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Caribbean Palms In Southern California

Featured Replies

Here's a modest little strip, that I'm working on.  Who else is growing Caribbean species here?

Left to right: Copernicia macroglossaCopernicia baileyana, Cocothrinax fragrans, Thrinax radiata/(sold as L. morissii).  These have done well over the last 2-3 years, so I'm now emboldened to try new species. 

 

Edited by The Steve

I have quite a few. I have Copernicia that are doing well, Sabals and coccothrinax. Most are very slow but reliable growers. I’m inland about 15 miles.  

"it's not dead it's sleeping"

Santee ca, zone10a/9b

18 miles from the ocean

avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

The only Caribbean species I have is Thrinax radiata and it grows slowly but very steadily up here. I have a huge Bermuda fan (Sabal bermudana) but I don't think it's technically a Caribbean species. Correct me if I'm wrong. 

Steve, that strip is gonna rock in a few years. Looks good already of course.

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

Facebook Page

Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

Ah where the ever so lovingly Bismarkia once was!! Looks great.   Hope your still there in 10-15 to see the larger growth! Have a feeling if ya leave they will go with you! Keep it up!   I don’t really have any Caribbean species growing in Clairemont yet.   But the jungle is going well! 

 

 

  • 3 years later...

Looking great Steve.    What did you do w Pritchardia in back that was getting sick ? Did you replace it w something cool ? 
 

my jungle is getting dense sense your last visit. 

What do you mean by Caribbean palms in Commifornia? err, California.

 

5 year high 42.2C/108F (07/06/2018)--5 year low 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)--Lowest recent/current winter: 4.6C/40.3F (1/19/2023)

 

  • Author

Alex, the weather sure is nice out here, though! I mean palms that originate from the Caribbean, generally - and I believe that a few of those are from South Florida.

Brian, I planted (2) D. Album ‘conjugatum’ and (1) Foxy Lady (under the shade cloth)

 

0D681E8E-CB7D-4338-8100-231CDBC912E9.jpeg

Edited by Sabal Steve

  • Author

Here’s a few more that I planted this year:  Cocothrinax Spissa, Leucothrinax Morrisii, and Crysophila Stauracantha/Warscewiczii - I forget which one.  These have all done well, too, except for the Leucothrinax that threw a leaf or two and just stalled.

FF4321B3-8FBE-406D-958B-52F38ACAE3AA.thumb.jpeg.834ddbacb4c085b5071500832fbf9d80.jpegBB4CBBF3-F69D-4A5F-AE87-E45791A39391.thumb.jpeg.ee95a37faeee63a52a7e4cddf7bcd6e8.jpeg8FA3550D-B3F2-46CB-98A0-4827E9963ACF.thumb.jpeg.6aafce10ae693e0288bb9bc26b0054fe.jpeg

39 minutes ago, Sabal Steve said:

Here’s a few more that I planted this year:  Cocothrinax Spissa, Leucothrinax Morrisii, and Crysophila Stauracantha/Warscewiczii - I forget which one.  These have all done well, too, except for the Leucothrinax that threw a leaf or two and just stalled.

FF4321B3-8FBE-406D-958B-52F38ACAE3AA.thumb.jpeg.834ddbacb4c085b5071500832fbf9d80.jpegBB4CBBF3-F69D-4A5F-AE87-E45791A39391.thumb.jpeg.ee95a37faeee63a52a7e4cddf7bcd6e8.jpeg8FA3550D-B3F2-46CB-98A0-4827E9963ACF.thumb.jpeg.6aafce10ae693e0288bb9bc26b0054fe.jpeg

Love it man. Did you grow most of those from

seed ? I remember you had some cool stuff going from seed . 

You do realize that the brown mulch you laid down is about the worst mulch known to man. (along with the red) Toxic and sourced from nasties.

 

 

  • Author

Chris,

Thanks.  All of these have been grown from small seedlings, or planted as smaller container plants.

Greg,

I hadn’t heard that, but that wouldn’t surprise me. There’s these really finely ground chips at HD, but I forgot what they were called.  No colors added.

Billy,

Maybe 7 years ago from a one gallon?  I think it’s close to 15’ tall, now.  The palm behind it is a “Watermelon” C. Macrocarpa that was planted as a one gallon, maybe two years prior to that.  

F91465C6-CF9A-40D2-81EB-CF177962031D.thumb.jpeg.4bb10b57d413019fd31daea5a98d6514.jpeg

Edited by Sabal Steve

Wow Steve, your stuff has grown a ton since I was last there! That Copernicia just looks great at a smaller size. Seeing yours a few years back encouraged me to pick one up as well. Easy peasy.. And the Beccariophoenix is something else. 

Edited by quaman58

Bret

 

Coastal canyon area of San Diego

 

"In the shadow of the Cross"

  • 11 months later...
1 hour ago, Sabal Steve said:

Here’s my Macro, and Bailey, today.  You can sort of see the Sabal Uresana, behind the blue car.9A30C625-23F6-4BFA-9B82-C82CF772942B.thumb.jpeg.044538aa41999da152de2e43de87c95d.jpeg

Your macro is looking killer ! These Definetly speed up a bit once they have situated in the ground a bit 

  • 2 months later...
  • Author

Here’s an update how the West Coast Sabal Row has done.  These have turned out to be self-sufficient palms, here.  I don’t think that any of these have gotten any irrigation besides rain, for a long time, now.

Uresana

2D8F4CC3-2307-4383-8D10-86E071C85653.thumb.jpeg.0b8f86c4c32e11d0b945aa4d2994d666.jpeg

Maritima (sold as)

07243E8E-B6C9-4608-A9AE-A58606214D1E.thumb.jpeg.1131c50d73503ddfbbfa8bd99cd18f1d.jpeg

Mauritiiformis

BE8A9910-89D3-4F9A-BA7F-C0DF5A122D09.thumb.jpeg.4ca9d4040f14b18258e0079f5c22eb85.jpeg

Edited by Sabal Steve

That mauritiformis is incredible

 

19 minutes ago, Josue Diaz said:

That mauritiformis is incredible

 

Yes indeed.

My Sabal mauritiformis has a few more years to go before it develops anything like the height of Steve's! 😃 Mine has weathered recent low temps in the 30sF due to a Peltophorum that acts as an overstory tree. It protects the Sabal both from harsh summer sun and winter low temps here in Sacramento. 

Sabal_mauritiformis.png

  • 4 months later...
  • Author

Walked through the old neighborhood, the other day.  The smaller S. causarium and S. bermudana were still growing, too.  I would have taken a picture, but there were a few feet of weeds that the owners seem unbothered by.

Big Green, and the S. Uresana are both doing well, and fattening up.  Residents just hack at them, but they’ll be out of reach, one day.

3B5B4BCF-A7F6-4BD3-9C31-54353A672DC9.thumb.png.aaaa3029ffd469c99cf7e10237f38d89.png9E26FCF2-036B-4B14-A8A3-A142829211BA.thumb.jpeg.5cd88ce45fb446b6e85d9bef9469de58.jpeg50C6C729-7911-4354-8FA7-867F0EC0F500.thumb.jpeg.921f9a8624b4357cd09815dd2e388d46.jpeg

Edited by Sabal Steve

You want more check in with Aztropic. He is growing the mother load in Arizona. They grow amazingly well in the Southwest and look great.

What you look for is what is looking

  • 2 months later...
On 6/17/2018 at 11:32 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

The only Caribbean species I have is Thrinax radiata and it grows slowly but very steadily up here. I have a huge Bermuda fan (Sabal bermudana) but I don't think it's technically a Caribbean species. Correct me if I'm wrong. 

Steve, that strip is gonna rock in a few years. Looks good already of course.

Hey Jim, I just acquired some Thrinax Radiata seeds. Just curious how yours is doing now. It's probably too cold where I am but I'm going g to give it a shot.

4 hours ago, Chavy87 said:

Hey Jim, I just acquired some Thrinax Radiata seeds. Just curious how yours is doing now. It's probably too cold where I am but I'm going g to give it a shot.

Last winter was just too cloudy, wet, and chilly for my Thrinax. Spear pull and eventual death. It was a painfully slow grower anyway since we don’t have the necessary summer heat here that they really need.,

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

Facebook Page

Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

22 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Last winter was just too cloudy, wet, and chilly for my Thrinax. Spear pull and eventual death. It was a painfully slow grower anyway since we don’t have the necessary summer heat here that they really need.,

I definitely have the heat but our winter are much cold and wetter than yours. Maybe keep them in pot or wine barrel and see how it goes, that's I'd I can even get the seeds the germinate.

  • 5 months later...
  • 1 year later...
  • Author

Took some pics in the old neighborhood.  Some Caribbean palms, and some others.  
 

Beccariophoenix Alfredii and Chambeyronia Macrocarpa “watermelon”

IMG_1015.thumb.jpeg.cb31d4c8e4a09f2033a9d58cacf5b5fe.jpeg

Copernicia Macroglossa

IMG_1014.thumb.jpeg.ec169d51b35bbe3ce6610079b13b82ef.jpeg
 

Jubeaopsis Caffra and Brahea “super silver”.

IMG_1013.thumb.jpeg.f7d74b050fdfde80bdabe0c39c5a3755.jpeg

Sabal Uresana 

IMG_1011.thumb.jpeg.953484644465acb683a3a59ffa9eb6e6.jpeg

I believe this is Sabal Bermudana.  It came off a seed of a reputable tree, on the southern edge of Palm Canyon in Balboa Park, across from the international cottages.  I’m surprised that it is already flowering.  Slower than the others.  The seeds look small, and I’m wondering of they could have been mixed up with the nearby Sabal Minors.
 

There is a small Sabal Causarium in the background, which has always struggled, without assistance.  
 

IMG_1012.thumb.jpeg.1210185b457c336b3d50623340ec4c6a.jpeg

Sabal Mexicana type?  Sold as S. Maritima, though I believe it’s something else.  

IMG_1010.thumb.jpeg.d3daf1c55fe73a76a0d1dae2f6760ba8.jpeg

 

 

That Copernicia macroglossa is at its picture perfect stage! 👍 Once they gain some trunk height, they kinda lose their uniqueness unless you have the land area available to maintain them as a 'haystack'. Here's mine,where I actually had to tie up the fronds as they started to grow into the line of traffic. 🤷‍♂️

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

IMG_20241215_111841267.jpg

Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

  • Author

Thanks, Scott

Those are growing fast.   Is that your Copernicia berteroana to the right?  Think they will end up staggering, so you can appreciate the crowns of each?

Yes, that's Copernicia berteroana to the right. I think bert will eventually beat the macroglossa in gaining height. It's already twice as tall,woodwise,and produces way more new fronds every year.

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

  • 5 months later...
  • Author

Here’s what was sold to me as Cocothrinax Spissa.  I planted it as a one gallon at the old place, and dug it up, and it didn’t miss a beat.  Puts out a lot of leaves, but not much size, yet.  Almost time to fertilize.

IMG_1674.thumb.jpeg.65ba60ff447e70f6a476d2c1462dd7e3.jpegIMG_1672.thumb.jpeg.60e90517750e4aa8093c7affed4ea1f6.jpegIMG_1673.thumb.jpeg.fe136e7c64ca0dc76896a73bdc446c55.jpegIMG_1675.thumb.jpeg.71286caf8a9c7e585839d0755472bd86.jpeg

 

 

Coccothrinax species seem to transplant rather easily without any issues. Copernicia,not so much...🤷‍♂️

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

  • 1 month later...

Sabal Steve,

Your palms look awesome!  
 

I drive down your street when driving home from North Park to College.  I figured this garden belonged to a Palm Society member.  😎

  • 9 months later...
  • Author

Hey, Everyone 

 

Looks like it’s been almost a year since my last update.   Be fun to see what other Caribbean palms that people are trying in the region.

Copernicia Fallaensis 

This has thrown a number of spears since I dug it up and replanted it, last spring, I believe.

IMG_3619.thumb.jpeg.eb607081473c333cb61956b759b28f4c.jpeg

Copernicia Macroglossa

This one has been through a lot.  Also dug and replanted last spring (from memory).  Maybe 2 new spears, since planting.

IMG_3621.thumb.jpeg.1238aad7ea92087957cb091a7e8db875.jpeg

 

  • Author

Now, over to the old place.

Here’s the Sabals.  Got pretty hacked.

Sabal Causarium (Palomar College

IMG_3650.thumb.jpeg.a547470bf5712e6da3e4cd7973b53dbd.jpeg

Sabal Bermudana (These were collected from a Bermudana - South rim of Palm Canyon between the restrooms and the cultural cottages - though I wonder if they got mixed up).

IMG_3651.thumb.jpeg.901063c921d1bb908ba0d017a5fc0a34.jpeg

Sabal Uresana

IMG_3653.thumb.jpeg.4d5357f9eaec4e749b4001da05ae98a5.jpegIMG_3652.thumb.jpeg.1a5899423c15d57111b1b85c834f5915.jpegIMG_3652.thumb.jpeg.1a5899423c15d57111b1b85c834f5915.jpeg

Sabal Mexicana?

IMG_3655.thumb.jpeg.efd4caa7b3da294cd46590daa41a3778.jpeg

IMG_3654.jpeg

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