Carpentaria acuminata & Ptychosperma elegans

[K_Palm]

Howdy,

I am getting a few of these guys from Palman...he's very kind and is sending me a C. acuminata free of charge simply to try and experiment with.

My question, what are some measures I can use to give these guys the best chance in my yard?  Those of you that are out here in So Cal (particularly inland) where in your yard have you planted them with success? Or have you simply potted them up?

Gracias

[DoomsDave]

Karel:

My experience with Carpies is they don't like So Cal, and, without some special microclimate to give it higher humidity and heat, it probably won't survive long, especially in an inland area like Burbank.

P. elegans do much, much better.  I've got about 6 in my garden, all thriving in full sun.  Don't know how frost hardy they are, but I'm sure some our brethren and sistren will able to advise.

dave

[paulgila]

here are some "carpies" in "pogobobs" garden in san clemente.these are the only ones i've ever seen here

& they are "as good as it gets"(i love quotes).(& parentheses)!

[MattyB]

Ptychosperma elegans are a real nice palm for us here in So Cal.  They take a lot of sun if they need to, and are a perfect size for a small planter or slipped into a small spot.  Mine take pretty much all day sun here 9 miles inland.  I give them blood meal to keep them real green.  I think it helps them not to burn.

[K_Palm]

Dave I would like to see some pics of your P. elegans and I will plant them in full sun.  Should I acclimate first by potting up and leaving in the desired area or should I just go for it and plant them in?

As far as the C. ac...should i just pot up?

Matt lets see some pics!  Bloodmeal?! I palm newbie

[MattyB]

I'll have to take some pics!  The bloodmeal is readily available at homedepoot.  It's exactly what it sounds like....it's blood in a granular form.  It offers plants nitrogen in a slow release form and lots of iron which really greens them up nice.  It's an awesome organic fertilizer....and it smells good too.

[redant]

No experience with CA but I do grow many C. acuminata in fl. They prefer wet feet, NEVER let them dry out.

Here are three of the 30 or o I have in the ground.

[MattyB]

Here's my two Ptychospermas that I have in the ground.

[MattyB]

Fall, Winter & Spring they get pretty much the entire day full sun.  In Summer they get filtered sun at times from midday on.

[paulgila]

hey matt is that your a.myolensis on the right of the above photo?

[MattyB]

No that's A. cunninhaminana...my biggest.

Here's my A. myolensis.  You can see the color difference on the C.S.

[K_Palm]

Hey while on the topic...the A. c on the left blew over a couple of years ago.  Do you all think the support is still necessary?  And the trunk damage on the middle one serious?

[paulgila]

thanks matt,thats a great plant!

karel,i think that is just cosmetic.it seems to happen quite often.

[MattyB]

Yeah, King's split.  It's no biggie.  Don't untie it until it's stable.  Maybe that rock behind it can hold it up now.  I jut had a thought for a good substitute for C. acuminata for us here in So. Cal.....Syagrus botryophora.  Even prettier in my opinion.

S. botryophora on PACSOA

[deezpalms]

I was gonna say the same thing matty, after seeing the picture above it looks purdy similar.

[epicure3]

Rancho Soledad near san Diego has a beautiful carpie that's been inground for about 15 years. Its about 15 feet tall and looks great.

[redant]

(MattyB @ Oct. 02 2006,18:10)

QUOTE

Yeah, King's split.  It's no biggie.  Don't untie it until it's stable.  Maybe that rock behind it can hold it up now.  I jut had a thought for a good substitute for C. acuminata for us here in So. Cal.....Syagrus botryophora.  Even prettier in my opinion.

S. botryophora on PACSOA

From a distance I guess you are correct but not up Close. The carpies have a nice clean trunk and crown shaft, are self cleaning and have a good bulge at the base of the trunk then narrowing gracefully as it goes to the crown. Carpies are much nicer IMO.

[Logolight]

I've got about 15 carpies sprouting in my containers but they won't grow outside in Jacksonville since it's too far north.  I'll attemp to make them indoor plants.

P.S.  One of my Woodyetias just sprouted.

[DoomsDave]

(pohonkelapa @ Oct. 02 2006,13:37)

QUOTE

here are some "carpies" in "pogobobs" garden in san clemente.these are the only ones i've ever seen here

& they are "as good as it gets"(i love quotes).(& parentheses)!

Well, whap me upside my pointy head with a shredded steel belted radial tire!

Those are magnificent.  Hmm.  Bet ocean prox is the key.

How old are they?

dave

[Davidl]

I like these palms. heres some that I have. They are much bigger now but don't have a recent pic.

[spockvr6]

Those are beauties David.  

Ive just added a few earlier this year and hope they mature into nice specimens like those.  I planted them in areas where frost formation would be pretty much impossible (bever say never though) so I hope theyll live a long life.

I have found them to be slow for the first year though.   They certainly do not take off right when plamted like some other fast growers (like Veitchia) do.   Thats my experience at least.

[tanetahi]

Couple of photos of Ptychosperma elegans here in Brisbane;

[K_Palm]

Thanks for the pics!  The palms have finally arrived and here is a pic, but I have a couple of questions...do the P. elegans usually stand alone or could they be planted in multiples? From the pic can you tell the C. acuminata?

[redant]

P. elegans look better in a threesome IMO all together.

The small palm on the right of the bucket looks to be C. acuminata. While they like water you might be overdoing it.

[elHoagie]

I planted a C. acuminata last fall and it's growing well so far.  It's right next to the east side of my house....

[Scott]

How does the P. elegans handle cold and wind?

[SunnyFl]

Beautiful photos of the (aptly-named) elegans in Brisbane.  Didn't it used to be called Seaforthia?