Attalea Cohune - Size and Growth Rate

[Castro210]

So I'm finally to the point in my yard construction to buy my last few big trees/plants. At least the ones that get big, while not bought big. I have 3 Attalea Cohune going in my backyard. So far I have sourced them in 45 and 125 gallon. I have read on here in more than one thread that these are "painfully slow" growing. My friend and LA says the ones he has spec'd and planted on jobs here have grown pretty darn fast. I have seen a couple posts that seem to show them growing 2' in height or more a year. Maybe our definition of fast differs also. 

Can any give there experience of how fast this tree will grow? The 45 gallons are ~6' tall and the 125 gallon are ~14' tall but the price is about triple. I don't mind waiting a few years for some height to save $$$. I'd rather not wait a decade for substantial size. I'm in southernmost city, Key West, zone 11b. 

[waykoolplantz]

Yes they are slow...buy 3x 45’s for the price of the 125...a grouping will look great. 

Why Attaleas..they grow up ? I know space is at a premium in the keys but what really thrives there are copernicias.

my BIL has a grouping of 20 Borhidianas @mm88 and they are flourishing .

[PalmatierMeg]

How big is your lot? Attaleas get huge. If you have a dinky lot (<1/4 ac) plus a house 3 Attaleas will overwhelm it. I like @waykoolplantz's Copernicia recommendation. They add class wherever they are planted.

[Castro210]

The landscape architect, and a few other well known LA’s in the Keys use them a good amount. I’m on about a quarter acre with a medium size house. They are great where I need them because of the upright growth which why the LA specs them. To get height and shade where it’s tight near the ground.

There are a few houses around with copernicia and I do like them. This back yard and side are pretty empty where they are going. 

Hurricane Irma knocked down a lot of my shade. I have a big Spanish lime, 3 coconuts on the water, 2 medium size mango trees, and 2 triple thrinax radiata that are original.  

The back yard is where the cohune are going. The back is about 30x100 which has the 3 coconuts leaning over the water. I planted a Bismarck and a cabada. The rest is a pergola/gazebo I’m building and no other shade, west facing.  

I do appreciate the comments and insight. 

Edited March 8, 2019 by Castro210

[Castro210]

@waykoolplantz what do you consider slow? I guess slow may be beneficial considering how big these get. 

[mike in kurtistown]

From my garden in east Hawaii. Perhaps any Hawaii comparison isn't fair. Seven years from a 2-gal pot. UTV and 5-gal bucket give scale. I picked up the seed in Belize in 2006.

Here's a pic of one growing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico several years ago. People for scale. And this is just a baby, no trunk yet. They become MONSTERS.

 

[Mike Evans]

Yes, they get huge, and kind of slow growing.  Who big was your lot?

[PalmatierMeg]

20 hours ago, Castro210 said:

The landscape architect, and a few other well known LA’s in the Keys use them a good amount. I’m on about a quarter acre with a medium size house. They are great where I need them because of the upright growth which why the LA specs them. To get height and shade where it’s tight near the ground.

There are a few houses around with copernicia and I do like them. This back yard and side are pretty empty where they are going. 

Hurricane Irma knocked down a lot of my shade. I have a big Spanish lime, 3 coconuts on the water, 2 medium size mango trees, and 2 triple thrinax radiata that are original.  

The back yard is where the cohune are going. The back is about 30x100 which has the 3 coconuts leaning over the water. I planted a Bismarck and a cabada. The rest is a pergola/gazebo I’m building and no other shade, west facing.  

I do appreciate the comments and insight. 

3 Attaleas, 3 coconuts, a Bizzie, a cabadae and a gazebo on a 30x100' yard? Really? Wow, just wow.

I have 2 juvenile Attalea butyracea & 1 juvenile A. phalerata on a 125x175' lot. They've been in the ground 7-8 years, are years more from trunking and are 15' to 20' tall from 3-5g pots. They are slow.

[Castro210]

6 hours ago, Mike Evans said:

Yes, they get huge, and kind of slow growing.  Who big was your lot?

Wow that’s an awesome photo.  Lot is 100 x 100. I’ll be dead by the time they’re that big. I’ll leave my son a large chainsaw if he doesn’t want them. 

3 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

3 Attaleas, 3 coconuts, a Bizzie, a cabadae and a gazebo on a 30x100' yard? Really? Wow, just wow.

I have 2 juvenile Attalea butyracea & 1 juvenile A. phalerata on a 125x175' lot. They've been in the ground 7-8 years, are years more from trunking and are 15' to 20' tall from 3-5g pots. They are slow.

Yep. They’ll be smaller than the 2 giant black olive trees that were in the back yard (40x60? Each), in my life time. They’re spread will be about the same as the two to the persons right in the above photo and the small one to the left. But spread a little further. 

I understand how big they get. My BIL has one a few blocks away about 20-25’ tall with 2-3’ of trunk. He’s getting another as well. 

Looks like I’ll get the 45 gallon palms  lol

Edited March 9, 2019 by Castro210

[Castro210]

6 hours ago, mike in kurtistown said:

From my garden in east Hawaii. Perhaps any Hawaii comparison isn't fair. Seven years from a 2-gal pot. UTV and 5-gal bucket give scale. I picked up the seed in Belize in 2006.

Here's a pic of one growing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico several years ago. People for scale. And this is just a baby, no trunk yet. They become MONSTERS.

 

I believe I saw your posts from last year of your attalea with the buckets. Very helpful! I’m basically in the same zone as you. 

My elavation is effectively zero so that would be our only difference if you’re higher up. Still very humid here. 

Edited March 9, 2019 by Castro210

[LoamWolf]

These palms get massive! Very impressive in person, especially when they get old. 

I took these photos last year at Kohunlich, Mexico. 

 

[SouthFLA]

Attalea has a reputation of being slow but I disagree. I purchased a A. cohune back in 2013 at around 5ft overall. It's well over 40 ft now. This guy is one of my fastest growers and with the least amount of care. It even went through hurricane Irma with far less damage than most of my other palm collection. I never irrigate or spray, just quality fert every 4 months with 8-2-12 palm special - don't ever buy cheap fert, get the slow release stuff. Mine grew slowly at first (establishment) but then took off running after about 3 years in the ground. Attalea is a perfect genus for south Florida. Alost all the A. species are well adapted to our climate and soil conditions. From a landscape design perspective, they don't take up a lot of space at their base so you can plant them next to a driveway or path. Plant as many varieties as you can. Your neighbors will all be jealous.

[Castro210]

SouthFLA, that is gorgeous palm!

I planted my 3 Cohunes about a month after starting this thread, April 19’. They are super happy, very green, throwing out new spears one after the other. 
 

I bought them in 45 gallon pots about 7’ tall on avg. they all have 1 - 2 leaves 12 - 13’ tall now. A year and a half later. 

[Castro210]

April 7 2019 - September 12 2020

[96720]

How do you think they would do in Phoenix 

[Merlyn]

7 hours ago, Castro210 said:

April 7 2019 - September 12 2020

Great progress!  My largest of 3 Attalea Cohunes is a bit smaller than your 2019 photo, it's good to see some growth references!

[SouthFLA]

On 9/12/2020 at 6:58 PM, 96720 said:

How do you think they would do in Phoenix 

Probably not good. These like year round heat and humidity. I notice a large decrease in growth rate in the cooler months of the year with lower humidity. You have moderately cold nights that wouldn't be appreciated either. 

[Lizsouthfl]

Can anyone in south Florida tell me where they found this tree for sale? I just bought my first home and this has been my dream tree!! Thanks in advance 

[howfam]

On 9/12/2020 at 8:51 AM, SouthFLA said:

Attalea has a reputation of being slow but I disagree. I purchased a A. cohune back in 2013 at around 5ft overall. It's well over 40 ft now. This guy is one of my fastest growers and with the least amount of care. It even went through hurricane Irma with far less damage than most of my other palm collection. I never irrigate or spray, just quality fert every 4 months with 8-2-12 palm special - don't ever buy cheap fert, get the slow release stuff. Mine grew slowly at first (establishment) but then took off running after about 3 years in the ground. Attalea is a perfect genus for south Florida. Alost all the A. species are well adapted to our climate and soil conditions. From a landscape design perspective, they don't take up a lot of space at their base so you can plant them next to a driveway or path. Plant as many varieties as you can. Your neighbors will all be jealous.

 

Hey SouthFla:

Look at these  Attalea cohune in North Miami I found while surfing Google Street View. I first saw these palms on Palmpedia , then took to street view to get this Jan 2021 photo. Nice trunks with 2 of 3 palms still surviving. 

[WaianaeCrider]

Got a seed or two about 1997 from a tree w/the wrong name according to the experts here who commented on pictures I posted.  Here are some shots of it's growth.  The sign should day Attalea Cohune but there is no way to change that.  But it does have the date planted. 

Seven years later in 2005 next  Seems to be kinda fast for 7 years.

4 more years and Yiks, thats huge

And today it has about 10 foot of trunk.

[SouthFLA]

12 hours ago, howfam said:

Hey SouthFla:

Look at these  Attalea cohune in North Miami I found while surfing Google Street View. I first saw these palms on Palmpedia , then took to street view to get this Jan 2021 photo. Nice trunks with 2 of 3 palms still surviving. 

What are you doing sneaking around down here on Street View from way up in Jacksonville? I know exactly where those are, I pass by them regularly. I don't think they are cohune though - possible Attalea butyracea. The leaves and trunk are different than mine.

I recall the adjacent property owner removed all fronds off all 3 palms a few years back, maybe trying to kill them. I noticed the one died shortly after. Clearly he doesn't know what he has.

Edited July 3, 2021 by SouthFLA

[howfam]

1 hour ago, SouthFLA said:

What are you doing sneaking around down here on Street View from way up in Jacksonville? I know exactly where those are, I pass by them regularly. I don't think they are cohune though - possible Attalea butyracea. The leaves and trunk are different than mine.

I recall the adjacent property owner removed all fronds off all 3 palms a few years back, maybe trying to kill them. I noticed the one died shortly after. Clearly he doesn't know what he has.

Yeah that's common when people don't know how valuable those palms are. But I saw those palms on the internet while looking for A. cohune, so I thought they were cohune. Whatever they are they are beautiful and deserve to be more widely planted. I wish the palm societies : Palm Beach , South Fla. etc. would spearhead some public plantings of these gorgeous palms. BTW- if you know of other large ones like these please post pictures. I know there are others in the Miami area but I have to find them on street view.

[howfam]

2 hours ago, SouthFLA said:

What are you doing sneaking around down here on Street View from way up in Jacksonville? I know exactly where those are, I pass by them regularly. I don't think they are cohune though - possible Attalea butyracea. The leaves and trunk are different than mine.

I recall the adjacent property owner removed all fronds off all 3 palms a few years back, maybe trying to kill them. I noticed the one died shortly after. Clearly he doesn't know what he has.

SouthFla: Look at this tall Attalea at 2900 S.W. 87th Av. in Miami (center palm among the royals).  There were two or three of them years ago, but this one is all I see now.   Must be ancient. This is a Catholic Seminary so maybe the priests planted them years ago. (Google Street View Picture).

[Castro210]

Since this got revived here’s another update from my 3. They are loving life and getting ready for there first tropical storm, possibly hurricane. They are 15-16’ tall now. 

[DG2020]

This is about 20 years from a seedling. Like many palms they start out slow and pick up the pace when established. Coconuts are considered fast. Skipping height, focus on the overall plant mass of a 20 year coconut and this Attalea butyracea. Like the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady can win the race. 

[realarch]

Such an impressive palm especially when they start to get established. Here are a few photos do A.cohune.

First is one about 30miles south of Hilo taken ten years ago. Need to see what it looks like now.

The second photo was taken at Foster BG in Honolulu five or six years back.

Tim

[WaianaeCrider]

18 minutes ago, realarch said:

Such an impressive palm especially when they start to get established. Here are a few photos do A.cohune.

First is one about 30miles south of Hilo taken ten years ago. Need to see what it looks like now.

The second photo was taken at Foster BG in Honolulu five or six years back.

Tim

Tim, do you remember where at Foster they were growing?  I got mine from 2 trees that were in a corner about as far away from the entrance as you could get.  Worker gave me the seeds.

[realarch]

Boy Steve, I do not. They are definitely visible from anywhere in the garden, unless they removed them.

There are also a row of about eight or nine in a row near the state capitol building.

Tim

[howfam]

28 minutes ago, realarch said:

Boy Steve, I do not. They are definitely visible from anywhere in the garden, unless they removed them.

There are also a row of about eight or nine in a row near the state capitol building.

Tim

Thanks for the tip on those Attaleas at the Hawaii State Capitol building. I found them on Google Street View. There are actually 12 of them in a row, absolutely gorgeous. I wonder how old they are? 

[realarch]

Thanks George, twelve….wow! They are impressive and I can’t even a guess as to how long they have been there. 

Tim

[Rick Kelley]

Tim,

Here is the tree at the Dalbok garden taken during the 2019 HIPS tour. I'm pretty sure it was blooming.

[realarch]

Thanks Rick….OMG!

Tim

[Fusca]

Impressive growth!  Rick your pic looks about 10' taller than Tim's in 5 years or so.  I'd take that kinda growth on any of my palms!  Of course this is Hawaii growth...

[Plantking165]

On 7/3/2021 at 11:21 AM, Castro210 said:

Since this got revived here’s another update from my 3. They are loving life and getting ready for there first tropical storm, possibly hurricane. They are 15-16’ tall now. 

Any pics of how large the are now?