Root bound Phoenix sylvestris

[Walt]

I'm posting this for a friend, Dave Z, who has registered here but is having trouble accessing the forum. Dave Z asked me to post the subject question for him untill he can access (to post) the forum. Until then he can read any replies.

Here's Dave Z's question:

Last week while vacationing in Jacksonville, Florida, my wife and I bought a potted  Phoenix sylvestris palm.

After getting the palm back home  (Virginia Beach, Virginia) we discovered that the palm is badly root bound (2/3 of the pot is dirt w/roots, the last 1/3 being just roots growing in a circle around the pot) with an empty spot in the middle.

We have to repot the sylvestris for now, as the palm will later be planted in South Carolina.

I know some palms don't mind  having their roots reduced for a better growth, and we are wondering if it is ok to do so with the sylvestris.

My question is:  should we plant the palm in a bigger pot the way it is and let it be? If not, what do you (anyone) suggest as far as root trimming and then repotting?

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

We are asking to our friend and IPS forum member,Walt, to post this for us.

We have registered, but each time we try to start a new topic we get the following message: "Sorry, you do not have permission to start a topic in this forum. You are currently logged in as DaveZ "

[Kris]

Dear Walt  

i have and had  few of these phoenix,all it needs is a next size

pot or container.and it will keep that baby happy !

here is a still of mine that is due to repotting !

Love,

Kris  

[Kris]

And i could not resist posting a still of the grown-up specimen of that palm which is in front of our house!

but that palce was initially intenteded for CIDP.but at that time

i did not have acceesses to those seeds or saplings...

its a piety that such a location was not aloted for canarian island date palm !  

[Walt]

Thank you, Kris. I will let Dave Z read your reply. I figured the P. sylvestris would be okay just stepping it up in pot size without cutting any roots.

This same thing happened to me earlier this year when a potted queen palm I had started to rise in its pot. The roots started growing straight down and they lifted the entire palm 1/3 the way out of the pot.

I have one P. sylvestris. Once they get some trunk these palms are quite pricey around my area and I see more and more of them being planted in commercial situations.

[ruskinPalms]

In my opinion, I would advise your friend to not cut the roots. Like Kris said, just put it in bigger pot with some decent potting soil. Water regularly and the palm will figure the rest out. Palms are actually pretty darn tough. The one royal I have planted was in a 1 gallon pot that was only 2/3 full, 99% roots. It was way oversized for the pot it was in. The damn thing couldn't even stand up. It was incredibly pot bound but it is doing fine now in the ground.

[Al in Kona]

I'd agree, don't cut or trim off any of the roots of that Phoenix.

BTW, Kris that P. sylvestris growing in your garden is beautiful.  Personally I like it much better than P. canariensis and my guess it grows and looks better in your climate than a P. canariensis would long term anyway.

[Kris]

Dear walt  

i hope it was helpful.

dear Al  

thanks for those sweet comments.but as proverb states"the grass is always greener on the otherside !  

and those varities that grow here are always taken for granted !

Thanks & Love,

Kris  

[The Germinator]

When it comes to Phoenix Palms just ask Kris...... shes' always potting them up. Ask her to send you one of those plasitc barrels she uses.

I love her pictorial stories.

[Kris]

Dear Germinator  

thanks for your comments and for your information iam a male

love,

kris  

[Walt]

Thanks, all who replied to my post for Dave Z. He has read them.

[The Germinator]

Sorry, in the states they spell it different. for Males...... Dumb American

[Kris]

(The Germinator @ Jul. 12 2007,02:38)

QUOTE

Sorry, in the states they spell it different. for Males...... Dumb American

Dear Germinator  

its perfectly okay.and no sorry required whatsover..i have never considered any memeber of this forum a stranger but

a well know friend or all in a palm family !

and the word "Kris" is just a cutaway part of my long name.

so the spelling does not tally with.. But friends call me Kris !

lots of love,

Kris  

[The Germinator]

Thanks Kris, I love Phoenix Palms I currently have 2 in the Ground.

Canariensis and reclenata. I have more in containers Theopristi, Sylvestris, Dactylifera, and Humilis.

I so enjoy your posts. Thanks for all the info you have provided.

Ed

[DaveZ]

Finally we can log on !

We want to thank very much Walt for getting some informations from you for our new Ph. sylvestris   and to all who replied thank you as well of course. Chris your specimen is awesome. Ours we will be planted some day in SC but we doubt it will ever reach that height !

DaveZ

[Kris]

Dear Dave Z  

they will certainly grow big in your place too.since they are not as slow as CIDP or Jubeas.they are very fast growers.and

keep feeding it with fertz and superthrive and keep trimming the leaf fronds often this aggrivates height but the compromise is we loos the trunk thickness !

And welcome to our family(Palmtalk.org)  

thanks for your kind remarks !

love,

Kris(India)  

[Kris]

Dear Dave & Walt  

Here is the visual of my phoenix sylversteris that is almost

6 to 8 years old living in post as back-up plan for my phoenix

that is on the ground !

now since it has lived its purpose,iam encouraging friends here to plant it on the ground in their house !

here are the visuals of the roots trying to lift the entire palm

structure.and its very ideal to pull out and easily plant it in

the location we need on the ground.