lakeland Palms and Others of Interest

[kinzyjr]

10 hours ago, TropicsEnjoyer said:

I love these but I have never failed to kill every one I get. In sfl they did perfectly fine in wet and dry but now the moment I just look at one for too long it loses its leaves and dies.

Somehow, the city manages to grow these in the ground here.  Mine stay in pots as accent plants.  This is one of the few plants I keep in the ground since all they need is potted up once every 3-5 years.

22 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

@kinzyjr do it!!!  Once you get a good layer of mulch in there you won't have to weed...too often.  And it's a lot easier to mow when you don't have to edge stuff under the fence. 

I'll have to move my "hardy native perennials" garden then.  

[kinzyjr]

Chamaedorea - Take 2

Some of the Chamaedorea in the garden weren't doing well in their current placement.  Lowe's had 2 x Chamaedorea cataractarum in @Palmarum's patented "Cart of Sorrows" that looked like they weren't too bad off.  I took those, a Chamaedorea radicalis, and the Chamaedroea microspadix and Chamaedorea tepejilote from the lower yard and packed them into this bed with the sea grapes, bananas, and Thrinax radiata.

Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle' reunited?  

The best Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle' was on the other side of Sea Grapes from the Chameadorea area above.  The other two were in other planting beds.  They were moved beside their friend.  If they survive the move, this will be one thick bunch!

Finally Flowering!

The Sabal etonia 'miamiensis' are now flowering!

That's all for now.

[kinzyjr]

Now that it is official:

[Palmarum]

21 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

... Some of the Chamaedorea in the garden weren't doing well in their current placement.  Lowe's had 2 x Chamaedorea cataractarum in @Palmarum's patented "Cart of Sorrows" that looked like they weren't too bad off. ...

Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle' reunited?  

The best Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle' was on the other side of Sea Grapes from the Chameadorea area above. ...

Ahh yes, the Cart of Sorrows. It was a nice way to find homes for great plants that just didn't look their best. I still remember carrying around the pocket full of discount labels.

My S. minor var. "Emerald Isle Giant' plants (which I think are the same as 'Emerald Isle') are becoming monsters in their pots. They have shattered my perception towards S. minor specimens, as what I thought were very slow growing palms. 

Ryan

[kinzyjr]

There won't be many updates until fall due to the sheer volume of work that needs to be completed.  For now, a small update - the Cocos nucifera 'Atlantic Tall' just put out a spathe.

[JohnAndSancho]

20 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

There won't be many updates until fall due to the sheer volume of work that needs to be completed.  For now, a small update - the Cocos nucifera 'Atlantic Tall' just put out a spathe.

I'm literally posting pictures of mud, it'll be ok to do occasional updates 😂

[kinzyjr]

On 7/15/2025 at 2:49 PM, JohnAndSancho said:

I'm literally posting pictures of mud, it'll be ok to do occasional updates 😂

Everyone likes a teaser clip.  This year's - Beccariophoenix fenestralis

[kinzyjr]

Labor Day Weekend teaser - Cocos nucifera flowering

 

[kinzyjr]

This Livistona saribus is planted where the younger Veitchia arecina and Veitchia winin were planted.  They didn't care to be as close as they were to the fire pit.

What happened to the Veitchia species? 

They now share a bed near the larger specimens in the understory section.  First photo is the individual beds before, with the Carpoxylon macrospermum off to the left.  Second photos is the red brick-enclosed bed after transplant, containing ~6 x Veitchia arecina, Veitchia joannis, and Veitchia winin.  The nickname "Jurrasic Park Bed" given by @RiverCityRichard stuck.

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #1 - The Dearly Departed and The South Coconut Bed

Dearly Departed: Each year, some palms flourish and establish and others pass on to the mulch pile.  This years departures:

• Livistona rigida: Never grew right and died suddenly.
• Butia odorata: This was a surprise. It was doing well and then suddenly put out undersized frond and then spear pulled.
• Phoenix dactylifera: The middle of the three seed-grown palms on the side of the driveway perished, or at least the main trunk did.  The jury is out on the offsets.  When I pulled the spear, there was frass and tunnels in it.  Not good, but not necessarily lethal bronzing.  There is another beside it that may require removal.
• Livistona saribus: A seedling died in the old desert bed area.  It was replaced with the larger one in the post above.
• Livistona chinensis: The smallest of three seedlings I received as a gift perished after a move intended to reshape the Okinawa Bed.  Unfortunate, but the other two are doing better.
• Veitchia arecina: A small and sickly seedling grown from seeds produced locally.  Unfortunately, it couldn't handle the move to the Veitchia bed in the post above and became part of the mulch.

Death's Door: A few palms struggle where they are at and need to either be moved or face certain death.  Recent attempts to salvage:

• Copernicia fallaensis: It did not care for its location and was nearly dead.  It was removed from the old desert bed a few months ago and placed in a pot.  It regrew its entire crown in a couple of months.  It was placed near the driveway but may not handle that area well either.
• Areca catechu 'Dwarf': It didn't care for the sand-and-mulch area near the Pritchardia and Maypan coconut.  Moved back into a pot to attempt recovery.
• Licuala grandis: This did not like the redzone garden for whatever reason.  After a short recovery in a 1G pot, it was re-introduced to the long bed garden on the south side of the property.  This area gets all day indirect light and it seems to be acclimating well.
• Chamaedorea tepejilote: After the move to the Red Zone, this one might not be long for the world.
• Chamaedorea microspadix: Only in slightly better health than the tepejilote.
• Acoelorraphe wrightii: This one also did not care for what was formerly designated as the Desert bed.  It was moved to the red zone bed, but is not doing all that much better there, either.

The South Coconut Bed: Probably the favorite bed of all of the folks who have toured, this bed sports lots of stone, tropical plants, and a sheltered environment.  The palm thought to be an Atlantic Tall coconut palm is flowering this year.  As expected, the first fruits have mostly aborted.  The Syagrus schizophylla has roughly doubled in size, with the pineapples giving it a run for its money.  The Panama Tall seedling isn't growing as fast, and the pineapples almost completely hide the Adonidia merrillii seedling tucked away in here.  The sea grapes and podocarpus serve as barricades to wind and cold during the winter, keeping the bed protected from advective cooling.

The map shows the location of the South Coconut Bed

• Top Left: The coconut palm with flowers and immature fruit and a frond in senescence. 
• Top Right: A view of the Syagrus schizophylla, Cocos nucifera 'Panama Tall', Adonidia merrillii, and pineapples from the end of the path. 
• Bottom Horizontal #1: Close-up of the palms in the last photo. 
• Bottom Horizontal #2: Fallen immature coconuts.

 

 

 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

2 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Phoenix dactylifera: The middle of the three seed-grown palms on the side of the driveway perished, or at least the main trunk did.  The jury is out on the offsets.  When I pulled the spear, there was frass and tunnels in it.  Not good, but not necessarily lethal bronzing.  There is another beside it that may require removal.

That’s tragic. Those phoenix were so big and beautiful, and they were part of the beginning of the whole project weren’t they? It’s a shame that they’re a target for everything. An unkempt one probably would never die completely due to their wild offsetting but losing the main palm does kinda ruin the look. 

Everything happens for a reason though… one goes out another comes in. At least it’s nothing too rare unlike some of the other palms you have.

[kinzyjr]

Just now, TropicsEnjoyer said:

they were part of the beginning of the whole project weren’t they?

Yes, they were grown even before the house was a possibility.  At one point, date palms were the feather palm you never had to worry about replacing here.  A lot has changed since 2006. ☹️

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #2 - The Maypan Coconut Bed

The Maypan Coconut Bed:  This palm was bought at the same time as the Atlantic Tall coconut palm above, boasting a coconut larger than a men's basketball.  It has shared the bed with various other palms over the years, but this one has been the eye-catcher.  It suffered a some setback this year when the bed had to be dug for fiber optic cabling, but has been quick on the mend with a canopy spread well over 20 ft.    Its current mate in the bed is a small Pritchardia thurstonii that no one would bid on in the CFPACS 2024 Spring Meeting auction.  I got it and a bromeliad in a pot for $10.  My thought was that the Pritchardia would be a cheap annual, but it did pretty well last winter with no frost.  Never in my life did I think I'd use a coconut frond as canopy, but the frond was hanging low, so I put a 6ft. ladder under the frond for a better photo.  There was an Areca catechu Dwarf in this bed, but it didn't care for its location, so it has been moved back into a pot for the cool season.

The map shows the location of the South Coconut Bed

• First Photo: The Maypan coconut in full view.
• Second Photo: A close-up of the trunk and the bed overall.
• Third Photo: The Prichardia thurstonii sharing this location.

 

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #3 - Okinawa Bed and Other Small Beds Near the Fire Pit

The map shows the locations of the beds:

The Livistona decora Bed: Part of this bed could already be seen in the Maypan photos.  The Livistona decora is approaching the point where it will trunk, while the Copernicia alba is doing 50/50.

The Okinawa Bed: (3 Photos) Given its name by @palmfriend, this bed is anchored by Livistona chinensis and Arenga engleri.  The Arenga are all seed-grown and the Livistona chinensis were gifts from another grower.  The lighthouse was moved from the Brahea bed to this bed.  The Livistona chinensis are the same age.  Notice how much more robust the one at the end of the bed is than the one in full sun.

The Brahea Bed: Currently inhabited by a lone Brahea edulis.  Given that this bed seems to suit the humidity-tolerant species in the Brahea genus, I'm considering expanding this bed to include Brahea aculeata, Brahea armata, Brahea brandegeei, and Brahea dulcis.

[kinzyjr]

On 5/4/2025 at 9:33 PM, kinzyjr said:

Finally Flowering!

The Sabal etonia 'miamiensis' are now flowering!

Correction: As was pointed out earlier in this thread by @Zeeth, this species is recognized by the WFO Plant List as a distinct species.  Long live Sabal miamiensis: https://wfoplantlist.org/taxon/wfo-0000299294-2025-06

[JohnAndSancho]

1 hour ago, kinzyjr said:

Fall Update #3 - Okinawa Bed and Other Small Beds Near the Fire Pit

The map shows the locations of the beds:

The Livistona decora Bed: Part of this bed could already be seen in the Maypan photos.  The Livistona decora is approaching the point where it will trunk, while the Copernicia alba is doing 50/50.

The Okinawa Bed: (3 Photos) Given its name by @palmfriend, this bed is anchored by Livistona chinensis and Arenga engleri.  The Arenga are all seed-grown and the Livistona chinensis were gifts from another grower.  The lighthouse was moved from the Brahea bed to this bed.  The Livistona chinensis are the same age.  Notice how much more robust the one at the end of the bed is than the one in full sun.

The Brahea Bed: Currently inhabited by a lone Brahea edulis.  Given that this bed seems to suit the humidity-tolerant species in the Brahea genus, I'm considering expanding this bed to include Brahea aculeata, Brahea armata, Brahea brandegeei, and Brahea dulcis.

They all look great Jeremy, but can I say something? 

 

You might be the most organized detail attentive person I know. I'm over here trying to do basic math and measurements to figure out where to drill holes in my ceiling for grow lights for the Wall of Bananas and it's making my brain hurt, and you've got detailed maps of your yard and the labels on your seedlings leaving absolutely nothing to mystery. 

[palmfriend]

Hi,

Thank you for the update - great images! 

And a Big Thank you for your efforts with the "Okinawa bed" - that is really nice of you!

My tribute to Florida are two Sabals, one is taking its time while squeezed into a shady spot and the

other one sits behind the house where the soil never dries out and it is literally exploding.

But no highjacking - I will do an update of my garden soon - please keep going the good work!

 

All the best -

Lars

 

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #4 - Chrysalidocarpus Corner

The map shows the locations of the bed:

The View From the Border: This is the view you get from the pathway to the neighboring property.

Chrysalidocarpus prestonianus X 2: They tend to get some rachis blight, but they are coming along pretty well.

Chrysalidocarpus pembanus X 2: A pair of Chrysalidocarpus pembanus have taken their rightful spot after a mislabeled Allagoptera arenaria was moved.  In the background, you can see a very young Chrysalidocarpus plumosus.  

Chrysalidocarpus leptocheilos X 3:  The Bambusa oldhamii has the first one surrounded, but it seems to be OK.  The middle photo is of one that was adopted from @RiverCityRichard and placed in the ground where the pot is currently located.  I took it out of the ground because it has been declining.  Hopefully it will recover.  The last photo is one I got at the 2023 Plantae-palooza Sale. 

Chrysalidocarpus cabadae: This is the most sensitive to cold out of the bunch, but it looks fantastic when the temperature stays up.

Chrysalidocarpus lanceolatus: Up to three trunks at this point - keep going.

Chrysalidocarpus madagascariensis 'Mahajanga': Another adopted palm.  The adult trunks seem to struggle, while the young offsets are doing alright.

Chrysalidocarpus decaryi: These seem to grow really well here.  There are more on the other side of the bed growing in a pile of broken concrete.  All of mine are seed-grown from local specimens planted before 2007.

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens: Another palm in this genus that does well with little effort.  There is another over on the other side of the property.  All of mine are seed-grown from local specimens planted before 2007.

Chrysalidocarpus decipiens: This is the star of the show this year, due to their reputation for being difficult in Florida.  A gift from @Fishinsteeg234 at the CFPACS 2025 Summer Meeting in June, it went straight in the ground and hasn't been set back by intense heat.

BONUS - The First Fruits: Dwarf Cavendish bananas and Choquette Avocados keep the grocery bills in check.

  

[RiverCityRichard]

On 10/21/2025 at 7:46 PM, kinzyjr said:

Fall Update #4 - Chrysalidocarpus Corner

The map shows the locations of the bed:

The View From the Border: This is the view you get from the pathway to the neighboring property.

Chrysalidocarpus prestonianus X 2: They tend to get some rachis blight, but they are coming along pretty well.

Chrysalidocarpus pembanus X 2: A pair of Chrysalidocarpus pembanus have taken their rightful spot after a mislabeled Allagoptera arenaria was moved.  In the background, you can see a very young Chrysalidocarpus plumosus.  

Chrysalidocarpus leptocheilos X 3:  The Bambusa oldhamii has the first one surrounded, but it seems to be OK.  The middle photo is of one that was adopted from @RiverCityRichard and placed in the ground where the pot is currently located.  I took it out of the ground because it has been declining.  Hopefully it will recover.  The last photo is one I got at the 2023 Plantae-palooza Sale. 

Chrysalidocarpus cabadae: This is the most sensitive to cold out of the bunch, but it looks fantastic when the temperature stays up.

Chrysalidocarpus lanceolatus: Up to three trunks at this point - keep going.

Chrysalidocarpus madagascariensis 'Mahajanga': Another adopted palm.  The adult trunks seem to struggle, while the young offsets are doing alright.

Chrysalidocarpus decaryi: These seem to grow really well here.  There are more on the other side of the bed growing in a pile of broken concrete.  All of mine are seed-grown from local specimens planted before 2007.

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens: Another palm in this genus that does well with little effort.  There is another over on the other side of the property.  All of mine are seed-grown from local specimens planted before 2007.

Chrysalidocarpus decipiens: This is the star of the show this year, due to their reputation for being difficult in Florida.  A gift from @Fishinsteeg234 at the CFPACS 2025 Summer Meeting in June, it went straight in the ground and hasn't been set back by intense heat.

BONUS - The First Fruits: Dwarf Cavendish bananas and Choquette Avocados keep the grocery bills in check.

  

You just need a colony of lemurs and you have the real Madagascar all at home

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #5 - Merry Madagascar and The Split Bed

Because of @RiverCityRichard's mention of lemurs, this update continues with some of the Madagascar palms in the same area as the official Chrysalidocarpus corner and then transitions to a bed that was originally designed to mimic the continental divide.  The design hasn't worked for the best, so I've been transitioning this bed into what I jokingly called the OnlyFans bed - with a laugh from @Merlyn.  The former desert bed now contains only fan palms, hence the play on words.  The other side of the bed contains palms and cycads that typically want more moisture to grow optimally.

The map shows the locations of the featured beds:

Beccariophoenix fenestralis: A palm that was bought on impulse during the pandemic that has turned into a real show-stopper.  The lemurs are going to love this after it gets some trunk height.  The photo makes it look smaller than it is when you stand next to it.  Even though the teaser photo above was only a few months ago, it has grown noticeably since then.

Beccariophoenix alfredii: This palm was having a tough time after the hurricanes and has been wobbly in the planting hole since then.  I staked it a little more than a month ago, and it is growing much better now.  You can probably make out the yellow twine used to secure it to the stakes.

The Concrete Bed - Featuring Chrysalidocarpus decaryi and Aloe: Proof that some plants can grow in just about anything, our final Madagascar palms for the day are shown growing in a concrete slag pile, with aloes providing the backdrop.  The pH in the bed is close to 9, and its elevated nature keeps it pretty dry.  If you're looking for a palm that is drought-tolerant and handles alkaline soil, the Triangle Palm is it.

The Former Continental Divide Split - Desert  Side - Conversion to Fan Palms: 

Not every idea works to perfection.  With the death of all of my Washingtonia filifera in this area, I decided to begin moving toward a different concept.  This area is now dominated on the desert/lava rock side by very cold-tolerant fan palms.  Sabal causiarum, Sabal mexicana, Sabal mauritiiformis, Sabal maritima, Leucothrinax morrisii, Livistona benthamii, Livistona australis, Hyphaene coriacea, Brahea brandegeei, Saribus rotundifolius, and Chamaerops humilis are all in this bed at this point.  A few of those may eventually be moved. 

Livistona muelleri was doing poorly and has been moved to a recovery area in a pot.  The Chamaerops humilis isn't doing all that great and may perish at some point.  Livistona rigida perished in this bed.  Brahea brandegeei may be moved to the nearby bed with Brahea edulis.  Recently, I decided that since the Washingtonia filifera that I planted tend to suffer transplant shock, I would try a few direct sows.  The first of these just poked above the ground.  Fingers crossed that it will be able to survive.  There may be additional changes coming next year as well.  The three photos below show the side view, bottom view and top view, respectively.

The Former Continental Divide Split - Humid Subtropical Side: This bed has had less overall issues because most of the palms and cycads are native.  The Sabal palmetto at the top of the bed is seed-grown, the Zamia integrifolia is doing great, the Coccothrinax argentata has flowered twice, and the lone non-native Veitchia arecina was a rescue that has turned into a stunning specimen.  The Serenoa repens in the bed were moved from the front of the yard to make room for other palms.  They're currently struggling with an insect invasion.

BONUS - A Look Back At The Veitchia arecina:  When the original owner of this Veitchia arecina dropped it off, it was very sick and had just spear-pulled.  Sometimes plants impress you with their resiliency.  After planting it, it was peroxided once per day for two weeks.  When it began pushing spears with no brown streaks, I knew it had a shot.  The cold fronts in 2022 gave it some frost spotting, but it tends to shake off damage fast and never stalls.

That's all for the day.  Piece by piece, we're getting there.

[PalmBossTampa]

On 10/16/2025 at 10:49 PM, kinzyjr said:

Yes, they were grown even before the house was a possibility.  At one point, date palms were the feather palm you never had to worry about replacing here.  A lot has changed since 2006. ☹️

Canaries were my first love. Unfortunately by the time they get to size a lot can happen. Great reason to have dozens and dozens of species is to dilute the disappointments a bit 🤛🏻😎

[Mazat]

On 5/4/2025 at 9:33 PM, kinzyjr said:

Chamaedorea - Take 2

Some of the Chamaedorea in the garden weren't doing well in their current placement.  Lowe's had 2 x Chamaedorea cataractarum in @Palmarum's patented "Cart of Sorrows" that looked like they weren't too bad off.  I took those, a Chamaedorea radicalis, and the Chamaedroea microspadix and Chamaedorea tepejilote from the lower yard and packed them into this bed with the sea grapes, bananas, and Thrinax radiata.

Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle' reunited?  

The best Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle' was on the other side of Sea Grapes from the Chameadorea area above.  The other two were in other planting beds.  They were moved beside their friend.  If they survive the move, this will be one thick bunch!

Finally Flowering!

The Sabal etonia 'miamiensis' are now flowering!

That's all for now.

Great layout—a feast for the eyes 🤗

 

On 5/5/2025 at 11:47 AM, kinzyjr said:

Now that it is official:

congratulations 🤗😃

 

On 10/21/2025 at 7:46 PM, kinzyjr said:

Fall Update #4 - Chrysalidocarpus Corner

The map shows the locations of the bed:

The View From the Border: This is the view you get from the pathway to the neighboring property.

Chrysalidocarpus prestonianus X 2: They tend to get some rachis blight, but they are coming along pretty well.

Chrysalidocarpus pembanus X 2: A pair of Chrysalidocarpus pembanus have taken their rightful spot after a mislabeled Allagoptera arenaria was moved.  In the background, you can see a very young Chrysalidocarpus plumosus.  

Chrysalidocarpus leptocheilos X 3:  The Bambusa oldhamii has the first one surrounded, but it seems to be OK.  The middle photo is of one that was adopted from @RiverCityRichard and placed in the ground where the pot is currently located.  I took it out of the ground because it has been declining.  Hopefully it will recover.  The last photo is one I got at the 2023 Plantae-palooza Sale. 

Chrysalidocarpus cabadae: This is the most sensitive to cold out of the bunch, but it looks fantastic when the temperature stays up.

Chrysalidocarpus lanceolatus: Up to three trunks at this point - keep going.

Chrysalidocarpus madagascariensis 'Mahajanga': Another adopted palm.  The adult trunks seem to struggle, while the young offsets are doing alright.

Chrysalidocarpus decaryi: These seem to grow really well here.  There are more on the other side of the bed growing in a pile of broken concrete.  All of mine are seed-grown from local specimens planted before 2007.

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens: Another palm in this genus that does well with little effort.  There is another over on the other side of the property.  All of mine are seed-grown from local specimens planted before 2007.

Chrysalidocarpus decipiens: This is the star of the show this year, due to their reputation for being difficult in Florida.  A gift from @Fishinsteeg234 at the CFPACS 2025 Summer Meeting in June, it went straight in the ground and hasn't been set back by intense heat.

BONUS - The First Fruits: Dwarf Cavendish bananas and Choquette Avocados keep the grocery bills in check.

  

Everything is perfectly arranged—like a poem.
It also makes me hungry for a delicious banana...

 

On 10/23/2025 at 7:58 PM, kinzyjr said:

Fall Update #5 - Merry Madagascar and The Split Bed

Because of @RiverCityRichard's mention of lemurs, this update continues with some of the Madagascar palms in the same area as the official Chrysalidocarpus corner and then transitions to a bed that was originally designed to mimic the continental divide.  The design hasn't worked for the best, so I've been transitioning this bed into what I jokingly called the OnlyFans bed - with a laugh from @Merlyn.  The former desert bed now contains only fan palms, hence the play on words.  The other side of the bed contains palms and cycads that typically want more moisture to grow optimally.

The map shows the locations of the featured beds:

Beccariophoenix fenestralis: A palm that was bought on impulse during the pandemic that has turned into a real show-stopper.  The lemurs are going to love this after it gets some trunk height.  The photo makes it look smaller than it is when you stand next to it.  Even though the teaser photo above was only a few months ago, it has grown noticeably since then.

Beccariophoenix alfredii: This palm was having a tough time after the hurricanes and has been wobbly in the planting hole since then.  I staked it a little more than a month ago, and it is growing much better now.  You can probably make out the yellow twine used to secure it to the stakes.

The Concrete Bed - Featuring Chrysalidocarpus decaryi and Aloe: Proof that some plants can grow in just about anything, our final Madagascar palms for the day are shown growing in a concrete slag pile, with aloes providing the backdrop.  The pH in the bed is close to 9, and its elevated nature keeps it pretty dry.  If you're looking for a palm that is drought-tolerant and handles alkaline soil, the Triangle Palm is it.

The Former Continental Divide Split - Desert  Side - Conversion to Fan Palms: 

Not every idea works to perfection.  With the death of all of my Washingtonia filifera in this area, I decided to begin moving toward a different concept.  This area is now dominated on the desert/lava rock side by very cold-tolerant fan palms.  Sabal causiarum, Sabal mexicana, Sabal mauritiiformis, Sabal maritima, Leucothrinax morrisii, Livistona benthamii, Livistona australis, Hyphaene coriacea, Brahea brandegeei, Saribus rotundifolius, and Chamaerops humilis are all in this bed at this point.  A few of those may eventually be moved. 

Livistona muelleri was doing poorly and has been moved to a recovery area in a pot.  The Chamaerops humilis isn't doing all that great and may perish at some point.  Livistona rigida perished in this bed.  Brahea brandegeei may be moved to the nearby bed with Brahea edulis.  Recently, I decided that since the Washingtonia filifera that I planted tend to suffer transplant shock, I would try a few direct sows.  The first of these just poked above the ground.  Fingers crossed that it will be able to survive.  There may be additional changes coming next year as well.  The three photos below show the side view, bottom view and top view, respectively.

The Former Continental Divide Split - Humid Subtropical Side: This bed has had less overall issues because most of the palms and cycads are native.  The Sabal palmetto at the top of the bed is seed-grown, the Zamia integrifolia is doing great, the Coccothrinax argentata has flowered twice, and the lone non-native Veitchia arecina was a rescue that has turned into a stunning specimen.  The Serenoa repens in the bed were moved from the front of the yard to make room for other palms.  They're currently struggling with an insect invasion.

BONUS - A Look Back At The Veitchia arecina:  When the original owner of this Veitchia arecina dropped it off, it was very sick and had just spear-pulled.  Sometimes plants impress you with their resiliency.  After planting it, it was peroxided once per day for two weeks.  When it began pushing spears with no brown streaks, I knew it had a shot.  The cold fronts in 2022 gave it some frost spotting, but it tends to shake off damage fast and never stalls.

That's all for the day.  Piece by piece, we're getting there.

It feels like paradise. You probably couldn't stop, because you have to regenerate in between. Like a masterpiece, I just thought of Pablo Picasso 😄

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #6 - The Red Zone + South of the Border + Sculpture Garden

The Map: The map boxes and labels the garden locations on the property.  

The Red Zone: This section contains palms Acoelorraphe wrightii, Adonidia merrillii x 3, Chamaedorea cataractarum x 2, Chamaedorea microspadix, Chamaedorea radicalis, Chamaedorea tepejilote, Chamaerops humilis argentea, Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, Hyophorbe verschaffeltii, Kerriodoxa elegans, Medemia argun x 2, Sabal etonia, Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle' x 2, Sabal minor 'Cherokee', and Thrinax radiata x 3.  Non-palm plants include Coccoloba uvifera (Sea Grapes) and Dwarf Cavendish bananas.

The first photo shows the separate pieces of the garden, separated by an outlet for runoff water, created to ensure the lower yard gets adequate water for growth under canopy.  The Hyophorbe lagenicaulis and the Acoelorraphe wrightii aren't doing great after the move, but they both show growth, so they stay for now.  

The jury is out on how Chamaedorea species will do in this bed.  As the sea grapes grow back in, they should get more shade.  Hopefully that will help.  Otherwise, next year's photos will showcase their replacements.  The seed-grown Thrinax radiata are doing great here.

The Chamaedorea radicalis is actually doing the best of all of the Chamaedoreas.  In the back, you can see two Sabal minor 'Emerald Isle'.

A pair of Medemia argun in the elevated black box with salt and pepper marble mulch.  Another seed-grown Adonidia merrillii is close by.

A big box store Thrinax radiata hides a Kerriodoxa elegans while the sea grapes hide the last of the Adonidia merrillii.

The small pieces of broken concrete hide a Sabal minor 'Cherokee'.  As the Red Zone ends, you can see Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica) interspersed with other shrubs in the background.

On the left near the juvenile banana, you can see one of the last two fronds of the Chamaedorea tepejilote.  It may not be there long.  The Chamaedorea microspadix has been able to pup off some new trunks.

South of the Border: The border on the south end of the property hosts a mix of palms and tropical hardwoods.  There are two entrances for the neighbors to use, one that serves as a place to sit currently.  

From the gate, you can see the Roystonea regia, Allagoptera arenaria, Bursera simaruba, Ice Cream Bananas, the first walking path, the sculpture garden on the left, and the Delonix regia in the back..

A closer view of the Delonix regia.  This tree was a seed six years ago.  The black pillars are ~2 ft. for scale.

A broader view of the original photo from the gate and both paths.  Just to the right of the bananas, you can make out a juvenile Wodyetia bifurcata and a Panama Tall coconut if you look close.  In the second photo, you can see the Mango tree behind the path.

The Licuala grandis had a short recovery period in a pot and was moved to this bed.  It did not like the soil in the red zone.  There are also Ficus aurea in the area, so vigilance for volunteers in the future will be necessary.  A Red Spicata hybrid coconut caps off the bed.

Sculpture Garden: This garden features an array of short, concrete fixtures and a mix of palms and other plants.  Not in view is the sugarcane, which has been trimmed to the ground.

A view of the sculpture garden from the gate.  You can see the overall height of the Avocado trees and mango tree providing canopy for some of the plants.

A closer view.

The palms here include Hyphaene thebaica x 2, Hyphaene coriacea x 2, and Ptychosperma elegans.

Zamia furfuracea between the trees.

A cactus hidden inside a nook in the avocado tree.

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #7 - Chambeyronias and Carpentarias

The Map: The map boxes and labels the garden locations on the property.  

Chambeyronia specimens: In order of appearance, the specimens in this genus are Chambeyronia macrocarpa 'Houialou', Chambeyronia macrocarpa 'Watermelon', Chambeyronia macrocarpa. The regular macrocarpa is just now recovering from a branch that hit it during Hurricane Ian.  The watermelon variety was added this year, with a big thanks to @Fishinsteeg234

Carpentaria specimens: The first isn't as robust as the second, but they're both goregous.  The second is over 10 feet overall height, while the first is at around 6 feet.  The final photo is the Carpentaria X Veitchia hybrid.  It needs some mulch and some water, but is overall healthy and growing.

Bonus: Since the Latania lontaroides (Red Latan) sits between the Carpentaria twins, it made sense to include it.  It had a rough start to the year with pests, but is doing better now.  Below it is a clump of Howea forsteriana.  The main clump was purchased as a community pot and they're all growing well now.  The red circle off to the side was a seedling I bought to test if they could handle the yard as seedlings.  So far, so good.

[D. Morrowii]

Some nice examples added Kinzyjr! My Houailou is about the same size as yours there. Gotta love their almost cardboard like texture. Is the watermelon already showing a bit of the pattern?

[kinzyjr]

7 minutes ago, D. Morrowii said:

Some nice examples added Kinzyjr! My Houailou is about the same size as yours there. Gotta love their almost cardboard like texture. Is the watermelon already showing a bit of the pattern?

Thank you.  Actually, weeding around the Houailou is a little tenuous as they can scrape your ears pretty good if you stand up fast.  The watermelon appears to gets some spots on the stem at this point, but we'll see if it eventually gets the deep green offset by almost white spots as it matures.  It's hard to believe there is still half a yard to clean up and photograph.

[D. Morrowii]

That watermelon you have there looks very hookeri compared to the one I bought awhile back but I think mine is just a regular macrocarpa though. 
only half done? Get to work! 🙂 

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #8 - Individual Specimens

The Map: The map boxes and labels the garden locations on the property.  Note that the live oak provides canopy protection to most of this area, hence the number of crownshaft palms that inhabit the area.  Another item to note is that the Stadium Seating Specimens section sits roughly 3-4 feet above the previously featured Veitchia and Carpoxylon areas and 6-8 feet above the lowest point in the northeast corner.  This gives the garden a layered look from the Fire Pit and ensures no frost with canopy and constant air movement.

Satakentia liukiuensis: Another favorite from Okinawa for @palmfriend.

Pseudophoenix sargentii

Archontophoenix cunninghamiana

Ptychosperma elegans: If that's what this is, it has done pretty well.  Thank you, @SubTropicRay!

Cryosophila warscewiczii: It's starting to trunk.  I noticed some root mealy bugs when I was weeding.

Syagrus romanzoffiana: A seed-grown queen to interest @EPaul

Chrysalidocarpus lutescens: Another seed-grown specimen of this species that wouldn't fit in the bed set aside for the genus.  It's already clustering.

Caryota mitis: Seed-grown from local stock, it is also already clustering.

Ptychosperma macarthurii: A palm from @Fishinsteeg234 that also has already started to cluster

Wodyetia bifurcata: The smallest of the seed-grown stock from our local 2007+ survivors.

Cryosophila stauracantha: They looked rough for a bit, but have shaken off any of the rot or other issues and turned a healthy green.

Cocos nucifera: This was previously bought as Fiji Dwarf, but doesn't look like it.  Regardless, it's a coconut in inland Central Florida, so 🤷‍♂️

Phoenix reclinata hybrids and Washintonia robusta: The Phoenix grew from seeds and the Washingtonia was bought as a filifera.

Dictyosperma album 'conjugatum': Grown from locally sourced seeds that survived our major freezes.

Acoelorraphe wrightii 'Azul' + Medemia argun: This bed needs some mulch, but wanted to get photos done so I could do some other work.  The Medemia is probably not going to work here as the leaflets have started to close up.

Archontophoenix alexandrae: I'm disappointed that this one hasn't returned to form.  It may need to be removed if this winter doesn't wipe it out. 

Chambeyronia oliviformis: Formerly Kentiopsis oliviformis, I wasn't happy with the growth rate where it was at and moved it to a spot that gets more sun.  The potted Jamaican Tall coconut is doing nurse plant duty.

Ravenea rivularis: Another species that never seems to do well here in spite of flowering and seeding specimens in the same area.  If this one goes, the grass can have this spot back.   

[kinzyjr]

Fall Update #9 - The Front

The Map: The map boxes the areas featured.  In this last update for the time being, the garden beds in the front are featured.  Since this side takes the full brunt of the north and west winds, the plant choices generally have to be more tolerant of cold, with a few exceptions.

The Driveway: The first of the 5 photos shows the view from the driveway itself.  The second is from the street.  The third shows the only solitary Phoenix dactylifera that grew out of 50 seeds on the opposite side of the driveway.  The fourth photo shows a palm that got sick and spear-pulled.  The spear that pulled had tunnels all through it.  The trunk was treated with insecticide, but it was too late.  Luckily, the offset circled in red is alive and growing.  The fifth photo in this set shows a Copernicia fallaensis added to this bed, courtesy of @Plantking165.  Initially, it was planted in the back, but it visibly declined in the soil there.  It was moved to this bed, watered heavily every 5 days, and it looks much better now.

   

The Entryway: The first view is from the driveway.  The second is from the walking path to the entrance along the brick planter.  The third is a few Sabal minor 'McCurtain' used to fill in the bed.  The fourth and last photo in this set is the view of this garden from the Circular garden.

The Front Wrap Garden: This garden provides a border around the front and side of the house.  The first photo is of three Trachycarpus fortunei.  The plant on the right is probably not long for the world, the plant on the left is 50/50, but the larger one is doing very well for a palm that typically does not make it this far south.  The second photo is of two Sabal minor of the Arkansas variety I got from @Steve in Florida .  They're doing great and are getting more light with the lower sun angle now.  The third is an Encephalartos ferox I received as a gift for hosting the last leg of the 2022 CFPACS Fall Meeting.  The last photo shows the Needle Palm Patch (Rhapidophyllum hystrix).  I wanted to decorate it with pumpkins for Halloween, but life is a bit busy at the moment.

The Circular Garden: All of the crotons and cordylines are still doing great.  There are Sabal minor 'McCurtain' interspersed between the Croton clumps.  The oak has enough breadth at this point to shield roughly half of the front yard from frost.

For now, that's it.  We'll see if the cold snap currently on the way is just a bump in the road or a harbinger of doom later this cool season.  Best of luck to everyone!

[Merlyn]

@kinzyjr it looks like that Ferox is taking off!  Mine have done pretty well in frosts down to about 28-30, but take some serious leaf damage at or below that.  Despite the stabbiness, they are one of my favorite Encephalartos.

I have a similarly sized Warscewiczii and one a bit smaller.  I planted one in a shady spot under some Foxtails in October 2021, since I wasn't sure about hardiness.  The foxtails got torched and died from frost, but the Cryosophila was fine!  It's about the size of yours now.  The second I planted in a PM shade area in June 2023, and it's also done really well.  They are by far the toughest thatch-looking palms in the yard.

[EPaul]

On 11/9/2025 at 10:30 PM, kinzyjr said:

Syagrus romanzoffiana: A seed-grown queen to interest @EPaul

You had me at Syagrus.  Let me know the next time you travel for work - I'll have my shovel ready.

[FlaPalmLover]

That fenestralis is going to be really special, and already looks great, but I'm seeing a whole lot of green foliage. If I were you, I would add in some strategically-placed bismarcks in a couple of spots, and/or something else with lighter colors. The fallaensis should add some nice lighter green/blue shades when it's mature. You have some great palms that are coming along really nicely, but I think it would really round things out.

[kinzyjr]

3 hours ago, FlaPalmLover said:

That fenestralis is going to be really special, and already looks great, but I'm seeing a whole lot of green foliage. If I were you, I would add in some strategically-placed bismarcks in a couple of spots, and/or something else with lighter colors. The fallaensis should add some nice lighter green/blue shades when it's mature. You have some great palms that are coming along really nicely, but I think it would really round things out.

Not too much of a spoiler, but I've had some good luck with Braheas in the area, so I'm thinking some really silver Braheas.  Bismarckia was one of my first fan palms, but I lost one  during transplant and just haven't replaced it.

[Looking Glass]

Lantania loddigesii is a much better silver fit than a bismark for many, if not most, Florida yards….

Or a Hospita…

 

Or even Serenoa repans.