Here we go again - creating Pepe'ekeo Palm Paradise

[RainforestCafe]

@Hilo Jason Those pictures are awesome! I love how you make boundaries and borders with the rocks, but it's very natural and "informal" in a way. It's also crazy to see how fast everything has grown for you. That front entrance to your place already looks great and it's only been a few years!

[CB Lisa]

Thank you for posting this last batch of updated pictures. Hawaii or not, soil or not, your progress and the size of your palms already is truly mind boggling and impressive! Add to that the landscape design, rock walls, house….what an achievement! Always looking for inspiration to keep moving forward and your amazing progress very much provides that! 👏👏👏 

Mahalos for sharing! 

[Hilo Jason]

14 hours ago, tinman10101 said:

hey jason. sorry if this has been asked before but i was wondering how you water your palms. i dont recall you explaining any irrigation system so i am assuming, most if not all your garden is left to the elements of  natural rain.  regardless, thanks for keeping this thread alive.  i always get overly ecstatic watching your property transform and makes me want to someday take that jump to HI.  

cheers

tin

It’s all rainfall. No irrigation at all. We average 120+ inches a year so we’re good to go. Although it has been a bit on the dry side for the past couple of months. But that is typical here this time of year. 
 

I planted 4 Cyrtostachys Renda today and my wife and daughter helped me haul 5 gallon buckets over to give them a good soaking once they were planted. That’s the last time I will ever water them, hah! Planting 7 more tomorrow and I’ll do the same. So yeah, everything gets a good soaking when planted and then it’s up to nature to take over! 

[Hilo Jason]

14 hours ago, RainforestCafe said:

@Hilo Jason Those pictures are awesome! I love how you make boundaries and borders with the rocks, but it's very natural and "informal" in a way. It's also crazy to see how fast everything has grown for you. That front entrance to your place already looks great and it's only been a few years!

Thank you! 

[Hilo Jason]

5 hours ago, CB Lisa said:

Thank you for posting this last batch of updated pictures. Hawaii or not, soil or not, your progress and the size of your palms already is truly mind boggling and impressive! Add to that the landscape design, rock walls, house….what an achievement! Always looking for inspiration to keep moving forward and your amazing progress very much provides that! 👏👏👏 

Mahalos for sharing! 

Thanks for following along on the creation of this garden. So happy it can be inspiring to you! 

[Tracy]

On 1/23/2025 at 1:20 AM, Hilo Jason said:

I was thinking about this post and pictures that @Tracy took a little less than 2 years ago and wanted to update with similar photos taken today

Wowza!  It is amazing how quickly things have grown already.  The entryway with concrete poured and house in the background were just concepts when we were there.  You have created a wonderful oasis there.

[Hilo Jason]

A couple of “before and after” pictures of palms that caught my eye this evening:

First up is a Chrysalidocarpus Hovomantsina Hybrid. First picture in a pot was taken a little over 3 years ago when it was planted:

these next photos were taken this evening:

 

[Hilo Jason]

This next one is a bit of a mystery. When Floribunda has a “?” on the tag, then you know you have a mystery.  It kind of has a Chrysalidocarpus “sp Bef” meets Ambositrae meets “Black stem (without black on the stem)” type feel to it. 
 

First picture is 2 years ago:

 

And these next pictures were taken this evening:

[flplantguy]

11 minutes ago, Hilo Jason said:

This next one is a bit of a mystery. When Floribunda has a “?” on the tag, then you know you have a mystery.  It kind of has a Chrysalidocarpus “sp Bef” meets Ambositrae meets “Black stem (without black on the stem)” type feel to it. 
 

First picture is 2 years ago:

 

And these next pictures were taken this evening:

Whatever that is it has some amazing color combos!  The salmon bud to dark (like chocolate?) petiole with the fuzz between is something pretty cool, like a lastelliana or leptochielos is in there somewhere too.  Not that i know much about that other than they are super cool lol.  I hope you get viable seed some day on it!

[realarch]

14 hours ago, Hilo Jason said:

A couple of “before and after” pictures of palms that caught my eye this evening:

First up is a Chrysalidocarpus Hovomantsina Hybrid. First picture in a pot was taken a little over 3 years ago when it was planted:

these next photos were taken this evening:

 

Interesting looking palm Jason, at this stage it looks like a lot of different things.You can tell the ‘hovo’ in it, but then lacks the overall bulk especially in the trunk. Looking forward to the next couple of years to see the changes.

Tim

[Tracy]

19 hours ago, Hilo Jason said:

And these next pictures were taken this evening:

 

A very attractive palm Jason.  My first thought was Chrysalidocarpus ambositrae x rufescens.  I'm sure there are plenty of other combinations that might theoretically resemble your palm, but that is the combo that my eye sees.

[Hilo Jason]

A few new plantings to share on here. I’ve been working on weeding and cleaning up my New Caledonia planter to make room for some new plantings. As some of the original plantings in this area are now trunking, it’s created some new space to plant more so I went shopping for some rare species to add. 
 

on the left is Basselinia Tomentosa (red seed) and I believe Jeff Marcus thinks it might end up being Faviera, based on the label that was in the pot. On the right is Basselinia Velutina. 
 

above is the Velutina planted out and below is the Tomentosa. Not much to see now but I like documenting these when planted so I can look back and track growth rates. 
 

And then the last planting of the day is Pinanga Declinata which is along my driveway so I will be able to see it multiple times a day. 
 

thanks for looking. More new plantings soon, just have to move a pile of rocks first so I can work on a new planter area next to the house. 

[CLINODAVE]

Palms and a dog, pretty darn good!

[Hilo Jason]

Seeds galore!!!

I bought the above palm as “Malcomberi hybrid” but as it’s matured and now set seed I think it’s Chrysalidocarpus Prestonianus, which is fine with me. 
 

Below is the first ripening seed on my Robusta Hybrid. I had a Robusta hybrid in my previous Hilo garden and these seed are about double the size of that one. I’ll try to germinate some and see what happens. 
 

 

And below are the first flower spathes pushing out on my Burretiokentia Koghiensis. Not even trunking yet and pushing flowers?