I notice that I think some palms are nicer looking when they are less than full size.  For example, Hyophorbe, I love that short, fat bottle look, when they get taller they still look cool but I think they look best when shorter. Similar feeling with Roystonea, I like them tall, but when they get so towering that it's harder to appreciate the crown shaft and fronds, they lose some appeal for me, I like them best at medium height, I don't know, 30 feet or so. I could list a few more but you get the idea and I'm more interested so see if anyone else has similar thoughts on any species I particular. So please post away!

I agree that Hyophorbe becomes less attractive the taller it becomes.

Attalea cohune, Corypha umbraculifera, and Sabal mauritiiformis

Washingtonia robusta. Actually, I think most palms (and humans) look their best at this stage, I'll liken it to being in one's early 20s.

3 hours ago, redbeard917 said:

Washingtonia robusta. Actually, I think most palms (and humans) look their best at this stage, I'll liken it to being in one's early 20s.

I like my washies super tall. Gives them character. 

Jubaea Chilensis for sure.  Once they bottle neck i dont like them as much.  20-30' of trunk looks the best to me. 

 Hyophorbe look interesting when they are very tall. 

Bismarck palm (when they are young the leaves are stiff and point straight).

Chinese Fan Palm (when they are young the leaves have a very luscious, shiny, tropical green color)

Triangle Palm (the trunk is uninteresting so better when the crown is low to the ground)

Butia (the way the palm leaves curl inwards, they just look better when small)

To me, pretty much all of them are at their prime in adolescence.   

Xerarch, I agree with you ! Your examples of roystonea and hyophorbe are great testaments. As I make landscape changes in my own back yard, I have been choosing smaller to medium palms (i.e. adonidia) ....and they are easier to maintain ! It costs several hundred dollars each year just to have palms trimmed. After a few years, I began to realize that I was no longer seeing the beauty of the palms as they are meant to look....instead, I was looking at palm poles around the yard. What once was lush had taken on a completely different look.

Beccariophoenix fenestralis... and you probably know why.

Trachycarpus wagnerianus. The small upward-pointing fronds look great on a small palm, but once they reach a certain height it's no longer flattering. The size of the fronds aren't proportional to the size of the trunk (imo) at maturity.

Sabal texana, and maybe some other Sabals.  The canopy gets huge before it trunks, then seems to start shrinking as it grows taller.  Maybe it's just me. 

On 12/26/2016, 10:54:56, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Jubaea Chilensis for sure.  Once they bottle neck i dont like them as much.  20-30' of trunk looks the best to me. 

What's the biggest Jubea you've seen in north TX?  That and Ceroxylon would easily be 2 of my top 6 favorites (I love huge palms) but I fear neither can survive my hot, humid swamp.   However, I have a little sister who lives in Dallas, hmm. 

On 12/26/2016, 9:43:08, Danilopez89 said:

I like my washies super tall. Gives them character. 

Looks like those guys are ready for a "trim".  Inside joke, for those who missed Dani's washie trim tutorial.   Sorry, I couldn't help it.  But I agree the "post" picture did look better.  Awesome garden btw! 

Edited December 31, 20169 yr by topwater

56 minutes ago, topwater said:

What's the biggest Jubea you've seen in north TX?  That and Ceroxylon would easily be 2 of my top 6 favorites (I love huge palms) but I fear neither can survive my hot, humid swamp.   However, I have a little sister who lives in Dallas, hmm. 

The transplanted Jubaea at the aquarium is the largest.  The owner has 5 more at his house that are 25-50' tall but again were all transplanted.  The largest I've seen one grown from a small plant is the one on the riverwalk.

So it's a predictably good grower in north TX?

2 hours ago, topwater said:

Looks like those guys are ready for a "trim".  Inside joke, for those who missed Dani's washie trim tutorial.   Sorry, I couldn't help it.  But I agree the "post" picture did look better.  Awesome garden btw! 

Those down there are wild filifera growing along the san andreas fault. Only time they get a trim is if a fire breaks out. 

I like Washingtonia at this stage with the dead fronds still on.

On 12/26/2016, 10:43:08, Danilopez89 said:

I like my washies super tall. Gives them character. 

Those are seeding just a little bit there...

8 hours ago, topwater said:

Sabal texana, and maybe some other Sabals.  The canopy gets huge before it trunks, then seems to start shrinking as it grows taller.  Maybe it's just me. 

In general, with great age when any palm begins to senesce, the crown gets to be quite a bit smaller than it used to be.  I think this trait generally makes very mature palms less attractive.