Dypsis decipiens

[Fusca]

14 minutes ago, Alberto said:

I remember how doubtfull I was , any of my seed grown D.decipiens would survive here. Everybody on Palmtakk told they were tricky, how they need excelent drainage, how they don't like too much watering, etc. The facts: I planted out 11 and they all survived and grew well. My place is located at 1030 m altitude. Fresh to cold nights. Very hot days in summer are around 31- 32°C, but generally around 27°C. One of the palms I planted at my parents house and receives more rain water from a polycarbonate roof nearby, has already a trunk and flowered last year.

Looking great Alberto!  Parabens!  

[Jim in Los Altos]

On 7/27/2021 at 10:50 AM, Tracy said:

 

Jim, that specimen or clump is getting big now; the one trunk looks like it will be exposing your first ring soon.  I wanted to add to the discussion that despite neglect or attention and the same conditions, some specimens just grow faster than others.  I put in two in my front yard, planting the second about 5 years after the first.  As you can see there is a discrepancy in their size, but the older one is not the larger one.   The smaller also has split into 4 growth points while the larger is only 2.

So back to the original question posed by ahosey01 , if you are willing to experiment with an anticipation that it may not work, try more than one, to expand the probability of success.  I'm assuming now that you are willing to make the investment in something that may turn out to have zero return in the way of enjoyment, and only be a guideline for others in similar climates to yours.  On the other hand, you might set a great example of success.

Two rings visible now! That photo is from last year. This is the point at which these palms really start moving! I planted this one 16 years ago from a 5 gallon container. It’s a LONG wait for ringed trunk to appear but worth the wait. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

On 7/27/2021 at 5:35 PM, The Germinator said:

Jim you are an inspiration. I just picked up some super Dave decipiens and want to  plant a triple on my pool deck. From what I have read they do not want full sun all day.  I can not promise them full shade., but I did find a spot with partial shade all day. 

Full sun in my climate seems to work well as does full shade. You’re in Wittier which is hotter than here in the summer so partial shade would be a plus. 

[96720]

The lows in Wickenburg are the highs in Los Altos our choice of palms is very limited next to California or Florida.

[Matt in OC]

Didn’t a former poster here suggest to water the bejesus out of them?

[Albey]

On 7/19/2021 at 1:35 AM, ahosey01 said:

We cool WAY further off than you at night.  We’ve been down in the upper 60s to mid 70s range every night, even during the heat wave a few weeks ago.

Even upper 60s ( 19°c ) to mid 70s ( 23°c ) is too warm for Dypsis decipiens, as an overnight low during Summer.

55°f to 65°f ( 12°c to 18°c ) Summer overnight lows are ideal.

[Kailua_Krish]

4 hours ago, Albey said:

Even upper 60s ( 19°c ) to mid 70s ( 23°c ) is too warm for Dypsis decipiens, as an overnight low during Summer.

55°f to 65°f ( 12°c to 18°c ) Summer overnight lows are ideal.

Strange that these grow so well in Hawaii then (there are huge ones at Hoomaluhia and in a few gardens near Hilo) 

[Albey]

45 minutes ago, Kailua_Krish said:

Strange that these grow so well in Hawaii then (there are huge ones at Hoomaluhia and in a few gardens near Hilo) 

Yes there are the Hawaii Palms. And are still trying to figure out how they are growing there? - Seems like one of the very few TROPICAL places that they are succeeding. I am still trying to crack the code! - Here is a good example: I grow them here in Christchurch NZ, which is worlds apart: Climate wise to Hawaii, and they are growing fine ( Go figure )

Edited October 23, 2021 by Albey

[ShadyDan]

Anyone have a source of seeds for ole D. decipiens? Seems like a good species to try for the milder parts of the PNW. I remember seeing a decent size one in someone’s Seattle garden at some point, would love to try and grow one here. 

[Chester B]

6 hours ago, ShadyDan said:

Anyone have a source of seeds for ole D. decipiens? Seems like a good species to try for the milder parts of the PNW. I remember seeing a decent size one in someone’s Seattle garden at some point, would love to try and grow one here. 

I’ve wanted to try one for a few years but they seem tough to find. There is that small one in the Seattle area - Browns point I believe. @Paradise Found knows the owners. 

[Dadamanga]

I just planted a kilo of seeds, I have my fingers crossed. I tried once before with a handful of seeds but I assumed they died from neglect rather than persnicketiness… 

 

[ExperimentalGrower]

On 7/22/2021 at 6:22 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

Mine are in neutral to slightly acitic soil. 

 

Jim, what is the nice green groundcover you have growing around it? Looks very nice.

[ExperimentalGrower]

On 7/27/2021 at 10:25 AM, Billeb said:

Wow! 12yrs is a long time for that amount of growth. Talk about slooooooooow. 

Seriously. You ever fertilize it?? Lol

[ExperimentalGrower]

On 10/22/2021 at 8:02 PM, Kailua_Krish said:

Strange that these grow so well in Hawaii then (there are huge ones at Hoomaluhia and in a few gardens near Hilo) 

Somewhat of an ongoing paradox, I'm not quite sure anyone has really figured out yet. But if I was to guess, I'd say the porous volcanic soil of Hawaii has something to do with it...?

[Kailua_Krish]

8 hours ago, ExperimentalGrower said:

Somewhat of an ongoing paradox, I'm not quite sure anyone has really figured out yet. But if I was to guess, I'd say the porous volcanic soil of Hawaii has something to do with it...?

Nothing to do with it. That’s a common misconception that hawaii has porous volcanic soil. That is only Big Island and parts of Maui. These grow well on Oahu which has mostly dense clay soil. 

[WaianaeCrider]

3 hours ago, Kailua_Krish said:

Nothing to do with it. That’s a common misconception that hawaii has porous volcanic soil. That is only Big Island and parts of Maui. These grow well on Oahu which has mostly dense clay soil. 

Yea I have pretty much all of that dense clay.  Dries hard as a rock and cracks develop when it dries.  But it's amazing all the different plants that will grow here in it.  LOL

[Kailua_Krish]

6 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

Yea I have pretty much all of that dense clay.  Dries hard as a rock and cracks develop when it dries.  But it's amazing all the different plants that will grow here in it.  LOL

And in Hoomaluhia it never dries out and is slick as the devil 

Im in one of the few areas of the state that has calcerous sand. Its like being back in Florida!

[TomJ]

On 7/29/2021 at 10:43 PM, Matt in OC said:

Didn’t a former poster here suggest to water the bejesus out of them?

I killed so many trying to keep them dry.

Once I started just flooding them with a hose, the surviving one took off.

I've since planted out three others, which are going.

I have 100% clay so different size holes were dug all of which fill up with water after a good rain.

IDK just my experience.  

[Jim in Los Altos]

On 11/3/2021 at 12:38 PM, ExperimentalGrower said:

Jim, what is the nice green groundcover you have growing around it? Looks very nice.

Mattress Vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa). Looks nice with constant maintenance but is otherwise very invasive. I’ve since removed it all out front and it keeps springing up. It will climb to the tops of trees if allowed. It’s much less invasive in full shade so I’ve left it in those areas. 

[ExperimentalGrower]

10 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Mattress Vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa). Looks nice with constant maintenance but is otherwise very invasive. I’ve since removed it all out front and it keeps springing up. It will climb to the tops of trees if allowed. It’s much less invasive in full shade so I’ve left it in those areas. 

Ahh ok good to know. I’ll avoid. My garden (so far) is mostly sun. I’m using Dichondra & Leptinella as ground covers in various spots atm.

[Jim in Los Altos]

From no trunk rings in 2021 to several now.  

 

 

[The Gerg]

She’s a beauty. Can’t wait for more mine to take off. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Anyone else have progress photos? Would love to see them! 

[sydneypalms]

wow, yours must be 25 or 30 yrs old ?  mines about almost 20? and no where near trunking. in sydney sorry i tried to take fotos of mine, but the fotos didnt turn out, a cordyline infront of it on 1 side, a chambey hookeri leaf drooping down on the other side, a wedding on the other, bromies around the base, and coz its 2m tall i cant get far enough to fit it in it just gets lost in all the foliage haha. spose ile add 1 or 2 but. 2 leaves are also tied a bit coz people are complaining being in the way, and all those bromies hiding the base are the result of, 1 rainy day i had a treefern and they were all attached to it, but coz it was a dead trunk, it rained so much that they filled heavy with water and fell into my arms, yes in the rain with all those spikey sharp leaves, so i had no where els to out them. ile come back another day where ive cleared a bit of this and take another foto, ile also untie the leaves temporarily, but theres not much space to stand back with the camera n fit it jn haha

[gyuseppe]

my dypsis decipiens, they all died 20 years ago, but in summer not in winter because of the cold, here they don't do well, I think I can't stand the African heat that we have here in summer

[kinzyjr]

I'm going to give one of these a roll of the dice, but it has roughly a 99% chance of failure.  The one planted at St. Johns Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is doing fine though.

[D. Morrowii]

45 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

I'm going to give one of these a roll of the dice, but it has roughly a 99% chance of failure.  The one planted at St. Johns Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is doing fine though.

You never know until you try. Not to mention it’s fun to try 🙂 

[gyuseppe]

3 hours ago, D. Morrowii said:

You never know until you try. Not to mention it’s fun to try 🙂 

I have tried everything, seeds always bought from rarepalmseeds and some sent by my friends on this forum, I have been following it since the beginning of 2000

[Jim in Los Altos]

7 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

I'm going to give one of these a roll of the dice, but it has roughly a 99% chance of failure.  The one planted at St. Johns Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is doing fine though.

Kinzy, With Lakeland’s summer heat and humidity it would be best to plant one of these palms in full shade. Full sun would likely be just too much for the palm to handle in your climate. I have another one in full shade here in CA and it grows as fast as the one I posted the photos of that’s in the sun so don’t worry about lighting. It’s a lot cooler climate-wise here of course. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

18 hours ago, sydneypalms said:

wow, yours must be 25 or 30 yrs old ?  mines about almost 20? and no where near trunking. in sydney sorry i tried to take fotos of mine, but the fotos didnt turn out, a cordyline infront of it on 1 side, a chambey hookeri leaf drooping down on the other side, a wedding on the other, bromies around the base, and coz its 2m tall i cant get far enough to fit it in it just gets lost in all the foliage haha. spose ile add 1 or 2 but. 2 leaves are also tied a bit coz people are complaining being in the way, and all those bromies hiding the base are the result of, 1 rainy day i had a treefern and they were all attached to it, but coz it was a dead trunk, it rained so much that they filled heavy with water and fell into my arms, yes in the rain with all those spikey sharp leaves, so i had no where els to out them. ile come back another day where ive cleared a bit of this and take another foto, ile also untie the leaves temporarily, but theres not much space to stand back with the camera n fit it jn haha

Yes, it’s 25 years old.  

[ExperimentalGrower]

8 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Yes, it’s 25 years old.  

Did you grow it from seed Jim?

[Jim in Los Altos]

2 hours ago, ExperimentalGrower said:

Did you grow it from seed Jim?

Justin, I purchased it as a seedling. 

[kinzyjr]

3 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Kinzy, With Lakeland’s summer heat and humidity it would be best to plant one of these palms in full shade. Full sun would likely be just too much for the palm to handle in your climate. I have another one in full shade here in CA and it grows as fast as the one I posted the photos of that’s in the sun so don’t worry about lighting. It’s a lot cooler climate-wise here of course. 

That's the plan.  It's similar to what I did with Howea forsteriana.

[coops 3214]

My dream to have 1 of these trunking beauty's  just been playing hard ball with me but I haven't given up yet, these 2 pics are of 1 planted in a public garden in Melbourne probably almost 20 years old  and these 2 pics are about 3 years apart  I think once trunking they really speed up

[sydneypalms]

8 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Yes, it’s 25 years old.  

hahaah oh my god im so good at guessing their ages, what is wrong with me im a freak............ ive really lost track of their birthdate, so goin by all these other fotos mines around 15 ish. but it wasnt one that i sprouted, i got it in a big pot from a random garden shop

[sydneypalms]

22 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

my dypsis decipiens, they all died 20 years ago, but in summer not in winter because of the cold, here they don't do well, I think I can't stand the African heat that we have here in summer

oh nooo....   in sydney west we get many 37 - 50 degree days of hot.  the weather has been kinder these years... but even if we get  just 1 or 2 of these high temps, it burns plants under the shade i have, where the sun peaks through the canopy for a few mins.  

[Palmiz]

Just opened a double spear. I think it's gonna do the splits