Dypsis decaryi

[Kathryn]

I bought this Dypsis decaryi from Home Depot about four years ago, labeled as a 4” tropical, for about $2. It has been in the pot pictured below, in the same spot for about three years. I didn’t pay much attention to it and it rooted itself and got shaded by a Livistona decora. I recently cut the roots and moved it – now I’m trying to figure out what to do with it.

I would like to try it in the ground – it made it through four winters without protection, but eventually we will get cold enough to kill it. Can it take full shade, which it has had for the last several years and grew very well? How fast does it grow compared to Livistona chinensis? I have two chinensis with about four feet of trunk that I can put it under for some protection. Will it grow faster than they will? I don’t want the crowns to become the same height.

[edbrown_3]

I have one about 15 tall in Jax. Too cold here but like you I bought a small one iand it got too big.  

I grow it buy a window to get heat loss duirng winter. The trunk has damage before the bud though.. I use a heating pad and cover during hard freezes. It has been through a number ( down to 21 F a few times).. Heating pad gives just enough heat to keep the trunk from falling off in chunks. I put the heating pad on when I suspect 26 F or lower.  Its been in the ground since 95 here in zone 9A( Jax FL).

Best regards,

Ed

[BobbyinNY]

Wow....

I didn't realize they were THAT hardy.... I have three of them - one about the same size as yours, Kathryn which i've had for about (2) years... it's been growing like crazy... It developed stilt roots and became fragile... then a gust of wind knocked it sideways, so I picked it up and put stakes in for support and it's just growing like crazy.... but I thought these were pretty sensitive.

[redant]

While they are not particularly fast growers, they are not real slow either.  Livistona chinensis take forever to put on any real height at least for me. They get big and bushy but not real tall. I have had both of the above in the ground for about the same period of time and from the same size plants. The Dypsis is taller but is growing in much drier sandier soil then the Livistona, which is planted in swamp like conditions in the summer.

It's amazing how few  Dypsis decaryi you see in use in the garden, they are such pretty palms and so easy to grow.

[junglegalfla]

Livistona chinensis is a snail for me. The triangle on the other hand...very fast! Here is 2 yrs growth for me. Mine is in full sun.

[edbrown_3]

Bobby and Kathryn,

This is Florida now.. The temps bottomed out at 26F when I puty the  heating pad on it gets heat loss from window.  Also the 21 I had plastic aroudn it.. Parts of the trunk fall off if you dont apply a heating pad to keep it warm. The trunk of mine has alot of cracks related to cold spells but has had any chunks fall off.

[epicure3]

Yes, the triangle definitely wants drier conditions than other tropical palms. They grow at a moderate pace for me. I have 2 which both have about 3' of trunk. Gorgeous palms.

[Kathryn]

Thanks Ed, I think I might try it in a sunny spot near the house. I don’t think I will protect it much. I’m more in a mode of leaving palms alone now and if they make it, good, if not, oh well. I have a foxtail that was in a pot for many years and recently went in the ground. I think both can take around 28ºF, which we haven’t gotten to in the last several years, but eventually we will get to the low 20’s.

[Kathryn]

Here is one that has been in a pot for a while outside of Margaritaville in the French Quarter. The first picture was taken in June 2005 with Eddie and the second in June 2007. It doesn’t get any protection in the winter, but the quarter has a great microclimate.

I don’t think it looks so great in the pot and I am ready to put mine in the ground and see what happens.

[Kathryn]

John,

I found out quickly that these don’t like much water. I watered my first potted one on the same frequency as many others and it struggled. I started watering about half as often and it did much better. Now I don’t water the potted ones at all and just let them get rainwater.

[elHoagie]

Looks good Kate, definitely time to plant it.  There's one growing at the Huntington near me with about 3m (10ft) of trunk in shade under high canopy.  It always looks like it's about to die, the trunk is very skinny and it only has about 5 leaves on it.  I have seen some that look great with about half a day of full sun, but full sun is probably best.

Also, the low at my old place in Altadena last winter was -3C (27F).  I had a triangle in the ground that was just starting to trunk, probably 2.5-3m (8-10ft)total height.  The leaves had some damage from the cold, but not too bad.  Palmazon and I dug the plant up a week later, and it's still alive.  So, I think they can survive some serious cold.

[gsytch]

I have a mature Triangle in my front yard in New Port Richey (about an hour N of St Pete - zone 9b). It is in full sun  most of the time but protected from frost by tall pines nearby. The trunk is now too tall for me to prune off old fronds without using a ladder. It suffered minor damage in the late 90's when it hit 27F w/wind but rebounded without issue. It was planted from a 1 gallon in 1994. I didnt know what it was at the time. Now, people just stare at it. Very hardy, and I ensure it is fertilized often but I do not give it that much water - of course it could rain this summer sometime....maybe...please...I'm praying! I would say it is 30' at its apex. Beautiful. Greg in Tampa Bay

[Neel]

I've found the triangle to be very hardy too. In the summer time, the spears tends to open up faster while when it gets colder, it takes almost 3 months at times for the spear to open up. In the 3 years I've had mine, i get an average of 3 new leaves per year. Is this what most people get too? Seems like a slow grower to me, but then again....I'm also impatient.

Have do your triangles hold up to the winds? I thought my nasty canyon winds would mess it up pretty bad, but it seems to be doing ok.

[Kris]

Dear Friends here is my triangle...

[TimHopper]

I bought mine five years ago as a three gallon. This has been one of my most trouble free palms. It has been exposed to some frost and temps just below 28f and has never had any real damage. It is in full sun, but crowded by the Royal and Gigas (left and right). I water this area heavily in the summer, but my soil is very sandy and well drained so I guess it doesn't mind. It's funny that although I really like my Triangle, I don't  consider this palm one of my favorites. But it does get a lot of attention from my non-palm-NUT friends. They comment on the distinct triangular frond arrangement and the wooly tomentum. Tim

[xerophyte_nyc]

I bought a 2-gal plant last spring, it grew well all summer and fall.

I left it out for about a week with temps in the low 30's at night (no frost) and not much warmer in the day.  Then I took it indoors by a sunny window.

The rest of the winter, it finished the frond that was started outdoors, and stayed somewhat on the dry side compared to my other palms.

Until last week, it hasn't grown at all, the growth point appears to have rotted.  My guess is that cold snaps aren't well taken by D decaryi seedlings, even though adult plants seem hardy.

Incidentally, my King Alexander and R regia seedlings handled the same conditions without any real problems other than an apparent delay to resume growth this spring.

[Kathryn]

Great Dypsis decaryi pictures everyone!

Tim, I have to say your is the best – the color on the emerging fronds and the base of the older ones is great.

Here’s mine after I put it in the ground. I planted late last week, but went to Alabama for the weekend so I didn’t get a chance to post. It's on the south east side of my house and I hope it does okay.

[Kathryn]

Mark,

Put yours back in outside the sun. The one pictured was exposed to 28ºF every year since it was just a seedling, but my temperatures get a lot warmer during the winter day than yours do. If the center spear has rotted, pull it out and pour some peroxide on it. I may come back just fine. I’ve found Alexander and royals to be more cold tender than Dypsis decaryi.

[TimHopper]

Kathryn, Yours already looks happier in the ground. Great spot right outside your window. Tim

[edbrown_III]

To add to the commentary of  Kathryn Tim Krist and others. , Heres a few photos of the Dypis I put out. I live in Jax a bit further North than Tim and inland somewhat. It has been tthrough several brutal winters down as low as 21 F.  I have to cover and use a heating pad Note pictures of trunk .  It is by th window to get some heat gain during the times below 28F ( and there have been many. The eave is 7 Ft for perspective.

Best regardsds

Ed Brown

[edbrown_III]

close up of trunk not cracking .  The plant is more leave and bud hardy than trunk hardy.

[edbrown_III]

one more of plant

Best regards,

Ed

[Kris]

Dear Eddy Brown  

there is a proverb_'Keep the best for the last' its very true in your method of thread posting.

i thought this thread is gona fade away into oblivian in just 2 days.but your stills & interaction has once again resurasted this thread.which also happen to be one of my favouriate palm.

thanks for the stills & Love,

Kris  

[edbrown_3]

Kris,

Thanks for the kind words, this palm looks a lot better in May after the dry springs ---  Tim and others have a more favorable climate . Like Kathryn,

I hada home depot ( or this case Scottys marked down plant ) and got tired of fooling iwth it.  It  is still alive after planting out in 96 which is to my surprise.

Best regards,

Ed

[DoomsDave]

Kathlyn:

Give your triangle full sun, and super-well-drained soil.  They will not take wet feet, which of course is what Lousiana is all about.

Keep it in a pot, or put it on a high mound of sandy soil.

They hate shade, as elHoagie noted.

Good luck!

dave

[Dave-Vero]

Mine is on a  modest high spot in an area that can be soggy after rain.  It thrived during its first winter in the ground, when I barely irrigated it during a long dry spell.  

Rather than doing the usual first-season routine of yellowish leaves and few if any new ones, it was popping out new spears even during the dry weather.  

On the other hand, maybe triangles won't thrive in excessively-irrigated lawns.  Something like Neel's elegant planter might be necessary.

[gsn]

(Dave from So-Cal @ Jul. 25 2007,12:35)

QUOTE

Kathlyn:

Give your triangle full sun, and super-well-drained soil.  They will not take wet feet, which of course is what Lousiana is all about.

Keep it in a pot, or put it on a high mound of sandy soil.

I'm just wondering if this wet feet and rotting is a California thing?

By that I mean maybe they don't like COLD wet feet.

Mine here in central Florida seems to love the warm humid wet summers.Our dry season is in the winter here with minimal rain ,which is the opposite of your rainy season which is in the winter,correct? When you guys in Cali have lost these to wet feet and rotting, was it durning the winter or other warmer seasons?

Would be curious to know how these palms do in a climate like Hawaii where they would get considerably more rain than a lot of places,but still have heat all year?

Just a thought ,on different growing conditions.

[Alan_Tampa]

Scott, I am of the opinion that Cali's cold wet winters and movie star Governor  make the triangle palm cry.

mostly the wet winter, though

Alan

[DoomsDave]

Hmm.

Could be about the Governator, never thought of that . . . .

They definitely rot in clay if watered too much.

Most of the soil in Florida is much more like sand, which if true, squares with my observations that they will thrive in nearly pure sand, like my infamous Death Camp Potting Mix of one part sand . . . . (after the humus rotted out)

dave

[edbrown_3]

mines bee through a few wet winters in North FLorida over the past dozen years.

You can see the results in the photo. 2003 if I recall was very wet. Puat them in a box or something to elevate them 6 inches to help and plant next to a house for heat gain. Probably looks great in Hawaii.  I have seen them in Phillipines that look great .

Best regards,

Ed