Another Rhapis Pic

[eastern.nurseries]

Hello All,

Thought I'd share this image of Tiazannishiki! Don't the legs on the pot look like those of a Sumo Wrestler?  ::

[palmtreesforpleasure]

nice picture Jon

regards

colin

[PalmGuyWC]

Jon,

That's a beautiful plant and looks (as usual) perfectly grown.  What would a choice plant like that be worth?  Your making me "green" with envy.  With two weeks of very warm weather, my Rhapis have started to grow again. I expect I will be dividing some of mine today.  I keep propigating mine and I ask myself why since I'm not in the nursery business. Just an obsession, I guess.

Dick

[SubTropicRay]

Jon,

The plant is flawless.  Thanks for posting.

Ray

[Walter John]

Yeh, I like the pot Jon. What happened to that palm though, it's lost it's green, bit sick looking if you ask me.  

[eastern.nurseries]

Dick,

A one year old cane of Taizannishiki sells for $100Au . This plant is about two and a half years old. Have you got anything interesting coming up in your pups? Taizan produced Heiseinishiki which has a hard more erect leaf and is grainy in the variegation, both display strong yellow chloroplasts. Taizannishiki was developed from the all green variety Taiwanchikuao . Like most new types it was produced by mechanical induction at the top of the cane and not from a pup off the base. I believe Taiheinnishiki was produced the same way and from the same parent and not from Taiheiden.

Wal,

         You have to learn to look before you can see

[Carlo Morici]

Jon,

What is "mechanical induction"?

Carlo

[eastern.nurseries]

Carlo,

         It's a technique of wounding the growing tip to eliminate apical dominance thus causing the meristem cells to re-differentiate, this often causes the leaf shape to change as well as the variegation which is the expression of a MLO  [ virus ].  Using a air laying method it is possible to propagate these new shoots.

[Carlo Morici]

How interesting! How do they wound the apex? Did you ever do it?  

Do air-layered rooted plants produce new offshoots? How and when if so?

Carlo

[PalmGuyWC]

Jon,

You are obviously one of the most experienced variegated Rhapis growers on earth, outside of Japan anyway. Your pictures prove that, but what works for you and for the Japanese, doesen't necessarly work for me. I think we all have to adapt to our different climates, different soils, etc.  You must have the perfect climate and I don't. It's a real struggle here because of my hot, dry summers. I get much more damage to the the variegated ones in the summer than the winter.

This process of "mechanical induction" is something I have never heard of, and I find it very interesting. Would you please go into much more detail about the process, and pictures if possible? I think this is something that would interest everyone, and it might apply to other genera too.

Unfortunately I have gone through different phases with my Rhapis, sometimes of intense interest, and other times of neglect.  Damn, they are slow and sometimes it gets a little boring.

I once had a dwarf green Rhapis, unnamed, but quite different.  It was a true dwarf, about the size of R. kodurama.  It had a matt gloss, not shiney like the others, and it had a habit of having swelling buds along the cane. I airlayered the cane and soon had 5 nice pups.  They were all removed without damage to the mother plant, and they all grew as new plants. Unfortunately, the ones I had were lost in the great freeze of 89/90. There is one person that I gave this clone to and he may still have it.  I will check soon.

I have another variegated Rhapis that has "evolved" over the years. (30+ years). I suspect it came from Zuiconishiki, but I'm not sure.  The two clones have gone in different directions.  One has about 50% white stripes and fairly wide and they don't seem to burn in my intense summer heat.  The other has fine white stripes but much more pronounced than Chiyodazuru. Both are quite beautiful and seem to be stable. When Robert comes back, I hope to get some nice pictures and they will be posted.

Jon, please tell us more about what you know of "mechanical induction." I find this very, very interesting.

Dick

[eastern.nurseries]

Carlo and Dick,

         You wound the new spear as it is emerging, by making a cut along the cane,just down from the top and packing it with sphagnum, this is done in spring as it needs 6 months to take. It takes a lot of practice.

 As for growth and suckering they are the same as the pups from the base more or less but shape, form, and variegation can be changed. If you look long enough at these plants you will see that the variegation is strongest at the top of the cane and greens out toward the base so by propagating the top you can get better variegation.

       Dick I am sure humidity would be an issue for you with these plants. I have noticed the leaflets tend to split more at lower humidity. And those high temps do burn the tops of the leaves. All these things can be overcome. Would be keen to see what you have done to 30yr old Zuikonishiki.

[Utopia Palms]

Hi Jon

I hope you sold quite a few of your Rhapis at the show, I think I sold at least 4 of them or so, and Wal and Daryl also sold a few, although it did take a fair bit of talking for them to part with there $100 your plants were perfect and very well grown so the ones that did buy one were very happy in the end. It was great to see such perfect plants, even if Wal only liked the pot!

Ps Wal Mike has to come to Brisbane next week for a new leg and he has let me know that he can bring you down one of those pots if you like? ???  The legless bugge!

Clayton.

[Walter John]

(Utopia Palms @ Mar. 24 2007,14:16)

QUOTE

Hi Jon

I hope you sold quite a few of your Rhapis at the show, I think I sold at least 4 of them or so, and Wal and Daryl also sold a few, although it did take a fair bit of talking for them to part with there $100 your plants were perfect and very well grown so the ones that did buy one were very happy in the end. It was great to see such perfect plants, even if Wal only liked the pot!

Ps Wal Mike has to come to Brisbane next week for a new leg and he has let me know that he can bring you down one of those pots if you like? ???  The legless bugge!

Clayton.

He can bring me down a couple of pots sure, filled with Licuala mapu perhaps or radula, I'm easy   .

Hey, can you tell him the Brisbane palm society meets next Tuesday night at Mt Cooth-tha botanical gardens auditorium, at about 7:30. Would love to meet him.

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Hi Wal

 So Ya don't like the pot, or the Sick looking plants in

them,  :laugh: ,Can bring you a nice surprize, I,ll

check with Clayton on what to surprize you with,Hmmm.

Hope ya not to easy, might have to be careful if you

come up this way dude, ::

Sounds like we might be going out next Tuesday

Clayton, Be good to meet you in person Wal,

And catch up with others at the meeting,

Hey Wal I won't say its a date, Got 2 becareful

ya did say Your Easy, :laugh:  :laugh: .

Look forward to seeing you guys.

                  Regards Mikey. :cool:

[Carlo Morici]

(eastern.nurseries @ Mar. 24 2007,04:13)

QUOTE

You wound the new spear as it is emerging, by making a cut along the cane,just down from the top and packing it with sphagnum, this is done in spring as it needs 6 months to take. It takes a lot of practice.(...)

I did not know! And, I assume, you have to go down close to the meristem, almost-killing the plant? Did you do it? Can it promote stem branching?

I understand the wound is to induce growth differences and the moss is for rooting - you do both simultaneously?

Carlo

[PalmGuyWC]

Outch!

I would be hard pressed to slice away on the top of one of my nice variegated Rhapis, since they are hard enough for me to grow them as it is.  I do have some that are half green and half variegated and might try it on those, or an all green. I just wish I knew more about mechanical induction.  I tried to get more info on the web and couldn't find anything.

I have a R. multifida X humilus that got fried last summer during our heat wave.  The emerging sphere dried out and when it started to grow again the fronds, instead of being finely divided, emerged as a simple frond and seemed to have a thicker texture. I wonder if this wasn't a kind of mechanical induction?  The meristem must have been affected as it soon grew two new pups from the base where it had none before. The fronds on the pups are finely divided as was the parent cane before the heat damage. The plant is only about 3 years old as a seedling, and it seems a little early for it to be producing pups.

I'd like to experiment, but I'd like to know what I'm doing before I start sliceing away. If anyone else has information on this process, please let me know. If more than one pup is produced from the damaged meristem, I'm thinking this would be a good way to propigate R. humilus which is difficult to divide.

Dick

[PalmGuyWC]

Jon,

You mentioned that some of the variegated Rhapis are "more green" at the base than at the growing tip.  Something I have observed is that the variegation runs along the stem of the plant, as well as the petioles. This can be seen on an older cane of a variegated plant once the excelsa is peeled away and the bare cane can be seen.

For instance, if a plant is half variegated on one side and all green on the other, the all green side will only grow green pups, and the variegated side will grow variegated pups. (If your lucky)  This is the reason I never dispose of a half variegated plant, as part of it may produce nice variegated pups with color 360 degrees around.

I'm really curious to know where "mechanical induction" began with Rhapis?  I would imagine it would be the Japanese but it's unfortunate we don't hear much from Japan on this web site.  I supose there are cultural secretes that each grower has.

I would like to hear more about this technique before I start sliceing up plants, but I'd sure like to try it. I'm also wondering if this technique would work better an an old spent cane that is not producing any new pups, or on a younger plant, or if it makes any differance?  And what are the chances of success? I suppose if the meristem was killed, the plant would be stimulated to produce pups at the base.  This is all new territory for me.

Dick

[eastern.nurseries]

Hi everyone!

Where to start!

Hey, can you tell him the Brisbane palm society meets next Tuesday night at Mt Cooth-tha botanical gardens auditorium, at about 7:30.

Wal

Sorry. We aren't able to get to Brisbane in time!

[eastern.nurseries]

Hi,

OK. Here is the procedure.

In Spring just as the new spear is emerging, you cut a thin slither out of the top of the cane - to expose the trunk. It pays to also try and wound the spear at this point.

Next cover the wound with sphagnum moss treated with hormone - trying to stuff some of the moss in the slither. Following this wrap the spagnum with clear plastic as you would an air layer (marcott)

Place the plant in a well lit area

You will know if you have effectively wounded the spear as it will stop emerging!

The skill  is in knowing where to correctly wound the tissue. I used the term mechanical induction as it is described in "Plant Propagation-  Principles and Practices"(Hartmann and Kester)

The Japanese use this technique on older canes. It does not produce branching and I think you can only do it 3-4 times to the one cane. I have only learnt of the technique in the last season and have found it difficult to master

[PalmGuyWC]

Hi Jon,

You are an absolute Prince, or should I say King, for going to the trouble to draw a diagram of the process.  Thanks so much.  Now I understand much better, especially since I probably would have made the slit closer to the top. I'm already looking at my Rhapis and trying to decide which will be my first "victum."  I'll probably try 3 or 4 since my Rhapis collection is getting out of hand. Now is the perfect time for me to try, since spring has just began in the USA.

You mentioned a hormone....which one? I understand this is new for you too, but have you had any success?  Have you actually had new pups appearing from the top? If so, I'd love to see a picture.

I suppose if a plant were half green and half variegated, the variegated side of the cane would be the side to slit? I find this process darn facinating and I can't wait to try it.

Rhapis are such an interesting group of palms. They are easy to grow, take quite a bit of cold, are great container plants because of their small size, and they are so easy to divide and propigate. Because of my low night temps, even in the summer, I've always pushed mine with maximum light and heat, but I'm learning they grow, and look better with more shade.

I've given several to a friend of mine, not a palm person, and darned if his don't look better grown in an apartment with subdued light. Unfortunately Rahpis don't seem to be that popular in the USA, and I don't understand why.

Dick

[eastern.nurseries]

Hi Dick,

          I've had two work out of about ten attempts , one I did on the very top and the other a few cm's down the cane. Locating the base of the spear is hard. I've found pulling the spear out of my garden rhapis has shown me where the right tissue is. The hormone I used was IBA. Next spring [Aug-Sept] I intend to try again, so I will photograph the process. Dick I never thought about which section to place the incision in regard to the variegation , I was more concerned with the carpentry.

[eastern.nurseries]