Archontophoenix

[Plantasexoticas]

Hi all,

just wondering if archontophoenix sp hybridise with each other? 
 

i purchased seeds from RPS of A.cunninghamiana and A.alexandrae. I have a few plants growing but the seedlings vary so much, I have one alexandrae  which is showing the more silvery under its leaves but some have not. They are still young so perhaps it becomes clearer as they mature? 
 

 

[sonoranfans]

I have seen an alabang, alexandre x cunninghamiana(bangalow) in a forum members yard about 8-10 years ago.  It was a large palm, quite impressive.

[Plantasexoticas]

1 hour ago, sonoranfans said:

I have seen an alabang, alexandre x cunninghamiana(bangalow) in a forum members yard about 8-10 years ago.  It was a large palm, quite impressive.

Do you have any photos? 
 

is it quite normal for seedlings of the two species to be hard to tell apart or should they be distinguished? 

[James B]

I too am interested any photos any members have. I have not seen one (Alabang)in person but I am aware that any Archontophoenix can hybridize with each other. I recently planted two Archontophoenix Teracarpa from jungle music which are quite pale and Look more like Cunninghamiana than other palms post by members on this site. Asked Phil about the color and he said it’s from the roots being root bound in the pot and that they would darken up in time. So I’ll update over time on their progress. Looking at them current state they could well be a Maxima x Cunninghamiana hybrid.

[James B]

[James B]

From the pic you can see the light green color compared to the Cunninghamiana which is behind and to the right and the darker green of a Maxima behind and to the left of the Teracarpa. You can also see the silvery underside to the leaves.

Edited May 10, 2020 by James B

[DoomsDave]

Archontophoenix certainly do hybridize!

Here’s my biggest tallest Archie, which I’m pretty sure is a cunninghamiana alexandrae cross.

It has a bit of a stepped trunk plus silver leaf reverses and purple flowers.

It produces tons of seeds, most of which don’t sprout.

 

[necturus]

God I wish I could get a Alexandra x Cunninghamiana cross

[Plantasexoticas]

1 hour ago, James B said:

From the pic you can see the light green color compared to the Cunninghamiana which is behind and to the right and the darker green of a Maxima behind and to the left of the Teracarpa. You can also see the silvery underside to the leaves.

It’s a very vivid lime green! Looks great though and will be interesting to see how it develops 

[Plantasexoticas]

33 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

Archontophoenix certainly do hybridize!

Here’s my biggest tallest Archie, which I’m pretty sure is a cunninghamiana alexandrae cross.

It has a bit of a stepped trunk plus silver leaf reverses and purple flowers.

It produces tons of seeds, most of which don’t sprout.

 

Woah! Great looking palm, how comes most of them don’t germinate? Is it because of a lack of pollination?

so with my seedlings, I’ll let them mature some more, but is there a possibility they may not be exactly as I purchased them as? I’ll send a few pics if it helps

[James B]

Pics always help but as general rule the younger the king palm the more they look alike so while Purpurea and Cunninghamiana will always stand out as more obvious, the others (Alexandrae, Beatriceae, Maxima, Myolensis, and Tuckeri can all look almost identical at young age.

[DoomsDave]

51 minutes ago, Plantasexoticas said:

Woah! Great looking palm, how comes most of them don’t germinate? Is it because of a lack of pollination?

so with my seedlings, I’ll let them mature some more, but is there a possibility they may not be exactly as I purchased them as? I’ll send a few pics if it helps

I can send you some seeds, but they're mostly duds. Those pictures really don't capture its soaring glory.

[Plantasexoticas]

1 minute ago, DoomsDave said:

I can send you some seeds, but they're mostly duds. Those pictures really don't capture its soaring glory.

That’d be great, love to give them a go 

[Plantasexoticas]

A couple of my A. alexandrae seedlings. Will try get some photos of others tomorrow 

[DoomsDave]

1 minute ago, Plantasexoticas said:

That’d be great, love to give them a go 

Shoot me a PM with your address. Don't know how soon I'll have seeds, but when I do.

I also have lots of other palm seeds, too, including Chamadorea radicalis.

[Plantasexoticas]

23 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

Shoot me a PM with your address. Don't know how soon I'll have seeds, but when I do.

I also have lots of other palm seeds, too, including Chamadorea radicalis.

Yes you sent me seeds couple years ago of your radicalis. 
 

I’ve kept them outside last couple winters, slow but they come through the winter ok. Little spotty after the previous wet winter but they gave reacted quickly in the warm spring we’ve had here 

Edited May 10, 2020 by Plantasexoticas
Missed picture addition

[quaman58]

I've had a palm for a number of years that was purshased at a big box store as "tropical foliage". I always assumed it was cunninghamia, but then it developed a light whitish leaf undersides, and the leaves don't twist much. It is, year after year, the prettiest palm in my yard. It's reminiscent to me of a tropically grown Clinosigma or something. Anyway, I've always assumed it's a hybrid. It's also hard to get pictures of, but here's a couple of shots. It's the one in the center..

Edited May 10, 2020 by quaman58

[Plantasexoticas]

20 minutes ago, quaman58 said:

I've had a palm for a number of years that was purshased at a big box store as "tropical foliage". I always assumed it was cunninghamia, but then it developed a light whitish leaf undersides, and the leaves don't twist much. It is, year after year, the prettiest palm in my yard. It's reminiscent to me of a tropically grown Clinosigma or something. Anyway, I've always assumed it's a hybrid. It's also hard to get pictures of, but here's a couple of shots. It's the one in the center..

Stunning palm! I’m always in awe of palm gardens like yours. There are plenty we can grow here but it’s limited! I saw some tall archontophoenix in a glasshouse here and they are beautiful so I wanted to grow them myself 

[PalmTreeDude]

All of these photos are just feeding to my Archontophoenix addiction! I love the looks of these palms, I also like how a lot of them can handle some cold from time to time. Believe it or not, I stuck I small one in the ground here in Virginia, I’m going to attempt to protect it with a box in the winter. 

Edited May 10, 2020 by PalmTreeDude

[Plantasexoticas]

6 minutes ago, PalmTreeDude said:

All of these photos are just feeding to my Archontophoenix addiction! I love the looks of these palms, I also like how a lot of them can handle some cold from time to time. Believe it or not, I stuck I small one in the ground here in Virginia, I’m going to attempt to protect it with a box in the winter. 

Definitely a cold tolerance which helps with growing them outdoors here in sometimes cool summers. 
 

did you put it in the ground this year? 

[sonoranfans]

F1 hybrids can present various differences in taxonomy, so an alabang can differ from another alabang.  This you can see in mule palms which can resemble the syagrus with weeping plumose leaves or it can resemble a butia with a much less weeping and non plumose arrangement.  The alabang I saw was a larger palm than either an alexandre or cunninghamiana and was more dark green in leaves like cunningnamiana but with longer leaves than either parent examples I have seen.  Another alabang could be different, that is an F1 hybrid issue, and you cant tell what its going to be when its a seedling.

[DoomsDave]

Another observation about hybrids in general is that fan palm hybrids, like Brahea Clara or Franken Brahea, set viable seed that appear to generate plants true to the immediately preceding parent.

Feather palms, on the other hand, are more likely to be sterile and, when they do set fertile seed, the babies tend to revert back to the "grandparents'" type.

[Plantasexoticas]

54 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

Another observation about hybrids in general is that fan palm hybrids, like Brahea Clara or Franken Brahea, set viable seed that appear to generate plants true to the immediately preceding parent.

Feather palms, on the other hand, are more likely to be sterile and, when they do set fertile seed, the babies tend to revert back to the "grandparents'" type.

This is very interesting! I wonder why the difference between fan and feather 

[PalmTreeDude]

19 hours ago, Plantasexoticas said:

Definitely a cold tolerance which helps with growing them outdoors here in sometimes cool summers. 
 

did you put it in the ground this year? 

Yes, I put it in the ground in March. It got sunburned though because it wasn’t acclimated yet, even though I had it out many days over the winter, I guess the sun wasn’t as intense then. Here it is now, hopefully it outgrows the sunburnt leaves fairly quickly once it heats up. I actually put some plastic over the little fence I made around it to try to get it more heat, since this Spring has been unusually cool. 

Edited May 11, 2020 by PalmTreeDude

[Plantasexoticas]

45 minutes ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Yes, I put it in the ground in March. It got sunburned though because it wasn’t acclimated yet, even though I had it out many days over the winter, I guess the sun wasn’t as intense then. Here it is now, hopefully it outgrows the sunburnt leaves fairly quickly once it heats up. I actually put some plastic over the little fence I made around it to try to get it more heat, since this Spring has been unusually cool. 

I’m definitely intrigued to how you get on with this one! What are your winters like in your location? 

[Plantasexoticas]

Here’s my seedlings, first picture is alexandrae and second is cunninghamiana. Hopefully will show some clearer differences as they age 

[PalmTreeDude]

11 hours ago, Plantasexoticas said:

I’m definitely intrigued to how you get on with this one! What are your winters like in your location? 

Winters can be cold here, I’m on the edge of USDA zone 7a/7b. We typically get a night or two every winter (except for this past winter) that gives us a reality check. We do get a good amount of sun though and even a few random days in the 60s and even low 70s F. We have a lot of winter days in the 50s. I have to use heat and a box for sure in order to give this palm a chance at survival. 

Edited May 12, 2020 by PalmTreeDude

[Plantasexoticas]

5 hours ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Winters can be cold here, I’m on the edge of USDA zone 7a/7b. We typically get a night or two every winter (except for this past winter) that gives us a reality check. We do get a good amount of sun though and even a few random days in the 60s and even low 70s F. We have a lot of winter days in the 50s. I have to use heat and a box for sure in order to give this palm a chance at survival. 

But will an archontophoenix not survive winter Without protection, as long as it doesn’t freeze?

I know 50 is low but are they not ok with that? My seedlings have been out in those temperatures quite a bit. I only bring them inside for very cold temperatures (like last night got down to 37)

I only ask as I know of the occasional plant people have tried outdoors here that have grown ok outdoors until they experience a frost