We havnt seen much sun the past 2 weeks here in the southern rim of Mt Warning caldera and Campecarpus fulcitus ( now Cyphophoenix fulcitus) is enjoying the wet, grey days with opening a new larger leaf.

Each new leaf and spear slowly gets larger each time, I will post a pic again once the new leaf is fully opened.

This New Caledonian Palm is "extremely rare' in cultivation, its a great feeling to see its growth now " make headway"and I look forward to seeing its stilt roots appear in the future..C fulcitus doesnt start getting its stilt roots till quite an age.. I was very fortunate to get 2 of these ( very small plants) 20 yrs ago from 2 very keen and generous palm / palm seed collectors John Lyle and Maria ( decd) from the "famous" Marias Palmatum... I will never these 2 that introduced and made available to palm enthusiasts in Oz " Rare Palms and seed from New caledonia" the same time that Jeff M made the same kind offers to all the keen collectors in the US.... Maria, John and Jeff all collected very viable seed on a combined trip to NC over 20 yrs ago... Even though this is all history...Its "very important history" to remember. Pete

Very nice Pete, very impressive collection you have there!!! It's great to see such rare palms in such capable hands!!!

Thanks Ben, I try my best Heres Shakira giving some scale in both shots. while Im at it heres a shot taken by John Lyle of the stilts of a very mature Cf.. Pete

Beautiful Pete.....

Thanks Alek, I just added a pic from the Pacsoa site of the stilt roots this palm 'eventually" grows on post 3. Pete

Lookin great there Pete...how many others do you think there are in cultivation in Oz?

Daryl

Lookin great there Pete...how many others do you think there are in cultivation in Oz?

Daryl

Thanks Daryl, a tiny sprinkle, I know a lot of the rare cooler climate NC palms didnt enjoy FNQ , they did high up at Marias but not down lower.. In post 1 a sentence missed the words 'forget" ...I will never "forget" these 2 ( John and Maria) that 'introduced" and 'made available to Aussies" palms from NC.....Yes this is an " extremely rare' palm in cultivation worldwide, Im forever grateful. Pete

Looks great Pete. I still think your Moratia is my favorite though

Looks great Pete. I still think your Moratia is my favorite though

Yeh me too Len, on that note, the largest Cypho macro was at the stage the Moratia ( Cypho cerifera) is at now just 3 yrs ago...re Campecarpus though, the colourful swollen C/shaft and Stilts will be a site in the future, glad its in a great easy viewing spot. Pete

I'd definitely give one of my toes for one of these bad boys!!!

So beautiful, thanks Pete!

All New cals are near and dear to my heart.. Thanks Pete!

Thanks Dan, Raf and Bill, Dan it seems these where a "once in a lifetime opportunity" to buy "years ago' good luck finding viable seed, and it would like your San fran location better than Key West.. Pete

Why hasn't anyone been to new cal to collect seed lately? Its only a short flight from bne and has flights several times a week. Im guessing the new cal government have cracked down on removing seed? Or have the natural environments of these rare nc palms since been cleared/burnt out etc? Great palms though pete! Top shelf

Why hasn't anyone been to new cal to collect seed lately? Its only a short flight from bne and has flights several times a week. Im guessing the new cal government have cracked down on removing seed? Or have the natural environments of these rare nc palms since been cleared/burnt out etc? Great palms though pete! Top shelf

RPS sells New C palm seed and has permission......Also, they have had Campecarpus seed before, not to mention "other very hard to obtain seeds from NC... Yes most if not all palm seed is protected and not to be touched in NC... Also something of importance is that pretty much all of the " near impossible to find' ( in nurseries ) Palms of NC take a" very long time" for the seed to be ' mature and viable' ..then theirs the "long wait" for germination....then "extremely slow growth" for many years...one has to be very patient when they get a Rare NC seedling, and "very keen". Pete

ahhh, i see. cheers pete

WOW!!! So these palms are almost 20 years old? Of all the palms I have seen in Collections, this palm must be the most impressive as far as what it is--looks wise, I would probably overlook it if I toured your WORLD CLASS garden! I don't think I would let any of my children close to it... Is it basically worry free? I have Cyphophoenix all others and they all seem to be fairly easy to grow palms. Is elevation a must for this palm? I bet no one in the Continental United States has one of these palms--Pete has TWO! Now I know how Dooms Dave feels.

I suspect there might be few around in NZ from one of Bryan Laughland's collecting trips. A friend had some until his automatic irrigation failed.....

WOW!!! So these palms are almost 20 years old? Of all the palms I have seen in Collections, this palm must be the most impressive as far as what it is--looks wise, I would probably overlook it if I toured your WORLD CLASS garden! I don't think I would let any of my children close to it... Is it basically worry free? I have Cyphophoenix all others and they all seem to be fairly easy to grow palms. Is elevation a must for this palm? I bet no one in the Continental United States has one of these palms--Pete has TWO! Now I know how Dooms Dave feels.

Andrew I bought its as a very established seedling/small palm 20 yrs ago so its actually older , more like 23yrs . Yes its been "worry free" the whole time, its tough even when very small..but tougher when they are "Inground", I like to plant early and this has been a winner for all my hard to get NC Palms...All the losses of this palm and other hard to get NC palms in Oz was because they "where kept in pots" and not planted inground.... back then I think " many" thought if its slow , keep it safe in a pot...but as we know..if its slow up top..its working hard down below.. Pete

I love the new cal stuff... and suspect I will spend the rest of my life trying to get the rest of the ones I don't have.. Sounds like a good reason to live...

Fabulous palm Pete. thanks for sharing.

I would be lying if I said I was not envious

Bill, sorry for such a delayed reply but Yeh I love the New Cal stuff too, and slow is good , to have a palm for "so long" at eye level height and below is fantastic I think.

Ron, thanks and don't be envious, I am "forever grateful" and no doubt you are too to Palm seed collectors and growers that "make it possible" to buy something so rare, heres a pic of it tonight with a big new spear still pushing up and thickening so its growth is starting to speed up to 3 new leaves a year which is great speed for a very slow palm. Pete