I recently planted out a 3 gallon (about 15" tall) Archontophoenix myolensis. It is in filtered sun in a fairly damp spot, heavily mulched.

Not knowing much about this species, how would 'myolensis' appear compared to the others in the genus? Does anyone know more about the growth habit of this palm? How will it perform in my mainly alkaline, sandy soil?

Rick,

I just planted one  about the same size as yours earlier this year.  Their requirements are similar to other Archontophoenix species.  They tend to have more of a lime green crownshaft like a royal.  Their trunks are stepped like A alexandrae and I know they tend to be a little more cold tender than A cunninghamiana but similar to the other 4 species.  Not sure about alkaline soils since mine is more acidic but I would say that if the other species do well in your area, there should be no reason why these won't  either.  When I have talked to others who are growing this species they often comment that this one is there favorite one along with A maxima.  Let us know how it does.

Myolensis occurs in far north Queensland about 1500 km north of where cunninghamiana even starts. There's hardly a bees dick of difference between any of the alexandrae types particularly when you see them in the wild.

A myolensis grows in the mountains just in from Cairns near a town called Myola which is just next to Kuranda in the creeks and river banks on and around the Barron River. It's the most endangered Archontophoenix according to David Jones Palms in Australia with around 100 individuals still in existence in the wild. The elevation is around 300-350m so it's not really high elevation. Culturally this would require similar conditions to alexandrae. The leaflets tend to become lax right at the end giving the leaf a curved over appearance. Other than that it does look like any other A alexandrae to the casual observer, but it is different if you care enough to notice it. It will probably grow OK on limestone but would do much better IMHO with a lot of compost and acidic humus in a soil that never dries out ie a creek.

Here's a couple of pics I took of some A myolensis growing in a creek near a bridge on the road to Myola.

Best regards

Tyrone

Thanks for the comments from Down Under! If there is anyone who knows it's the natives!

(TikiRick @ May 22 2007,23:14)

QUOTE

Thanks for the comments from Down Under! If there is anyone who knows it's the natives!

They don't come any more native than Jon and Tyronne, by golly.

I have two growing here, bit slower than the others IMHO, (does the 'H' stand for horrible?)

"H" is for hilarious.  

Those are great pics Tyrone, do you have any pics of A maxima in habitat also

Rick,

Myolensis is one of my favorites of the Archontophoenix.  I love it's clean lime green crown shaft.  Tyrone: great photos!  Perhaps there's truth to all the species of Kings being more alike than different, but most people I've questioned always have their favorite.

Phil

As easy as Archontos are to grow in South Florida, they are still not common palms.  I have a Myo single  and a couple of tuckeri triples.  They are relatively small now but I wonder how different tey will look when they are big.

Jerry

How far south does alexandrae extend? How far north does cunninghamiana go? What happens when they meet?

A bit of info on A. myolensis, this 'sp' is the only Alex that

will grow in running water,No others can handle that at all.

This because of its loction, is a morphological change

which has most likely being over a few hundred years at least. Seedlings keep putting up the first leaf, multi times only until

that leaf emerges will this 'sp' start producing normal

Foilage,very weird if you have ever seen this in habitat.

The only other difference is the seed shape.Otherwize they do look alike to others.

Jon

Regarding how far north A.cunninghamiana extends, as far as I have seen there are perfect specimens on

Mt Baldy ,(Up in the Atherton tableland area.)

                    Regards Mike.E.

Mike, I have seen alex growing in running water in the Murray river right to the mouth. That's salt too. Oh that's the Murray river south of tully I mean down from Bilyana. I've also seen them in the Russell river and the Hull. I thought cunninghamiana only extended as far north as Miram Vale in QLD.

A alexandrae exists as far south as Gladstone. A cunninghamiana extends as far north as Eungalla inland from Mackay, and as far south as southern NSW? Not sure where exactly in NSW though.

I've grown A cunninghamiana in standing water as well as A alexandrae. Most will take total inundation for some time in my experience.

regards

Tyrone

Don, I never got any shots of A maxima, but I did see them. I didn't realise that they were A maxima until we had left. They were not in a big stand like the myolensis were. I saw them on a forestry track up Mt Haig in the Atherton Tableland down in a gully beneath the road in the same area where Oraniopsis start and Laccospadix exist. At first I took them as alexandrae but on reflection they were maxima.

regards

Tyrone

(eastern.nurseries @ May 23 2007,18:14)

QUOTE

How far south does alexandrae extend? How far north does cunninghamiana go? What happens when they meet?

They say hello and become the best of fronds ?

Hi Jon

Sorry I should have checked b4 I posted ,(Tea was ready and I stuffed up) And  I was meant to say A.maxima is  on Mt Baldy,with nice stands of these beautys.

and With A.cunninghamiana Just as Tyrone said just out of Mackay is as far as they are. Sorry to keen to eat.....

     Regards Mike.

Wal.

    In reference to the running water, and growing of

A.myolensis, I mean this 'sp' of alex puts up more than one epyphyll (spelling) leaf ,sounds unusal I know, seen this leaf is regarded as the first leaf, but as I was saying this basic first (which can be up to 3 times)

leaf arises until its out of the water.Only then will these seedlings grow normal.

Thats the big difference with grow of other Alex 'sp' in water. No other is like this in the Alex's, not even those

growing in water close to you guys, this is unique only to A myolensis.

     Regards to you Wal......Go QUEENSLAND.

Regards Mike.E.

Those BLUES have got the BLUES....ha ha ha  :laugh:

Got to get me a myolensis. I wonder if they'd germinate under water, and grow like Ravenea musicalis does.

regards

Tyrone

(eastern.nurseries @ May 23 2007,04:14)

QUOTE

How far south does alexandrae extend? How far north does cunninghamiana go? What happens when they meet?

I've always wondered if the "Illawara" is an Alexandrae x Cunninghamiana cross.

My "Illawara's" survive mid 20's ok (maybe not as cold tolerant as A. Cunninghamiana), but grow much faster and have the Alexandrae trunk with a wide base.

(calyptrocalyx&licuala freck @ May 23 2007,21:52)

QUOTE

Hi Jon

Sorry I should have checked b4 I posted ,(Tea was ready and I stuffed up) And  I was meant to say A.maxima is  on Mt Baldy,with nice stands of these beautys.

and With A.cunninghamiana Just as Tyrone said just out of Mackay is as far as they are. Sorry to keen to eat.....

     Regards Mike.

Wal.

    In reference to the running water, and growing of

A.myolensis, I mean this 'sp' of alex puts up more than one epyphyll (spelling) leaf ,sounds unusal I know, seen this leaf is regarded as the first leaf, but as I was saying this basic first (which can be up to 3 times)

leaf arises until its out of the water.Only then will these seedlings grow normal.

Thats the big difference with grow of other Alex 'sp' in water. No other is like this in the Alex's, not even those

growing in water close to you guys, this is unique only to A myolensis.

     Regards to you Wal......Go QUEENSLAND.

Regards Mike.E.

Those BLUES have got the BLUES....ha ha ha  :laugh:

Another great victory to the mighty maroons, we belted them with our myolensis, alex, purpurea and maximas and their southern bangalows could not stand the heat,    

Tyrone,

Yep they do strike in running water, You will have no

problems germinating them, Keep watching that weird

1st leaf ,actually neat to see.

 

 Wal,   We did it once again, with our heat. Watch out

  N.S.W.

Here in Aussie at the moment people  in Queensland(most) will walk

around like this      

If ya from N.S.W  ya face will be ,I bet like this.    

Regards to all.    Mike.E.

P.s.  Claytons turn for computer problems now, he

asked me to say Hello to All, So HELLO to ALL,

he is getting on to the problem and will be back soon.

Tyrone, I bought some seed a short time ago and they germinated quite easily using the baggy meathod.

After Reading this I can't wait to grow them. I have quite a few seedlings in the greenhouse. I hope they as fast as thier cousins.

I just planted out some Archontophoenix:

A. maxima

A. myolensis

A. myolensis (Differnt Angle)

And finally:

A. alexandrae

A. purpurea (Bottom Right) along with Cocos nucifera 'Fiji Dwarf'

I plan to aquire A. tuckeri, A. cunninghamiana, A. cunninghamiana 'Illawara' and A. alexandrae 'Beatricea' this year to round out my collection.

Jason,

nice healthy Archonto's you got there

How about adding a A maxima to your collection as well.  They display a new red leaf when they open.

(Don_L @ May 24 2007,16:36)

QUOTE

Jason,

nice healthy Archonto's you got there

How about adding a A maxima to your collection as well.  They display a new red leaf when they open.

Thanks, A. maxima is in the first picture I posted.

'Illawara' is a seed selection of Ellision Horticulture. It is pure cunninghamiana from its southern most range.

(Don_L @ May 25 2007,06:36)

QUOTE

Jason,

nice healthy Archonto's you got there

How about adding a A maxima to your collection as well.  They display a new red leaf when they open.

Do they ? Any pics ?

A little observation on cold hardiness of this species... have... er HAD 8 Archontophoenix seedlings (3-5' tall each) growing side by side on the north side of my house in Los Angeles county when the freeze hit this winter... 3 A myolensis, 3 A purpureas, 1 A tuckeri and 1 A cunninhamiana.  I now have 3 palms left, I think.  The A cunninghammiana was hardly even burned.  The rest were totally defoliated, though the largest of the A myolensis is making a slow and steady comeback (meaning there is a hint of mushy greenish stuff slowing creeping up out the dark, deep hole that used to hold the last spike), and one of the purpureas might also have some life left in it (all their spikes, except A cunninghamia's, pulled after their brown, crunchy leaves were cut off).  I still haven't the heart to remove this collection of Archontophoenix stumps since they still have a hint of green on their just-forming ringed trunks... sigh.  ANyway, was disappointed to see that the least interesting species was easily the most cold hardy.  Oh well.  Too bad I didn't have A maxima and alexandrae to complete the set... could have had at least two more leafless statues.

(ibreakforpalms @ May 24 2007,20:17)

QUOTE

(Don_L @ May 24 2007,16:36)

QUOTE

Jason,

nice healthy Archonto's you got there

How about adding a A maxima to your collection as well.  They display a new red leaf when they open.

Thanks, A. maxima is in the first picture I posted.

Oops,

I noticed that after I had posted the last message.  Next time I'll pay more attention. The maxima looks like a very nice specimen, nice green color to the crownshaft.  The new leaves on the maxima should be red.

Wow, Jason, those are nice coconuts for 9B/10A.  I get the feeling the east coast of FL has the advantage, eh?

I REALLY hope to be in southern FL a year from now planting cocos...  :cool:

(Don_L @ May 26 2007,02:21)

QUOTE

The maxima looks like a very nice specimen, nice green color to the crownshaft.  The new leaves on the maxima should be red.

Thanks.  I'll take a photo and post it when a new leaf comes out.

(surgeon83 @ May 26 2007,21:12)

QUOTE

Wow, Jason, those are nice coconuts for 9B/10A.  I get the feeling the east coast of FL has the advantage, eh?

I REALLY hope to be in southern FL a year from now planting cocos...  :cool:

They grow pretty well here.  Did you see the pics I posted in the recent coconut thread?  The east coast definately has the advantage.  Let me know where you end up.

Don't worry about which coast of Florida, though the west is a little closer to the Arctic expresses. Just get as close to the coast as you can. Winter temperature gradients are almost perpendicular to the coastline.