copernicia alba blue

[sonoranfans]

I got this c alba blue from Ken johnson in 2011(?).  I was in a 45 gallon(?) plastic tub.  Ken said it sat too long in that tub so he gave me a great price..  You can tell from the leaf bases how much trunk it had when I planted it.  Its chugging along, coming back after IRMA.  Anybody else out there growing this palm?

[Neil C]

Great looking palm even with the funky trunk.

Regards Neil

 

[Walt]

Your palm has grown great. I wish I could say even half, hell, even one quarter, the same for mine.

I bought a Copernicia alba in 2002. It was maybe a 2-3 gallon size. I planted it and it just didn't grow. It would actually decline. Over the years I dug it up and repotted it (where it would start to grow better) three times (and in a different location).  I finally planted it for the last time this past spring. If it starts to decline again, I will just let it die, as I've washed my hands of it. No amount of TLC will make this palm grow. Now, after 16 years my palm still has no developed trunk.

I had another C. alba I bought at the same time as the one above, This palm did the same thing, it wouldn't grow. I finally dug it up, re potted it, then gave it away (three years ago) to a palm friend in Beaufort, S.C., to try up there. It was killed in a cold winter.

 

 

[Phoenikakias]

Grown from seed in my cold frame. Ground planted about the end of past August. 

It has expanded two new fronds so far. Frankly I have not the slightest idea how it will score during its first winter outdoors. Soil is basically clay mixed with a lot of tocks.

[ahosey01]

  On 11/16/2018 at 8:05 PM, sonoranfans said:

I got this c alba blue from Ken johnson in 2011(?).  I was in a 45 gallon(?) plastic tub.  Ken said it sat too long in that tub so he gave me a great price..  You can tell from the leaf bases how much trunk it had when I planted it.  Its chugging along, coming back after IRMA.  Anybody else out there growing this palm?

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Any more photos of this palm a few years later?

[sonoranfans]

I will get a more recent pic.  Meanwhile, here is the palm as planted in august 2011.  Ken told me it sat in a container too ling but he said this palm would be fine with a little care.  

[Fusca]

Here is mine, 4 years from a strap-leaf liner.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

@Fusca Wow Jon that bad boy is looking great. What kind of protection did it get for Palmageddon? Is it stretched out cause its in a shady spot ? Oh and Merry Christmas!! 

T J 

[Fusca]

Thanks TJ!  It's in about half-day sun so maybe stretched out a bit.  It's on the south side of the house and was in full sun when I planted it.  I wrapped it with a string of party lights and covered it with a blanket.  Some fronds were partially exposed and were damaged but otherwise looked perfect!  It's quite a prickly palm but well worth it.  Merry Christmas to you too, I have some seeds for you next time I'm in Houston.

[sonoranfans]

  On 12/27/2021 at 4:39 PM, ahosey01 said:

Any more photos of this palm a few years later?

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sept 2021 pic of my alba, its been setting seed for 3-4 years now.  In this pic it is holding extra leaves, they will drop pretty quickly this spring.  The leaves are self shedding now to a fairly smooth trunk.  Overall height is a tad under 20'.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

@sonoranfans Tom you literally have a garden of my fav palms all in ginormous size haha. What would you compare this palm with for growth rate ? I can't wait to get mine in the ground this spring.

T J 

[sonoranfans]

  On 12/31/2021 at 8:27 PM, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

@sonoranfans Tom you literally have a garden of my fav palms all in ginormous size haha. What would you compare this palm with for growth rate ? I can't wait to get mine in the ground this spring.

T J 

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best guess is it added 14-15' height from just under 4' in 11 years.  The site is not the ideal spot as its not wet, very sandy, and that favors the senenoas underneath it over this palm which likes more water.  There still are the florida summer rains for 2-3 months, things grow here quickly in those months.  I am glad its not too fast, I can still see into the most colorful part of the crown from 20' away.  At some point, the second pic will be the view unless you are far away.  I'm pretty sure this palm could have been faster without all the long term container stress and with a less dry spot in the yard.  In clayish soils they should also be faster.  I have very recently added turface MVP to the root area of this palm to help keep it moist.   The speed of a transplanted large palm will be slower than a palm with an established root system at the same size.  Get it in the ground for bet results.  Yeah lots of my palms are 9B or even 9A as I was hammered by the 2010  freeze frost event and had lots of zone 10 stuff die.  I have added more zone ten as the yard has filled in.  I have lots of palms trapping down heat in a cold event now and low wind flows due to border plants and planting density.  A mature yard is a warmer place in winter.

[ahosey01]

  On 12/31/2021 at 2:22 PM, sonoranfans said:

sept 2021 pic of my alba, its been setting seed for 3-4 years now.  In this pic it is holding extra leaves, they will drop pretty quickly this spring.  The leaves are self shedding now to a fairly smooth trunk.  Overall height is a tad under 20'.

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Beautiful palm!  I hope mine look like that one day.

I have read that they are uniquely adapted to fire, and the ones you see in habitat with multiple growth points branch as a result of being burned.

If you're ever feeling bold, you should light it on fire and see if it grows a second head.

[Dartolution]

@sonoranfans Good Grief thats a nice palm... They have giant chamaerops cerifera vibes to me. If I lived further south I would most definitely have one myself. 

Beautiful!

[Almisa]

Hi @sonoranfans! Thanks for your input earlier this summer on Copernicia alba.  I installed this double trunk beauty in early August here in NE Florida - so glad I did it then - got her situated before Ian rolled through this week. I also mixed in the clay additive you suggested. It has not even been 60 days and already I see new growth coming up in the crown.  I watered the heck out of it every day until recently - I think it’s paying off.  It blew hard in our 65 mph Ian winds with just losing a few branches. I did I notice today that the underside of the branches seem to have turned noticeably yellow in the past day or two  - I mean I didn’t see that prior to the storm - but maybe that was already taking place.  Again - bushy new growth is working it’s way out at the top of each tree. Any comment????

[sonoranfans]

  On 10/2/2022 at 9:11 PM, Almisa said:

Hi @sonoranfans! Thanks for your input earlier this summer on Copernicia alba.  I installed this double trunk beauty in early August here in NE Florida - so glad I did it then - got her situated before Ian rolled through this week. I also mixed in the clay additive you suggested. It has not even been 60 days and already I see new growth coming up in the crown.  I watered the heck out of it every day until recently - I think it’s paying off.  It blew hard in our 65 mph Ian winds with just losing a few branches. I did I notice today that the underside of the branches seem to have turned noticeably yellow in the past day or two  - I mean I didn’t see that prior to the storm - but maybe that was already taking place.  Again - bushy new growth is working it’s way out at the top of each tree. Any comment????

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looks fine, its going to do well for you I think.  Mine was untouched by Ian, part of that is it wasnt out in the open by itself and the other part is the leaves dont hold wind like a sail.

[Almisa]

Thank you! 

[buffy]

Do the blue ones handle more cold?