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Truth Stranger than Fiction

Followers

April 22, 201412 yr

Well, again either a palm appeared from an alternate universe or I have totally failed Palm ID 101. I suspect the latter.

You see, there's the largest path not too far from our house in Puerto Rico. We've walked that path numerous times every time we visit. Only maybe 20 feet away and up a little hill stood a clumping palm. It was covered in vines, but otherwise healthy and there's so much to see grabbing our attention like the huge Marang tree and the heliconias and the gingers and... well, that's one excuse.

Another is that until my husband made some rudimentary cinderblock steps it was a "use both hands" type of climb up to see it and often muddy. I passed it off as another of several Pinanga coronatas and kept walking by.

This trip I saw RED and quickly realized it couldn't be P. coronata. It took only a few minutes with a machete (my husband) and hand pruners (me) to uncover this beauty. We see no dark leaves as I'd expect with the maroon version, but also it's far from the orange of the 38 A. vestiaries we planted on the other side of the farm.

Later, the former owner of our farm was able to walk around with us a bit pointing out some others named and unnamed that I'll post later. Of course she knew the palm was there, but hadn't seen the crownshafts either or was just trying to make me feel better perhaps.

I understand these don't come true from seed but we'll still collect fruit and give them a try.

Cindy Adair

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April 22, 201412 yr

Nice! I just bought a small maroon variety, maybe someday it will look like that!

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April 22, 201412 yr

Wow Cindy. Absolutely stunning colors...and right in your backyard more or less. What a visual delight.

Zone 9b (formerly listed as Zone 9a); Sunset 14

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April 22, 201412 yr

That's a stunner!

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April 22, 201412 yr

Cindy,

What an absolutely beautiful find! Can't ever go wrong with Areca vestiarias! And it's my experience that from the seeds of an 'orange' vestiaria you will indeed get primarily orange offspring, and only a few maroon ones. Probably less than 5%, if that. But fresh seeds germinate easily, so why not give it a try and see what happens! And seedlings will stay true to their early colors. In other words, if a seedling opens up with a green leaf, it will never be maroon later in life. And if it opens up maroon, it will always be just that - maroon.

Bo-Göran

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

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April 22, 201412 yr

Wow Cindy that is a looker, can't wait till mine gets to that size, thanks for posting

Paul :winkie:

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April 22, 201412 yr

What an amazing palm and to think you walked past it all those times.

Regards Neil

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April 22, 201412 yr

WOW, that's a win!

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The next best time is now...

~ Chinese Proverb

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April 22, 201412 yr

What an exciting discovery! And so colorful. How fun to have such a beautiful palm "appear" out of nowhere. :laugh2: You'll have to wander those muddy hillsides, see what else you might uncover.

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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April 22, 201412 yr

We'll be watching to see what else you might find up there . . . .

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

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April 22, 201412 yr

Are you back in Puerto Rico Cindy? Looking forward to some updated pinanga pics!

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April 23, 201412 yr

Author

Are you back in Puerto Rico Cindy? Looking forward to some updated pinanga pics!

I was there April 13-20 and yes, I do have some new Pinanga photos although most of mine are still little.... Still slowly catching up but will post as often as possible.

Cindy Adair