Dypsis decipiens - will it grow in the acidic, central Florida sand?

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Will Dypsis decipiens grow in the central Florida sands? I realize they don't want wet feet, and we can provide that. But will it take our rainy season? It can be wet around here for a weeks on end.

[Zeeth]

I put one in the ground in December here in Palmetto so I'll let you know what I find out this summer!

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I put one in the ground in December here in Palmetto so I'll let you know what I find out this summer!

Excellent, Keith, thanks

[Alicehunter2000]

I had 7 from Floribunda planted from last summer. One has died from soil air pocket? One was scorched from our 25 degree and heavy frost in November. Not ready to pronounce it dead yet but not doing great. Another just had a spear pull from our 21 degree and 12 hours below freezing a few weeks ago. Still green...not ready to call it dead yet either. One double has taken a beating and is about 50% fried....no spear pull waiting for spring. Another is about 20% scorched....spear is tight. Last one has got an adult leaf...it looks beat up but spear is tight and hope spring arrives early. They appear pretty darn tough and I didn't see any problems with heavy rains. The key to these is great drainage IMO.

[Josh-O]

David- you nailed it with great drainage and spelling out the hardiness factor.

Keith- I saw some huge ones growing in Hilo Hawaii a couple years ago. Super rainy there but they have great drainage. I think they should grow for you.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I had 7 from Floribunda planted from last summer. One has died from soil air pocket? One was scorched from our 25 degree and heavy frost in November. Not ready to pronounce it dead yet but not doing great. Another just had a spear pull from our 21 degree and 12 hours below freezing a few weeks ago. Still green...not ready to call it dead yet either. One double has taken a beating and is about 50% fried....no spear pull waiting for spring. Another is about 20% scorched....spear is tight. Last one has got an adult leaf...it looks beat up but spear is tight and hope spring arrives early. They appear pretty darn tough and I didn't see any problems with heavy rains. The key to these is great drainage IMO.

David, thanks for that reply. You sound optimistic. If I can find one, I may give it a try. I don't want to risk it in Feb, but maybe March. Last summer was really wet here. The two summers before, it was rather dry but last year we got to see what 40 inches of rain in 90 days does to the property. In short, we have a few mosquito ponds. So I know where not to plant things that can't take temporary flooding.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

David- you nailed it with great drainage and spelling out the hardiness factor.

Keith- I saw some huge ones growing in Hilo Hawaii a couple years ago. Super rainy there but they have great drainage. I think they should grow for you.

Great to know Josh. I have been to Hilo several times, and it really is a wet place. But that volcano doesn't hold water!

[Alicehunter2000]

Believe it or not mine seem to do better in dappled shade as seedlings rather than full sun.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Believe it or not mine seem to do better in dappled shade as seedlings rather than full sun.[/quote

We can do that too! Thank you again

[Rafael]

I am growing several in a pretty wet climate - a double in sand, a triple in light clay and a single in heavy clay (and bad drainage). Even this one is fine, despite some leaf spot but it's its first winter and getting frost in an exposed spot.

[_Keith]

I planted a tiny little strap seedling year before last. I planted it against a south facing wall with a high gable end on the roof. It is best microclimate I have warmth wise, quite dry, and planted in heavy clay. Amazingly without protection it survived our horrendous 13/14 winter which dipped into a cool 8b range. It is in dappled shade for most of the day. We'll have to see if it keeps on going there. I have high hopes at this point.

[Alicehunter2000]

All of mine spear pulled this morning.....I am really bummed out.....really had hopes for these. Keith did yours come back from a spear pull? May try again in the future....but for now...this sucks!

[tank]

Tim Hopper had a large one at his house in St. Augustine. Not sure if he still lives at the house or not, thinking not, judging from the for sale threads. Here is an old thread on his. Sorry for resurrecting old ghosts....

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/1133-dypsis-decipiens/

And just for sh%&$ts and giggles, Keith, here is an old thread that may be some kind of record. Three STUMPHEADS responding in a single post!

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/14400-dypsis-expertsi-need-some-advice/?hl=%2Bdypsis+%2Bdecipiens+%2Baugustine#entry243402

[Matthew92]

I'm starting to get really interested in Dypsis decipiens for the Upper Gulf Coast. I've seen a picture of a beautiful specimen in St. Augustine, and I believe even more so than the FL East Coast, the Western FL Panhandle is temperate, dryer, and cooler much of the time Oct-April: plus I have incredibly draining sandy soil. And as for winter temps, yes this is solid 8b, but just a micro-climate+a little protection may get it through (heck, some people have P. roebelenii that stay alive unprotected through 2 or 3 mild winters). This is probably the only "super-tropical" looking crownshaft palm that is remotely hardy enough to be grow in some form this far north. Would love to try it some time and let you all know how it goes. Always can try seeds, but for a quicker solution, anyone know how I would go about getting a larger one in these parts?

[Zeeth]

You could always try Floribunda. Maybe get a whole bunch of them of all sizes to try out (so you can meet the minimum order). 

[_Keith]

On 1/19/2015, 10:47:42, _Keith said:

I planted a tiny little strap seedling year before last. I planted it against a south facing wall with a high gable end on the roof. It is best microclimate I have warmth wise, quite dry, and planted in heavy clay. Amazingly without protection it survived our horrendous 13/14 winter which dipped into a cool 8b range. It is in dappled shade for most of the day. We'll have to see if it keeps on going there. I have high hopes at this point.

For 3 years now, mine has literally stood still in time in my best micro-climate.  I'll it sit there forever, but I have given up on it as not for here.

[Tyrone]

Central Madagascar where they come from has a wet summer climate. But all the wild pictures I've seen of them have them growing on hillsides. Some seem to be growing in the gullies that water would run down in a good rain. But in summer the night mins are around 16-19C. Hot (25C plus) humid and wet summer nights may do them in.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I tried, it died.

started dying about 5 minutes after I planted it.  Was gone in 120 days.  Once is enough for me when the result is this clear.

 

[Alicehunter2000]

I still got 1 survIvor ..... it just put out another leaf .... fat lady has not sang yet here.

[_Keith]

1 hour ago, Alicehunter2000 said:

I still got 1 survIvor ..... it just put out another leaf .... fat lady has not sang yet here.

Ha, I beat ya, mine put out too 6 inch long leaves this year, lol.  

[Sandy Loam]

Mine is still alive after about three years in the ground, and I bought it as a 7 gallon plant.  It has suffered no cold damage ever and, despite our heavy rains all summer, it is doing fine.  Mine seems to thrive in shade and an elevated planting location, but is incredibly slow growing.  It puts out new leaves with regularity, but it is literally a statue. 

There is no point in growing a plant that will not mature for 100 years. 

Sorry Opal, but I am of no help because I bought mine in Miami. I don't know of anyone who sells them in the panhandle.    

If you ever find a field grown one, don't buy it because I have heard that, hypothetically, these trees would not transplant well, given the spread of their roots in all lateral directions. 

[Sandy Loam]

Wow. I just checked out the photo link to Tom Hopper's Dypsis Decipiens above. Here is page two with that amazing 2012 picture: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/1133-dypsis-decipiens/&page=2

I really wish he would come back and post a 2015 or 2016 photo so that we can see what an extra 4 years of growth looks like. 

I won't get his speedy growth rate because mine is growing in the shade and I am afraid to expose it to the full elements, both in summer and in winter.

 

 

 

[Alicehunter2000]

I would like to see Tim come back and post as well.....now THAT would be entertainment! 

[Zeeth]

14 hours ago, Alicehunter2000 said:

I still got 1 survIvor ..... it just put out another leaf .... fat lady has not sang yet here.

pic?

[Alicehunter2000]

Not much to look at .....embarrassing really ....lol

[Phoenikakias]

On 16/11/2015, 3:48:32, Tyrone said:

Central Madagascar where they come from has a wet summer climate. But all the wild pictures I've seen of them have them growing on hillsides. Some seem to be growing in the gullies that water would run down in a good rain. But in summer the night mins are around 16-19C. Hot (25C plus) humid and wet summer nights may do them in.

Dang Tyrone! Then should it be considered in my climate with summer nights of 25 C a no-goer? Only hope is that normaly air humidity is low in summer (but higher in every case during night), but sometimes a persistent southern wind may rise quite air humidity on northern coastlines such as the one of my garden. Maybe a more open location with artificial shade is the solution?

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

15 hours ago, _Keith said:

Ha, I beat ya, mine put out too 6 inch long leaves this year, lol.  

Show off

[John Case]

Not one photo in this entire thread.......shameful....

[Zeeth]

18 minutes ago, John Case said:

Not one photo in this entire thread.......shameful....

Here's mine. Hopefully it lives long enough to turn into something interesting.

 

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

On November 16, 2015 at 7:36:48 PM, _Keith said:

Ha, I beat ya, mine put out too 6 inch long leaves this year, lol.  

Show off

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Here's my pix.  

3 hours ago, John Case said:

Not one photo in this entire thread.......shameful....

John, ain't, or "wasn't" it grand?

[John Case]

2 hours ago, Keith in SoJax said:

Here's my pix.  

John, ain't, or "wasn't" it grand?

Happy as a clam!

[John Case]

Ok,

 

Here's mine!

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

35 minutes ago, John Case said:

Happy as a clam!

Nope, dead as a doornail.  

Hope yours does better, John.  

[John Case]

2 hours ago, Keith in SoJax said:

Nope, dead as a doornail.  

Hope yours does better, John.  

I had no idea, no announcements, funeral dates or anything!.

 

 

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

12 minutes ago, John Case said:

I had no idea, no announcements, funeral dates or anything!.

 

 

  Please don't turn me into PETP - People for the Ethical Treatment of Palms

[_Keith]

38 minutes ago, Keith in SoJax said:

  Please don't turn me into PETP - People for the Ethical Treatment of Palms

So you don't want me to talk about 2 weeks ago when I got tired of poor performance from 2 palms and ran them over with the big zero turn.  They felt no pain, death was instantaneous.  

[John Case]

1 hour ago, _Keith said:

So you don't want me to talk about 2 weeks ago when I got tired of poor performance from 2 palms and ran them over with the big zero turn.  They felt no pain, death was instantaneous.  

Based your description, it was a humane act.......whatever that means!

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

12 hours ago, _Keith said:

So you don't want me to talk about 2 weeks ago when I got tired of poor performance from 2 palms and ran them over with the big zero turn.  They felt no pain, death was instantaneous.  

"Don't be upset.  It was a mercy killing...he had no...muscles" 

[Phoenikakias]

12 hours ago, _Keith said:

So you don't want me to talk about 2 weeks ago when I got tired of poor performance from 2 palms and ran them over with the big zero turn.  They felt no pain, death was instantaneous.  

Do I guess correctly, that one of them has been the Phoenix theophrasti?