Growing beccariophoenix in the tunnel of palm love™

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Every palm grower is entitled to a folly, some try to grow coconuts in Del Mar. I wanted to try something a little more in reach for me but still almost impossible given all the accounts I've read in the old Southern California palm Journals. Has anyone had any success growing beccariophoenix 'windows' anywhere in Southern California? I hear they turn yellow in the Winter and the bud rots out from fungus even in San Diego. Any tip would be greatly appreciated, DoomsDave already suggested witchcraft, but it rained during the last full moon so I'll have to wait for the next one.

I originally purchased one of each of the beccariophoenix species so that at least I could tell them apart. Beccariophoenix 'windows' was originally going to be growing in the house, but since I kill off houseplants far faster than old man Winter does outside, I figured it would actually stand more of a chance outside. So I planted it in my tunnel of palm love™, a strip of garden between my two story garage building on the top of the hill and my house below that provides my only USDA10b garden spot.

This spot has been incredibly conducive to growing all sorts of out of range plants. It currently features a 30 feet tall fruiting ice cream bean tree and a rose apple tree that provides some canopy to some rare licuala and geonoma growing in the understory. I keep it quite moist. It's the closest I have to an actual greenhouse. There's plenty of concrete and building structure to keep temperatures higher in the Winter and the soil stays dry. Large windows with no low-E coating supply some warming radiation in the Winter. It's also where I harden off Jeff Marcus' stuff before I plant it out in the garden.

Here it is. Any tips on how to feed it and keep it alive this coming Winter would be greatly appreciated.

[Stevetoad]

mine was in a shady spot and still got the wiggedy whack this winter. it probalby saw 28f under there. it was a bit rough after summer anyways but i wont be trying again. the only one ive ever seen that looks perfect was Brets (quaman) maybe he will see this and post an update.

[DoomsDave]

quaman does have a nice one, and there's a post somewhere on the board about it.

[SanDimas]

Axel

You sure thats a Becariophoenix windows and not an alfredii?

I thought alfredii keeps the strap leaves longer than the window/non windows sp....

going pinate when still small.

Just my thought.

Cheers.

Ritchy

BTW...that was a quick solitary confinement for you.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Axel

You sure thats a Becariophoenix windows and not an alfredii?

I thought alfredii keeps the strap leaves longer than the window/non windows sp....

going pinate when still small.

Just my thought.

Cheers.

Ritchy

BTW...that was a quick solitary confinement for you.

it's windows as far as I can tell. Windows doesn't have separated pinnate leaves for a long time. Alfredii does have some windows but it's different. it's not the greatest picture, I should try to take a better one.

[Zeeth]

Axel

You sure thats a Becariophoenix windows and not an alfredii?

I thought alfredii keeps the strap leaves longer than the window/non windows sp....

going pinate when still small.

Just my thought.

Cheers.

Ritchy

BTW...that was a quick solitary confinement for you.

Yes it's windows for sure.

Good luck with it. I've found the very difficult when I grew them from seed. They stayed yellow no matter how much blood meal I gave them and eventually just died. I read on palmtalk a good regimen of fertilizer to give them so next time I can get seeds I'll try it. Jeff Marcus says to use a combination of Sequestrine 138, humic acid and blood meal and they won't have any trouble.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

mine was in a shady spot and still got the wiggedy whack this winter. it probalby saw 28f under there. it was a bit rough after summer anyways but i wont be trying again. the only one ive ever seen that looks perfect was Brets (quaman) maybe he will see this and post an update.

Steve I found your thread, that's an incredible specimen. Doesn't Brett live behind Mount Soledad where he gets some frost?

Axel

You sure thats a Becariophoenix windows and not an alfredii?

I thought alfredii keeps the strap leaves longer than the window/non windows sp....

going pinate when still small.

Just my thought.

Cheers.

Ritchy

BTW...that was a quick solitary confinement for you.

Yes it's windows for sure.

Good luck with it. I've found the very difficult when I grew them from seed. They stayed yellow no matter how much blood meal I gave them and eventually just died. I read on palmtalk a good regimen of fertilizer to give them so next time I can get seeds I'll try it. Jeff Marcus says to use a combination of Sequestrine 138, humic acid and blood meal and they won't have any trouble.

Keith, I had a hunch this is an acid soil lover given the yellowing reports. I am going to treat this one the way I treat my citrus: Lilly Miller camelia and rhododendron fertilizer. It's the best kept horticultural secret and doesn't burn. And I'll add a Lutz spike for good measure since I now have a whole box of these spikes. It's planted in almost pure sand. Mine is a beautiful deep green right now and showing no signs of decline towards yellow.

[DoomsDave]

That's a windows all right.

Good luck. I'm curious to see what happens to it.