ready to give away Parajubaea Sunka....TOO SLOW. Help!

[Sandy Loam]

 

I am so frustrated with my tiny parajubaea sunkha. It is about four years old and it hasn't grown at all.  It's literally a statue.  It's alive and healthy, but that's the only good thing I can say about it.

 

I am getting pretty close to giving it away for free at this point.  Should I hold out longer and wait?  Am I doing something wrong?  Its leaves haven't even divided yet.  It still looks like a large strap seedling.

It is planted in a semi-sunny location on an elevated slope.  It has received abundant watering from mother nature, and was fertilized about 3 times by me.  Where have I gone wrong?

 

Help!

 

 

 

 

[Ben in Norcal]

3 minutes ago, Sandy Loam said:

 

I am so frustrated with my tiny parajubaea sunkha. It is about four years old and it hasn't grown at all.  It's literally a statue.  It's alive and healthy, but that's the only good thing I can say about it.

 

I am getting pretty close to giving it away for free at this point.  Should I hold out longer and wait?  Am I doing something wrong?  Its leaves haven't even divided yet.  It still looks like a large strap seedling.

It is planted in a semi-sunny location on an elevated slope.  It has received abundant watering from mother nature, and was fertilized about 3 times by me.  Where have I gone wrong?

 

Help!

 

 

 

 

They definitely aren't fast.  I get them as large as I can find them.  They really pout and do nothing with any root disturbance.  Did you acquire bare root?  I will no longer get Parajubes bare root as they always seem to sit and do nothing for years.

[Sandy Loam]

Yep, I bought it bare root a few years ago. It also suffered a somewhat traumatic transplant to its new location about two years ago.  That probably also didn't help since the roots underwent some clipping at the time. 

How many more years should I realistically expect to wait before this tree is ten feet tall, at least?  If you say ten years, then I think I will be giving this tree away to anyone who PMs me. I simply don't have the patience to sit around and wait for it to stop being puny.  

[Ben in Norcal]

4 minutes ago, Sandy Loam said:

Yep, I bought it bare root a few years ago. It also suffered a somewhat traumatic transplant to its new location about two years ago.  That probably also didn't help since the roots underwent some clipping at the time. 

How many more years should I realistically expect to wait before this tree is ten feet tall, at least?  If you say ten years, then I think I will be giving this tree away to anyone who PMs me. I simply don't have the patience to sit around and wait for it to stop being puny.  

Personally, I'd cut the cord.  I was just chatting with Dooms Dave about this in La Habra today.  Once a Parajubaea experiences a bunch of root disturbance, best to just get a new plant.  IMHO, and I think Dave's.  I was contemplating moving a Ptt, which I planted too close to another - but we agreed it best meet the chipper.

[DoomsDave]

16 minutes ago, Ben in Norcal said:

Personally, I'd cut the cord.  I was just chatting with Dooms Dave about this in La Habra today.  Once a Parajubaea experiences a bunch of root disturbance, best to just get a new plant.  IMHO, and I think Dave's.  I was contemplating moving a Ptt, which I planted too close to another - but we agreed it best meet the chipper.

Keep the heart and eat it!

So GOOD

Leland Lai's fed like 60 people, plus leftovers for Dave The Hawg . . . to share with the Law office in the Dark Tower.

[Sandy Loam]

Thanks for the advice, Ben.  I am going to follow that advice and welcome any patient individuals to PM me for a free parajubaea sunka.

By the way, PTT (parajabaea toralyii var. Toralyii) has been much faster for me. Mine too is planted too close to other stuff, but I am just going to let it have its life in peace --- only to be stunted some day by the crowding out effect.

I also used to have a parajucaea toralyii var. Microcarpa which was the fastest parajubaea of all. However, it suddenly died after experiencing too much heat and humidity, I suspect. It thrived and was a rocket until its sudden death.

All said,  parajubea sunkha seems to be a different animal.

 

 

 

 

 

[Sandy Loam]

Thanks Doomsdave.

[Ben in Norcal]

27 minutes ago, Sandy Loam said:

Thanks for the advice, Ben.  I am going to follow that advice and welcome any patient individuals to PM me for a free parajubaea sunka.

By the way, PTT (parajabaea toralyii var. Toralyii) has been much faster for me. Mine too is planted too close to other stuff, but I am just going to let it have its life in peace --- only to be stunted some day by the crowding out effect.

I also used to have a parajucaea toralyii var. Microcarpa which was the fastest parajubaea of all. However, it suddenly died after experiencing too much heat and humidity, I suspect. It thrived and was a rocket until its sudden death.

All said,  parajubea sunkha seems to be a different animal.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, P. sunkha is slow here too.  Much slower than the others.  

[Jamesasb]

5 hours ago, Sandy Loam said:

Yep, I bought it bare root a few years ago. It also suffered a somewhat traumatic transplant to its new location about two years ago.  That probably also didn't help since the roots underwent some clipping at the time. 

How many more years should I realistically expect to wait before this tree is ten feet tall, at least?  If you say ten years, then I think I will be giving this tree away to anyone who PMs me. I simply don't have the patience to sit around and wait for it to stop being puny.  

I would expect it to start growing next year if its had 2 years since root trauma. they go pretty fast once they recover

[Alicehunter2000]

If it's any help....mine also seems to just sit as well. It's only 6 months old but was not tramatized in any way. Planted it with red clay to make sure my sand nematodes don't attack it before it has a chance to establish.....oh well...will just leave it in place and plant that BxJxS fairly close by to replace it ....maybe one day it will be a small nice understory palm.

[Ben in Norcal]

26 minutes ago, Alicehunter2000 said:

If it's any help....mine also seems to just sit as well. It's only 6 months old but was not tramatized in any way. Planted it with red clay to make sure my sand nematodes don't attack it before it has a chance to establish.....oh well...will just leave it in place and plant that BxJxS fairly close by to replace it ....maybe one day it will be a small nice understory palm.

So you did not get it bare root, David?  Bought in a pot?

My hypothesis is that bare rooting causes these guys to sit for a long while.  Plants I have received bare root do, at any rate.

[Alicehunter2000]

It was in a pot from Patric, but there was very little soil in it  and it was almost busting out of the tall planter...roots coming all out of the bottom. I was pretty careful not to disturb it much and planted it high in dappled sun with red clay. Figured that the root bulb might be nematode sensitive....once the roots get out past about 12" it will be back in beach sand. We have had perfect weather for it this winter. No freezes but warm/cool/and cold temps. Periods of heavy rains separated by some drying out.

[tank]

Patience...... 

[Pete in Paradise Hills]

On 12/30/2015, 8:52:25, Ben in Norcal said:

Yes, P. sunkha is slow here too.  Much slower than the others.  

Hmmm. Sunkha much faster than torallyi  for me 4 miles inland San Diego....my Sunkha grows nonstop, from 15g to at least 25g in its first year

[Alberto]

My P. Sunkha were fast growing, much more then my P. torallyis. They are flowering now for a few years while my torallys doesnt show any intention to do so for a few years I think

 

[nachocarl]

I dug a P. tor and P. sunk mid last year and am now thinking about punting and starting over with the discussion above concerning the root disturbance.  The P. tor is getting solid in the ground but has not grown at all.  The P. sunk grew for the first few months but now has slowed or stopped, I'll have to mark it and see.  The are readily available so it maybe a do over.

[Sandy Loam]

That's the difference. Where you are located, parajubaeas are readily available for purchase. As a result, you can always start over if things don't work out. Here in Florida, however, they are impossible to find, so you can't just go out and buy a larger one. Parajubaeas here are strictly available by mail order from California, which means receiving a tiny bare-root tree.

 

  I was in Miami the other day, so I telephoned 3 of the rare palm nurseries down there. They all said the same thing:  "We don't sell parajubaeas because they don't grow here.  Our weather is too hot for parajubaeas."

I give up. I am living in the wrong climate for these beautiful trees, unfortunately.

 

 

 

[_Keith]

I stand ready to help.  I'll take it.

[Sandy Loam]

Ha ha!  Actually, another PalmTalker has taken it from me already --- within minutes of my original post, in fact!

[Ben in Norcal]

2 hours ago, Sandy Loam said:

That's the difference. Where you are located, parajubaeas are readily available for purchase. As a result, you can always start over if things don't work out. Here in Florida, however, they are impossible to find, so you can't just go out and buy a larger one. Parajubaeas here are strictly available by mail order from California, which means receiving a tiny bare-root tree.

 

  I was in Miami the other day, so I telephoned 3 of the rare palm nurseries down there. They all said the same thing:  "We don't sell parajubaeas because they don't grow here.  Our weather is too hot for parajubaeas."

I give up. I am living in the wrong climate for these beautiful trees, unfortunately.

 

 

 

The heat has nothing to do with it.  It gets hella hot here for months on end.  Humidity is the issue.

Recommend spending a bit more and ordering in pot from Jungle Music.  Phil will sort you out.

[Sandy Loam]

Thanks, Ben, but if I'm not mistaken, Jungle Music would be required to ship it bare-root to Florida, given the agricultural laws between Florida and California.  I am not sure of this, but I had understood that the actual soil cannot travel with a plant from California to Florida or vice versa.  I suppose I could just have the plant shipped to Georgia (50 minutes away) which has no restrictions, although the authorities might see that as circumventing the Cal-Fla plant laws. 

If humidity is the problem, that might be why I have never heard of a parajubaea growing to maturity in Florida, although there appear to be multiple examples around California and in dryer climates across the globe.     

[Sandy Loam]

Wow. I was just checking out the native Bolivia habitat photos of parajubaea sunkha here:

http://www.palmpedia.net/wiki/Parajubaea_sunkha

It definitely seems to belong in mountainous regions and where the soil is rocky and arid.  I can see why this palm would fare better in northern California than anywhere in Florida.    

 

     

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

My largest 15g Pj tvt has grown at an absolutely incredible rate the last three months inside the unheated greenhouse. It has almost doubled in size during this time as the trunk is >3/4 of the width of the 15g pot now and about 9'tall.  I'm going to have to repot it asap. Cool mornings and 80-90 degree days with low humidity seem to be the sweet spot.

[Ben in Norcal]

11 hours ago, Sandy Loam said:

Thanks, Ben, but if I'm not mistaken, Jungle Music would be required to ship it bare-root to Florida, given the agricultural laws between Florida and California.  I am not sure of this, but I had understood that the actual soil cannot travel with a plant from California to Florida or vice versa.  I suppose I could just have the plant shipped to Georgia (50 minutes away) which has no restrictions, although the authorities might see that as circumventing the Cal-Fla plant laws. 

If humidity is the problem, that might be why I have never heard of a parajubaea growing to maturity in Florida, although there appear to be multiple examples around California and in dryer climates across the globe.     

You should check that. I know that's true for Florida plants going to California, but did not think the same was true in reverse. I could be wrong but worth asking Phil.

[Ben in Norcal]

Also, don't believe that's true for Florida plants going to California, if grown to California Ag specifications (e.g. Erik's mules.)

[_Keith]

On 1/20/2016, 7:14:32, _Keith said:

I stand ready to help.  I'll take it.

Dang, I am as slow as that sunka  

[Mark Heath]

My Sunkha was slow, but now i live in a coastal town of Titusville. It is in the ground and growing slow but what the heck! I'll wait! it is healthy and doing great here in central Florida!

[Alicehunter2000]

MARK?.....IS THAT YOU?......

[Alicehunter2000]

Here's mine..

Hasn't grown much but still looks ok.

[Ben in Norcal]

11 minutes ago, Alicehunter2000 said:

Here's mine..

Hasn't grown much but still looks ok.

How much sun is that getting, David?  These things want to cook.

[Alicehunter2000]

Problem is our summer nights are hot here so I imagine this guy would like some cooler more montane conditions. It's in dappled sun .... it's plenty hot here 8 months a year....80+ .... I would imagine hot days / cool nights would be optimal...but I dunno....anyways its an experiment and I don't have any full sun locations left in my tiny yard. Got an experimental B. alfredi nearby as well.

[Ben in Norcal]

1 minute ago, Alicehunter2000 said:

Problem is our summer nights are hot here so I imagine this guy would like some cooler more montane conditions. It's in dappled sun .... it's plenty hot here 8 months a year....80+ .... I would imagine hot days / cool nights would be optimal...but I dunno....anyways its an experiment and I don't have any full sun locations left in my tiny yard. Got an experimental B. alfredi nearby as well.

Yeah, maybe you are right to put in part sun there, I don't know.  Mine like being in my driest, most desert-like conditions...