Carludovica palmata strange bloom

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

I took these photos a few weeks ago after spotting it from my bathroom window. I walked around to the side of the house to get a closer look with my camera. I see these plants blooming all the time, but I've never seen anything like this before.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

[aussiearoids]

I have always admired these plants . A link between Aroids and Palms I think .

Here is a small sp. Ludovia with similar infl.

[peachy]

I have always wanted to get a Carludovica but have never been lucky enough to see any for sale. As I am thoroughly addicted to both palms and aroids, they seem like the logical next step for my garden's evolution. (that and the fact they are so gorgeous too)

Peachy

[Jose Maria]

I agree with you Jeff, this one seems to have more "spagettis" than the ususal Carludovica!

Here are some pictures of my collection in different stages of flowering development

[popper1]

That flower is WILD! I gotta find me one of those!

[epicure3]

Maybe it's an Italian Panama Hat. Looks like spaghetti.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

It's funny that I never noticed these before. I have seen plenty of the cone shaped flowers, but never noticed the spaghetti before!

[PalmsZA]

Awesome!

Michael:I love that little Joey looking number!

Cheers

Dennis

[Jose Maria]

Not only Carludovica displays these "Spaghetti"-like flowers, here an Asplundia that abounds in the forests here.

People living on farms near the forests,sometimes harvest these flowers and eat them as a vegetable, it´s called "Estococca"

No danger of these disappearing because of harvesting, they are weeds, in all oilpalm plantations, in grassland, in my garden they show up in the pots next to the palms, their seeds are small and the fruits are eaten by birds that distribute them in the landscape....

The trunks in back of the picture are from a pejibaye (Bactris gassipaes) palm plantation

Edited July 28, 2009 by Jose Maria

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

WOW! That's a beautiful plant Jose Maria. We have hundreds of Carludovica palmata growing here on the property, but I haven't seen any Asplundia. The only place I saw them growing wild was at RainMaker. Thanks for the great photos!

[8er-moni]

Great plants and great blossoms - WOW!!!

I have only a litte one in a pot and I think, it will never have a blossom

[gavilan1]

I have two about the same size as the Austrian example, and it's neat how the leaves feel like those of a silk ("fake") plant. The leaves don't feel "real". Definitely needs full shade, as some sun exposure here in So.Cal. severely burned the leaves. They're fully recovered now, and love lots of water, and well-draining soil.

Jose Maria, that's a really bizarre looking bloom. How old is the plant in your images?

[Jose Maria]

All the Cyclantaceae have thes kind of Spaghetti like flowers.l dont know the age of the Asplundia, I guess 2 or 3 years from transplanting (from a small plant in the forest). In the forests here Asplundias abound in all sizes, Carludovica can be found in secondary forest , along roads,and as a "weed" in all kinds of crops. It grows faster than the grasses!

Carludovica can be mowed down over and over and it always comes back.....it shows up in my garden, in the pots with palms...

This is an easy to grow plant, fast ,etc... but....

I foresee some invasive danger with this plant...if it´s invasive here, in it´s own environment, imagine what it can do in Hawaii or Florida!