it will again. The conditions before, during and after the cold all matter. I'm so used to having palms damaged at temps that on paper they should have no issues with. In Oregon it was different because of the dampness in winter, and slow or minimal daily rebounds. Here in a hot southern zone 9B you would think this would be an optimal zone 9B with high daily rebounds, and good solar radiation. I am very far south. What I think hurt me this time was that everything was actively growing. Our winter had been in the 70s and 80s and then one blip and back up again. It wasn't only palms that were damaged, but other plants too. However they have better mechanisms for recovering from cold damage. I have a Stellar Ruby Magnolia that is rated to zone 7a, it was mostly burnt. Last year it took 19F during its first winter in the ground and was fine, this year its much bigger and it got fried at 23F and actually showed signs of damage from our first frost at 29F.

Agree, Butia oderata (capitata)

I thought butia capita?

Yellow latania

Yes I did sell my plants, so the sallehana and Geonoma where the only real purchase, a fair trade off my collection increased and the other sellers sold more plants!

Some crackers there this year and iam not talking about the pacsoa show society!

My one chance each year to buy rare palms of a decent size and without paying massive postal fees. Also the only time I get to catch up with people from far away. This year with the incredible heat and humidity I have just been too sick to go anywhere, even my eyesight went blurry this time (yet another complication with MS) so even going online has not been possible. Now I am back to whatever passes for normal, a bit more wobbly a lot more useless than before. Richard, I see you snavelled a lot of the palms I would have bought if I had been able to get there this year. Now I have a long long wait until next year. Peachy

I notice your screen name is the Hilo zip code. I used to live there and am now living in a similar climate to yours in El Centro, CA. I can't really distinguish this palm from a Butia vs Butiagrus since they are both such variable seedlings, but something to help identify it is to look at the growth rate. I figure it would take a Butia about 3 to 4 years to get to that size, so if that palm is younger, I'd lean towards Butiagrus. Generally the seeds are not viable, but there are exceptions. I believe the Butiagrus at Huntington BG used to periodically set viable seeds.

At that size, it is pretty hard to tell, but I would guess it might be something in the Butia family. It looks like it is getting its first divided leaf, which is going pinnate.

💪💪🌴🌴🦜🦜

Yeah the past 10 years were so mild and everyone was starting to plant crown shafts palms. It was a real bummer. Now Jacksonville looks so bland

Well I hit the rain jackpot these last 24 hours. I’m at 4.5” and the plants have responded incredibly. My yard was looking dead and it has now sprung to life. Some of the perennials doubled in size and the palms pushed a few inches of spear. Just incredible the difference that actual rain makes.

I hate that you had damage on so many palms that you would think wood have been safe as well. The majority of my frustration sounds similar to yours. I planted mostly very hardy palms that should be as near bullet-proof as any plant can be. I still saw damage at temps these palms can and do take without damage all around my neighborhood. I understand that it takes a few seasons to get plants well established. I think I allowed my past experiences to fool me into thinking that these palms would be safe in their second winter with temps that are normal zonal lows for my area. Lesson learned.

last night we got a few good periods of rain, my phone says 0.05", that makes me laugh as water collected in the back yard. Looked like we got at least 1-2 inches. Its normally dry this time of year. 30 consecutive days without measurable rain in spring is not that uncommon, Ive seen 60 consecutive days with no measur4able rain in spring a decade ago. We had a little bit of rain two days ago, probably just 0.1" or so. Last night was loud on the metal roof for 3 half hour periods, lighter rain in between. It was a good hard rainm the kind that makes driving difficult even at reduced speeds due to low visibility. THis morning I saw the water level in the retention ponds I walk by every day (walking the dog) has changed, the waterline is up as is the canal water level on the other side of the retention ponds and water is moving down the canal again. The real problem was that it hadn't significantly rained since september. We typically get about 9 inches of rain from Nov through February and I expect we have had less than 1 total inch. Last year was below average rainfall so we now have drought restrictions. I am happy for the rain but the weather report has been very inaccurate as the rain has fallen in heavy clustered areas with dry regions around it. I just want to be able to water my yard more than 1x a week again before it gets hot..

Similar to King Pyhrrus saying, another such survival and the plant will be ruined.

Nice!! Thanks for all the insights. I had heard of an archon x sapida hybrid. Just dreaming possibly :S

Looks like Rhopalostylis baueri. Could be R baueri var cheesmanii which I’ve seen can have a purple tinge to the crownshaft but I’m not sure if that’s formally diagnostic.

Here are some more photos. Tim

In my area up here in the Bay Area, king palms are all over the neighborhood. My own personal experience with them is that they are the easiest and fastest growing palms in the garden, sun or shade. I have groves of them as well as ones growing singularly. Seeds pop up by the thousands just as much in the winter as summer. Some of those volunteers are aver twenty feet tall. I have all the other Archontophoenix species doing well too. The first ones I planted in 2001 sailed through the 2007 freeze (26°F) with barely a scratch. Just some light bronzing on horizontal fronds and they replaced those leaves by summer’s end.

New leaf on Philodendron Caramel Pluto

Chrysalidocarpus loucoubensis sowing some color after a frond drop. Tim

@palmofmyhand Here's a video from this morning, followed by two sago palm pics. The sagos had a little protection, blanket and a tarp.

In my experiences over the past 40 yrs, winter damage isn't fully realized until a month or perhaps two into spring. I think some of yours @palmofmyhand are worthy of attempted rejuvenation. Part of that process is fending off inclement weather which can fuel, fungi, mold etc. Best of luck. Keep us posted on your efforts/results.