Queen Clumps

[buffy]

Will Queens crowd each other when planted as a clump? Just wondering. If they will have a little graceful seperation, that would be preferable.

[paulgila]

i am thinking kings look way better in clumps,queens seem a bit too "burly" for that,to me.

[sonoranfans]

Will Queens crowd each other when planted as a clump? Just wondering. If they will have a little graceful seperation, that would be preferable.

My experience is that ~8-10' separation is best if you dont want "tangled fronds" down low. I have one double at 3-4' and they are quite happy, but some of the lowest fronds are tangled. I had a triple in a line configuration(3-4'separation) and chopped the middle one down as it was not getting enough room, crowded on both sides. Planting in doubles or trips is good for then as they get protection from cold wind and excessive dry heat while making watering much more efficient. Two healthy queens at 25'+ can throw quite a bit of shade. The biggest problems are nutrients and water, they want alot or else they look scrawny with only 4-5 green fronds or less(!). I also have been successful planting lots of stuff underneath, the queens dont "choke out" anything from roses to chamaerops to phoenix roebelinii, all look great, some within 3' of a 25' queen. What I dont put near queens are palms or plants(cycads) that dont want to be frequently wetted.

Edited June 16, 2009 by sonoranfans

[buffy]

So can I successfully plant 3 tiny seedling right next to each other and expect an eventual graceful separation. I'm not worried about crowding at a young age, I just want to make sure the trunks will naturally separate from each other as they search for light.

[chris.oz]

So can I successfully plant 3 tiny seedling right next to each other and expect an eventual graceful separation. I'm not worried about crowding at a young age, I just want to make sure the trunks will naturally separate from each other as they search for light.

Buffy, IMO no.

All the the queen palms in a clump seem to grow perfectly vertical, no matter what separation.

IMO not graceful. But thats a matter of personal taste.

[sonoranfans]

So can I successfully plant 3 tiny seedling right next to each other and expect an eventual graceful separation. I'm not worried about crowding at a young age, I just want to make sure the trunks will naturally separate from each other as they search for light.

Buffy, IMO no.

All the the queen palms in a clump seem to grow perfectly vertical, no matter what separation.

IMO not graceful. But thats a matter of personal taste.

This is my experience with planting 6-8' tall 15 gallons that are now 25-30'. They dont lean away much from each other, but they form a nice canopy quickly(3-5 years). A healthy queen has a huge crown 20 ft+ wide, they dwarf alot of other feather palms.

Edited June 17, 2009 by sonoranfans

[palmislandRandy]

Queens seem to grow as straight as telephone poles, no matter how closely planted. Best you can do is to vary the heights.

[Kris]

Queens seem to grow as straight as telephone poles, no matter how closely planted. Best you can do is to vary the heights.

Very nice idea,that's 3 queen palm saplings of different age groups(that are in different heights)..I like this suggestion very much !

Love,

Kris

[SubTropicRay]

What kind of Queen palms do you guys grow?? I have a clump of three at different heights and they DO bend away from eachother. It looks far superior than a single specimen. More than three might seem a bit crowded.

[Bennz]

I've seen lots of triples+ in Australia and i think they look great! Better than singles.One grouping I'm thinking of had one tree almost horizontal for about 2m before it went up... about 15m of trunk. Very nice look.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Buffy,

I have planted triples lots of times, but I would not put 3 seeds in the same pot. Rather, what I did was plant 3 three gallon trees in the same hole. I would either have one going straight and two planted sideways or I would plant all three on a slant. If you plant three seeds/seedlings together I think one stem would dominate early and out compete the others for fert, light and water. I have seen alot of triples with one or two fat trunks and one or two really weak skinny trunks. If one overdominates you might have to fertilize only one side of the clump so the runts catch up.

I have seen royal palms planted in clumps. Often they volunteer that way as they are spread by bird droppings. Sometimes you get a good symetrical clump, sometimes its all lopsided. I showed several palm nuts the one in the Deerfield Arboretum with 5 seedlings in the same planting. Kind of interesting as it grows.

Jeremiah

[freakypalmguy]

I planted a 24" boxed queen that had had a small seedling volunteer at it's base. Here is the result 3 years later.

[sonoranfans]

I planted a 24" boxed queen that had had a small seedling volunteer at it's base. Here is the result 3 years later.

IMO this is the best way, different sizes so the fronds dont compete for the same space. Looking healthy matt!

[chris.oz]

I planted a 24" boxed queen that had had a small seedling volunteer at it's base. Here is the result 3 years later.

IMO this is the best way, different sizes so the fronds dont compete for the same space. Looking healthy matt!

OK, FreakyPalm Guy,

So we got one example of Queens that angle away. Perhaps that is because the bases actually try to inhabit the same space on the ground.

I will post a photo of my parallel triple.

Just goes to show......its dangerous to deal in absolutes, but its also cool to have an opinion.

[Kris]

Dear Matt

Lovely palms & lovely clear big sized stills..

Thanks & Love,

Kris

[Geoff]

I have seen Queens planted next to each other growing straight as poles, but when actually planted touching, or in the same hole, they do tend to arch away from each other a bit, like King palms do.

[Geoff]

Here's a clump of kings in southern California... and a clump of Queens

[iamjv]

I planted a double and they have always grown straight up, neck to neck. Jv

[Walter John]

Queens in a clump, a good idea, let's grab everyone of them and transplant in one big clump in the middle of Brazil.

[palmislandRandy]

Queens in a clump, a good idea, let's grab everyone of them and transplant in one big clump in the middle of Brazil.

[freakypalmguy]

Dear Matt

Lovely palms & lovely clear big sized stills..

Thanks & Love,

Kris

Thank you Kris.

Matt