Yes Tim, that is a good description. I have never seen anything like this in a palm. I fully expected new stems to occur outside the crown.

The effects of my surgical effort may well come to nothing.  I looked at the tree tonight and the unwanted spear has grown 1/2 inch (12 mm) in the last 24 hours.

Looks like I need to start my own thread on the battle of the unwanted spear...

3 hours ago, mlovecan said:

Yes Tim, that is a good description. I have never seen anything like this in a palm. I fully expected new stems to occur outside the crown.

The effects of my surgical effort may well come to nothing.  I looked at the tree tonight and the unwanted spear has grown 1/2 inch (12 mm) in the last 24 hours.

Looks like I need to start my own thread on the battle of the unwanted spear...

It has occured to me before on Allagoptera and Trithrinax campestris. Better wait until the formation of the second trunk, it does not take long, and then remove it. 

3 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

It has occured to me before on Allagoptera and Trithrinax campestris. Better wait until the formation of the second trunk, it does not take long, and then remove it. 

I'm thinking along the same lines and viewing the removal as a medium term project. The spear is showing significant growth again overnight!

Just now, mlovecan said:

I'm thinking along the same lines and viewing the removal as a medium term project. The spear is showing significant growth again overnight!

Wow

11 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

Wow

At first, the palm grew 1 1/2 - 2 spears per year. Somehow, last year it probably added over a dozen. My various archontos grow only about 8 new spears annually. I have only fertilized this tree once in the last 5 years. Maybe I just got lucky somehow.

I have had zero issues with this tree and would encourage everyone in a similar climate to plant one. 

12 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Jubaeopsis splitting is a very different phenomenon to a palm having multiple spears at once (Phoenix, Bismarckia at many other non splitting/clumping/branching palms show this). For Jubaeopsis, D decipiens, baronii, Hyphaene and some others, spears can be sent out that grow eventually into new stems. One way I've been able to notice when a branching type is starting to split is when two new spears grow at a similar stage of progression beside each other. When a palm has multiple spears but is not going to branch, the spears tend to be at a different stage of growth (they are sent out one after the other). 

 

8 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

It has occured to me before on Allagoptera and Trithrinax campestris. Better wait until the formation of the second trunk, it does not take long, and then remove it. 

This is a split Allagoptera

This is a split Trithrinax campestsis. Notice how the two stems have been creeping away from each other before growing again vertically.

And this is another Allagoptera that tried and failed to split resulting only in one double leaf!

Mlovecan this is not the proper tool for the intended job. You are butchering the poor plant in an enviroment full of lethal borers. Better use a reciprocating saw with a thin blade and remove sibling al the way through down to the ground.

56 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

 

This is a split Allagoptera

This is a split Trithrinax campestsis. Notice how the two stems have been creeping away from each other before growing again vertically.

And this is another Allagoptera that tried and failed to split resulting only in one double leaf!

Mlovecan this is not the proper tool for the intended job. You are butchering the poor plant in an enviroment full of lethal borers. Better use a reciprocating saw with a thin blade and remove sibling al the way through down to the ground.

Very interesting photos and very helpful info. If the two stems separate in the same way as your two examples, I can just wait and take the whole thing out at once (far less stressful for the palm and me!).  The way the thing's growing, it probably won't take long.

This forum can be so useful when no suitable info seems to be available anywhere...thanks Kosta, and thanks to other contributors of great info on this thread!

If the Jubaeopsis cafra would remain single, how wide would trunk be at maturity? Is it thin as a cocos?

Here a split jubaeaopsis caffra. Growing nicely in central valley. 

1 hour ago, xvang01 said:

Here a split jubaeaopsis caffra. Growing nicely in central valley. 

Love its orange color.

2 hours ago, xvang01 said:

Here a split jubaeaopsis caffra. Growing nicely in central valley. 

What is its exposure? Does it get full sun all day? The picture makes it look like it's in partial shade.  I'm debating planting mine in the ground this fall but concerned about our fierce summer sun here in interior NorCal. 

1 hour ago, Hillizard said:

What is its exposure? Does it get full sun all day? The picture makes it look like it's in partial shade.  I'm debating planting mine in the ground this fall but concerned about our fierce summer sun here in interior NorCal. 

Full sun morning to noon. Partial shade in the afternoon. 

18 minutes ago, xvang01 said:

Full sun morning to noon. Partial shade in the afternoon. 

At that stage, is it a double?

3 hours ago, xvang01 said:

Full sun morning to noon. Partial shade in the afternoon. 

Thanks for that information.  That's essentially the regime under which I grow my more sun-sensitive palms (and other plants). 

3 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

At that stage, is it a double?

Planted as a single. It just splits into two.