Dypsis decipiens after 5 years

[Matt in OC]

@Billeb Literal deaths. My large plant from Bluebell was lovely and seemed to be doing well. Going back to look at pictures since I don't remember exactly what happened, but I lost one trunk in the Fall and then the second the following early summer. I do remember adding soil around the palm before this happened so maybe there was something in that. I put it in the ground about 10 months before I lost the first trunk.

I had a smaller Floribunda plant that I lost when some overhead canopy was wiped out.

[Tracy]

On 1/10/2024 at 5:11 PM, Tracy said:

The first one I planted is acting more like a shrub in the garden than a tall growing palm, but I guess I just need to be patient.

A spring and summer later, and this 14 year in the ground specimen is finally looking like it will develop some vertical growth.  Well I should clarify, vertical growth on one of it's multiple trunks.  It is still way behind it's much younger sibling but perhaps I should appreciate that it remains at eye level a bit longer.

[Tracy]

On 3/25/2018 at 10:10 AM, Tracy said:

The photos below show a 5 year interval on a Dypsis decipiens, from about the time I acquired it to a couple of weeks ago.  The earlier photo it was in a citrus pot when I bought it at a PSSC meeting auction in late March 2017 (photo was 4/1/2013).  I didn't get it into the ground until 2015, but it went straight from the citrus pot to the ground, no intermediate size pots.  I guess I was warned that these would be slow on the coast, which it has been compared to many other palms I have, but it has about caught up with another one I planted earlier but was a double at the time of planting from a 3 gallon pot.  I planted it with the wall to it's south for additional heat, and an open sky to the west.  I guess this will be one that is a slow gratification.  It can race with some of my cycads out front to see which will form trunk first!  Right now the Encephalartos longifolius is definitely winning the race, and the E nat x horridus are in second place!  I'll have to update this in another 5 years to see if the horse race has changed.

Now that 7 additional years have passed since I posted this, and the name changed, it seemed appropriate to update the post.  The former Dypsis, now Chrysalidocarpus decipiens in my garden have continued their slow progress.  The one that I posted above in the citrus pot in 2013 just got its first ring.  The older one is still a multi trunk plant far away from any of the trunks showing a ring.

[sonoranfans]

I love these C. Decipiens!  Thanks for the pics Tracy?  After growing palms for 25 years, speed of growth is way overrated, IMO.  If you are young, be patient and you will be rewarded as some of the most gorgeous palms like these are slower growers.  Slow growers seem to frequently get more beautiful with age, not so with many fast growers, at least in my experience.    I am wise enough to know they wont grow here in florida, but thanks to palmtalk we get to see them!  A big C decipiens is a generational palm, the grow beautiful trunks and gorgeous foliage!  

[Harry’s Palms]

This thread is great as I can see what I’m in for growth wise. The seedlings I plucked ( with permission ) from Sullivans garden are a year or so from planting in the ground . As volunteers , I have hope for success for at least half of the 10 I gathered . I will also plant a few seeds in the garden just for fun. Harry

These are the best of the ten , one week from potting 

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

This thread is great as I can see what I’m in for growth wise. The seedlings I plucked ( with permission ) from Sullivans garden are a year or so from planting in the ground . As volunteers , I have hope for success for at least half of the 10 I gathered . I will also plant a few seeds in the garden just for fun. Harry

These are the best of the ten , one week from potting 

For what it’s worth,  I would suggest planting a few if you have space.  Increase the probability of getting one that grows at a little less glacial speed Harry.

[Tracy]

I noticed that the smaller trunk on my larger specimen put out a new leaf which has a hint of blue.  I don't think my phone captures the hue precisely but you can see a difference between it and the older adjacent leaves.

[ExperimentalGrower]

On 8/17/2025 at 6:45 AM, sonoranfans said:

I love these C. Decipiens!  Thanks for the pics Tracy?  After growing palms for 25 years, speed of growth is way overrated, IMO.  If you are young, be patient and you will be rewarded as some of the most gorgeous palms like these are slower growers.  Slow growers seem to frequently get more beautiful with age, not so with many fast growers, at least in my experience.    I am wise enough to know they wont grow here in florida, but thanks to palmtalk we get to see them!  A big C decipiens is a generational palm, the grow beautiful trunks and gorgeous foliage!  

Yup. I’ll take slow palms 10/10 times compared to the fast growers. 

[ExperimentalGrower]

On 8/17/2025 at 7:05 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

This thread is great as I can see what I’m in for growth wise. The seedlings I plucked ( with permission ) from Sullivans garden are a year or so from planting in the ground . As volunteers , I have hope for success for at least half of the 10 I gathered . I will also plant a few seeds in the garden just for fun. Harry

These are the best of the ten , one week from potting 

Just be mindful unless they are overgrown 5g plants or larger the chance of success planting in the ground at a smaller size is close to 0%. 

[Tracy]

48 minutes ago, ExperimentalGrower said:

Just be mindful unless they are overgrown 5g plants or larger the chance of success planting in the ground at a smaller size is close to 0%. 

If you go back to the beginning of this thread, you will see that my current larger specimen was planted from a citrus pot size, which is probably close to a 3 gallon.  My multiple trunks older but smaller plant came straight out of a 3 gallon pot.  So my experience is 100% success at 3 gallon size with Chrysalidocarpus decipiens. 

[Hu Palmeras]

On 17/8/2025 at 10:05, Harry’s Palms said:

Este hilo es genial, ya que veo lo que me espera en cuanto a crecimiento. Las plántulas que recogí (con permiso) del jardín de Sullivan tardaron aproximadamente un año en plantarse. Como voluntario, espero que al menos la mitad de las 10 que recolecté tengan éxito. También plantaré algunas semillas en el jardín, solo por diversión. Harry

Estos son los mejores de los diez, a una semana de trasplantarlos. 

Harry, my friend, what a beautiful seedling. When it's bigger, send us a photo. It will look truly wonderful.

[Hu Palmeras]

El 22/8/2025 a las 20:36, Tracy dijo:

Note que el tronco más pequeño de mi ejemplar más grande había desarrollado una hoja nueva con un toque de azul. No creo que mi teléfono capture el tono con precisión, pero se puede apreciar la diferencia entre esta y las hojas adyacentes más viejas.

Esos tallos y sus colores se ven hermosos y geniales, amigo. ¡Felicidades!

[ExperimentalGrower]

On 8/23/2025 at 12:27 AM, Tracy said:

If you go back to the beginning of this thread, you will see that my current larger specimen was planted from a citrus pot size, which is probably close to a 3 gallon.  My multiple trunks older but smaller plant came straight out of a 3 gallon pot.  So my experience is 100% success at 3 gallon size with Chrysalidocarpus decipiens. 

Sounds like you’re one of the few lucky ones. Any growers I’ve known trying to get small decipiens to survive typically don’t see success.

[Harry’s Palms]

I am hoping to get half of the potted transplants to survive . So far one has died but the others seem to be going ok. At least three of the ten show no signs of any set back. We will see as it has only been a few weeks. Harry

[Tracy]

29 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I am hoping to get half of the potted transplants to survive . So far one has died but the others seem to be going ok. At least three of the ten show no signs of any set back. We will see as it has only been a few weeks. Harry

Positive attitude.  Keep it up and good luck.  Every large specimen started as a seedling, just remember that.

[ExperimentalGrower]

39 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I am hoping to get half of the potted transplants to survive . So far one has died but the others seem to be going ok. At least three of the ten show no signs of any set back. We will see as it has only been a few weeks. Harry

You’re doing better than me. Of the dozen from Floribunda I received a year ago, only a single one still stands. Finicky palm.