Syagrus botryophora

[deezpalms]

I've got a couple of these guys already but none any close to this size. I've wanted one this size for a while now but I could never find one of any good size in California. That is until now! It came in a 17" container & I potted it up in a 24" box. Anyone else locally growing these?

Here she is, right at home next to her cousin Syagrus shizophylla  

[Shon]

Great score Dave! I got one in the ground about 2 years behind that one . Where did you get it? Unless you don't want to give up your source.

[deezpalms]

Shon give me a call n' I'll tell ya about the hook up. Well worth the price!

[MattyB]

Home Depot has these about 10-12 feet tall in stock now.  They don't look as nicely grown as yours though Dave.  That's a great looking tree.

[deezpalms]

Thanks matty! They are all from the same source. They are 25% or more cheaper from the original source. Mine looks better because the place that I got mine from waters their plants  ???    They have them in two sizes, 17" and 21". Mine was in a 17 and is about 8' overall height. The 21's are 10-12".

[fastfeat]

Becoming fairly available here in S FL too. HD was selling big 20gal triples (arghh!!) for about $125. Just hate to sacrifice two palms to get one good looking specimen. When will they ever learn??

[TikiRick]

Mine is about 20' overall and is fruiting for the first time. It blew over and completely out of the ground in Hurricane Wilma, Oct. 2005. I proped it back up, buried the rootball with more soil and mulch, and it never skipped a beat.

Anyone have any germination stories about this palm?

[Urban Rainforest]

(TikiRick @ Aug. 10 2007,08:34)

QUOTE

Mine is about 20' overall and is fruiting for the first time. It blew over and completely out of the ground in Hurricane Wilma, Oct. 2005. I proped it back up, buried the rootball with more soil and mulch, and it never skipped a beat.

Anyone have any germination stories about this palm?

I'm not sure about germinating the Syagrus B. but I have Syagrus Abreojos coming up by the hundreds. Just cover with a little soil in a comunity pot and BAM! Now I've got to pot them all up but it will be worth it as this is one of my favorite Syagrus. Thanks Pogo Bob   . Steve

[fastfeat]

I got a bunch of seed thru FNGLA auctions. Put a bunch in a 7g about 2 months ago, outside against a west wall. Nothing yet. I'm afraid I may have screwed up though--I had them in the 'fridge for a few weeks before planting. Hope it wasn't fatal...

I still have a few seeds left if others want to try.

Ken.

[TikiRick]

Another Syagurs botryophora story that I have. I had one in a large glazed pot (the friggin pot was worth more than the palm!) poolside. Last summer, while at work, a wicked thunderstorm blew threw and tossed the top heavy botryophora over, broke the pot, and the entire palm rolled into the pool. It must have been totally submerged for about 7 hours or so. I swam it out (a feat in itself!) and replanted it in the ground. It laughed at the chlorinated water and total lack of oxygen. It is the one I now have fruiting! From my perspective, a pretty hardy palm.

The pot suffered a much more dismal fate.

[STEVE IN SO CAL]

(TikiRick @ Aug. 10 2007,11:20)

QUOTE

Another Syagurs botryophora story that I have. I had one in a large glazed pot (the friggin pot was worth more than the palm!) poolside. Last summer, while at work, a wicked thunderstorm blew threw and tossed the top heavy botryophora over, broke the pot, and the entire palm rolled into the pool. It must have been totally submerged for about 7 hours or so. I swam it out (a feat in itself!) and replanted it in the ground. It laughed at the chlorinated water and total lack of oxygen. It is the one I now have fruiting! From my perspective, a pretty hardy palm.

The pot suffered a much more dismal fate.

LMAO....

[PalmGuyWC]

Steve,

There is speculation that S. abreojos is a hybrid from a palm growing behind a liquor store in Mexico. It sure is a pretty Syagrus.  Did you get your seeds from the original tree or from one of its offspring?  I'm also curious about how cold hardy it might be. If it's a hybrid it looks like one of the parents might have been S. romanzoffianum. Any ideas?

If the seeds are viable this sort of refutes the idea that it might be a hybrid, since many of the hybrids are mules.

Dick

[deezpalms]

(PalmGuyWC @ Aug. 10 2007,09:01)

QUOTE

Steve,

There is speculation that S. abreojos is a hybrid from a palm growing behind a liquor store in Mexico. It sure is a pretty Syagrus.  Did you get your seeds from the original tree or from one of its offspring?  I'm also curious about how cold hardy it might be. If it's a hybrid it looks like one of the parents might have been S. romanzoffianum. Any ideas?

If the seeds are viable this sort of refutes the idea that it might be a hybrid, since many of the hybrids are mules.

Dick

Dick, the only seeding one besides the Mexican palm is in San Clemente. I have a nice one in a 15 gallon that is an offspring from that tree and all seeds come from the same tree. So with that said, the seed is definitely viable!  

[PalmGuyWC]

Steve,

There is speculation that S. abreojos is a hybrid from a palm growing behind a liquor store in Mexico. It sure is a pretty Syagrus.  Did you get your seeds from the original tree or from one of its offspring?  I'm also curious about how cold hardy it might be. If it's a hybrid it looks like one of the parents might have been S. romanzoffianum. Any ideas?

If the seeds are viable this sort of refutes the idea that it might be a hybrid, since many of the hybrids are mules.

Dick

[DoomsDave]

(MattyB @ Aug. 10 2007,00:26)

QUOTE

Home Depot has these about 10-12 feet tall in stock now.  They don't look as nicely grown as yours though Dave.  That's a great looking tree.

The ones they had at Big Orange here looked like they'd been sprayed with weed killer.

[deezpalms]

Update: They are sold out of 21's and only 2 17's left!

[Urban Rainforest]

(PalmGuyWC @ Aug. 10 2007,12:01)

QUOTE

Steve,

There is speculation that S. abreojos is a hybrid from a palm growing behind a liquor store in Mexico. It sure is a pretty Syagrus.  Did you get your seeds from the original tree or from one of its offspring?  I'm also curious about how cold hardy it might be. If it's a hybrid it looks like one of the parents might have been S. romanzoffianum. Any ideas?

If the seeds are viable this sort of refutes the idea that it might be a hybrid, since many of the hybrids are mules.

Dick

Dick, My seed came from pogo Bob's tree in San Clemente. I believe Bob said the tree in Mexico is no longer there and if this is true we all owe Bob a big thank you for collecting seed of this magnificent palm so many years ago. Steve

[iwan]

(PalmGuyWC @ Aug. 10 2007,12:16)

QUOTE

Steve,

There is speculation that S. abreojos is a hybrid from a palm growing behind a liquor store in Mexico. It sure is a pretty Syagrus.  Did you get your seeds from the original tree or from one of its offspring?  I'm also curious about how cold hardy it might be. If it's a hybrid it looks like one of the parents might have been S. romanzoffianum. Any ideas?

If the seeds are viable this sort of refutes the idea that it might be a hybrid, since many of the hybrids are mules.

Dick

Dick,

The seeds I gave you were from PogoBob's tree.

[The Germinator]

Which Home Depot ?..... Address. Dave did the one on Harbor and Lambert Have any ?

[PalmGuyWC]

You guys in S. Fla and S. Calif. get rare palms like Syagrus botryophora at Home Depot., and we get Washingtonias and Queen palms. No wonder there is little variety in palms up here.

Dick

[deezpalms]

(PalmGuyWC @ Aug. 11 2007,06:48)

QUOTE

You guys in S. Fla and S. Calif. get rare palms like Syagrus botryophora at Home Depot., and we get Washingtonias and Queen palms. No wonder there is little variety in palms up here.

Dick

I gotta hand it to Tropical Connection on this one. They usually don't really have anything rare but they have been bringing in the botryophora's from Florida. Apparently they have only been able to find one grower with a number of them and even they only have a limited number of them. I talked to the the owner of T.C. yesterday and hopefully they are going to get more in the near future. Let's all keep our finger's crossed!

[Al in Kona]

IMO you can't go wrong with Syagrus botryophora.  It's a very nice attractive palm.  Initially it is a SLOW grower but after the leaves go pinnate it really speeds up and almost becomes what you might call a fast grower.  I've read that they are very easy to transplant even as an adult tree.  Here's a pic of one of mine (photo taken last year) . . .

[jam99]

Al,

that's a beautiful specimen! Not many species keep their leaves 2-3? meters down the trunk. Also those leaves get that Butia kind of arching.

Cheers, Jan

[Scott]

Dave - your tree and your place is awesome!  

[PalmGuyWC]

Al,

That's the best photograph of one that I've seen. It sure is a beautiful palm, but I seriously doubt it will grow in N. Calif. I have a one gal. size and it hasn't budged in months. If it will cross with Butia, I bet it would make beautiful babies, fast growing and with a slinder trunk, and possibly cold hardy.

Does anyone have one of blooming size?  I'd sure like to see the bloom spath and the flowers. Rick in Ft. Lauderdale, didn't you say you had one about to bloom?

Dick

[fastfeat]

Al--

Nice photo. I first saw this palm here in FL at Black Olive East (pic) and was impressed by its small size and the way it carried several ranks of leaves at the same time. Looks like it's increasing in popularity.

[Phil]

Group,

Here's a picture of one at Gary Michaels old house here in San Diego.  This was taken about 1.5 years ago and was well over the house (one story) from a 5g in a couple of years.  Sorry, but it doesn't show the overall palm.  

Here is a picture from Montgomery Foundation in Miami from at least 5 years ago.  Note the stair-step of the leaves, the hallmark for this species.

Phil

[PalmGuyWC]

I have a feeling that S. botryophora is going to sweep the palm world the same way Wodyetia did back in the 80's.  Once they start seeding they should become very available. Its apperance is very distinctive from most of the other Syagrus, and it's fast growing, and easy to transplant.  It might even be a little more cold hardy than Wodyetia too but I expect it will need more water.

Did anyone in S. Calif. get theirs cold tested this past winter? The lowest I've heard is 28F with slight damage.

Dick

[PalmGuyWC]

Ut Oh!!

After reading further, looks like it won't take any frost or freezing. I'd still think it would be interesting to see if it will cross with a Butia.  The resulting hybrid should be considerably more cold hardy and who knows what it will look like.

Dick

[deezpalms]

(PalmGuyWC @ Aug. 12 2007,09:36)

QUOTE

Ut Oh!!

After reading further, looks like it won't take any frost or freezing. I'd still think it would be interesting to see if it will cross with a Butia.  The resulting hybrid should be considerably more cold hardy and who knows what it will look like.

Dick

Good thing I don't get any frost around here!      

[Exotic Life]

Hmz, nice find! Beautifull palm!

[TikiRick]

(PalmGuyWC @ Aug. 12 2007,07:02)

QUOTE

Does anyone have one of blooming size?  I'd sure like to see the bloom spath and the flowers. Rick in Ft. Lauderdale, didn't you say you had one about to bloom?

Dick

Yes, Richard, I do have one in bloom. I am curious to see just how successful I am with germination.

[PalmGuyWC]

Hey Rick,

How about posting a pic of the bloom spath and the flowers? Thanks.

Dick

[freekypalmguy]

(PalmGuyWC @ Aug. 12 2007,09:36)

QUOTE

Ut Oh!!

After reading further, looks like it won't take any frost or freezing. I'd still think it would be interesting to see if it will cross with a Butia.  The resulting hybrid should be considerably more cold hardy and who knows what it will look like.

Dick

Yeah, that might be really cool. I hope someone does this. Got S. botryophora pollen  

[Justin]

Yeah, which Home Depot?  I'm just down the 78, and will travel.