Show Us Your Archontophoenix!

[greysrigging]

I grew all mine from seed 32 years ago.... naturalised in the garden now ( Alexanders )
 

[PalmTreeDude]

Thanks everyone for sharing! Keep them coming! 

[enigma99]

Here is another alexandrae in the garden. This one has more pronounced green rings more than the others.

Huge difference compared to cunninghamiana

 

Edited December 28, 2019 by enigma99

[GottmitAlex]

[Palmensammler]

Hi Alex,

what a beauty already at this size. In my climat they are so slow. I'm sure I will retire before a seedling will grow to this size.

Eckhard

[PalmCode]

Here's one of my Cunninghamiana. I planted it in the ground 11 years ago.

Edited December 29, 2019 by PalmCode

[IHB1979]

 

Planted this A. cunninghamiana as a three leaf seedling in 2012. I spoiled this palm when it was young.  Deep watering almost daily. The lean is from Irma.

Small A. maxima on the left planted in 2014.

[James B]

7 hours ago, enigma99 said:

Here is another alexandrae in the garden. This one has more pronounced green rings more than the others.

Huge difference compared to cunninghamiana

 

Yeah that might be the var Beatricea type

[Shoowow]

This one is not mine, but it's rather in deep forest here, bent over a former structure. The curiosity is the 90º bend on the trunk! Nature will adapt...

[The Gerg]

My Archontopheonix purpurea. Some of the more vibrant crownshaft moments.

 

[The Gerg]

My Archontopheonix Myolensis. This one has put on a little gerth at the base but has been slow to grow vertically for me.

[James B]

39 minutes ago, The Gerg said:

My Archontopheonix Myolensis. This one has put on a little gerth at the base but has been slow to grow vertically for me.

Crazy base on that palm! How are your Maxima growing?

[enigma99]

14 hours ago, James B said:

Yeah that might be the var Beatricea type

Yeah, combined with the fact it opens new leafs yellow, almost orange, has to be a beatrice! cool

Edited December 29, 2019 by enigma99

[The Gerg]

13 hours ago, James B said:

Crazy base on that palm! How are your Maxima growing?

Only have one. It’s chugging along. Not in the best location for pictures.

I do have a larger size “teracarpa” as described by Phil at Jungle Music. Not an official species but large like a Maxima but a little different.

Heres my most recent pic of that though not a great picture. It’s a fast grower.

[James B]

7 hours ago, The Gerg said:

Only have one. It’s chugging along. Not in the best location for pictures.

I do have a larger size “teracarpa” as described by Phil at Jungle Music. Not an official species but large like a Maxima but a little different.

Heres my most recent pic of that though not a great picture. It’s a fast grower.

So you think the Teracarpa is different enough to be a separate subtype vs being from a really robust specimen of Maxima?

[The Gerg]

 

38 minutes ago, James B said:

So you think the Teracarpa is different enough to be a separate subtype vs being from a really robust specimen of Maxima?

I’m probably not yet knowledgeable enough to make that call. That’s why I just defer to Phil. He’s been at this a long time. It very well might be a robust version of Maxima. I should probably start paying more attention to all the traits. I do not recall this one opening up salmon colored new leaf where my maxima definitely does.

[James B]

1 hour ago, The Gerg said:

 

I’m probably not yet knowledgeable enough to make that call. That’s why I just defer to Phil. He’s been at this a long time. It very well might be a robust version of Maxima. I should probably start paying more attention to all the traits. I do not recall this one opening up salmon colored new leaf where my maxima definitely does.

Ah that’s interesting about the leaves. Bummer hey stop doing that once they get 10 feet or so. I always try to learn what traits Maxima is showing in other members yards as I have 5 and they exhibit different traits. 

[sonoranfans]

First pic, a happy alexandre triple, over 20' tall.  Its hard to isolate these in a pic these days.  Second pic a myolensis about the same age a few feet shorter.  

[Merlyn]

<deleted bizarre triple post>

Edited December 30, 2019 by Merlyn2220

[Merlyn]

<deleted bizarre triple post>

Edited December 30, 2019 by Merlyn2220

[Merlyn]

On 12/27/2019 at 11:36 AM, Oviedo_z10b_lol said:

Here’s my A. Alexandra’s hanging out on the patio, waiting for me to take some water oaks down before she goes in the ground. 
side note: I am appalled kings are not more readily available in central florida ... or in all of florida for that matter. I’ve heard the big box stores in California sell Cunninghamianas? Well at least I can buy as many adonidias as I want... 

That's a nice looking Alexandra, where did you get it? 

I'm also appalled that they sell lots of much more cold-sensitive stuff here (Adonidia, Hyophorbes, Foxtails, Majesty, even Cocos) but no Archontophoenix at all.  The only place I found them was at Uncle Jutty's in Kissimmee / Lake Nona area.  Depending on frost (of course) Cunninghamiana are fairly okay in the upper 20s, while half of the big box store stuff is defoliated or dead in the mid-to-upper 20s!

[James B]

5 hours ago, Merlyn2220 said:

That's a nice looking Alexandra, where did you get it? 

I'm also appalled that they sell lots of much more cold-sensitive stuff here (Adonidia, Hyophorbes, Foxtails, Majesty, even Cocos) but no Archontophoenix at all.  The only place I found them was at Uncle Jutty's in Kissimmee / Lake Nona area.  Depending on frost (of course) Cunninghamiana are fairly okay in the upper 20s, while half of the big box store stuff is defoliated or dead in the mid-to-upper 20s!

I became a palm nut after I left Florida and moved to socal. So I don’t have much knowledge on selection in FL. I find it strange Archontophoenix is so hard to find there when Florida is a better climate than California is for King Palms. What’s interesting is your saying in Florida Cunninghamiana gets beat up in high 20s. In my yard all of my Kings receive leaf burn last winter when it got down to 30 a few nights in January and possibly 29. But it was all minor and none of the palms missed a beat once spring came around.

It seems from the posts in the freeze damage forum say Cunninghamiana can survive 22 for sure with some severe damage and even Maxima was able to handle 24 according to some of our members. Luckily for me none of mine have seen it that low with 29 being the absolute lowest yard temp I’ve had in 6 winters at my house.

[Oviedo_z10b_lol]

18 hours ago, Merlyn2220 said:

That's a nice looking Alexandra, where did you get it? 

I'm also appalled that they sell lots of much more cold-sensitive stuff here (Adonidia, Hyophorbes, Foxtails, Majesty, even Cocos) but no Archontophoenix at all.  The only place I found them was at Uncle Jutty's in Kissimmee / Lake Nona area.  Depending on frost (of course) Cunninghamiana are fairly okay in the upper 20s, while half of the big box store stuff is defoliated or dead in the mid-to-upper 20s!

Facebook marketplace ad. A guy in Deltona had some. I think he still has a single king Alex 15g left. I can send you his info If you’d like. 

[Merlyn]

13 hours ago, James B said:

What’s interesting is your saying in Florida Cunninghamiana gets beat up in high 20s. In my yard all of my Kings receive leaf burn last winter when it got down to 30 a few nights in January and possibly 29. But it was all minor and none of the palms missed a beat once spring came around.

It seems from the posts in the freeze damage forum say Cunninghamiana can survive 22 for sure with some severe damage and even Maxima was able to handle 24 according to some of our members. Luckily for me none of mine have seen it that low with 29 being the absolute lowest yard temp I’ve had in 6 winters at my house.

I said the Cunninghamiana are mostly *okay* in the upper 20s, probably depending on frost.  A lot of the big box store stuff takes severe damage in the upper 20s.  My reading of the freeze damage posts is that they take variable damage or death around 25 or below.  It's probably a good 9b palm for Central FL, which is why it's so odd that no one sells them here!

I found the guy with the Alex 15g, I might have to make a short drive to Deltona to buy one! 

[sonoranfans]

If you want to buy palms, go to a nursery, not big box stores.  I have 33 species in my yard, about 4 that are carried by local big box stores.  If you depend on big box stores and you live in florida its like eating only dogs at a barbecue.  the big box stores will always only offer a few species, less trouble understanding their upkeep.  I have one palm in my yard from a big box store, a bismarckia rescue as it was surely going to die there.

[Oviedo_z10b_lol]

3 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

If you want to buy palms, go to a nursery, not big box stores.  I have 33 species in my yard, about 4 that are carried by local big box stores.  If you depend on big box stores and you live in florida its like eating only dogs at a barbecue.  the big box stores will always only offer a few species, less trouble understanding their upkeep.  I have one palm in my yard from a big box store, a bismarckia rescue as it was surely going to die there.

I agree. But the nursery in my little suburb. . . Well. . . There is only one way to put this. And it is an illustration. They carry piccabeen palms for $200 at 15g. So you see our quandary. 

[ruskinPalms]

Here’s a pic of my ratty A. cunninghamiana. It has been pretty damn slow compared to most of my other palms. But, it is quite beautiful and graceful in the wind and it is actually pretty unique around here. I’m looking forward to getting some Archontophoenix seeds from Dooms Dave!

[James B]

11 hours ago, Merlyn2220 said:

I said the Cunninghamiana are mostly *okay* in the upper 20s, probably depending on frost.  A lot of the big box store stuff takes severe damage in the upper 20s.  My reading of the freeze damage posts is that they take variable damage or death around 25 or below.  It's probably a good 9b palm for Central FL, which is why it's so odd that no one sells them here!

I found the guy with the Alex 15g, I might have to make a short drive to Deltona to buy one! 

The people making decisions at the big box stores aren’t the smartest when it comes to palms. In my area every Home Depot is full of Bottle Palms yet if you put one in the Ground here in Rancho Cucamonga it will die in the winter. The only shot it has is to keep it in a pot which gives you the option to move it. I agree it’s odd King Palms are not more readily available in the Orlando area. They are one of the toughest tropical palms out there. 

[sonoranfans]

15 hours ago, Oviedo_z10b_lol said:

I agree. But the nursery in my little suburb. . . . They carry piccabeen palms for $200 at 15g. So you see our quandary. 

I see you are relatively new here.  There has to be a forum member nearby who knows a few good nurseries in the orlando area.  There are a few of smaller growers, drive out of the neighborhood.   My palms came from st pete to orlando to miami in florida, and I had some shipped from california as well. I bought my archontophoenix alexandre from MB palms in orando.  If you are buying archies, dont bother going big, they grow fast.  My alexandre were $3 each as 1 gallon seedlings in 2011, MB palms in orlando area.  

[Merlyn]

Yep, MB shows liners (which he only sells by the tray), 3G, 7G and 25G on Plantant right now.  I try not to bug him for occasional small purchases, since he's "officially" a wholesale-only place.  I get a big list of unusual palms and then go buy 5-10 at a time.  I bought my Cunninghamiana as a pack of 2 leaf seedlings from eBay, 10pcs for $16 shipped.  They quickly outgrew their quart pots and I stepped them up to 4x4x14 treepots a few weeks ago.  Hopefully I'll figure out a spot for them in the spring!

[Pal Meir]

[enigma99]

Yesterday was archontophoenix delete day!  Quads down to triples. I think they look a lot better in 3s or less. Also my yard has grown together and it looks better cleared out!

 

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by enigma99

[enigma99]

[Davidl]

These A. Alexandrae palms are in pretty good shape even after hurricane Irma a few years ago

[GottmitAlex]

On 1/2/2020 at 1:33 PM, enigma99 said:

[PalmTreeDude]

Are Archontophoenix alexandrae fully hardy in Central Florida? 

[kinzyjr]

1 hour ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Are Archontophoenix alexandrae fully hardy in Central Florida? 

Good question with variable answers depending on the definition of fully hardy and the geographic limits of Central Florida.  If, by fully hardy, you mean can they survive our record lows - probably not in most cases.  St. Petersburg would be the closest area to me where they have a chance in the worst years, but even then, the low 20s would be at least major damage for the hardiest specimens.  If you change the definition slightly to 2010-hardy, then there are survivors in the warm microclimates along the I-4 corridor.

[DoomsDave]

On 12/28/2019 at 9:50 AM, PalmTreeDude said:

Thanks everyone for sharing! Keep them coming! 

And try to stop the Archontophoenix Monster!

[DoomsDave]

3 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Awww, shhhhh

 

That's what copious amounts of seed are for!

[DoomsDave]

On 1/2/2020 at 1:33 PM, enigma99 said:

Why the massacre?

Okay, ah gits it.