A superior So Cal Palm

[Gtlevine]

Ravenea xerophila is a winner for hot inland So Cal. I pulled a Bo and planted a small grove of these, they kind of look like Blue Macrozamia's when juvenile. This one is about six feet tall now.

Gary

http://community.webshots.com/photo....2SyklxZ

[bgl]

Gary,

Ha ha, that's a good one! And this is ONE palm that doesn't like the windward side of the Big Island. I've only planted one (yes, ONE!) as an experiment, about 4 years ago. It's hanging in there but growth rate seems to be pretty much zero!

Bo

[deezpalms]

Hey Gary! You gonna post a picture of the grove??

[DoomsDave]

Gary:

It's ALIVE!

The palm, I mean.  More than I can say for any of mine.

Mongo want picture of grove . . . .

dave

[Fred Zone 10A]

Four years ago I planted a seedling that Dave gave me.  It still looks like a blade of grass.

The only decent-sized R. xerophila I've seen is in Louie Hooper's garden.

[DoomsDave]

Louis' is nice, but Gary's is MUCH bigger.  I think it likes the soil and climate both a lot better than the northwestern corner of the Big Orgy.

dave

[Gonzer]

What's the secret Gary? I'm with Fred on this one. My one gallon has 4 small fronds (and I mean small) and pushes one spike a year. When I bought it at Palm Mountain about 5-6 years ago, the Doc was there and commented that as a seedling it needs low light levels, no direct sun. He said you needed to duplicate it's natural conditions of growing up and out of the underbrush.

[madagascarbob]

There fickle about water , to much and the spear pulls out, to little and they dont grow .

[Phil]

We've tried a lot of things to speed up growing this species.  Just repotting them into bigger pots doesn't seem to make a difference compared to ones left in  the previous pots.  Heavy fertilizer made no difference.  Those who have planted them in the ground say they are still slow.  Our latest thing is as follows: we repotted five gallons into super-deep 20g citrus pots (about 24 inches deep) and have put them into our cycad greenhouse where it gets really hot.  They are in blazing sun.  I'll keep you posted on the results.  But, with that big carrot root that looks like a cycad root, they seem to be growing slow like a cycad.

Phil

[doubravsky]

I have one in Riverside... went in a year ago, full inland sun. It was a 3 gallon small plant, with about 4 fronds. The oldest leaf showed just a little sunburn, but seems like no damage this winter. I put a one gph dripper on it vs. 2 gph drippers on the other palms.

I have high hopes for it... my conditions are a little more extreme than Gary's, but... hopefully close enough that it will be happy.

[DoomsDave]

Doub:

Keep us posted.

I think it's the heat.  Gonna try some against some walls that reflect the heat.

[ghar41]

I bought one as a 5 gal. citrus pot, with a small roundish, mostly subterranian trunk almost the size of a tennis ball.  When I went to pick it up, there was a huge turnip sized (bigger, longer) root that had snuck into the ground.  I brought it home, planted it during the middle of summer, in the hottest, sunniest, spot I could find.  It stayed unchanged in many days of 100F ish weather.

I'm noticing now that it has a few spots on it.  I doubt that it appreciated the number of cold and foggy days we had.

[Charles Wychgel]

I planted two "groves" in 1999.

Here is the fast one 1.2 meter.

[Scott]

It's always good to hear about a palm that can take the hot insland sun. But from what Bo says, are they not good with winds?

[elHoagie]

I had two growing in my old garden, basically in full sun.  I planted them straight from a greenhouse, and they didn't burn too much.  I didn't water them very often, but I had a lot of rock mulch around them so the soil stayed pretty moist all year.  They weren't fast, but they were putting out about three or four leaves per year...

[LJG]

(Scott @ Feb. 20 2008,10:25)

QUOTE

It's always good to hear about a palm that can take the hot insland sun. But from what Bo says, are they not good with winds?

Scott, I think what Bo was referring to is the rain/clouds on the windward side. This palm likes sun and does not like wet feet all that much. Wind is no issue. Gary had some serious winds with Santa Ana's and the wind from the fires were even worse.

[LJG]

(Gtlevine @ Jun. 30 2006,09:24)

QUOTE

they kind of look like Blue Macrozamia's when juvenile.

That's the truth. When Jeff Searle was out, we saw a small one at a garden. Jeff and Bill S. were like "hey, look at this Blue Macrozamia". I was like "No, its not". Jeff said he would bet his large Dark mealy on it as he was so positive. Then I pointed out the heel. Of course it couldn't be a cycad after that.

Well, at least that is the way I remember it happening.  

[MattyB]

Didn't rainbows and money shoot out of your eyes when you claimed victory.....Len?  Len?  That's what I thought.

[bgl]

OK, I have to revise my statement of above (post #2). This palm is actually doing pretty good here in our wet environment. As I mentioned above I only planted ONE and it IS in full sun (when we have sun! ). It's grown quite a bit in the last year and a half (OK, everything is relative - we're not exactly talking Pigafetta speed here...!), and it's now about 4 ft tall and looks very healthy. Here's an up-to-date shot of it.

And Scott - yes, Len is correct, "windward side" simply refers to the wet side of the island, which in our case here on the Big Island means "Hilo side". We have very little wind.

[BS Man about Palms]

Didn't rainbows and money shoot out of your eyes when you claimed victory.....Len?  Len?  That's what I thought.  

I think Mattys version is closer to the truth and he wasn't even there.

[osideterry]

I just read through this thread, and am struggling with the word "superior" in the title. I'll gladly pass on this one.

[gsn]

(osideterry @ Feb. 21 2008,11:29)

QUOTE

I just read through this thread, and am struggling with the word "superior" in the title. I'll gladly pass on this one.

Terry ,

I have to agree with you! From reading the thread,sounds like a slow, marginal palm for the medditeranian climate of California. Not one that thrives, plant it and forget about it. Seems like more failures than success stories, unfortunately?

Maybe it was superior numbers in the nursery ,so lets get a buzz going on this one! ::  

[PalmGuyWC]

I have two growing in containers, one in a 5 gal and the other in a 15 gal. They are growing in a well drained soil mix with lots of lava rock. For the first couple of years I kept them on the dry side and they hardly grew at all. I increased the water and they speeded up. At best they only grow about 2.5 to  3 fronds a growing season but for each new frond, they drop a lower frond.

Last year mine took 25F with lathe overhead with no damage, not even spotting. I expect this is a palm that would do well in inland S. Calif. with lots of heat. Both of mine want to grow sideways with the saxiphone pushing them to one side. I'm to chicken to put mine in the ground.

Dick

[Ken Johnson]

Come on Gary tell everyone the truth.

First you must have boulders the size of a house around. Them burn everything around them. Plant on a hillside with no water holding potetial. Use drip irrigation.

Sorry dude I just had to tell them!

[Gtlevine]

Scott you are not correct with your statement. This is a superior palm for inland So Cal. It grows relatively quick for a Madagsacar Palm, it is extreemely durable to all conditions including cold.

What Ken said is about right, torture the palm with extreem heat and sandy, rocky soil and it will thrive.

Gary

[MattyB]

I agree.  If I can stick a palm over on my rocky outcropping in the full blazing inland sun & wind.  And not have irrigation over there, just dump a bucket of water on it every few weeks or less, that's a great palm for me.

[gsn]

(Gtlevine @ Feb. 21 2008,17:21)

QUOTE

Scott you are not correct with your statement. This is a superior palm for inland So Cal. It grows relatively quick for a Madagsacar Palm, it is extreemely durable to all conditions including cold.

What Ken said is about right, torture the palm with extreem heat and sandy, rocky soil and it will thrive.

Gary

Hey wouldn't be the first time I was WRONG! I'm only going by what I have read in this thread as I don't own one!

But  as Terry also said, from reading the posts about it here,you must have the MIDAS touch, or as you put the right conditions,as the majority here seem to have trouble getting it to grow or even keeping it  ALIVE!

[LJG]

(gsn @ Feb. 21 2008,14:35)

QUOTE

(Gtlevine @ Feb. 21 2008,17:21)

QUOTE

Scott you are not correct with your statement. This is a superior palm for inland So Cal. It grows relatively quick for a Madagsacar Palm, it is extreemely durable to all conditions including cold.

What Ken said is about right, torture the palm with extreem heat and sandy, rocky soil and it will thrive.

Gary

Hey wouldn't be the first time I was WRONG! I'm only going by what I have read in this thread as I don't own one!

But  as Terry also said, from reading the posts about it here,you must have the MIDAS touch, or as you put the right conditions,as the majority here seem to have trouble getting it to grow or even keeping it  ALIVE!

I think you are reading too much into what people outside SoCal have posted. Gary stated this was  a good plant for "SoCal". Most people in SoCal seem to grow it without issue with the biggest complaint simply being it is slow. I for one agree with Gary. This is an outstanding plant for SoCal.

[gsn]

(LJG @ Feb. 21 2008,18:13)

QUOTE

I think you are reading too much into what people outside SoCal have posted. Gary stated this was  a good plant for "SoCal". Most people in SoCal seem to grow it without issue with the biggest complaint simply being it is slow. I for one agree with Gary. This is an outstanding plant for SoCal.

I don't know to much about California geography,but if SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ,is basically anything in and around Los Angeles and south of there? Then most of the people that posted on this palms less than stellar performance were from So Cal!

I did note that a few were from Northern California,as I read the thread! But most of the No Cal guys were neutral at most,not negative in their appraisal!

But if you agree with Gary,then  I defer, I'm sure it is a great palm for the So Cal landscape.Don't know how I came to any other conclusion after reading this thread? I'll let you Cali  guys decide if it is superior or not,what the heck do I know,nothing? ::  

Gonzer,

At least maybe you got some growing tips on how to take care of yoursand make it thrive  from Gary, after resurecting this thread from almost 2 years ago!

[PalmGuyWC]

For all of it's special cultural requirements, how many other palms can you think of that will grow in S. Fla, S. Calif, Hawaii, Portugal and even in N. Calif. (with some cold and rain protection)? I'd say it's pretty tough. In the worse of conditions, I've managed to keep mine alive and growing for about 7 years. Frankly, as a small palm it's not very pretty. I've had some non-palm people ask me, "Why are you growing that ugly weed"? I imagine it would be happy in Perth too.

Dick

[BS Man about Palms]

Dick-

 I know what you mean. People say that to me all the time.  

[MattyB]

Which one is the palm?

[paulgila]

what?theres a palm in that photo?

[Mats]

Gary, how about an updated photo?  The last photo was from Jan. 06.  Seeing how well its grown in the last 2 years would be nice.

.

[BS Man about Palms]

Heres from Jan 26th of this year.  Complete with, Ken, Gary and Jeff.  

[Jeff Searle]

It did look good looking at it in person. Mine back in south Florida are holding up well also, considering how much more rain we get compered to Gary's property. The large boulders gave it a real feeling of a natural setting from Madagascar. That....I can't duplicate. But, we can grow them as well, so they must enjoy the added rainfall if given. Just a great palm, and I hope I live long enough to see mine form some trunk. It should be spectacular.

Jeff

[waykoolplantz]

(Jeff Searle @ Feb. 22 2008,22:35)

QUOTE

Just a great palm, and I hope I live long enough to see mine form some trunk. It should be spectacular.

Jeff

a trunk????????? it gets a trunk??

[PalmGuyWC]

There was a thread several months ago of some R. xerophylla growing in a garden in Thailand, and they were the largest I've seen in cultivation.  I think they were just at the stage of forming a trunk. PACSOA has some pictures of large ones growing in habitat.

Dick

[freakypalmguy]

Got curious as to what they look like later in life and came up with a few photos on the web

[freakypalmguy]

It does not look like they get a very stout trunk. Gary's may not be that far from starting to form some wood.

Matt