Favourite Palm

[chakoro]

Ay All, Now i know that as collectors and carers of the many and varied beautiful members of the palmae family,it is hard to pick a favourite amongst our collection,however i`m sure in our collection we all have one or two favourites that mean a lot to us.I know i do. they may be a plant that a very dear friend gave you, or a plant grown from seed collected on a trip through a south american jungle perhaps.This is your chance to share.

This is my favourite palm.Licuala ramsayii,although common in collections today,i bought this palm from a specialist nursery in 1986 in a six inch pot ,after being awestruck at seeing the huge specimens in habitat near mission beach a few years before.The next ten years saw it as an indoor palm growing slowly,all the while inspiring me to work hard to save money for a house and land so i could one day plant it out into a rain forest garden and see it grow to its full potential.This palm triggered my passion for tropical rainforest plants in particular palms.It was there when i married, and it saw my children come home from the hospital after being born.It was there when i would come home late at night exhausted from working two jobs to make ends meet,growing slowly in its pot.I would look at it and know that one day slowly,my dream of living by the ocean in a rainforest garden with my family would come true,as every new leaf would open i knew i was one step closer.

I finally planted it out in my garden by the sea in 1999,and it continues to grow slowly mainly because it was sited between two large paperbark trees which were part of the original vegetation of the block and has to compete for water and nutrients.

I have had great pleasure from my garden over the years and i have this palm to thank for starting it all.

Regards, Craig.

[aloetom]

Hey Craig,

What a great story , ( and palm ) !

Thanks it was a fun read.

Good luck,

Tom

[Walter John]

Have to think about this..

[Z4Devil]

Hello, Craig -

very nice story with a beautiful palm.

Wal has to think about it, me not. It is very simple but I am not able to show you palms outdoor because I know that none of my palms ever will go in the ground. I am living in Germany with a climate that is not really applicable for the palms being my favourites.

These are just 2 species: Acanthophoenix (rubra, rousselii and crinita) and Lytocaryum (wedellianum, hoehnei, insigne and itapebiensis). I generally love palms, they are the queens of plants. But favourites for me are the above mentioned 2.

One of them you find here:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=27479

Best regards, Verena

[Mandrew968]

Great story! For me, I would have to say what I thought was a Copernicia baileyana. I planted it--first palm in my yard! I remember thinking every yard needs a bailey in it. It was the start of my new career path, the start of my favorite hobby/passion and a symbol of becoming a man, for me. Almost one year and 70 plus species later, I find out it's not a bailey! So the palm that started it all, and the palm that is currently my favorite(I have many favorites from time to time) has been correctly identified as Copernicia gigas. Not a bad mistake to make and i'm impressed with how fast she has grown!

[Darold Petty]

Hi Craig, great story in your post # 1. Here is my well-traveled favorite, from seed in Ecuador, to nursery in Auckland, to its forever home in San Francisco.

Geonoma undata, (the frond is quite attractive also, but hard to photograph)

[chakoro]

Hey Craig,

What a great story , ( and palm ) !

Thanks it was a fun read.

Good luck,

Tom

Hi Tom,Thanks for your kind words,thats one of the unique things about palmtalk one can share a personal story like this and know there are others who feel the same,whereas,i have other friends who would think i was nuts. All the best Craig.

[chakoro]

Have to think about this..

Wal no favourite?....Ohhh you must have a lotta love to go round!Wal=The Barry White of the palm world Craig.

[chakoro]

Hello, Craig -

very nice story with a beautiful palm.

Wal has to think about it, me not. It is very simple but I am not able to show you palms outdoor because I know that none of my palms ever will go in the ground. I am living in Germany with a climate that is not really applicable for the palms being my favourites.

These are just 2 species: Acanthophoenix (rubra, rousselii and crinita) and Lytocaryum (wedellianum, hoehnei, insigne and itapebiensis). I generally love palms, they are the queens of plants. But favourites for me are the above mentioned 2.

One of them you find here:

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=27479

Best regards, Verena

Hi Verena,You may have only two genus as favourites at present,but take it from me there will be more,as a palm nut, its in your DNA! Craig.

[chakoro]

Great story! For me, I would have to say what I thought was a Copernicia baileyana. I planted it--first palm in my yard! I remember thinking every yard needs a bailey in it. It was the start of my new career path, the start of my favorite hobby/passion and a symbol of becoming a man, for me. Almost one year and 70 plus species later, I find out it's not a bailey! So the palm that started it all, and the palm that is currently my favorite(I have many favorites from time to time) has been correctly identified as Copernicia gigas. Not a bad mistake to make and i'm impressed with how fast she has grown!

Andrew, You are the Man with the Copernicia Plan!I was always told that Copernicias are very slow, i guess you never really know till you get them in the ground.My favourite Copernicias are macroglossa and rigida,just wish i had more room.Craig.

[chakoro]

Hi Craig, great story in your post # 1. Here is my well-traveled favorite, from seed in Ecuador, to nursery in Auckland, to its forever home in San Francisco.

Geonoma undata, (the frond is quite attractive also, but hard to photograph)

Hi Darold,Thanks for posting the shot of your Geonoma, i can see why it is your favourite,I`ll bet its everyones favourite when they visit your place although your ceroxylon parvifrons must be a very close second.Your garden is an inspiration to those of us who have limited space to plant Also i read an artical you wrote in PALMS in relation to the problem of falling fronds being held in place with bungee cords,a simple solution to a common problem in small gardens.Stand up and take a bow mate,youre an absolute legend.Regards Craig.

[KPL]

Craig,

I really love that story. I do hope you have that written down somewhere else besides PalmTalk.

Sorry I do not have any picture or pictures to post. Yet, I must tell you what my favourites are.

Bismarckias

Areca vestiaria

Cyrtostachys renda

And that Licuala ramsayii

Thank you for taking us back to that little plant at the time.

KPL

[Mandrew968]

Craig, your so right about palmtalk--Most of my friends think I'm crazy since I love to talk about palms, but on this forum, I feel accepted Also! I really admire and look up to your story about working several jobs to get through life with your kids and meeting your dream, one day--I feel like that's me as well; I just had the coolest little boy(should say big cuz he's sooo huge!) and since then, I find myself so busy selling palms, teaching, and moving and shaking to get all of my things in order. I've never been more busy in my life, but it's a chosen path. I don't mind the busy bee mentality--In fact I embrace it! Having a child has totally changed me and has really accelerated my path to becoming a successful adult.

[Lowey]

Craig, That is a great story and one that many of us on palm talk can relate too, My favorite is Lemurophoenix halleuxii, but I can relate to the Licuala ramsayi story, I dug up a small two leaf seedling years ago an a friends property and I have looked after it and watched it grow in the same way you have for many years.

I remember it well because while I was on my knees digging it up an large male cassowary with chicks in tow walked up to me and began to act very threatening, I grabed to seedling and got the hell out of there Ha Ha

[aussiearoids]

Current favourite is my pair of Dypsis 'Avisonii'

They are a little wonky after nearly being blown over .

But now tied up and growing like the clappers .

Some nice suckers coming , so will be an attractive clump in a few more years . Largest act. has a little trunk , [nearly]

Might go and prune away some of the 'leaning tower of mango'

Am going to leave it as need some shade , and maybe next cyclone will straighten it up

[ariscott]

My dypsis sp. is looking great too, michael . Yours must be bigger than mine?

[aussiearoids]

removed one boot and hey presto a good foot of trunk

what is that bump ?

[Tyrone]

Craig, what a wonderful story and a wonderful L ramsayi. They are a beautiful palm and yours is just awesome. I'm with Wal, I'm not really sure how to answer as to which one of my palms is super special. I don't have a great story like yours to add. In 1986 I was in Year 8 and not into palms, but I sort of was by 89 when I grew a P canariensis from seed and now it's a massive plant at my parents house. The bug didn't really bite until about 99 when I bought my house and it sunk its teeth in really hard when I went to QLD for the first time in 2000 and saw the wild Bangalows around Mt Tambourine. The rest is history. I do love my large Ravenea rivularis which was one of my first planting back in 2000. Maybe I'll have to answer this question in 15yrs time as so many of my palms are special to me. Maybe my Tahina will be a big monster in 15 years. Who knows.

Michael, about that bump. One of my D lanceolatas has done exactly that and I asked myself the same question. Whether it will branch there or tried too, I don't know. My lanceolata just started to put out another stem, and then made that bump up the trunk. Don't you love Dypsis. They just keep you guessing all the time.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Tyrone]

Hi Craig, great story in your post # 1. Here is my well-traveled favorite, from seed in Ecuador, to nursery in Auckland, to its forever home in San Francisco.

Geonoma undata, (the frond is quite attractive also, but hard to photograph)

Who needs a lipstick palm when you've got that???? I'm jealous cos I can't grow neither.

Best regards

Tyrone

[chakoro]

Craig,

I really love that story. I do hope you have that written down somewhere else besides PalmTalk.

Sorry I do not have any picture or pictures to post. Yet, I must tell you what my favourites are.

Bismarckias

Areca vestiaria

Cyrtostachys renda

And that Licuala ramsayii

Thank you for taking us back to that little plant at the time.

KPL

Karolyn,thanks for your kind words.Having seen photos of your licuala ramsayii`s, i must say if mine(i have a grove of them) even get to half the size of your larger ones,And look as good,I will be very happy. Craig.

[chakoro]

Craig, That is a great story and one that many of us on palm talk can relate too, My favorite is Lemurophoenix halleuxii, but I can relate to the Licuala ramsayi story, I dug up a small two leaf seedling years ago an a friends property and I have looked after it and watched it grow in the same way you have for many years.

I remember it well because while I was on my knees digging it up an large male cassowary with chicks in tow walked up to me and began to act very threatening, I grabed to seedling and got the hell out of there Ha Ha

Bruce,Hi mate thats what i mean a lot of special plants in our collections have a story attached to them.Is it the same l.ramsayii that you have posted pics of near the side of your house?Hmmm....I wonder if there is a cassowary out there somewhere telling the story of the one that got away? "He was this big.... just as i was about to slice him in two he got up and ran off through the jungle....honestly!"

Craig.

[Kumar]

[...] In 1986 I was in Year 8 and not into palms, but I sort of was by 89 when I grew a P canariensis from seed and now it's a massive plant at my parents house.

[...]

Tyrone

Tyrone, i'm surprised. I thought you were a lot older - maybe it had something to do with your previous avatar.

[Pedro 65]

Hi Craig, finally learnt how add a pic, hope it comes through ok, Cyphokentia Macrostachya is a favourite palm here as it was one of my first palms i bought from the late Maria Boggs ( Marias Palmatum) in 1995. I bought two along with two Campecarpus and one Cyphokentia Cerifera which Maria said "These will be Slow". Slow Yes but they are moving now. The Cyphokentia Macro is presently 3plus mtrs and produces 3 leaves a year. Campecarpus after 16 years has only 1foot of trunk and leaves at 1 mtr, cant wait for the stilt roots. Cheers Pete

Edited April 16, 2011 by Pedro 65

[Xenon]

Hi Craig, great story in your post # 1. Here is my well-traveled favorite, from seed in Ecuador, to nursery in Auckland, to its forever home in San Francisco.

Geonoma undata, (the frond is quite attractive also, but hard to photograph)

That's photo shopped right???

Jonathan

[LJG]

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Hi Craig, finally learnt how add a pic, hope it comes through ok, Cyphokentia Macrostachya is a favourite palm here as it was one of my first palms i bought from the late Maria Boggs ( Marias Palmatum) in 1995. I bought two along with two Campecarpus and one Cyphokentia Cerifera which Maria said "These will be Slow". Slow Yes but they are moving now. The Cyphokentia Macro is presently 3plus mtrs and produces 3 leaves a year. Campecarpus after 16 years has only 1foot of trunk and leaves at 1 mtr, cant wait for the stilt roots. Cheers Pete

Awesome!

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Current favourite is my pair of Dypsis 'Avisonii'

They are a little wonky after nearly being blown over .

But now tied up and growing like the clappers .

Some nice suckers coming , so will be an attractive clump in a few more years . Largest act. has a little trunk , [nearly]

Might go and prune away some of the 'leaning tower of mango'

Am going to leave it as need some shade , and maybe next cyclone will straighten it up

Hi Michael,

I've still got to see this 'sp' shame its not a standing 'name' really keen to get to Jan's

to see wot this Palm really is..my fav has got to be Pelagodoxa as a single 'sp' then

any Licuala and Calyptrocalyx.

Cheers... all Mikey...

[Walter John]

Hi Craig, finally learnt how add a pic, hope it comes through ok, Cyphokentia Macrostachya is a favourite palm here as it was one of my first palms i bought from the late Maria Boggs ( Marias Palmatum) in 1995. I bought two along with two Campecarpus and one Cyphokentia Cerifera which Maria said "These will be Slow". Slow Yes but they are moving now. The Cyphokentia Macro is presently 3plus mtrs and produces 3 leaves a year. Campecarpus after 16 years has only 1foot of trunk and leaves at 1 mtr, cant wait for the stilt roots. Cheers Pete

Wow, nice to see you here Peter, that's some rare palms you have, Mt Warning , nice.

[chakoro]

Hi Craig, finally learnt how add a pic, hope it comes through ok, Cyphokentia Macrostachya is a favourite palm here as it was one of my first palms i bought from the late Maria Boggs ( Marias Palmatum) in 1995. I bought two along with two Campecarpus and one Cyphokentia Cerifera which Maria said "These will be Slow". Slow Yes but they are moving now. The Cyphokentia Macro is presently 3plus mtrs and produces 3 leaves a year. Campecarpus after 16 years has only 1foot of trunk and leaves at 1 mtr, cant wait for the stilt roots. Cheers Pete

Hi Pete,Mate thanks for posting!Wow I am lost for words....That is just awesome....those very rare and very beautiful palms are part of the wonderful legacy that Maria left for those lucky enough to have known her.In the big picture who cares if they are slow! I hope that one day they will seed for you.All the best Craig.

[Pedro 65]

Hi Craig, finally learnt how add a pic, hope it comes through ok, Cyphokentia Macrostachya is a favourite palm here as it was one of my first palms i bought from the late Maria Boggs ( Marias Palmatum) in 1995. I bought two along with two Campecarpus and one Cyphokentia Cerifera which Maria said "These will be Slow". Slow Yes but they are moving now. The Cyphokentia Macro is presently 3plus mtrs and produces 3 leaves a year. Campecarpus after 16 years has only 1foot of trunk and leaves at 1 mtr, cant wait for the stilt roots. Cheers Pete

Hi Pete,Mate thanks for posting!Wow I am lost for words....That is just awesome....those very rare and very beautiful palms are part of the wonderful legacy that Maria left for those lucky enough to have known her.In the big picture who cares if they are slow! I hope that one day they will seed for you.All the best Craig.

Cheers Craig, i think the Cypho Macro is only a few years off flowering, thought id add 1 more pic of the very colourful Cerifera, will get a pic of Campecarpus. Regards Pete

[Bill Austin]

Hi Craig, wonderful story it's interesting to hear how we get started on this journey . Well I have to say todays favorite is licuala radula,

[Darold Petty]

Hi Craig, great story in your post # 1. Here is my well-traveled favorite, from seed in Ecuador, to nursery in Auckland, to its forever home in San Francisco.

Geonoma undata, (the frond is quite attractive also, but hard to photograph)

That's photo shopped right???

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan;

I had the same reaction when I first saw a photograph of this palm in 1998. The combination of leafbase and stem color seemed unnatural. I assure you that I am such a computer illiterate that I don't have the ability to do Photoshop!

The leafbase color changes. When the older leafbase abscisses the newly exposed one will be light in color, say cerise, then ages to cherry color, and finally will darken to maroon just before that leaf drops off itself.

[BS Man about Palms]

Pete! Those are two fantastic gems rarely seen on here, THANKS!

(*plus, I never tire of Darolds Geonoma)

And Craig...

someday I'll plant a Licuala. I just know it. Love the size and age of yours..

[Pedro 65]

Pete! Those are two fantastic gems rarely seen on here, THANKS!

(*plus, I never tire of Darolds Geonoma)

And Craig...

someday I'll plant a Licuala. I just know it. Love the size and age of yours..

Thought id better add a pic of Campecarpus since it was mentioned with Cyphokantias. Pete

[Daryl]

Wow, fantastic New Caledonian palms Peter! Welcome to Palmtalk.

Craig, great story! I don't know if I could pick my favourite....but my Pigafetta does come to mind....because I babied it for the first part of its life!

regards,

Daryl

[Tassie_Troy1971]

MY Chatham Island Rhopalostylis and purple Sapida seedlings !

Also my Leppidorachis moreana

[Palmzilla]

Hi Craig, finally learnt how add a pic, hope it comes through ok, Cyphokentia Macrostachya is a favourite palm here as it was one of my first palms i bought from the late Maria Boggs ( Marias Palmatum) in 1995. I bought two along with two Campecarpus and one Cyphokentia Cerifera which Maria said "These will be Slow". Slow Yes but they are moving now. The Cyphokentia Macro is presently 3plus mtrs and produces 3 leaves a year. Campecarpus after 16 years has only 1foot of trunk and leaves at 1 mtr, cant wait for the stilt roots. Cheers Pete

What a beautiful and rare palm! I have only scene one of these before. Happens to be at my dads place. His is about a 15g size, only opens 2 leaves per year....super slow. I can't wait to see it when it gets as nice as yours! That would be my favorite palm too if it was in my garden. Looks perfect too, you must have a good climate,

Braden