Single-Trunked Rhapidophyllum hystrix pictures

[Bigfish]

That's a nice palm, Tom. I have a bunch in pots down here in Gainesville that I separate the pups from and pot up, like you do with that one. I'm hoping eventually they will get tired of producing pups one day and just be one trunk!

[905palms]

How do you typically cut away the pups?

[tjwalters]

How do you typically cut away the pups?

With a spade.

[Bigfish]

How do you typically cut away the pups?

That can be tough when the pups are small. When they get a little size, a spade will work fine as Tom said. When working with a potted palm it's just easier to take it out of the pot, clean the media off of the roots, and I break the pups off of the mother plant by hand. Easy-peasy.

Pups typically originate under the bottom of the mother trunk. So if your cutting angle is off by too much, you will end up with a handful of needles and leaves and no growing bud because it's still attached to the mother plant. Sometimes the mother plant will send out longer rhizomes, making it much easier to separate them.

Edited January 4, 2015 by Frank - Knoxville

[905palms]

Thanks for the tips! I have a pair with many clusters of pups, this way I can separate and transplant. All I need now is Springtime...

[Bigfish]

Here's a truly massive beast at the Donald Davis Arboretum in Auburn, AL. It stood over 10 feet tall to the top of the tallest leaves. The trunk was chest high on me, so probably over 5 feet tall (I'm 6'7") and it was leaning. Really wish there was a sense of scale in this picture. It doesn't do it justice! The trunk reminded me of a Jack Daniel's whiskey barrel.

Here's 2 more nice Needles in Auburn.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Frank - Knoxville