Chamaedorea radicalis trunking

[Palm crazy]

Who in zone 8 is growing this palm and how is it doing in your climate especially 8a winters?

I have a few in the ground for the last few years, their foliage seem just a little less hardy than the regular C. radicals but still rewarding to grow and oh so tropical looking to boot.

Roger

[Palm crazy]

Looks like once again I am to cold to play with the zone 10 gardeners and to advance for the zone 8 gardeners. The Cheese stands alone!

I'll take some pics soon of my own C. radicalis 'trunking' and put on a show for you all. If it ever stops raining this week.!

Edited March 21, 2013 by Palm crazy

[gilles06]

Hi Roger,

I have this one at home, but i am in zone 9 and i can't tell about hard frost. This palm has very tropical look and can be a good substitute to dypsis you can't grow!

I would try it under canopy in zone 8.

[Kailua_Krish]

Mine are currently 2" high so I cant help

[Palm crazy]

Dave that is a nice one, yeah they are a little tender in z8 so some protection is required in the coldest temps.

Kishnaraoji88 they will grow faster in your climate than mine, so in a few years wow!

Two smaller ones with no overhead canopy.

Deep shade with afternoon sunlight these are looking better.

New tall specimen.

Another new one with sturdy leaves.

Mid April to early May is when they start to grow here in the PNW.

[Axel Amsterdam]

Hi Gilles,

what a beauty. Is it a fast grower in your summerclimate?

Axel

[Kailua_Krish]

Do they get frost burn w/o canopy? Nematodes are a major problem here.

[Palm crazy]

Do they get frost burn w/o canopy? Nematodes are a major problem here.

They can get frost burn more easily than regular C. radicalis, just depends on how low the temps are....mine gets more damage from whet snow being on the leaf and breaking them.

During really cold arctic blast I have to cover them up good, and sometime just protecting them can break leaves.

Nematodes - the good, the bad and the ugly have never been a problem on any palms for me?

[Kailua_Krish]

Do they get frost burn w/o canopy? Nematodes are a major problem here.

They can get frost burn more easily than regular C. radicalis, just depends on how low the temps are....mine gets more damage from whet snow being on the leaf and breaking them.

During really cold arctic blast I have to cover them up good, and sometime just protecting them can break leaves.

Nematodes - the good, the bad and the ugly have never been a problem on any palms for me?

Yeah, nematodes are a Florida soil problem :/ Thats good to know that they can take snow since we never get that much frost. Ive never tried planting these out in the open but I'll have to try it now!

[tjwalters]

Hi Roger,

I have this one at home, but i am in zone 9 and i can't tell about hard frost. This palm has very tropical look and can be a good substitute to dypsis you can't grow!

I would try it under canopy in zone 8.

I didn't know they got so large. How tall is it, and how thick is the trunk near the base? What is that plant growing at the base?

[gilles06]

Hi Gilles,

what a beauty. Is it a fast grower in your summerclimate?

Axel

Hi Axel,

They are not so fast, but not so slow.

The growth rate is about 5 or six leaves a year...

Salut.

[gilles06]

Hi Roger,

I have this one at home, but i am in zone 9 and i can't tell about hard frost. This palm has very tropical look and can be a good substitute to dypsis you can't grow!

I would try it under canopy in zone 8.

I didn't know they got so large. How tall is it, and how thick is the trunk near the base? What is that plant growing at the base?

Hi Tom,

The plant is about 5 feet tall, and the base is about 3 inch (diameter).

There is one free seedling at the base, you got all!

[Austinpalm]

I am growing this in zone 8/9 in central Texas. They croak somewhere under 18F. I had one of two survive a low of 15F with 48hrs below freezing, so they are kinda tough, but not as hardy as the non-trunking version.

[Alicehunter2000]

Plan on putting in alot of these in my area....here is a pic of one that I am about to receive from Ken Johnson.

[Kailua_Krish]

Plan on putting in alot of these in my area....here is a pic of one that I am about to receive from Ken Johnson.

I've had problems with these in sandy soils. Eric from Leu says that in Florida these don't tolerate nematodes well.

-Krishna

[ghar41]

I wish I wouldve planted many of them years ago. I have 8-10 of them now, all small. They went through our winter easily, even on a North facing wall, without any signs of stress.

[Alicehunter2000]

Krishna, do you think I should leave it potted for the pool area? Or maybe just ammend a large hole with plenty of organic mulch...does this help with the nematodes? I will probably test the soil with some smaller that I have at my container ranch before I would chance it on the big one....probably the safest bet.

[Kailua_Krish]

Krishna, do you think I should leave it potted for the pool area? Or maybe just ammend a large hole with plenty of organic mulch...does this help with the nematodes? I will probably test the soil with some smaller that I have at my container ranch before I would chance it on the big one....probably the safest bet.

I'm not sure, my best performing ones are in a planter but I'm planting others in the ground in locations that dont favor nematode growth. Honestly Id message Eric as he has a lot more experience with this species than I do.

-Krishna

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

I wish I wouldve planted many of them years ago. I have 8-10 of them now, all small. They went through our winter easily, even on a North facing wall, without any signs of stress.

I agree, these palms are bullet proof in the valley. They do yellow a little if placed on south facing wall or in full hot sun all day during summer, but otherwise unaffected by our climate.

I too wish I could find a source for several more trunking specimens.

I'd plant them in 3's.

Jeff

[Palm Killer]

Hey Jeff all tropicals in gilroy has a few trunking chamaedorea radicalis for sale 5 gal 35.00.

[JasonD]

My mind was blown when I saw this plant grown as a self-sowing grove. It's fantastic en masse.

[_Keith]

I have one in 9a, made it though 19 degrees without complaints, but it is not subject to frost where I have it planted.

[Tropicdoc]

MAN! This was on my most wanted list.... now for sure. Perfect tropical appearing understory palm. I'm humid 9a, blackjack clay. I hear most chamaedoreas love water. I flood my cataractarum and it likes it. Any suggestions...amend soil?

[ghar41]

MAN! This was on my most wanted list.... now for sure. Perfect tropical appearing understory palm. I'm humid 9a, blackjack clay. I hear most chamaedoreas love water. I flood my cataractarum and it likes it. Any suggestions...amend soil?

My Radicalis like plenty of water but they are also amazingly drought tolerant for a Chamadorea. cataractarum likes LOTS of water and is less drought tolerant than radicalis.

[Tropicdoc]

Thanks, ghar. Yes, I've heard radicalis is the most cold tolerant, drought tolerant, and sun tolerant of the genus. Makes we wonder why you don't see more of them at the big box stores for instance.

[Kailua_Krish]

Thanks, ghar. Yes, I've heard radicalis is the most cold tolerant, drought tolerant, and sun tolerant of the genus. Makes we wonder why you don't see more of them at the big box stores for instance.

Supposedly the nematodes get them in Florida and since thats where many of the big box plants are grown perhaps that explains it? Ive been trying to grow mine in clay areas to help with this but the jury is still out.

[fdrc65]

I'm in zone 8 in Italy and I have c. Radicalis tree form in pot, these are my first fruits of this palm.

[Palm crazy]

I can not say enough about C. radicals as being totally hardy in 8b, I would even say (for me) that C.radicalis is hardier than butia capitata and everyone in z8 should be growing this little palm. One of the most diverse growers whether your climate is Hot & Dry, Hot & Steamy or Cool & Humid it grow in all three climates perfectly with just a little bit of care.

I’ve had the regular ones regrow back down to 12F with protection, thankfully only gets that cold every 7- 8 years for me.

Here’s an update trunking clumps. I suggest getting the biggest you can afford for planting in ground in Cool summer places.

This one is barely growing underneath a Trachycarpus canopy.

Edited July 23, 2013 by Palm crazy

[pfancy]

Can't take much direct sun here in the VOTS, pretty much full shade. Five days of hard freeze this last winter burned them a bit but didn't kill'em. Really nice and cheap in SoCal. I have to wait for more canopy to develope-same ole story here in the desert.

[KennyRE317]

I have a few trunking ones, that have inflorecence growing although real small still. Anyway to tell the difference between a male and female plant?

[KennyRE317]

Also how thick are the trunks on some of the more mature ones? The 6 I have are about 3' tall and maybe 3/4" thick