Chambeyronia macrocarpa var. watermelon

[edric]

Shipping this off to a guy on Monday, just thought I'd post a photo of it, seeing as how it was showing a little color, Ed

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Very nice!

Rusty

[DoomsDave]

Oh, yeah!

Wait till the fetus becomes a football player ... .

[BS Man about Palms]

I suspect no striping yet...?

[edric]

I suspect no striping yet...?

Not yet, and I've got a five gallon one, from the batch before, thats crownshaft is over an inch across, and no markings, but I've seen lots of photos of the parent trees, and the seeds come from a well renowned tropical gardens, Ed

[edric]

I suspect no striping yet...?

Not yet, and I've got a five gallon one, from the batch before, thats crownshaft is over an inch across, and no markings, but I've seen lots of photos of the parent trees, and the seeds come from a well renowned tropical gardens, Ed

I was over at my mom's today, and took this photo of the first noticeable markings on this palm, Ed

[BS Man about Palms]

Ed, I think thats what I refere to as a "speed of growth mark". I see it on my palms that grow decent year round.... mostly my New Cal stuff...thats funny.

Plus, I generally only see the watermelon marks on the trunk/leaf bases..

Not saying its not, just not likely old enough to tell yet.

[edric]

Ed, I think thats what I refere to as a "speed of growth mark". I see it on my palms that grow decent year round.... mostly my New Cal stuff...thats funny.

Plus, I generally only see the watermelon marks on the trunk/leaf bases..

Not saying its not, just not likely old enough to tell yet.

Thans Bill, I didn't think they got stripping on the rachis, but I didn't know what it was either, Ed

[Jason in Orlando]

Ed, I think thats what I refere to as a "speed of growth mark". I see it on my palms that grow decent year round.... mostly my New Cal stuff...thats funny.

Plus, I generally only see the watermelon marks on the trunk/leaf bases..

Not saying its not, just not likely old enough to tell yet.

Thans Bill, I didn't think they got stripping on the rachis, but I didn't know what it was either, Ed

The palm in the photo looks like a young spindle.

Jason

[edric]

Ed, I think thats what I refere to as a "speed of growth mark". I see it on my palms that grow decent year round.... mostly my New Cal stuff...thats funny.

Plus, I generally only see the watermelon marks on the trunk/leaf bases..

Not saying its not, just not likely old enough to tell yet.

Thans Bill, I didn't think they got stripping on the rachis, but I didn't know what it was either, Ed

The palm in the photo looks like a young spindle.

Jason

That's because the palm behind it is a Hyophorbe v., or a spindle, Ed

[Jason in Orlando]

Wow. Looked right past it! Guess it's time to get the prescription adjusted!

Very nice looking spindle though!

[edric]

Wow. Looked right past it! Guess it's time to get the prescription adjusted!

Very nice looking spindle though!

I've got three more just like it, that are yours, if you wanna come over to Oak Hill, and get 'em, Ed

[BS Man about Palms]

Hi Ed, here is my biggest Chamby in the ground. It has a little of the watermelon markings and you can see they are more of a "stripe" thing. It generally shows only on the trunk/leaf base. It is also why I am loathe to call a chamby a watermelon till MUCH later! I do not know if all seeds come true to form or not. I traced backwards and I got this one from the Orange store that I found had got it from Rancho Soledad...I have heard and observed that a very high percentage of theirs end up being the watermelon type.

whew!

[spockvr6]

You guys know how easily these transplant? I have one that's been in the ground 4-5 yrs from 7 gal planted size that I might like to move, as long as the transplant probability is very high.

[realarch]

Interesting Bill, I was ready to say you have the real deal and just looked at both variations growing in the garden. My green form is actually showing some markings on the trunk and crown shaft

just like yours which I've not noticed before. Not pronounced like my true 'watermelon', but like your pic has more noticeable markings on the trunk than the crown shaft. I wonder if all green forms show a little bit

of the speckling and striping?

Hey Larry, how ya been? I bought a double 'watermelon' in a 15 gallon bag a little over a year ago that the grower wanted to get rid of because it had grown into the ground. We had to pry the

palm out of the ground with an O'o bar and really did some damage to the root system. I got it in the ground a.s.a.p., it was in shock for quite awhile, but has finally started to get on with it.

I know that's not like digging one out of the ground, but I think they are pretty tough palms.

[BS Man about Palms]

Tim, you know I have heard that some think it is the original cross between a hookeri and a standard. So I would suspect there is some variability. Just like some put out a much more red leaf than others...

I just happy to see a little trunk.... still waiting for it to REALLY root in though...

[Walter John]

Tim, you know I have heard that some think it is the original cross between a hookeri and a standard.

I'm a believer of that theory, also I moved one of mine when it was in the 4 to 5 year stage, no problems there mister spockvr6. In fact I moved it into more sun and it went much better.

[spockvr6]

Hey Larry, how ya been? I bought a double 'watermelon' in a 15 gallon bag a little over a year ago that the grower wanted to get rid of because it had grown into the ground. We had to pry the

palm out of the ground with an O'o bar and really did some damage to the root system. I got it in the ground a.s.a.p., it was in shock for quite awhile, but has finally started to get on with it.

I know that's not like digging one out of the ground, but I think they are pretty tough palms.

Been great Tim! By the way, those Ti cuttings you sent me awhile back have handled these past two cold winters with aplomb! In fact, these straight from Hawaii Ti's have done better than the non-Hawaiian ones I have. And, as I think I told you, I got pretty much 100% success with those cuttings. Hard to complain about that!

When you said the palm was in shock......did it just sit there and sulk, or did it drop leaves, etc?

[spockvr6]

Tim, you know I have heard that some think it is the original cross between a hookeri and a standard.

I'm a believer of that theory, also I moved one of mine when it was in the 4 to 5 year stage, no problems there mister spockvr6. In fact I moved it into more sun and it went much better.

Thats good to hear. I am thinking about moving mine for the same reason.......its in too much shade and not in a prominent enough spot in the yard to enjoy the new red leaves.

[oliver]

I collected some seeds from a true watermelon form in Hawaii a few years back. There were no other Chambe's in the near viscinity and I doubt there would have been much cross polination. Luckily, almost every one of them germinated and have grown well. I still have 5 of them, which are all starting to form a trunk. Three show no markings whatsoever, and 2 have very pronounced yellow "watermelon" stippling. I would therefore agree with those who have said that you really don't know if it will "watermelon" until right around the time that it starts to form a trunk - no matter what the mother looked like. I personally also don't think it has anything to do with what the emergent leaf color is. I was told by someone in the past that if it has a green emergent leaf that it will be a watermelon. I have one with a green emergent leaf out of the same batch as above and it is the non marked version.

[DippyD]

remembered this topic walking around the garden today and my chamby just shedded a sheeth and gave me these nice markings...

ENJOY

[Walter John]

remembered this topic walking around the garden today and my chamby just shedded a sheeth and gave me these nice markings...

ENJOY

That's a cracker !! ( a beautiful thing )

[Walter John]

Well I wanted to re-show these watermelon Chambys so why not in a dedicated thread. Also I am real curious on the thoughts expressed herein about when and why a Chamby gets those spectacular watermelon markings. Please submit your comments here on why and when watermelon markings.

All these were taken at Utopia nursery in Valdora over the last week or so.

[Gbarce]

Those crown shafts are gorgeous to look at

[R.E.Var Kotobuki]

Hi Ed, here is my biggest Chamby in the ground. It has a little of the watermelon markings and you can see they are more of a "stripe" thing. It generally shows only on the trunk/leaf base. It is also why I am loathe to call a chamby a watermelon till MUCH later! I do not know if all seeds come true to form or not. I traced backwards and I got this one from the Orange store that I found had got it from Rancho Soledad...I have heard and observed that a very high percentage of theirs end up being the watermelon type.

whew!

you want stripes you say?? i got your stripes...lol

(out of Rusty P.'s garden..Photo taken back in 2009)

[realarch]

Looks like a Chamby forest Wal!

Daniel, wow that is SPECKtacular.

[BS Man about Palms]

!

[edric]

Great photos fellas, Ed

[Bill Austin]

Wal this is what I know about cham.mac. watermelon . I saw a cham. mac. with seed on it 12 yrs.a go in a garden here on the big island no other cham. around that I could see. Being the seed pig that I am I collected as many seed as I could . Way to many anyway germinated them all, time moves on pot to 4 in. then to 1 gal. to many to keep putting in to 1 gal. so we put 3 in a 1 gal.. More time so we move them to 12 and 15 gal. NOW they are starting to show the markings . Some are still just starting to show at 12 yrs old. Here are some pic.I am starting to move them all some where not sure where so thats why it looks this way. This is just a few of what I have of these.

[realarch]

Geeze Bill, those look familiar. Recognize this double? This photo is from back in March, it's grown some since and is looking great.

[Walter John]

Wal this is what I know about cham.mac. watermelon . I saw a cham. mac. with seed on it 12 yrs.a go in a garden here on the big island no other cham. around that I could see. Being the seed pig that I am I collected as many seed as I could . Way to many anyway germinated them all, time moves on pot to 4 in. then to 1 gal. to many to keep putting in to 1 gal. so we put 3 in a 1 gal.. More time so we move them to 12 and 15 gal. NOW they are starting to show the markings . Some are still just starting to show at 12 yrs old. Here are some pic.I am starting to move them all some where not sure where so thats why it looks this way. This is just a few of what I have of these.

Thanks Bill, so you're suggesting that from a watermelon parent, all children will eventually mark up, at least that's what's occurred with that guy from 12 year ago. Thanks for this, this is the type of info I was trying to usurp from those with some knowledge, and even any thoughts from all palm nuts.

Are you also saying you can't find a home for that lot ? Boy oh boy, I wish you lived nearby.

Thanks again, may this thread never end...

[The Palm Nut]

Here is one of mine, its pretty big now so hard to get a good photo of it. People alway comment on the watermelon look once I point it out to them, unique in the palm world, the trunk next to it is a Carpentaria palm. The other photo is of the one in my rainforest still below the canope and so has the deep red look.

Cheers

Mike

[Walter John]

Nice Mike, she's up there alright.

[Bill Austin]

Wal this is what I know about cham.mac. watermelon . I saw a cham. mac. with seed on it 12 yrs.a go in a garden here on the big island no other cham. around that I could see. Being the seed pig that I am I collected as many seed as I could . Way to many anyway germinated them all, time moves on pot to 4 in. then to 1 gal. to many to keep putting in to 1 gal. so we put 3 in a 1 gal.. More time so we move them to 12 and 15 gal. NOW they are starting to show the markings . Some are still just starting to show at 12 yrs old. Here are some pic.I am starting to move them all some where not sure where so thats why it looks this way. This is just a few of what I have of these.

Thanks Bill, so you're suggesting that from a watermelon parent, all children will eventually mark up, at least that's what's occurred with that guy from 12 year ago. Thanks for this, this is the type of info I was trying to usurp from those with some knowledge, and even any thoughts from all palm nuts.

Are you also saying you can't find a home for that lot ? Boy oh boy, I wish you lived nearby.

Thanks again, may this thread never end...

Wal I will go look at the parents I don't think they show any markings.The off spring do not all show markings only about half do. The really strange thing is I did not expect to see any marking at all so you can imagine my surprise when they show the watermelon markings. The parents are in garden here in Hilo

[Central Floridave]

spockvr6, I've transplanted a few and can say they transplant very easy. I've never lost any. All mine are in the shade however and the tranplant was a shade spot to a shade spot. So, thus, less stress for the palm. These palms are tough as nails in containers and carefree, so I'm assuming that is what gives them the toughness for transplanting. Unlike the other New Caledonian palms, red feather is one tough palm.

[barefootin]

New watermelon leaf is opening... I had put them in a bit too much sun to start some got a bit toasted. but all are recovering fine with new shoots.

Thanks ED

Addison

[barefootin]

pic 2

[barefootin]

looks like signs of watermelon markings... correct me if im wrong

[edric]

looks like signs of watermelon markings... correct me if im wrong

Hi Addison, sometimes they produce light marks, but it'll be awhile before they show stripes, Ed

[palmcurry]

What a good thread. It re-reminds me how rad this palm is.