Euterpe precatoria RIP

[ariscott]

This actually happened last weekend. I don't know if any of you remembered I posted a palm ages ago to identify. There were 2 of them growing at a house I used to rent, and I think MattyB identified them as Euterpe precatoria. One of them was flowering when we were moving out and Scott kept on going pass and it didn't have any viable seeds. So, we thought we would drive pass last weekend and see whether it is flowering again this year (about the same time) and guess what... THEY ARE GONE!!!!

I was very upset, as they are the only 2 that I know of in Darwin. The new owner must've thought they were too annoying and chopped them down. I was devastated and it ruined my mood for the rest of the day. And the annoying thing is that they kept the carpies, golden canes and other common stuff, including umbrella trees in their driveway... They were not even in the way of anything and never drop any fronds. For the whole year we were there, we never had to do anything to these palms.

I wonder what else they got rid of, the property had beautiful licuala in the back. I was very tempted to dig it up when we were moving out, but I thought... no, it is too nice, nobody would chop it down. I wonder whether they would as it is very spiky...

Now I know for sure that if one day I sell my property for any reason at all, I would never do a drive by. I think it would be devastating to see your life work chopped down by someone who has not idea what they are chopping down!! What can you do? I am upset about this house and it wasn't even mine....

OK, enough carrying on. I just have to look after my 2 euterpe precatoria seedlings...

Regards, Ari

[Miccles]

Sorry to hear of your frustration Ari.... that really sucks. I guess up in Darwin, a seedling will grow into a trunking monster over the weekend anyhow !

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Ari, that's sad to hear.

When i moved from Maryland to Florida, i left behind a huge amount of plants...5 Trachys, all 8 ft or more,lots of smaller 4 ft trachys, Sabal minors, a huge Needle palm, and other non palm stuff like Musa basjoo... all of it well established.

I went back for a visit a couple of years ago, and it is all gone, including my house....all of it bulldozed to a vacant lot.

Oh well.......seems the only thing that endures is change.

Rusty

[Dypsisdean]

Ari,

Two days ago I planted a small grouping of E. precatoria with the variegated crownshaft. They were already a lot taller than I, so they may begin flowering in a few years. I will remember your sorrow, and if you are still reachable in one of the garden groups, I'll send you a few seeds if you are interested.

[realarch]

Ahh geeze, they were a nice size too. Just take heart that for every one chopped down there is most likely another one planted somewhere.

Tim

[Walter John]

Dean, you're not going to believe this but the same thing happened to me, no it did, just ask um...........

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Hi Ari,

Don't you just hate that, but not eveyone likes

tall palms, Sad eh..........

Cheers Mikey

[Dypsisdean]

Dean, you're not going to believe this but the same thing happened to me, no it did, just ask um...........

Come on Wal,

If your trying to confuse me, no help is needed.

[ariscott]

Ari,

Two days ago I planted a small grouping of E. precatoria with the variegated crownshaft. They were already a lot taller than I, so they may begin flowering in a few years. I will remember your sorrow, and if you are still reachable in one of the garden groups, I'll send you a few seeds if you are interested.

Thank you for the offer, Dean. You will be able to reach me. I will be around... with a new garden, there would be plenty to post in the years to come .

Wal,

Thank for the kind words everyone... It is hard to see trees or palms cut down in Darwin. It has taken them years to get to that size, and people don't seem to plant the unusual palms anymore. I would hate to see whatever happens to the property where Scott took a photo of the variegated licuala grandis. It is chock full of rare and unusual palms - most of them at seeding age already... I know what to do, never do a DRIVE PAST....

Regards, Ari

[Walter John]

Dean, you're not going to believe this but the same thing happened to me, no it did, just ask um...........

Come on Wal,

If your trying to confuse me, no help is needed.

Take it easy Dean, it was only joke, you know, to con some seeds out of you, I make up a story like the one Ari related and you do me the same favour, get it ?, oh geez, I think I should retire from this board while I'm behind.

[Dypsisdean]

Ah,

Guess I'm still a little slow when it comes to Walerisms.

You could have just tried asking. The answer is 'yes."

[Walter John]

Ah,

Guess I'm still a little slow when it comes to Walerisms.

You could have just tried asking. The answer is 'yes."

I don't want seeds Dean, it was a gag man, maybe I should be gagged

[Palm Guy]

Ari, sorry to hear that. It really boggles my mind why anyone would get rid of a palm tree that beautiful. Hopefully, you can get your hands on another.

[Walter John]

I heard that Euterpe precatoria fold down their leaves/leaflets in rain and fold them back up when the sun comes out to catch the sun. No gags here, in fact I think I'll add a pic.

[Dypsisdean]

Ah,

Guess I'm still a little slow when it comes to Walerisms.

You could have just tried asking. The answer is 'yes."

I don't want seeds Dean, it was a gag man, maybe I should be gagged

Now you're turning down my offer???

OK, enough's enough.

Seriously (for a change) --- do you guys have many of the variegated crownshaft variety down there?

[Alicehunter2000]

Sorry to hear that man. I always hate when things happen like that. It is usually a perfectly beautiful specimen that gets the axe. I posted a picture of a large Double Butia Capita that was perfectly symetrical in a thread about Butias. The trees might have been from a single seed and were approx. 40 years old or more. Somebody decided for no apparent reason to chainsaw them down...........oh yes those two stumps look much better....keep up the good work ....... stupid idiots!

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Hi Guys and Girls,

Hey Dean here's a couple of photo's take at Alan Carle's

place at Whyanbeel, which isn't far from Port Douglas

here in Cairns, of Euterpe precatoria var varigata.

Cheers Mikey

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

One more, and a look at the Crownshaft......

Ari you know what it's like at Alans do you

remember seeing these babies.

Regards Mikey.

[ariscott]

Dean,

I don't think the variegated is common. Although, the QLD boys might be able to answer that better. 'Doh, Mikey beat me to it

Mikey,

I haven't been to Alan's place. I just saw photos of Adam's visit. You have to take me there, remember???

Regards, Ari

Edited July 6, 2008 by ariscott

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Hi Ari,

I know I was just teasing ya, It's a big day going

to Alan's he's got some really neat plants there

that's for sure.. Ya eyes will roll

Cheers Mikey

[ariscott]

I might take spade and secateur . Just don't tell anyone....

Regards, Ari

[eastern.nurseries]

I think we need to be more considerate of what our neighbors would like us to plant along boundaries by asking them first. Then plant whatever you want and tell them it's what they need.

[amazondk]

I am gong to start looking at the crown shafts around here to see if they are varigated or not. These palms are like weeds here popping up all over the place.

dk

[Walter John]

Here's mine. I've made a mini movie (remember those ?) showing this palm more clearly, hopefully I can get these mini movies up on palmpedia, I'm chasing my userid and password at present.

[Dypsisdean]

Wal,

I believe your user ID is Waldon. You can request your password be sent to you after trying to log in.

However, it is possible you will need to re-register if you haven't done so already after the upgrade and new format took effect.

If all else fails just start over with a new user IP like Walarooni.

[Walter John]

Thanks Dean, have begun re registering as Wal and am attempting file upload now.

[chris.oz]

Shame Ari,

E precatoria, is IMO the best palm in the genus. Love em.

[amazondk]

I went out to look at my little E. precatoria behind the house to check out if it had any varigation. I would not really call it varigated but it does have some green stripes on the mostly yellow crownshaft. This I believe is actually two trees, but they were in the same pot when I got it some years ago and looks like a tree with twin trunks. I have quite a collection of E. precatorias starting. They are seeds left over from failed attempts at sending them abroad. Hopefully I have that worked out with the Post Office now. At least the lady there told me that it was no problem. I am going to put a grove of the trees in at our country place. I have one big one already growing wild there. I am going to put a lot of these close which is next to the Mauritia grove. I have to get the larger ones in the community box into pots, hopefully today. I figure that since the tree is native here and does so well here it might as well be a major figure in the overall landscape plan. Plus it the fruit is not only good for humans but also brings in a lot of wildlife, espceially birds like parrots, macaws, and toucans. I also have a bunch of Oenocarpus bacaba started as well. There are some small ones growing in th bush on our lot already. They are found on ground a little bit higher than the Euterpe normally. These shots I just took a few minutes ago. I captured by luck a bird flying by in photo number 3.

Ari, I don't suppose the destroyers of the E. precatoria ate the palm heart either. They should have at least done that.

dk

[amazondk]

In habitat the E. precatoria is like the queen of the forest. The tree is delicate but majestic. This picture shows clearly the prime habit for the tree. Frequently found near water but not with wet roots. It grows close to the Mauritia flexuosa, but not in the exact same location due to the soil dampness. This is a typical forest clearing found in our area in the Terra Firme or high ground forest.

dk

[amazondk]

Ari,

I hope you get a little grove of the trees going. I am sure they will do well there. But, you will have to keep them well watered to grow well n the dry season there.

I took some pictures of some E. precatorias in a vacant lot which is the back end of the university near my house. They are some pretty nice specimens. From what I see they have no varigation.

dk

[ariscott]

I am planning to, Don.. if I can find some more. That was why I was doing the drive past, as Scott was going to knock on the door and collect seeds, if there was any . They are very nice palms and very slender. I like big ones too... but slender ones is easier to work into the landscape. Oh well, I just have to ask around next time I am in Cairns.

Most of my garden beds are irrigated now... it makes my life A LOT easier

Most Australian aren't that imaginative when it comes to food!!! Who would've thought you could eat the heart of palms (sarcastic emoticons)...

Regards, Ari

[Kris]

Dear Ari,

sorry to hear about those palms...but i must say taste differs from person to person..

in our house we had huge trunking coconut trees & royals...i got them all cut in the name of safety,since we do not have ample space to accomidiate them in a cramped-up garden area.i am planning to plant few talipots & CIDP's in our garden but do not know its fate from the next generation...

And a simple example is our chennai horticulture society,i thought its the safest place to donate most of my surplus palm saplings...but one fine morning i read its closed...and its around 300 acres of land situated in the heart of chennai city !

but one thing that is truely amazing both amoung our members & few reputed seed dealers is that they are all trying desperiately to save some species of plants with regular seeds sale,trading & exchange.etc..so one can have a sound sleep at nights not worring that all the species of plants will be erased by few nuts(new owners) or cranky politicians..

love,

Kris.

[amazondk]

Ari,

I am going to go back and check with the post office that said I could send the seeds no problem. If this situation remains I could send you a small package. That is if the açai drink guy has any. They are starting to go out of season. Let me know if you want any.

dk

[ariscott]

Kris,

People cut down palms more and more in Darwin. It was back in the 80's where most palms are planted, and now, people decided they don't like carpies because of the seedlings popping everywhere and started to cut down EVERYTHING that is even look remotely like carpies. It is sad to see that people just assume that all palms are annoying!! I bet you that is the first thing they did when they moved to the house, without even trying to identify what is what.

Don,

Yes please..... whenever you have the chance or when they are availabe. I am very patient... I can wait forever. BTW, any seeds of Mauritia by any chance??

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Ari,

I will see what I can do. Yes the Marauitias are in season now. But, I remember that Tyrone had told me that they were on Australia's approved species list.

dk

[Walter John]

For a better look at my Euterpe, check out the first link in my mini movie thread.

[ariscott]

Ari,

I will see what I can do. Yes the Marauitias are in season now. But, I remember that Tyrone had told me that they were on Australia's approved species list.

dk

Mauritius flexuosa and Euterpe precatoria are on the list ... I checked. Thank you Don :)

Regards, Ari

[Tyrone]

This palm is totally gorgeous.

Best regards

Tyrone

[ariscott]

You are out of control, Tyrone...

Thank you Don!!! I would never forget my early christmas present from you!!!

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Ari,

You are very welcome. I am very happy that you will have a bit of Amazonia in your garden. I hope that Tryone's do well. I think they probably will be ok.

dk