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Prestoea acuminata montana in habitat, Puerto Rico

PalmatierMeg

By PalmatierMeg
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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PalmatierMeg Grand Master

PalmatierMeg

Posted
Posted

Last month my husband & I took an ocean cruise to the West Indies. We started our trip in Puerto Rico and chose as our expedition a trip up into El Yunque National Park in the mountains at the center of the island. El Yunque is touted as the only cloud forest in US territory. I didn't know that but was thrilled to experience a cloud forest for the first and maybe the only time in my life. It rains there nearly every day although this day we lucked out and didn't have to tour under a cloudburst. Once we got to the highest elevation I noticed many 100s, later 1000s gorgeous palms that resembled Howea forsteriana. I knew they couldn't be those so I asked our guide what they were. "Sierra palms," he replied, which meant nothing to me. I asked if he knew their Latin name but, no, he didn't.

When I got back to the ship I researched on my iPad and discovered they were Prestoea acuminata montana. I'd never seen one in person, only in photos which showed rather small solitary palms. Actually this species reaches 40' and then resembles a Roystonea (not native). They park was full of them to the point they covered whole mountainsides. Unfortunately, according to my Riffle Craft book they do not do well in my lowland FL hot, sweltering climate (they need cool nights). Can anyone confirm this? Has anyone in FL been able to grow this species?

We all love habitat photos so I took plenty. El Yunque is also home to 40+ species of fern, including fabulous tree ferns that grew 15-20' tall. I felt like I'd stepped back into Jurassic Park. I will post photos of those in the other tropical subforum.

Anyway, enjoy these habitat photos of these Prestoeas.

Mountain Views

5875341e3f8a4_MountainView0112-8-16.thum

58753429afcb8_MountainView0212-8-16.thum

587534423bf0a_MountainView0312-8-16.thum

Large Prestoea acuminata montana

58753521aa0c9_LargePrestoeax20112-8-16.t

5875352ef109e_LargePrestoeax22-0112-8-16

5875353d71c0f_LargePrestoeax22-0212-8-16

5875355a5bdf8_Prestoeatall0112-8-16.thum

5875356c81222_Prestoeaacuminatamontana05

  • Upvote 7

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

PalmatierMeg Grand Master

PalmatierMeg

Posted
  • Author
Posted

More Prestoea acuminata montana

5875366c77854_Prestoeaacuminatamontana01

5875368204e66_Prestoeaacuminatamontana02

5875379175d94_Prestoeaacuminatamontana03

5875379f500f8_Prestoeaacuminatamontana04

587537ba2c472_Prestoeacrownfrbelow0112-8

587537d182152_Prestoeafrond0212-8-16.thu

Trunk & Crownshaft

58753833f25c4_Prestoeatrunkncrownshaft01

5875384aa39ad_Prestoeatrunkncrownshaft02

  • Upvote 4

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

Zeeth Grand Master

Zeeth

Posted
Posted

Nice! I believe these ones are Roystonea borinqueña though.

13 minutes ago, PalmatierMeg said:

58753521aa0c9_LargePrestoeax20112-8-16.t

5875352ef109e_LargePrestoeax22-0112-8-16

5875353d71c0f_LargePrestoeax22-0212-8-16

 

  • Upvote 1

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

PalmatierMeg Grand Master

PalmatierMeg

Posted
  • Author
Posted

More Prestoea acuminata montana

Seeds

5875392980444_Prestoeawseeds0112-8-16.th

Large snails on trunk

5875399e87356_SnailsonPrestoeatrunk0112-

Palm trunks with bromeliads

587539c05f9da_Bromeliadsonpalmtrunks0112

Prestoeas & me

58753a4842ab0_PrestoeasnMeg0112-8-16.thu

  • Upvote 1

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

PalmatierMeg Grand Master

PalmatierMeg

Posted
  • Author
Posted
7 minutes ago, Zeeth said:

Nice! I believe these ones are Roystonea borinqueña though.

Oh no! Really? Who else will weigh in? My guide told me they were "Sierra palms". I should have been more cautious.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

Palm Tree Jim Grand Master

Palm Tree Jim

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the great habitat pictures!

And it sure seems like you're enjoying the trip.

foxtail Mentor

foxtail

Posted
Posted

Some are Prestoea....

Rio_Grande.gif

Zeeth Grand Master

Zeeth

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, foxtail said:

Some are Prestoea....

It looks like all of them are except the three that I pointed out. Nice pics! It's too bad they don't do well in Florida.

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

richnorm Grand Master

richnorm

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Oh no! Really? Who else will weigh in? My guide told me they were "Sierra palms". I should have been more cautious.

Yep, but great to see the Roystonea in habitat too!

  • Upvote 1
realarch Grand Master

realarch

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the photos Meg, looks like such a beautiful place. 

I've got a couple of P. acuminata here in the garden that are producing spathe's which I've been meaning to post photos of. 

I need to get on it.

Tim

Tim

Hilo, Hawaii

Josh-O Grand Master

Josh-O

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

More Prestoea acuminata montana

Seeds

5875392980444_Prestoeawseeds0112-8-16.th

Large snails on trunk

5875399e87356_SnailsonPrestoeatrunk0112-

Palm trunks with bromeliads

587539c05f9da_Bromeliadsonpalmtrunks0112

Prestoeas & me

58753a4842ab0_PrestoeasnMeg0112-8-16.thu

Amazing pictures!!

thanks a bunch for sharing :)

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

Josh-O Grand Master

Josh-O

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, richnorm said:

Yep, but great to see the Roystonea in habitat too!

tru dat:greenthumb:

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

edbrown_III Grand Master

edbrown_III

Posted
Posted

I used to work down there in the 80s and 90s --- I loved the place  visited it maybe 100x   finally went back again in October ---- planning another trip in Feb.  just rent a cheap hotel near by and spend a week going up and down the trails that I used to hike in my 30s and 40s ----- Heaven on earth ---- and nice trails 

 

Fern_El Yunque (112).jpg

Fern_El Yunque (116).jpg

Fern_El Yunque (177).jpg

  • Upvote 1

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