2 years ago I planted a Dypsis utilis.

Its growing good and gives a nice new set of red leaves.

It was about 30cm high and has grown to over 2 metres in 2 years.

So far 2 trunks have grown.

If you are growing this what has been your experience. It's fully hardy for subtropical Brisbane. How many trunks has your developed and how long has it taken.

What sort of time scale can I expect for it to flower.

Regards

Brod

Recent photo

Close up of trunks

2 years ago

Well, I've got a couple of babies, and I wanna scream, beat (something!) yowza, maria, babylookatterbutt!

I've got planted D utilis, D crinita and D fibrosa and they all grow fine putting out red leaves through the year. They love lots of water. I planted my utilis in quite a bit of shade as a 5 leaf seedling, and although it's not setting the world on fire with growth rates it puts out a beautiful red new leaf every few months. I planted it at 30cm height about 2 and a bit years ago and now it's maybe 70-80cm tall. It's an easy care palm in my garden that never seems to mind anything Perth weather throws at it.

Best regards

Tyrone

Thanks Tyrone for your comments. Are the other 2, ie D. Fibrosa and D. Crinita as hardy to cold as Utilis. I've kept mine well watered all the time so I think it has paid off with good growth

If anyone is growing these 3 a photo would be good.

Cheers

Brod

That's a cracker Brod, I want one.

Here in California, they are a tough grow, by all accounts.

They don't like dry conditions, especially drying winds. (The guy I bought my two from had them in a special hot house out of the wind in Fallbrook.)

I've killed all the ones I've previously planted, but, I'm trying again.

Here's one I planted over the weekend, with the SHoe for scale.

See the pretty red frond behind my friend Sharon at the orchid meeting?

This Dypsis utilis is growing in Jim Wright's garden in San Diego. Sorry, I don't know how long ago it was planted or how many trunks have formed:

Nice Encyclia!

Palm-related: Does anyone know off-hand what specific differences separate D. utilis from D. crinita?

Thanks in advance.

Jason

From PACSOA

DYPSIS CRINITA

Habitat:

Valley bottoms, in lowland rainforest, north and north-east Madagascar.

Description:

A very interesting clumping palm, to 15m, with a dichotomously branching trunk, usually covered in fibrous sheaths. Leaves are long, finely pinnate, and a reddish new leaf.

Culture:

Warm, sheltered and moist.

DYPSIS UTILIS

Habitat:

Stream banks/swamps of east Madagascan rainforest.

Description:

A large palm to about 15m tall, with a trunk which branches dichotomously 2 or 3 times starting quite low to the ground. A very fibrous, untidy crownshaft. The new leaf is often an attractive dark red colour.

Culture:

Sunny, very moist position.

Not much difference, surprise surprise.

Brod,

I have a D. utilis/crinita growing at the house here and was planted about 2-3 years ago, but was good size when planted. It's now about 10' tall. When it was still at the nursery growing with others, I noticed it had 4 heads and therefore took this one home. It's been flowering about 4-5 years, but still no seeds. It's growing in a shady spot, well irrigated. I have to say, it does draw alot of attention when people walk by, and ask what it is. A good palm for here.

Jeff

Brod, all 3 species grow easily for me so they'd be no probs in SE QLD.

D utilis comes from higher altitude than the other two and is the largest in the Vonitra's. I think it comes from 1100m asl in central Madagascar.

D crinita is a lowland valley bottom palm to about 280m asl.

D fibrosa is more of a high altitude form but with a smaller stature than the other two. It's leaves seem broader in the leaflets than the other two as well.

All of these needs tons of water and a humus rich soil to do well. If they dry out I think they may look shabby.

Best regards

Tyrone

Thanks Guys for the comments and photos.

Dave, I think you would have success if you kept it constantly on the moist side as Tyrone grows them easily in WA which has a similar climate, maybe a little hotter in summer but like yours very dry at times. I know this is a problem if you have tight water restrictions. We in Brisbane have this year exited out of a 7 year drought and our water restrictions have been relaxed a little. We should have had further relaxation but they are afraid we'll have another drought. (A bit of fear mongering going on with climate) Nevertheless I watered my D.utilis by bucket for the first 18 months of it's in ground life.

Jeff, I wonder why yours are not setting seed. I am impressed also with the look of the plant also. So I'm in the market for a Crinita and fibrosa.

Wal, yes one wonders what the differences are. Once we grow them all I guess we'll see the differences.

Brod

Assuming that a number of palms I bought in 1998 under the Dypsis utilis name are indeed that, then they all seem to have different ideas how to grow. Today, some are still singles, some are doubles and a few are multiples. Three photos of three different individuals. The tallest one (#1) is still single, maybe 20 ft tall overall and at least 10-12 ft of trunk. This one is in deep shade. Second one, a multiple, maybe 16 ft tall gets partial shade. Last one is in full sun and is a double and is also the shortest, and thus slowest of them all. No more than 10 ft tall and no trunk visible (yet). All were in 1G pots when I bought them. No more than 1 ft/30 cm tall.

The 2 at Whyanbeel I have pictured on PACSOA that I think are fibrosa , took almost 20 years to mature and set seeds .

They have multiple trunks from early on , and have recently split the heads and branched at approx 2m + .

I planted one several years ago about the size of when you planted yours, but it died and sence then I realized that it should of been planted where more moisture was available.

Yours looks great.

Mike

This was my D utilis in April 08. It has grown a bit since, but I love the deep red new leaves of these Vonitra Dypsis group palms.

Best regards

Tyrone

I've got planted D utilis, D crinita and D fibrosa and they all grow fine putting out red leaves through the year. They love lots of water. I planted my utilis in quite a bit of shade as a 5 leaf seedling, and although it's not setting the world on fire with growth rates it puts out a beautiful red new leaf every few months. I planted it at 30cm height about 2 and a bit years ago and now it's maybe 70-80cm tall. It's an easy care palm in my garden that never seems to mind anything Perth weather throws at it.

Best regards

Tyrone

Tyrone - You can add Dypsis pusilla to this list. Very simular with a "hairy" trunk.

I love mine, especially when I get a double grand opening!

I've got planted D utilis, D crinita and D fibrosa and they all grow fine putting out red leaves through the year. They love lots of water. I planted my utilis in quite a bit of shade as a 5 leaf seedling, and although it's not setting the world on fire with growth rates it puts out a beautiful red new leaf every few months. I planted it at 30cm height about 2 and a bit years ago and now it's maybe 70-80cm tall. It's an easy care palm in my garden that never seems to mind anything Perth weather throws at it.

Best regards

Tyrone

Tyrone - You can add Dypsis pusilla to this list. Very simular with a "hairy" trunk.

I've yet to acquire that one, but will get it if I have opportunity. I think D thouarsiana would be similar too, and maybe even D dransfieldii. There are so many Dypsis to choose from.

Best regards

Tyrone

Brod, I've got the three species you mention all growing well here. Fibrosa seems to be the quickest of the three. My utilis split at an early age, but none of the others have yet. One of my crinitas has the best colour, and my utilis has the least colour when opening a new leaf. I guess they are all variable in this regard.

I have a spare fibrosa in an 8" pot if you want it. Pick it up tomorrow?

Daryl

We've never had any problem with these "vonitra" Dypsis. Even during the 2007 cold spell, they made it through the cold. Dave is right that Santa Ana conditions brown tip them a bit, but they keep growing. We've got 15g and boxes outdoors, all doing well.

Phil

Thanks Daryl, I'll be in for that for sure

Here's a few photos of Dypsis utilis in Hawaii and then southern California

Thanks Geoff for those pics. I think the So Cal specimen is suffering from lack of water actually. In dry summer climates these need to sit in a wet spot IMO and that one looks too well drained. Interesting colour on the trunk. Did someone remove all the fibre?

Best regards

Tyrone

Here's some we saw today on our garden visit to Rob Richie's place...

Dypsis crinita

Trunk detail

A smaller one ...

See the thread on all these in Travel Logs...

Richie Garden Visit

Daryl