WASHINGTONIA TRUNK THICKNESS.

[Astrophoenix]

This is by far the fattest trunk that I remember to have seen.

Its 48 in at the base.

I wonder how rare is that thickness in these palms.

[Kostas]

Not rare at all,W. filifera commonly have such thick bases. See the row of them on the harbor of Kefalonia island for a row of monsters!

[Astrophoenix]

I will remember that if I ever visit that island.Trully impresive thickness!

Especially to me as up to now,most of my palms are chamaedorea species !

[Alicehunter2000]

Ahh Greece ....... more pictures please

[Astrophoenix]

More pictures?

Hmm..

I have no more pics in my pc to upload so I will make it up to you with this....

http://www.pinterest.com/ianharbour1/marianne-north-1830-1890/.

I have a hunch you wont regret it.

[Jim in Los Altos]

I planted this W. robusta in 1970. As you can see by the soda can nearby, these often are very wide at the base. W. filifera are often a lot fatter still, at least here in California. Also notice that the mound that the trunk sits on is actually a solid root mass.

[Astrophoenix]

In 1970?I can only imagine how tall she is.looks fat for a robusta

what a mound.

[Jim in Los Altos]

In 1970?I can only imagine how tall she is.looks fat for a robusta

what a mound.

George, It's well over 100 feet tall or about as tall as a 12 or 15 story building. By "mound" I mean hill. This palm created its own "hill" by way of the roots emerging out of the side of the trunk near its base, forming a dense mat.

[Astrophoenix]

I see.

Amazing.

Even more amazing is that you have almost 100 sp on the ground and you spread your expertise and taste in your wonderful area.wonderfull thing to bring natural beauty to peoples spaces.

[SailorBold]

I just went and checked mine.. I took a waistline measurement.. just about at its furthest point.... a little over 6 feet.

Its becoming quite furrowed. Does anyone know if its smoother under the leaf bases or how does that work?

[Pando]

I just went and checked mine.. I took a waistline measurement.. just about at its furthest point.... a little over 6 feet.

That's impressive. But what about the palm?

[SailorBold]

lol.. Jolly Ho !

[Kostas]

They usually get deeper furrows like that when they start trunking prematurely with too thin a trunk due to,for example,being grown potted to almost trunking size. Otherwise they tend to be smoother like the portion above the measuring tape. The new trunk will be smoother and with the years maybe the older portion will expand more at the base with roots coming out.

[Phoenikakias]

They usually get deeper furrows like that when they start trunking prematurely with too thin a trunk due to,for example,being grown potted to almost trunking size. Otherwise they tend to be smoother like the portion above the measuring tape. The new trunk will be smoother and with the years maybe the older portion will expand more at the base with roots coming out.

Kostas, I am awfully sorry, but I have to disagree with your theory in terms of an exclusive explanation. My Washis were ground planted at a very, very young age, still on both of them those furrows are persistent. Maybe there is another explanation, such us the emcouragement of promoting from the trunk new root-growth in arid places... just a theory needing further discussion!

[Kostas]

I am only giving this as an example, there are many reasons why a palm won't expand right from the start(and thus make a smooth expanding without deep fissures) such as water and nutrient availability, etc. All Washingtonia have fissured trunks but they seem relatively smooth from a little distance,because the fissures are intertwined and shallow. While a palm that doesn't expand from the start as it should and grows in growth spurts,tend to get fewer and deeper fissures that are more visible and not symmetric around the trunk.

Major trunk expanding tends to occur during wet periods,not dry ones.

[SailorBold]

The palm overall has thickened up... even closer to the head at 6-7 feet its thicker. The palm is not gaining too much height either.. to the top of the leaves height is 10-12 feet.

I only water it occasionally but when I do I leave the hose on it. Maybe that's why?

[Kostas]

If the watering is too seasonal and there is no underground water it could tap to,maybe. But it mostly depends on how it grew when it was forming that part of the trunk.