Do Dypsis onilahensis bonzai?

[hanapalms]

I was shocked when I saw photos of Dypsis onilahensis growing in Florida on somebody's thread last week. Now I'm wondering if my palms are something else or I got dwarfs because the two plants I have are vying for who stays the smallest:

This is the larger plant, it's in a 15 gal pot, the other one is in a 2 or 3 gal pot. Aren't they suppose to grow larger? I germinated both several years back.

[hanapalms]

I was shocked when I saw photos of Dypsis onilahensis growing in Florida on somebody's thread last week. Now I'm wondering if my palms are something else or I got dwarfs because the two plants I have are vying for who stays the smallest:

This is the larger plant, it's in a 15 gal pot, the other one is in a 2 or 3 gal pot. Aren't they suppose to grow larger? I germinated both several years back.

This is a closer look at the trunk(s):

[richnorm]

It has a bit of a look of baronii var kindreo to the leaf and baronii colours in the crownshaft but the base looks like onilahensis. Pretty little palm, love the close set prominent rings. Maybe it's just the way you grew it?

cheers

Richard

[John in Andalucia]

That is cute. Do you have an action figures that could sit in the pot? Just kidding, William. It's very well-proportioned, and perhaps a rare phenomenon?

[BS Man about Palms]

A very slow growing palm and normal when in a pot for too long.

[quaman58]

Interesting. I have a plant bought nearly 5 years ago that is at best 1/2 meter high. It's a double with woody trunk & all. A nearly identical looking plant I bought at the same time (mis-labeled as D. ambositrae) is now a near 10 ft. (3+ meter) tall triple. I have moved the small palm to a different place in the yard where it gets more water; we'll see if it finally speeds up. Nice pictures, thanks.

[Central Floridave]

I had one 'grow' for about 6 years. It never got taller than a couple feet. This past winter killed it. However, it did seem to be bonzai'd. There must be something with this type of palm that doesn't like Florida's growing conditions. Nematodes, to soil ph, to hot/humid-cold/dry, drought/flood, etc...

[PalmatierMeg]

I have a D.o. in the ground in shade for over a year. It is pale, anemic and struggling but not dead yet. I've tried different nutrient combinations, coffee grounds, fish emulsion and seaweed extract but nothing improves it. I have a feeling this palm is not made for a SWFL climate. Too bad.

[MattyB]

Bill's got it. D. onilahensis has an extensive root system for such a delicate looking plant. If kept in a pot too long, and obviously that one has by looking at all those trunk rings, they will start to pencil out and atrophy. Get that in the ground immedately and it'll start to increase in diameter and spacing between the rings.

[Carlo Morici]

There must be something about water, probably pH. They are plain winners if grown at my place, with good water. When I take them to the Palmetum, with depured water, they stop and "start thinking". The same happened to D. albofarinosa.

Carlo

[DoomsDave]

I agree with Matty, and add:

Given the complexity of the Dypsis genus, it's also conceivable that there might actually be a compact form of D. onie, though, I've found they stunt easy in pots, especially small ones. If you can't put the three-galloner in the ground, at least give it a bigger pot ASAP.

Let us know what happens.

dave

[edric]

I thought Dypsis onilahensis was a solitary trunk palm, Ed

[John Case]

I thought Dypsis onilahensis was a solitary trunk palm, Ed

Nope! However if you wanted to make it one, it might look kind of cool......a specimen onilahensis would be unique.

[hanapalms]

Okay, since I have two of them, the smaller one is about 1/3 the size of the one in the photo, I will put the smaller one in the ground and see what happens. The one in the photo seems to be okay in that pot for now. It's only been in this pot for about two years; no root showing at the drain holes on the bottom yet. The smaller one is in a two gallon ceramic pot with just one drain hole on the bottom; it has a root sticking through at this time. So we shall see if this one grows into a full size clump or keeps on with it's bonzai status.

[amazon exotics]

I have a D.o. in the ground in shade for over a year. It is pale, anemic and struggling but not dead yet. I've tried different nutrient combinations, coffee grounds, fish emulsion and seaweed extract but nothing improves it. I have a feeling this palm is not made for a SWFL climate. Too bad.

Mine seems to be doin fine here in Fla, I have sold a few to customers which seem to be doin fine also. They are tricky to grow. They like shade and dry when small but require full sun and can handle more water when they get larger. They like quick draining soil.

[BS Man about Palms]

Okay, since I have two of them, the smaller one is about 1/3 the size of the one in the photo, I will put the smaller one in the ground and see what happens. The one in the photo seems to be okay in that pot for now. It's only been in this pot for about two years; no root showing at the drain holes on the bottom yet. The smaller one is in a two gallon ceramic pot with just one drain hole on the bottom; it has a root sticking through at this time. So we shall see if this one grows into a full size clump or keeps on with it's bonzai status.

William, once started as "small", it will tend to stay on the small side....

[Kumar]

This looks similar to a dwarf variety of D. lutescens I have seen sold over here. Those don't exceed 4 feet.

[malcthomas]

William,

I have had three in the ground now for a number of years that don't look too dissimilar to yours...I have seen them described here as the weeping form. The single stemmed form pictured is growing a few feet from these other three and has quite a sizeable trunk and wide leaf scars...

cheers...

[hanapalms]

William,

I have had three in the ground now for a number of years that don't look too dissimilar to yours...I have seen them described here as the weeping form. The single stemmed form pictured is growing a few feet from these other three and has quite a sizeable trunk and wide leaf scars...

cheers...

Nice photos Malcolm,

I don't quite get the diameter size of the clumping trunks. Would you say about 8-10mm or so? Or is it less? The single trunk tree looks like it might be around 10mm.

My larger plant has trunks (the larger ones) at about 5mm in diameter. The smaller plant is only 2mm in diameter at most.

[hanapalms]

This looks similar to a dwarf variety of D. lutescens I have seen sold over here. Those don't exceed 4 feet.

A dwarf lutescens? That must be nice. Lutescens are all over the place here, but I don't think I have ever seen a dwarf specimen.

Given your proximity to Madagascar, is India prolific in palm culture? I know that the Caryota obtusa is suppose to be a native of your land.

[hanapalms]

I thought Dypsis onilahensis was a solitary trunk palm, Ed

Ed,

I have only seen clumping D.o., but Malcolm posted a photo of a solitaire trunked specimen in this thread. That's a first for me.

I'm still trying to get my head around what the normal size is for these palms.

[malcthomas]

William,

Nice photos Malcolm,

I don't quite get the diameter size of the clumping trunks. Would you say about 8-10mm or so? Or is it less? The single trunk tree looks like it might be around 10mm.

My larger plant has trunks (the larger ones) at about 5mm in diameter. The smaller plant is only 2mm in diameter at most.

William,,,

The clumping one has a diameter of about 80mm at base and the single stemmed one is a bit over 200mm

cheers..

[palmcurry]

Being a big Dypsis baronii guy with numerous specimens...I'd say what you have is much closer to D.baronii and further from D.onilahensis. I could be wrong BUT...I've seen baronii's do what yours is doing even in a 15 gal container. It just happens every now and then. I agree with the root behavior being very active but the genes of the palm will make it 'dwarf' like that regardless of where its planted...IMO.

You live in HI...just get some new Dypsis onilahensis seedlings and they will be 15 gals in no time

[hanapalms]

William,

Nice photos Malcolm,

I don't quite get the diameter size of the clumping trunks. Would you say about 8-10mm or so? Or is it less? The single trunk tree looks like it might be around 10mm.

My larger plant has trunks (the larger ones) at about 5mm in diameter. The smaller plant is only 2mm in diameter at most.

William,,,

The clumping one has a diameter of about 80mm at base and the single stemmed one is a bit over 200mm

cheers..

Oops, I was reading cm not mm, sorry.

[malcthomas]

Ed,

I have only seen clumping D.o., but Malcolm posted a photo of a solitaire trunked specimen in this thread. That's a first for me.

William...

I have a couple of large single stemmed D.baronii so I am picking that my onilahensis is single stemmed for the same reason..I am picking that these solitary Dypsis will still produce multi-stemmed off spring..

cheers..

[Kumar]

This looks similar to a dwarf variety of D. lutescens I have seen sold over here. Those don't exceed 4 feet.

A dwarf lutescens? That must be nice. Lutescens are all over the place here, but I don't think I have ever seen a dwarf specimen.

Given your proximity to Madagascar, is India prolific in palm culture? I know that the Caryota obtusa is suppose to be a native of your land.

Hey William - I've taken a photo of two interesting dwarf palms today, on my afternoon photo-expedition - one is that D.lutscens I mentioned and the other I keep a mystery for now (at least till I get my camera cable tommorrow).

Most of the caryota species are native to the subcontinent and Burma and are probably the only palms of large girth that I have seen growing in dense humid jungle. Curiously though, the diversity of palms in India is less than that found in Madagascar despite the two geographies being united in the past.

[hanapalms]

This looks similar to a dwarf variety of D. lutescens I have seen sold over here. Those don't exceed 4 feet.

A dwarf lutescens? That must be nice. Lutescens are all over the place here, but I don't think I have ever seen a dwarf specimen.

Given your proximity to Madagascar, is India prolific in palm culture? I know that the Caryota obtusa is suppose to be a native of your land.

Hey William - I've taken a photo of two interesting dwarf palms today, on my afternoon photo-expedition - one is that D.lutscens I mentioned and the other I keep a mystery for now (at least till I get my camera cable tommorrow).

Most of the caryota species are native to the subcontinent and Burma and are probably the only palms of large girth that I have seen growing in dense humid jungle. Curiously though, the diversity of palms in India is less than that found in Madagascar despite the two geographies being united in the past.

That is amazing. I can't wait to see your dwarf lutescens and of course the mystery palm will certainly perk up some interest. It's only been since I got involved in collecting and growing palms that I found out Hawaii only has one palm that is endemic here, i.e., Pritchardia spp. there are currently 24 considered native to Hawaii, but that has been in flux for quite some time. I'm not sure just how far back the Pritchardia presence in Hawaii has been tracked. Do post your photos, I'd love to see them.