A little before 5:30 while the sun was sinking I looked over at my Caribbean Garden and saw a jungle of palms - mainly Coccothrinax - in the waning light. I grabbed my camera and hustled to take the folowing photos. The place looks shaggy and overgrown but that's intentional on my part. The canopy of overlapping leaves protect the palms beneath. While fronds may end up torched, growing points survive.

This has been a strange winter. So far, the ultimate low was 41.2 about 10 days ago. But it has been cloudy, chilly and raw for days on end. That is not normal. The whole month of Jan. was like that. The sun didn't come out to stay till yesterday. From 40s/50s/60s we are seeing highs in the mid-80s. Long may it last.

Anyway, the photos:

The Caribbean Jungle

Coccothrinax Azul - The blue wax on the leaves turns yellow even during chilly spells. I've had this palm in the ground 9 years. Very slow

Okay, the photo loader decided to hang up, so I had to post early.

Thrinax radiata - in the ground at least 12 years. Hurricane Charley slammed it around. It spent 18 months staked.

Kerriodoxa elegans - one of several interlopers but it fits in. Protected on 3 sides

Borassodendron machadonis - the palm that played dead for 18 months. Got its mojo on now.

Coccothrinax sp - one of the tallest Coccos. In Jan. 2010 spear pulled. Sent up new spike that Easter

Coccothrinax crinita brevicrinus

Leucothrinax morrisii

Hemithrinax ekmanii - largest one

Coccothrinax fragrans

Bismarckia - largest one. The guy who cut down our dead queen says the area has an epidemic of weevils destroying Bizzies. We have seen a number of collapsing Bismarckias - nauseating to watch. So we are going to mix up gallons of Merit to treat our 8 palms every 3 months. Tip: also pour some down into meristem.

Pseudophoenix ekmanii - in the ground 5 years. Getting "big"; the stem anyway

Sabal miamiensis

Coccothrinax montana - one of the coolest. Notice the fiber weave

Coccothrinax alta double - I've heard it is just barbadensis. The guy who gave it to me says different species.

Coccothrinax x Zombia hybrid

Copernicia macroglossa - got this as a 1g. Look at it now!

Cocos nucifera dwarf red spicata - spectacular palm. Old leaves have white fly damage from 2013. We treat it with Merit regularly.

Sabal palmetto Lisa - probably the most unique looking palm in the world

Coccothrinax sp - spear pulled so we sawed off the trunk to reach the growing point. Palm is trying to come back

One more:

Coccothrinax argentata - Florida Silver Palm. Gorgeous and bullet proof for me. Not even a spot for nearly 20 winters. And it seems to stay only 3' tall.

Awesome palms Meg at dream sizes!!!

A real canopy of Coccothrinax! Kerriodoxa and Borassodendron really stand out in the understory!

Thanks Meg such healthy palms you have great job

That's a pretty impressive collection. Your getting some good growth on most of your palms. What ever happened to your Cyrtostachys sp. Hybrid?

Interesting......this love of everything Coccothrinax.....did this come about by accident, or did you specifically set out to collect them?

Everything is looking great. The Sabal Lisa is awesome.

Jeff, my lipstick hybrid is in a 1g on the back lanai. Still strap leaf. I may plant it in the back yard in the future.

David, Coccothrinax is probably my favorite genus and one that grows well in the alkaline dreck called soil in CC. I had you in mind when I took photos of the sawn-off palm.

In a few weeks I will cut back some of the foliage so the small ones underneath can benefit from the sun.. The garden looks a lot more "organized" and accessible

Meg, Nice collection of coccothrinax. I especially like your Pseudophoenix ekmanii. Your garden is growing very good. Did you ever think about hosting a CFPACS palm tour? We are always looking for special gardens to visit.

Looks great, I didn't leave enough sun in my garden for a nice collection of coccothrinax, I have a couple but the ones in the shade beg for burning hot sun.

Meg, Nice collection of coccothrinax. I especially like your Pseudophoenix ekmanii. Your garden is growing very good. Did you ever think about hosting a CFPACS palm tour? We are always looking for special gardens to visit.

Wow, I'm honored. I do live pretty far away from most of your members. Let me know if members are interested

Nice job Meg. Everything looks so healthy! Keep up the good work...

Coccothrinax x Zombia hybrid

Coccothrinax x Zombia 01 2-3-14.JPG

MEG I did not know of the existence of this hybrid:

Coccothrinax x Zombie hybrid

Meg, Nice collection of coccothrinax. I especially like your Pseudophoenix ekmanii. Your garden is growing very good. Did you ever think about hosting a CFPACS palm tour? We are always looking for special gardens to visit.

Wow, I'm honored. I do live pretty far away from most of your members. Let me know if members are interested

We have had a lot of recent meetings on the West coast, so we are looking at East and Central locations this year. I will keep your beautiful garden in mind for next year if you are interested. It is always fun showing off your garden w/ other palm people.

Thanks Meg.

The canopy of overlapping leaves protect the palms beneath. While fronds may end up torched, growing points survive.

Is this from the cooler temperatures or from sun exposure? I see one of the taller Coccothrinax in that grouping has what looks like damaged leaves..from the cool temps or sun? Very nice collection though. Coccothrinax genus is one of my favs.

The canopy of overlapping leaves protect the palms beneath. While fronds may end up torched, growing points survive.

Is this from the cooler temperatures or from sun exposure? I see one of the taller Coccothrinax in that grouping has what looks like damaged leaves..from the cool temps or sun? Very nice collection though. Coccothrinax genus is one of my favs.

The overlapping leaves are for frost/cold protection. I will prune many of them off so sun can reach smaller ones underneath. Coccothrinax are all heat and sun lovers. Some species may show cold damage at temps above freezing, others won't. Some species seem prone to fungal infections. C. crinita & C.c. brevicrinus are the main culprits. Maybe our high summer humidity has something to do with that although I noticed my brevicrinus looks better than usual. Azul's blue wax can turn yellow in winter.

Meg, it's always a pleasure to see your garden. Your Caribbean garden is especially enticing! Congratulations.

I can't wait til I'm in Cape Coral again.

Peter

Looks fantastic! I love coccothrinax and thrinax.

Nice to see fan palms getting some attention. Love the Hemithrinax ekmanii - how did you happen to come upon it?

Impressive collection indeed, Meg. I also have an affinity for Coccothrinax. C. montana was my favorite until I came across C. moaensis. Love the P. eckmanii too, it looks great. Please keep us posted on the Cyrtostachys hybrid. I purchased a large one last year, and it is very happy here in the Keys. Judging by the species, it seems apparent that we purchase from some of the same growers.

Nice to see fan palms getting some attention. Love the Hemithrinax ekmanii - how did you happen to come upon it?

I got the original 5 in 2008 or 09 as strap leaf seedlings from Palm Beach Sale. They have been in the ground about 3 years. I'll have to check if the weakest is still alive. They are slow and small but surprisingly tough. I got a dozen strap leaf seedlings from PiousPalms/Bill Deboe a few years ago. Sold a couple, lost a couple. The rest are planted in my garden lot.

Steve, I will be posting a photo montage for you in the next couple days. Because anyone can love a Dypsis but it takes an open-minded palm lover to stand up for Sabals.

Peter, you are welcome at Prices' (0.62) Paradise Acres anytime.

Tim, I managed to germinate C. moaensis about 4 years ago. The largest ones are about 6" diameter and 2" tall. I may not live long enough to see them trunk. Almost as slow as Copernicia cowellii (up to 4 strap leaves after 5 years in the ground

Nice to see fan palms getting some attention. Love the Hemithrinax ekmanii - how did you happen to come upon it?

I got the original 5 in 2008 or 09 as strap leaf seedlings from Palm Beach Sale. They have been in the ground about 3 years. I'll have to check if the weakest is still alive. They are slow and small but surprisingly tough. I got a dozen strap leaf seedlings from PiousPalms/Bill Deboe a few years ago. Sold a couple, lost a couple. The rest are planted in my garden lot.

Steve, I will be posting a photo montage for you in the next couple days. Because anyone can love a Dypsis but it takes an open-minded palm lover to stand up for Sabals.

Nice! I'll stay tuned.

I purchased a few last year that were in one gallon, two of the three seem to be true C. moaensis, the other is looking a bit like a hybrid, but time will tell. My fellow palm enthusiast in Key West has one planted that is somewhere around 3.5', with lots of trunk and a nice full head of beautiful, super stiff leaves. His property will be on the Keys leg of the biennial tour in May. His property, along with a neighboring property, should surely not be missed. Most people don't quite understand how much better the hard core Cuban and Caribbean palms grow for us in the lower Keys. We are only 90 miles from Cuba.

I purchased a few last year that were in one gallon, two of the three seem to be true C. moaensis, the other is looking a bit like a hybrid, but time will tell. My fellow palm enthusiast in Key West has one planted that is somewhere around 3.5', with lots of trunk and a nice full head of beautiful, super stiff leaves. His property will be on the Keys leg of the biennial tour in May. His property, along with a neighboring property, should surely not be missed. Most people don't quite understand how much better the hard core Cuban and Caribbean palms grow for us in the lower Keys. We are only 90 miles from Cuba.

Look forward to it. It will whet my appetite for the palming trip to Cuba in June.

We took a cruise several years ago and the first stop was Key West. All the other passengers hit the t-shirt shops and saloons. My husband & I walked the residential streets of town to see palms and landscaping. At the next stop in Cozumel we went on a 3-hour jungle hike led by a Mayan descendant. Saw lots of Sabal yapa.

Wow, Meg!

We are coming to appreciate Cocothrinax here a lot more as well, even if they are slow.

Nice work meg. Looking good, especially after your cold spell

Very nice palm collection Meg - Thrinax radiata is a stunner IMO !

Troy, your appreciation means a lot. I know you've seen a many gardens in the US. Thrinax radiata is, sadly, an unappreciated palm. Its large, droopy leaves remind me of a lovable, floppy dog.

I love Coccothrinax because they are variable, tough and elegant. Those starlike leaves dancing in a breeze make me happy.

Nice collection of palms !!!

Looks great! You have a lovely collection.

I have several small coccothrinax from past visits to Florida on my farm. It's amazing that they can compete with the tall grass for months and still survive. Unfortunately they apparently taste good to cows who have slowed down their growth considerably.

Are you going to Cuba before or after the Biennial?

Eric, thank you.

Cindy, I'm going after the Biennial. Originally, that was the one & only option so we jumped for it.

Eric, thank you.

Cindy, I'm going after the Biennial. Originally, that was the one & only option so we jumped for it.

I'll be there too. Just too good an opportunity too miss!

Cindy, that's great. You are the first PalmTalker I know of besides us going on this trip. A can't-miss destination. Cuba has been off-limits to Americans since the Castros took over when I was a child. Probably my one & only chance to see that island because who knows what will happen when Fidel & Raoul are no more.

Count this PalmTalker in, as well. In fact, Cindy and I will be roommates, as we were in Thailand. We had a great time! Also going will be most of the Old Vietnam Hands who did that Post Tour last year. Many of them are IPS directors. Looking forward to meeting you then, Meg.

Lucinda

Lucinda, that's great. My husband served in Vietnam in the 60s. Does that make him an Old Vietnam Hand too?

Have you ever tried Thrinax morrisii? I have one in a pot. Slow, but grows through winter. Doesn't seem to like too much sun at this point (5 gallon).

Have you ever tried Thrinax morrisii? I have one in a pot. Slow, but grows through winter. Doesn't seem to like too much sun at this point (5 gallon).

Oh, I see it. What conditions is yours in?

Have you ever tried Thrinax morrisii? I have one in a pot. Slow, but grows through winter. Doesn't seem to like too much sun at this point (5 gallon).

Oh, I see it. What conditions is yours in?

I have 2 larger ones near the house and some small ones on the garden lot. I planted 2 of those last fall. The ones near the house get lots of rain in summer and irrigation otherwise so they are in great shape. The small ones depend on rain and hand watering. They are excrutiatingly slow when 1g or smaller. They are pretty palms. Leaves are smaller and less "floppy" than T. radiata

P.S. They are now Leucothrinax