Cyrtostachys renda

[PalmatierMeg]

Last weekend I repotted the lipstick I bought from Jeff Searle in March 2008. The palm had become so top heavy it tipped over with each gust of wind through the shade garden. I pulled out the largest pot I owned, moved palm and supplies to the back lanai and went to work. And here the palm will stay because it is now so heavy I can barely turn it. We will need a hand truck to move it indoors when temps fall below 50. And my husband will curse me forever.

But for now my lipstick is healthy, happy and quite lovely. I cleared out some clutter to expose the red stems. Yesterday I took photos. Some of them turned out darker than I hoped because of shade but others were good. Enjoy.

Cyrtostachys renda

Deep green fronds

Red stems

Green fronds and red stems. Ho, ho, ho.

[Exotic Tropicals]

That palm looks great!

[BS Man about Palms]

Beautimus!

[Kris]

Very beautiful palm and is also my favouriate too... But the one we are growing here is slowly dieying...

Thanks for the visuals..

Love,

kris

[Trópico]

Very nice! I wish mine was that large, but has a long way to catch up. Do not let it die in the winter, please! It's heartbreaking when someone leaves it outdoors and the inevitable happens. Look for a base with casters at your local big box store's plant section and keep the plant on wheels. So much easier!

[Moose]

Meg - suggestion, put a saucer under the container and keep it moist.

Momma has taken very good care of her baby!

Kindest regards,

Ron.

[OldNed]

Here's my C. renda saga:

Fall of 2009 About 9 feet tall-got it as a retirement gift in May of 2003 (it was 4-5 feet tall then).

Brought it into the garage every time temp was predicted to go down to 45ºF or lower. That worked well for years 'til the Big Freeze of January, 2010. Guess the stress was just too much (but, look at the red circle)

This week it looks like this. I figure that in about 20-30 years, it'll be back to 9 feet again.

[PalmatierMeg]

Keep up hope, Ned. Mine went from a few spindly stems in a 3g to green monster I have now in 2.5 years. But I will keep it indoors, not the garage during cold spells. May also spray with mancozeb too.

[ariscott]

I have to clean mine too... 2 of them are big enough to have the red stems... How did you clean yours?? I am to scared to do it...

Regards, Ari

[Cindy Adair]

I love this palm so it was one of the first I planted in Puerto Rico. Our son (about 5 feet, 5 inches at 13, taller than I am...) stands nearby. I don't think I can stand to thin it yet. Thanks for sharing all the great photos.

[PalmatierMeg]

I have to clean mine too... 2 of them are big enough to have the red stems... How did you clean yours?? I am to scared to do it...

Regards, Ari

Ari, I just carefully trimmed away newer stems sprouting around the perimeter of the main stems. I didn't take off many, just enough to give a better view of the older red stems. I did this about 2 weeks before I decided to repot it. And I wouldn't have repotted if the dang thing hadn't gotten so top heavy every gust of wind blew it over. I was afraid it would crush another rare palm or roll into the canal. I will probably leave it alone and let it grow into its much larger pot.

[Mike in Nelson]

Such a beautiful palm that I will never be able to have.

Unless I move to somewhere near Ari's place.

[Walter John]

Such a beautiful palm that I will never be able to have.

Unless I move to somewhere near Ari's place.

I solved that problem, didn't I Michael (fm:aussiearoids) ?

[ariscott]

I have to clean mine too... 2 of them are big enough to have the red stems... How did you clean yours?? I am to scared to do it...

Regards, Ari

Ari, I just carefully trimmed away newer stems sprouting around the perimeter of the main stems. I didn't take off many, just enough to give a better view of the older red stems. I did this about 2 weeks before I decided to repot it. And I wouldn't have repotted if the dang thing hadn't gotten so top heavy every gust of wind blew it over. I was afraid it would crush another rare palm or roll into the canal. I will probably leave it alone and let it grow into its much larger pot.

Thanks Meg... I might try it. Mine are all in the ground, but I am sure they have more than just 1 plant in there.... so bushy!!! I will take photos once I do it...

Mike,

Come on up... although it is hell on earth for 3 months up here in Darwin. Temperature & humidity has been crazy!! Hopefully the afternoon storm will be more frequent soon.

Regards, Ari

[Peter Pacific]

Meg, the pleasure you'll get from your C renda will far outweigh the pain in your husband's back. (Sorry, Tim) What's a herniated disk compared to the immense joy of seeing red in your garden?

I will finally get to Florida in November, hope to see you soon.

Peter

[palm_admirer]

That's a lovely cluster you've got there! Enjoy...

For me, I just trim away the yellowed/brown old fronds at the petioles. The petiole arm which later dries out will come away naturally. It's easier to tidy then. As for the 'pups', we let them be, the more the merrier!!

cheers

[Z4Devil]

Have found this thread just in this moment. Meg, what a palm! Awsome, great, phantastic.

Well, I do have a C. renda, too. To be honest this palm needed weeks for acclimation ... every day I have had a look at it, no changes.

Today, after the daily spraying, I saw it. The little head of a new leave. GREAT. As soon as it is visible a little bit better I will make photos.

What a weekend - first the delivery of the Acanathos and then this.

[PalmatierMeg]

All my Cyrtos survived winter although they spent every night below 50F indoors. I also sprayed them with mancozeb the first of every month: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. The two smaller ones went back into the shade garden this weekend. The big one stays on the lanai: too heavy to move except to drag indoors in cold weather. They are so happy winter is over.

Verena, I probably don't need to tell you but make sure your Cyrto never dries out. They like to sit in water. Also, don't let it get chilled even indoors. They are prone to a fatal cold weather fungus. That's why I treated them with fungicide mancozeb once a month in winter. Good luck with yours.

[Tropicgardener]

Here is my Sealing Wax that was planted prior to last winter........it came through unscathed but will have to see how it travels this winter.

[Mandrew968]

This palm is truly top five in beauty! Everytime I see one I stare longer than I probably should. I just think this palm is not possible for me Our winters are just too cold.

[Z4Devil]

Meg, thank you so much for this important information. In fact I knew that this palm needs good watering but not to sit in water! The most of my palms do not like too much moisture - with the exception of the Lytos. That´s why your information is helpfully and very appriciated. I do not have long-time experience with C. renda, now and then I have had small seedlings ... Compared with yours my C. renda is a dwarf.

This morning I watered the lipstick palm first and will take care that it will never dry out.

@ Andrew: nice one, looks good.

[PalmatierMeg]

Verena, also mist the foliage often to keep up humidity. Indoor central heat is not good for most tropical palms. Keep any eye out for spider mites. My large one began having trouble with them after just 1 week in the house during cold spells.

BTW, I took this photo of my largest Cyrto Sunday morning. Its smaller siblings are outside in the shade garden but this one is too big to go there. My husband strains to drag it inside the sliding glass doors when weather is cold. I'm glad winter seems to have gone away here.

Cyrtostachys renda: March 2011

[Z4Devil]

Meg, will do this, promised. The problems with indoor growing are central heat and - if you ar not attentive - dry air. That´s why all my palms are being sprayed 3 - 5 times a day, check-up for spider mites included. Up to now I have had luck, no spider mites.

Many people do overwater their plants indoor; but it is more important and effectively to spray them.

Our living room is separated in 2 areas; in the living area I have the most palms, heat is turned off. The second heater is in the dining room and is turned on. Enough warmth for the main area and no direct contact with the palms ... it works good. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices keeping palms alive.

Love, Verena

[Mandrew968]

There are so many people who live in the three main hot spots(Hawaii, South florida and Cali)for palms, that could care less about them, and you live in Germany, and have some of the most prestigious palms around(acanthophoenix and cyrtostachys), in your collection! Verena, I'm not one to speak for everyone, but I'm proud of you and you would be a welcome neighbor in my Hot, humid climate. Keep it up, and maybe start a petition with your green party to build a plexy-dome over Deutschland!

[Z4Devil]

ANDREW!

You leave me dumbfounded.

I thank you so much for such friendly, warm words, I am quite at a loss ...

Together with the mentioned Acanthos and C. renda there are 2 further palms I am very proud on: 2 Lytocaryum hoehnei, 2 large Lytocaryum wedellianum and a well growing Cocos nucifera. The last one normally has no chance to survive in Germany but this wants to know it and breakes the rules.

Once again: thank you so much and feel huged.

Love, Verena

[Mandrew968]

"2 Lytocaryum hoehnei, 2 large Lytocaryum wedellianum" How could I forget?! Saw my first Lytocaryum wedellianum over the weekend and was upset to see it so sad looking(meager and chlorotic). I've never even seen Lytocaryum hoehnei! Very impressive list, no matter where you live

Edited March 7, 2011 by Mandrew968

[tropicbreeze]

I planted out 2 of my C. renda. One in a pond which is part of a drainage system on my place. It took off at first but during this wet season it's been spending a lot of time half or more submerged. I get the feeling it's not liking that too much.

Another I planted on the edge of my swamp where it gets a lot of constant seepage water throughout the wet season. Dry season it'll need to be on irrigation. But it rocketed off with a couple of more new fronds and looking like it's really loving it.

I've another large one and a smaller one which are still in pots, so I'll see how these planted out ones go before deciding where to put the others.