Licuala ramsayi

[Tyrone]

I know this has been asked before, but I can't remember what the answer was.

I planted a L ramsayi in what I thought was a protected spot from the wind and it's slowly grown. However this protected spot has turned into a wind tunnel because of the bamboo stands around it growing up and forming a wind tunnel directed at it when the wind comes from certain directions. It's also in deep shade now, whereas before it was in dappled shade. If I put it into an area that got full sun until noon and then dappled shade to full shade after this would this be too much sun for it? Would it burn a bit at first then get used to it? In the tropics I've seen them in full sun, but I'm not too sure what it would do at my latitude. I'm hoping it will be like my Normanbya's which although books say grow in deep shade, they grow better in strong sunlight.

So what do you think?

Also how hard are they to transplant? The plant has been in the ground 3 yrs but hasn't really put on any more size. It would be about a metre above the soil line, and about a metre spread with maybe a 40litre size pot of roots in the ground. Is it movable?

Any thoughts.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Dypsisdean]

Tyronne,

I had mentioned before that I had one of these palms in the shade in coastal California for close to ten years, and it just sat there. I few years ago I cut the tree down that it had been under. I have never seen such a difference in a palm. It has since done fantastic.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

I ssee those things in FULL sun from a young age!

[tropicalb]

i've also seen them take much more sun than I had imagined they could withstand.

[Tyrone]

Thanks guys. That settles it, plant it out in more sun. I'll do that in Spring.

Dean, I remember your comment, but couldn't remember where it was or who said it. How fast was it growing before the tree went and about how fast did it speed up too? Does it get full sun all day, or is it still sheltered for a good part in shade? Do you think a plant of those dimensions will transplant OK?

best regards

Tyrone

[Dypsisdean]

Tyrone,

Coastal SoCal is very mellow by full sun standards. I don't know what to compare it to in your part of the world, but it is on the low end of the scale for full sun.

It never grew in the shade. It was 1 foot tall when planted, and maybe  1 1/2 feet after almost 10 years. I am surprised it stayed alive. I cut the tree down and planted a nice Dypsis very close to it intending to take it out. I had given up. But now it actually looks pretty good. I posted a pic in one of my recent California garden threads.

[chris.oz]

IMO its not just the sun,  but the sun combined with periods of very low humidity.

If you go for a position with afternoon sun,  and get strong dry winds from inland and dont have a body of water or surrounding vegetation to keep up the RH,  I believe this palm will fry in Australian temperate conditions!

[Tyrone]

Dean, I took a look at your L ramsayi pic in that previous thread and it looks good. Mine is about that size now.

Chris, I totally agree with you with the afternoon sun, low humidity dry wind thing. My garden has almost no afternoon sun due to the canopy and it's aspect etc. Where I want to plant it is cramped into a bed of Foxy ladies, Golden Canes, a Veitchia joannis where it will get full sun until maybe 11.30am in summer then dappled light thru the leaves of the Foxy Ladies etc and no sun at all by 2.30pm. The soil will be constantly damp and the whole garden bed will be trickle irrigated daily and deeply. Hopefully the wet soil will create it's own humidity. If it doesn't burn I think it will grow as fast as a Licuala ramsayi is ever likely to grow in my climate. Of course that depends on whether I can transplant it succesfully. Noone has answered that question yet. Does anyone know if they are like a Bismarck or Sabal to transplant ie nearly impossible? Or are they like most other species to transplant?

Best regards

Tyrone

[chris.oz]

Tyrone,

I am in the Philippines right now and this is as tropical as it gets anywhere. It rains 3 hours a day,  and the RH is above 90% continuously.

This is the home of Adonidia .... no wonder its a hard bxxxxer to grow in Aus.  

But this is the sort of climate all Licualas love.

The mountains are continually shrouded in cloud.  I bet its cooler but even more damp up there.

Makes australia seem as dry as  a dead dingoes doxxga especially those dry winds I hate.  They can kill tropicals in one day,  and make it really hard form me to grow those lush aroids you see in groves here.

Unfortunately I dont get to see many palms,   They flash by the car window on the way to work and its dark when I get back to the hotel.

Cheers

CHRIS

[Tyrone]

(chris.oz @ Jun. 27 2007,06:53)

QUOTE

Tyrone,

I am in the Philippines right now and this is as tropical as it gets anywhere. It rains 3 hours a day,  and the RH is above 90% continuously.

This is the home of Adonidia .... no wonder its a hard bxxxxer to grow in Aus.  

But this is the sort of climate all Licualas love.

The mountains are continually shrouded in cloud.  I bet its cooler but even more damp up there.

Makes australia seem as dry as  a dead dingoes doxxga especially those dry winds I hate.  They can kill tropicals in one day,  and make it really hard form me to grow those lush aroids you see in groves here.

Unfortunately I dont get to see many palms,   They flash by the car window on the way to work and its dark when I get back to the hotel.

Cheers

CHRIS

Enjoy your time their Chris.

Those Adonidia are tough to grow in the cooler climes. I failed with one attempt in the ground. It lasted 3 yrs though. I have one real good one in a pot under my back patio which is opening a spear at the moment. I don't think I'll bring him inside as I think he'll be fine outside. I've a gold form in greenhouse doing OK.

You're right about the wet tropics though. They don't know what dry is, until they've been to dry old southern Oz.

I'm pretty confident I can get the ramsayi to grow in my proposed spot provided it will transplant. I don't rely on scheme water, so I'm much less restricted than most other gardeners with water use. The pump will pump 200litres a minute, and if I have to put that all on my ramsayi in the warmer weather I'll do it.

Enjoy the warm humidity.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Sabal Steve]

So, I've been growing this in a pot for the last 18 months or so.  The pot would hold about 4 gallons of water (so maybe like a 7 gallon nursery pot).  Went in as a "1 gallon" sized nursery pot.

My question is to how root sensitive these are, when moving from a pot to the ground - I understand that they don't like being dug.  I'm not sure that it has filled out the pot at this point, but I think that it would just do better in the ground.  I don't know that it will come out as one big clump.

[akamu]

 Cut the pot  off while its in the ground and you will not disturb the roots if  you place it in the hole and compact the earth around it and then lift the pot out cut the bottom off and then put it back into the hole and move dirt from one side and slice the edge of the pot being careful not to cut too deep and cut the roots then slowly shimmy the sliced pot out of the dirt. the soil will not even move then be sure to compact the earth back around new palm as to get rid of air pockets I never lose a palm this way  I have tried to relocate one of my ramsayi's after being in the ground and it later croaked .I have seen one with 6ft of trunk in full sun by the beach. Mine is in half day sun 8 miles inland and looks great. been in the ground for about 5 yrs no issues

[Pando]

  On 3/19/2016 at 4:32 AM, akamu said:

 Cut the pot  off while its in the ground and you will not disturb the roots if  you place it in the hole and compact the earth around it and then lift the pot out cut the bottom off and then put it back into the hole and move dirt from one side and slice the edge of the pot being careful not to cut too deep and cut the roots then slowly shimmy the sliced pot out of the dirt. the soil will not even move then be sure to compact the earth back around new palm as to get rid of air pockets

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Nice technique!

[Sabal Steve]

  On 3/19/2016 at 4:32 AM, akamu said:

 Cut the pot  off while its in the ground and you will not disturb the roots if  you place it in the hole and compact the earth around it and then lift the pot out cut the bottom off and then put it back into the hole and move dirt from one side and slice the edge of the pot being careful not to cut too deep and cut the roots then slowly shimmy the sliced pot out of the dirt. the soil will not even move then be sure to compact the earth back around new palm as to get rid of air pockets I never lose a palm this way  I have tried to relocate one of my ramsayi's after being in the ground and it later croaked .I have seen one with 6ft of trunk in full sun by the beach. Mine is in half day sun 8 miles inland and looks great. been in the ground for about 5 yrs no issues

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Hey Adam, 

 

I think that is an excellent method!  

Unfortunately, this one is in a nice, glazed clay pot.  Call it blasphemy, but the pot is more valuable to me than the palm!  I wasn't sure if it would be a better option to flush away soil, and try to grab as many roots as possible, or let it dry out a bit, and try to grab a dry rootball.

[akamu]

I would let it dry out a a little just to not be to soggy when pulling it out of the pot so the roots hold together better.  Unless the pot tapers in at the top and the roots have filled out the pot Then just Smash the pot Haha Give it a shot They are much happier in the ground.