How Fast are Majesty Palms?

[Palmfarmer]

Getting a new Majesty. The one I had in the ground last year survived, but i put it in a pot so it will have chance to recover. 

How long for a Majesty to get somewhat established to gain some speed?

How fast are these really, I hear people say they are really fast. Compared to what palm?

Should planting it a bit northeast faceing be fine? (sun is very high in the sky and the spot gets plenty early sun in the colder months. 

[James B]

I’d say it must really depend on a variety of factors including climate.

I have 3. They are extremely slow to put on trunk/ height. But they produce 10-12 leaves a year. After 3 years my largest is about 10 feet at the top of the leaves but the top of the crownshaft is only maybe 32”-36” high. When planted it was maybe 16” high. So as for putting on trunk height only 6-8” per year. 
 

And I give mine tons of water and fertilizer. But they are happy and quite cold Hardy. Have seen 29 degrees with no damage.

[James B]

Each of mine are always pushing 3 spears at a time. It’s just a strange concept for me to see considering they produce leaves at a faster rate than any of my Kings or Royal palms yet far slower at putting on height. 

[James B]

This my largest. Probably 15” across at the base. It’s a robust beefy palm.

[Looking Glass]

I bought these as big box store specials and put then in pots for out by the pool.   They were triples.   They don’t love my sandy ground here. But I ended up making a mucky mix, and giving them a lot of water when it’s hot. (A lot of water- I let them sit with the saucers full on and off).  They are in sun all day, but would look better with a little shade.  
 

June 20th 2020…..

 

Sept 6th 2021…..  

 

I had to chop two into singles yesterday.  

I imagine these are slower in pots, but in mucky soil 20 minutes west of here, near a canal, they would be much faster I bet.   Still, they are very fast here in the heat and humidity.   

I know these are common palms, but they are awesome with their big fat trunks when they mature.   

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by Looking Glass

[James B]

Yeah I think they are under appreciated due to being common. In Florida I’m sure you will get better growth and easier to meet their watering needs.

In CA, I’m sure a lot of palm enthusiasts are dissuaded by its demands.

Roystonea are one of the only other palms that grow here that require similar amounts of watering to look good.

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Even here in Florida they are pretty darn slow at gaining trunk / height.  They put out lots of fronds, but they don't get big / fast.   

[James B]

  On 9/6/2021 at 9:19 PM, DCA_Palm_Fan said:

Even here in Florida they are pretty darn slow at gaining trunk / height.  They put out lots of fronds, but they don't get big / fast.   

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Good to know. I was scratching my head at how many leaves they produce without getting taller. 

[Jubaea]

Here are some pictures of mine from 2011, 2017, and January of this year.  I have since removed some older leaves and it has another 6" of trunk or so today.  This is grown in Santa Barbara, CA.  It It is a bit hard to keep it green especially in winter but it seems to grow decently.  I soak it good weekly in the summer and as needed in winter.  The Archontophoenix cunninghamiana is winning the race to the sky.

[palmsOrl]

I noticed that I see few of them in Port Charlotte in SW FL.  The city has a borderline Tropical Savannah and Humid Subtropical climate, thus it tends to be very dry during the dry season, compared to SE Florida.  Also, most people in that area do not have sprinkler systems.  In addition, I do not think the native soil is to this species liking unless planted right next to a body of fresh water there.

They tend to look much better here in the Orlando area, though I see them look malnourished quite often here too.

The one at my parents house went from a non-trunking 4 footer to about a 10 footer with 4 feet of trunk in 15 years or so.

Ravenea rivularis likes lots of water and lots of fertilizer, or very rich soil to do well, bottom line.

-Michael

[Palmfarmer]

Thanks lot of good advice and beatiful pics. Majesty is sort of rare here, but i was able to buy one at a high price through asking for a custom request on Mercadolibre(latin american ebay)

Payed around 50usd for a 4-5 footer. I put it in ground really close the the house for some shade and dig a small "pond" around it. 

[Palmfarmer]

  On 9/9/2021 at 6:26 AM, Palmfarmer said:

Thanks lot of good advice and beatiful pics. Majesty is sort of rare here, but i was able to buy one at a high price through asking for a custom request on Mercadolibre(latin american ebay)

Payed around 50usd for a 4-5 footer. I put it in ground really close the the house for some shade and dig a small "pond" around it. 

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its supposed to be delivered today. I probably plant it tomorrow. Really stocked since this is among my Favorite palms. It will be interesting to see if it can survive without protection here once it gets too big for protection.

[ruskinPalms]

This one I planted in 2015 or 2016 from 1 gallon size. I think it is picking up some vertical speed now that it is trunking. It has taken 27F or 28F before with no damage. 

[Palmfarmer]

I am wondering can it take quite a bit of shade during this stage/size? I was thinking growing it close to my neighboors trailer and once it clears the trailer it gets a ton more direct sunlight? Sounds good?

Got it today.  Tomorrow i look forward to digging and ammending the soil. I make a little pond for it. 

[Palmfarmer]

  On 9/9/2021 at 11:00 PM, ruskinPalms said:

This one I planted in 2015 or 2016 from 1 gallon size. I think it is picking up some vertical speed now that it is trunking. It has taken 27F or 28F before with no damage. 

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Wow that is my dream palm right there. I liked them the most around this stage. Wonder if it is possible to get such fat trunk here in the desert if i Water and fertilize like a maniac?

[EJ;)]

  On 9/6/2021 at 5:49 AM, Palmfarmer said:

Getting a new Majesty. The one I had in the ground last year survived, but i put it in a pot so it will have chance to recover. 

How long for a Majesty to get somewhat established to gain some speed?

How fast are these really, I hear people say they are really fast. Compared to what palm?

Should planting it a bit northeast faceing be fine? (sun is very high in the sky and the spot gets plenty early sun in the colder months. 

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I am out by the delta waterways California in zone 9b. 

They sell them as inside plants at big box stores. I have planted 3 outside. With shade/part shade and plenty of water they grow fast. I would say 4 to 5 fronds a year! 

[Silas_Sancona]

Have shared this image before..  Thinkin' the Picture says enough about how great these are..  Royals are good too, but like these more..

** No extra heavy or spiny /stabby leafstalks to deal with or waste $$ having trimmed, ** Nice, fatty trunk -with time, great complement to other fat trunked things..  and ** a coconut stand in that won't drop bombs on my head (  ..or property ) or often look like Gaah' bage in a less than optimal climate.  ** Don't want seeds?  they're Dioecious,.. 

As for their water / fert. needs?  yea, they're piggies..  Turn what time, $$, and energy would be wasted on a lawn and it's no big deal.. Proper siting, where they would receive supplemental runoff from the roof / concrete surfaces at various times of the year, ( especially in drought-y places like CA. ** Picture is from inland S. Cal. ) and you're off to the races..  Hard to beat.




See some sources on the net saying they only reach 20ft in height, or only have a 20yr lifespan ...   ..They obviously did not study their plants / aren't places i'd buy invasive weeds from. 

[ruskinPalms]

  On 9/9/2021 at 11:14 PM, Palmfarmer said:

Wow that is my dream palm right there. I liked them the most around this stage. Wonder if it is possible to get such fat trunk here in the desert if i Water and fertilize like a maniac?

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I really don’t fertilize much, and haven’t at all for over a year. I do have a lawn care company that takes care of the chemicals for the st Augustine grass so it does get supplemental nutrients from whatever they put down in my yard and my neighbors yard. The roots extend far from the planter bed so I’m sure it sucks up all kinds of stuff meant for the st Augustine, same goes for the majority of my palms. And the natural soil around here usually has a lot of phosphate anyway as far as I know, the company does not ever put phosphate down. As far as water, it gets irrigated by my sprinklers about once a week, my neighbors sprinklers and the natural rain that falls which is a lot in summer. Also, it is planted in a low spot in my yard where water drains to. I’m sure you could make one very happy where you are with plenty of water and fertilizer. They are definitely more cold hardy than I think was originally thought with these being seen as far north as New Orleans and Jacksonville. They are a great sleeper palm that is often frowned upon because they are so commonly sold at the box stores as house plants, which they make terrible house plants… and when people do plant them in the yard, they tend to plant them high and dry rather than low and wet. I haven’t found the sun to be a problem here at all but I’m sure in the desert the sun could be a problem like it is for a lot of other palms that don’t have a thicker, waxier leaves. 

Edited September 10, 2021 by ruskinPalms