Dypsis "honkona"

[Tracy]

The potted plant was acquired as Dypsis "honkona" in July 2017 here in Southern California, but the person I acquired it from advised it came from Floribunda.  I have posted photos in other strings and have been advised it doesn't look like the real thing.  I'm curious if anyone else got one from this batch and what theirs look like now, and how this compares to real Dypsis "honkona".  As you can see it has not been a speed demon in that the current photos are 4 1/2 years later, but it does just plug along.  Given where I planted it, I'm ok with slow growth.  It does get some part day sun in summer, but much more filtered light or shade the rest of the year.

If you have this species or any plants acquired as such that are from the period shortly before summer of 2017, please share.

[Palmarum]

The specimen in your photos resemble plants we have had here in S. Florida as Dypsis sp. 'Orange Crush', with the fine, thin leaflets and flat arrangement and the brown scales on the petioles. Mostly small containerized plants. They also have been very slow growing. They were grown supposedly from source trees in Hawai'i, but with the diversity that is Dypsis, who knows.

Even with your specimens' slow growth, your palm seems to be happy and looks better than similar ones grown here.

Ryan

[Tracy]

6 minutes ago, Palmarum said:

your photos resemble plants we have had here in S. Florida as Dypsis sp. 'Orange Crush', with the fine, thin leaflets and flat arrangement and the brown scales on the petioles.

I believe that Dypsis sp 'Orange Crush' received an actual species name of Dypsis pilulifera.  It seems different than what I have growing as Dypsis pilulifera but your description of what is being grown as Orange Crush and this plant do match.  I'll have to compare the D pilulifera with it again.  Thank you for the feedback Ryan.

[Tracy]

1 hour ago, Palmarum said:

Dypsis sp. 'Orange Crush',

If my recollection is accurate and Dypsis 'Orange Crush' is the old name for what is now Dypsis pilulifera, here is what I acquired as Dypsis pilulifera growing in another spot in my garden.  This plant was acquired at a Palm Society auction, donated as a 1 gallon by Don Tolofson.  I got this a few months before the one acquired as D 'honkona' and planted it in May 2017.  Perhaps because of exposure or something else, it doesn't hold as many nice leaves, it often has some browning.  Although larger, this one only shows a little of the brown speckles.  I really had to zoom in to find it on the petiole bases.  First photo is from May 2017 and the rest are current.

[richnorm]

Also has similarities to what I grew and killed as malcomberi.

 

[Palmarum]

5 hours ago, Tracy said:

I believe that Dypsis sp 'Orange Crush' received an actual species name of Dypsis pilulifera.  It seems different than what I have growing as Dypsis pilulifera but your description of what is being grown as Orange Crush and this plant do match.  I'll have to compare the D pilulifera with it again. ...

I thought that was changed again shortly after it was first mentioned? I read about when during a trip to Hawai'i, Dr. Dransfield identified what was being grown as Dypsis sp. 'Jurassic Park' as true Dypsis pilulifera and what was Dypsis sp. 'Orange Crush' remained as a mystery? I remember reading it either on the Forum as part of a topic or in a special travelogue featuring his visit to the islands. I cannot seem to find it now. It might have been part of a slideshow, seen online or at a meeting.

I was so happy about the info I included it into a plant description of the palm as part of a display card in 2015:

"...This palm has been through the taxonomic washing machine more than once and has come out clear of doubt. According to Dr. Dransfield, who has done inexhaustible work with the type plants in Hawai'i, this palm is the true D. pilulifera. Plants known as ‘Orange Crush’ have been declared a different, undescribed species. This species is closely related to D. mananjarensis but lacks the ‘mealy bug’ markings ..."

If this has changed, then it starts all over again. My idea of your specimen in the first photos still stands as a guess, from a first impression I got. The specimen in the second set of photos looks even more like D. sp. 'Orange Crush', even down to the browning on the leaflet tips.

I looked through some of my old notes taken during a South Florida Palm Society auction where there was a 3 gallon-sized D. sp. 'Honkona' from over ten years ago that went for a pricey amount. I did add that it had 'long petioles and grouped, ranked leaflets.' I do not remember who donated/where the plant originated. Other than that, I have only seen smaller 1 gallon plants that resemble most any would-be big Dypsis. Time will tell as the specimens get larger.

Ryan

[Kim]

I have a small D. 'hankona', purchased from Floribunda in 09/2020 -- thus not reliably from the same source as your own.  (Note spelling difference. Not sure if it is my error or a different tag.) Though I planted the tiny thing in 02/2021, I regret to say I have only the written records of acquisition and planting; no photos. I would venture to say at this still very small stage, it has no distinguishing characteristics except to state it appears to be a slow palm in Hawaii. I will be sure to get a photo on my next stay.

[Tracy]

16 hours ago, Palmarum said:

I read about when during a trip to Hawai'i, Dr. Dransfield identified what was being grown as Dypsis sp. 'Jurassic Park' as true Dypsis pilulifera and what was Dypsis sp. 'Orange Crush' remained as a mystery?

Thank you for correcting me.  It's hard to keep track of the dynamics of naming with the large Dypsis.  When I read your comments it reminded me of a thread from a few years back that Dean posted:

I should have the bases covered on Dypsis pilulifera though, as I have a palm that I acquired prior to the name change, that was labeled as Dypsis Jurassic Park, as well as the ones that were acquired later with the pilulifera name. 

 

13 hours ago, Kim said:

I have a small D. 'hankona', purchased from Floribunda in 09/2020 -- thus not reliably from the same source as your own.  (Note spelling difference. Not sure if it is my error or a different tag.)

Kim, the one I have labeled as "honkona" I got from Josh, so maybe he can shed some light on this.   Josh-O  where are you?

[John hovancsek]

Here is my hankona for reference. It looks like yours and should turn out really beautiful. I will take a pic of the one at florabunda on Monday, it looks like dypsis hovo 

[mike in kurtistown]

Here is my Dypsis that I am calling "sp. hankona" without having any real reason except that I have seen pics from other palm growers tagged with the same name. Purchased as hovomantsina, but of course it isn't. 8 x 8 x 16 cinder blocks provide scale.

[Palmarum]

5 hours ago, Tracy said:

... When I read your comments it reminded me of a thread from a few years back that Dean posted: ...

Ahh there it is. I couldn't find the best way to search for it. It is good that you found the topic.

Ryan

[Kim]

Interesting thread on this subject from 2020: 

 

[rprimbs]

5 hours ago, Kim said:

Interesting thread on this subject from 2020: 

 

I confess I have sort of neglected that poor palm, so it has not grown a lot.  I will take a picture tomorrow.

[Tracy]

7 hours ago, Kim said:

Interesting thread on this subject from 2020:

Thank you for sharing that thread Kim.  I feel a little silly that I forgot about the feedback I received from Jason, Len and others back just 1 1/2 years ago.  I hope mine ends up looking as nice as the hybrid that Jason posted from his Hilo garden someday.

[Hilo Jason]

Tracy - I will try to post some new photos this week for you of mine. The hybrids I have here are growing very fast, but now after watching them both grow more, I believe they are 2 different palms.  My larger one is a total mystery. I’ll explain more along with the pictures. 

[rprimbs]

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture earlier, but here is one I just took

[TomJ]

Tracy I'm currently out of the country.

If I remember in a month I'll post pictures.

I have what I bought as a D Honkona in the ground.

I also have 3 different D Orange crush from three consecutive years in ground. 

All three planted out straight from FB one gallons.

The first one of which is almost identical to your plant, and looks nothing like the other two.

It has that exact same leaf shape and arrangement. 

It is also much faster than the other two more typical D Orange Crush.

I am of no help with any ID's.... 

I just plant and scratch my head sometimes.   Just a fan of all big Dypsis.

 

 

[John hovancsek]

This is what Jeff Marcus is calling hankona

[richnorm]

Spears on my biggest Hankona (not to be confused with Honkona) are getting huge but no trunk yet after 20+ years...

[tim_brissy_13]

20 hours ago, richnorm said:

Spears on my biggest Hankona (not to be confused with Honkona) are getting huge but no trunk yet after 20+ years...

I see a Bentinckia photobomb. I’m in awe of what you’ve been able to achieve in your climate Rich!

[BS Man about Palms]

Dennis W has a hankona near identical to the above beautiful example! Also no trunk, big, and old..

 

 

[Hilo Jason]

Tracy, here are a couple updated photos of the hybrid. Came from Floribunda as “Hankona”, 1 gallon pot, probably 3 years ago. 
 

I have a true version as well that is extremely slow. The true form has very plumose leaflets from a very young age. These hybrids have regular leaflets and are much much faster. 

Size 10 shoe for scale. 

entire plant, sorry that lighting is bad  

 

[Tracy]

7 hours ago, Hilo Jason said:

Entire plant, sorry that lighting is bad  

Lovely palm Jason  I like it's upright form which will work well in the space I'm growing mine assuming it is the same hybrid.

[deezpalms]

On 2/25/2022 at 10:02 AM, Tracy said:

I believe that Dypsis sp 'Orange Crush' received an actual species name of Dypsis pilulifera.  It seems different than what I have growing as Dypsis pilulifera but your description of what is being grown as Orange Crush and this plant do match.  I'll have to compare the D pilulifera with it again.  Thank you for the feedback Ryan.

Piulifera in not orange crush. Orange crush still doesn’t have a valid name

[Tracy]

On 3/6/2022 at 1:12 PM, Hilo Jason said:

Tracy, here are a couple updated photos of the hybrid. Came from Floribunda as “Hankona”, 1 gallon pot, probably 3 years ago. 
 

I have a true version as well that is extremely slow. The true form has very plumose leaflets from a very young age. These hybrids have regular leaflets and are much much faster. 

Size 10 shoe for scale. 

entire plant, sorry that lighting is bad  

 

As mine continues to grow, I have to say this is the closest match I see in the thread to what mine appears to be developing in traits.  Not speedy, but you can see that this palm I acquired as Dypsis "Honkona" (which I assume would now translate to Chrysalidocarpus "Honkonus" - using the same female to male conversion as pembana - pembanus when it moved from Dypsis to Chrysalidocarpus.

Leaves are getting much longer with each successive new leaf still.  The adjacent fence is 6 1/2' tall for reference, so I feel safe saying the new leaf is about 8' tall overall and is still emerging.

[Harry’s Palms]

Beautiful! Harry