My Ravenea 'from Isalo'

[Phoenikakias]

It had been planted in to the ground directly after acquisition as a two leaf seedling with seed still attached. For the first few years it was enjoying every winter an on site protection through a rabbit cage wrapped with plastic. It grows moderately fast but it displays a trunk with less than half the girth of Ravenea rivularis. After having removed a blooming Arenga pinnata blocking the view of the Ravenea, I have now the opportunity to capture the whole (almost) figure of latter in one picture. Btw do we have a new name for this sp?

For comparison trunk of R rivularis

[lzorrito]

13 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

It had been planted in to the ground directly after acquisition as a two leaf seedling with seed still attached.

That's a very nice piece of work, thriving in ground since such an early age. It looks great! Congrats! Half day sun?

[Phoenikakias]

Yes, morning to midday sun.

[joe_OC]

Looks like Isola form of Ravenea glauca.

[quaman58]

Such a great looking palm IMO. Mine have been really odd in their growth habits, although they always look pretty good. My neighbor got one that went from a pinnate seedling to trunking in 4 years. My larger one has been in ground for 7 years and still has no vertical trunk, but appears to be "crawling" sideways, with most of the stem still underground, like a Sabal minor.  Then I have a beautiful plant that is maybe  2-1/2 feet tall, been in ground for over 10 years, throws leaves on a regular basis, but does not grow much vertically.  Yours looks great! 

[Frond-friend42]

To clarify, there is the Isalo form and the Andringitra form. The latter has a very recurved, erect, keeled leaf. The first has leaves that look light and feather kind of like Kentias and grow on cliff-sides, very hardy and adaptable.  The second kind of reminds me of D. decipiens.  This from Len Geiger's website, "Married to Plants".

I'm curious how these two were ever considered to be the same species. Or if genetically they are, how the could look so different. 

[Tracy]

2 minutes ago, Frond-friend42 said:

I'm curious how these two were ever considered to be the same species.

The answer is one of them has the incorrect id.  Isalo form was in distribution here in the States for a long time before the Andringitra form was available.  The Isalo form is a relatively easy grow in many places while seedlings of the Andringitra form have been somewhat temperamental from what I have read.

 

57 minutes ago, quaman58 said:

My neighbor got one that went from a pinnate seedling to trunking in 4 years. My larger one has been in ground for 7 years and still has no vertical trunk, but appears to be "crawling" sideways, with most of the stem still underground,

Bret, your neighbor's plant sounds very fast.  My experience has been between yours and the neighbors.  I have noticed a propensity for them to want to crawl at the base away from a heel that is below grade.  I have one male plant and still waiting on the other to see whether its male or female.

[Phoenikakias]

2 hours ago, joe_OC said:

Looks like Isola form of Ravenea glauca.

Precisely! But I am under the impression, that scientists have come to the conclusion that this name should be attributed to another taxon from different localities in the island. So renaming of the Isalo palm is still pending...

Edited August 18, 2020 by Phoenikakias

[joe_OC]

40 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

Precisely! But I am under the impression, that scientists have come to the conclusion that this name should be attributed to another taxon from different localities in the island. So renaming of the Isalo palm is still pending...

Unfortunately, there is a long queue of palms that need a name.  

[Astrophoenix]

Elegant palm. One day I wish to stumble upon your garden phoenikakias. Do you have the andingr... Whatever form? I got seeds once, a couple sprouted and then rotted. I refrained from buying again fearing same outcome. 

[lzorrito]

3 hours ago, Frond-friend42 said:

I'm curious how these two were ever considered to be the same species. Or if genetically they are, how the could look so different. 

Me too...so now "two too" curious to know... got an 'Andringitra' seedling...hoping to get an 'Isalo' too.

[Phoenikakias]

14 hours ago, Tracy said:

The answer is one of them has the incorrect id.  Isalo form was in distribution here in the States for a long time before the Andringitra form was available.  The Isalo form is a relatively easy grow in many places while seedlings of the Andringitra form have been somewhat temperamental from what I have read.

 

Bret, your neighbor's plant sounds very fast.  My experience has been between yours and the neighbors.  I have noticed a propensity for them to want to crawl at the base away from a heel that is below grade.  I have one male plant and still waiting on the other to see whether its male or female.

Mine has a heel clearly above soil level. I think my case could be very instructive as the plant was left to grow in the very same spot since  still a baby. Soil is deep but full of grit and gravel. Dirt has been added in the years after outplanting, so the heel would actually lie ever higher above surface.

[lzorrito]

14 hours ago, Tracy said:

while seedlings of the Andringitra form have been somewhat temperamental from what I have read.

Also read that, @Tracy .  @Darold Petty told me about its experience with it. I'm being very careful, and trying not even to touch it by any means. They are very tender as seedlings.

 

14 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

I think my case could be very instructive as the plant was left to grow in the very same spot since  still a baby. Soil is deep but full of grit and gravel. Dirt has been added in the years after outplanting, so the heel would actually lie ever higher above surface.

Yes, very instructive indeed. A success case for a very early age seedling in the ground.

The gravel really takes an important role regarding to drainage and aeration, and it also tends to kind of "replicate" the specific native soil. We must keep in mind that the dirt, and all its benefits, was added later, gradually, respecting and following roots development towards its establisment. Well played!

Thank you for sharing, Konstantinos!