happypalms Another day in paradise in the garden

[happypalms]

2 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

C muelleri and caryotoides have been growing in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens for many years. I suspect dozens of Calamus would be suitable to grow in cool climates, but I guess the demand is limited based on the lack of appeal for household gardens. If I had more than an average sized block I’d be growing as many as I could get my hands on. I find most quite attractive (vicious spines aside). 

Would make a great security fence in the suburbs no criminal would dare go there they should plant it around goals as a fence they are super deadly 

[peachy]

On 8/20/2023 at 3:55 PM, happypalms said:

Hi peachy I have hundreds of linospadix monostachya about 3 years old in tubes when you’re ready for one or two lacospadix seedlings as well they would look amazing in habitat the old bangalow get a bit boring for me but a great pioneer palm plant them for the canopy I would want that calyptrocalyx to stay a calyptro much better palm than lacospadix i guess our native palms take a back seat to the more tropical imports Australia has some wonderful palms it’s a bit like traveling overseas when Australia has the best places to see we often choose abroad holidays like they say step out of your comfort zone and go see Australia first 

The instant I hear the C word (Clumping) I go the other way. As I always confuse the 2 species but know that one of them clumps, I just gave up. Not worth the time, money and effort if I ended up with the wrong one.  I used to live in the country years ago where the climbing palms are natives ... they are horrendous things.  I like quite a few of our native palms though, mostly tough and easy to grow but some can be so touchy. We do have some amazingly lovely coastlines and mountain ranges here, however to see the majority of our palms in habitat you have to go to such horrible places. IPS have had some great habitat tours over the years but they are nearly all in places that are so hot that I would be dead from heat stroke before I got to the passport counter.

Peachy

[peachy]

4 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

C muelleri and caryotoides have been growing in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens for many years. I suspect dozens of Calamus would be suitable to grow in cool climates, but I guess the demand is limited based on the lack of appeal for household gardens. If I had more than an average sized block I’d be growing as many as I could get my hands on. I find most quite attractive (vicious spines aside). 

Hi Tim, I used to live right beside the Bunya Mts where the native Calamus grow to unbelievable sizes. When you see them en masse they are so ugly.  Winter nights in the Bunyas and D'Aguilar Ranges are close to 0 for much of the winter and down in the minuses for a few weeks mid winter, so I can assure you that some of them can take far more cold that Melbourne can hand out. Plant Bouganvillea if you like spikes, at least they look pretty when they flower

Peachy

 

[WaianaeCrider]

On 8/17/2023 at 3:15 PM, Mangosteen said:

Mine growing on the east side of the Big Island of Hawaii.

 Love the new red.

 

[happypalms]

8 hours ago, peachy said:

The instant I hear the C word (Clumping) I go the other way. As I always confuse the 2 species but know that one of them clumps, I just gave up. Not worth the time, money and effort if I ended up with the wrong one.  I used to live in the country years ago where the climbing palms are natives ... they are horrendous things.  I like quite a few of our native palms though, mostly tough and easy to grow but some can be so touchy. We do have some amazingly lovely coastlines and mountain ranges here, however to see the majority of our palms in habitat you have to go to such horrible places. IPS have had some great habitat tours over the years but they are nearly all in places that are so hot that I would be dead from heat stroke before I got to the passport counter.

Peachy

So true the c word has many different meanings nowadays😷 🤣 I prefer the single stem varieties you need to go to a place called dorrigo national park there boardwalk is an amazing view with thousands of linospadix monostachya oh and dorrigo is known for being a cold place up in the mountains so you won’t melt up there that’s for sure it’s interesting ones view on certain plants iam like that with those agave things you see with a sign  for free outside someone’s house after they have ripped them out when someone tries to describe them to me I say ohhh those F and things they know straight away what plant iam talking about those agave 

[happypalms]

8 hours ago, peachy said:

Hi Tim, I used to live right beside the Bunya Mts where the native Calamus grow to unbelievable sizes. When you see them en masse they are so ugly.  Winter nights in the Bunyas and D'Aguilar Ranges are close to 0 for much of the winter and down in the minuses for a few weeks mid winter, so I can assure you that some of them can take far more cold that Melbourne can hand out. Plant Bouganvillea if you like spikes, at least they look pretty when they flower

Peachy

 

I love your view on some plants 🤣 but can’t stand bougainvillea I tried to pull one with tractor from my garden all I got was a tractor about to flip over up on two wheels foot on the clutch seeing gods gates dam bougainvillea is still ther growing 10 metres plus up a tree mocking me for being so blooming useless that I could not rip it out quicker than dentists on a molar curse you purple rootstock bougainvillea 🤣🤪

[Tyrone]

Calamus are great. Palms with attitude. I have a small muelleri here. Would love to get my hands on caryotoides or australis. I did have some moti, but they didn’t like it down here. I’ve got the space to let some Calamus run wild but they would be slow on the south coast. Real unique for this area though. Many would never have experienced such a palm. 

[philinsydney]

Calamus doesn't grow as far south as Sydney but we have another "wait-a-while" - Smilax australis. It has much the same effect when you are bush bashing.

[Patrick]

Oh. Look. How about that. I can't believe it. Another thing from Australia that wants to kill you. I'm shocked, I tell you....

 

 

Nice looking plant. I tried to grow  C. caryotoides up here once. Opposite of your spiders and kill them with fire, I killed my Calamus with cold- not intentionally though. I have a certain 'respect' for the genus now.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Patrick

[tim_brissy_13]

4 hours ago, philinsydney said:

Calamus doesn't grow as far south as Sydney but we have another "wait-a-while" - Smilax australis. It has much the same effect when you are bush bashing.

There would be many Calamus species that would grow well in Sydney…if you’re willing to risk the bloodshed. 

[Phoenikakias]

9 hours ago, happypalms said:

I love your view on some plants 🤣 but can’t stand bougainvillea I tried to pull one with tractor from my garden all I got was a tractor about to flip over up on two wheels foot on the clutch seeing gods gates dam bougainvillea is still ther growing 10 metres plus up a tree mocking me for being so blooming useless that I could not rip it out quicker than dentists on a molar curse you purple rootstock bougainvillea 🤣🤪

It hates triclopyr as several other invasive trees such as Leucaena and Bauhinia. You cut down most of the aerial part and brush onto the stump triclopyr and kiss goodbye the annoying plant!

[happypalms]

2 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

It hates triclopyr as several other invasive trees such as Leucaena and Bauhinia. You cut down most of the aerial part and brush onto the stump triclopyr and kiss goodbye the annoying plant!

No worries thanks for the tip I work on farm and handle enough chemicals so triclopyr is not available in Australia but iam sure there is some other knock ‘‘em dead chemicals at work I can get if I need to eradicate the cursed thing 

[happypalms]

7 hours ago, philinsydney said:

Calamus doesn't grow as far south as Sydney but we have another "wait-a-while" - Smilax australis. It has much the same effect when you are bush bashing.

Iam sure there is some other rampant wait a while in any country around the world 

[Phoenikakias]

On 8/24/2023 at 5:29 AM, happypalms said:

I just love spikey dangerous plants i see the  beauty in the danger or is it the danger in the beauty either way you have to be careful I have seen grown men brought to there knees in pain from this vine across the neck while enduro riding dirt bikes in the bush locally known as the wait a while once it grabs you you will have to wait a while until you free yourself the tiniest fish hook like barbs on the tendrils are the worst to deal with not to mention the spines it’s easy to grow water and shade it is very rare to find them for sale I have looked for years to find seeds but to no avail cold tolerant hardy palm a must have for the serious collectors of palms 

I have three of them (australis) growing in pot and one (caryotoides suckering form) in the ground serving as hedge! Latter blooms regularly every year but she lacks a mate. Still I do not consider myself a serious collector, not because I do not want it, but rather because I do not have the infrastructure, nor can I afford one, for such upgrade lol

[happypalms]

Just now, Phoenikakias said:

I have three of them (australis) growing in pot and one (caryotoides suckering form) in the ground serving as hedge! Latter blooms regularly every year but she lacks a mate. Still I do not consider myself a serious collector, not because I do not want it, but rather because I do not have the infrastructure, nor can I afford one, for such upgrade lol

I couldn’t image the amount of money I have spent on my collection ridiculous amounts but gardening is passion of mine you have 3 Australis they must be available there in Australia there pretty rare in my area even though it’s there native habitat 

[Phoenikakias]

7 minutes ago, happypalms said:

I couldn’t image the amount of money I have spent on my collection ridiculous amounts but gardening is passion of mine you have 3 Australis they must be available there in Australia there pretty rare in my area even though it’s there native habitat 

I grew them from seed. Got 7 seedlings, gifted 2 and one I had kept died. The other 3 grow in a community pot, among which one has taken off while the rest are staying back albeit they are healthy. I took my a while to figure out their needs, and meanwhile all three and especially the two small ones reached to the brink of demise. Nevertheless after my 'enlightenment' they all seem to grow normally. Calamus caryotoides was much easier though!

[happypalms]

My sabinara have taken two winters now sow there pretty cold tolerant so far in a protected environment I might plant one out in the next few weeks after the last frost in my area I don’t get frosts in my garden only at the bottom of the hill my elevation is 120 meters above sea level iam pretty confident they will survive given enough water and shade 

[tropicbreeze]

Calamus muelleri is the only one that grows (naturally) in SE Qld and NE NSW. Grows longer than C. caryotoides but only to about 20 metres. C. australis is one of the bigger ones and can get to 35 metres long. It grows up on the Atherton Tablelands where it gets very cold. C. moti gets up to 45 metres long. It also grows up on the Atherton Tablelands. C. radicalis another that gets up to 40 metres long. And again, another that's also found on the Atherton Tablelands. That said, they probably wouldn't like the high heat and dry air down south in summer. Worth a try if you have the room. They look really nice, although very forbidding at the same time. Out bush when you're confronted by a wall of Calamus it's time to re-evaluate your plans. I've had a few arguments with them over time, the score stands at something like Calamus 10, and me zero.

[Phoenikakias]

My 3 surviving C australis

Edited August 25, 2023 by Phoenikakias

[Pal Meir]

Not in my garden or inside my office: 😎

[Phoenikakias]

My hedge making C caryotoides. I added also a close up of a desiccating female inflorescence.

[Cindy Adair]

Very nice! Congratulations.

[happypalms]

Another one my favourite palms in my garden is the chuniophoenix nana I have around 8 mature plants such a great understory palm the best thing about having an established palm garden is years later you really get a great understory to work with I have many a new plant in my collection to go in the ground over the next 3 or 4 years anthuriums aroids new palms new tropical trees plus cycas varieties and many other rare and exotic plants I have collected over the last 4 years collecting and more chuniophoenix nana except this time mass group plantings for future seed production and the wow affect eye candy garden also for future generations one day when I sell my property you will buy the garden and the house is for free 😁

[Phoenikakias]

Any idea about the soil (pH) and feeding requirements of this sp?

[happypalms]

An easy chameadorea to grow sets seed easy a real winner in any garden the only problem I have growing it is having to weed them out 

[happypalms]

This is one of my favourite palms from age 17 I first saw this palm in the kentia nursery I worked in I asked the boss I want to buy one of those palms way back under the trees in the nursery he looked at me and said you have an eye for good palms knowing I wanted to buy one when I had no idea what it was now 37 years later I have some of the finest specimens one can have I get a lot of seeds and a good germination rate bottom heat 30 degrees Celsius in coco peat perlite mix a highly ornamental palm suited to any court yard patio understory a perfect 10 out of 10 for me this palm and 37 years ago this was a super rare palm in Australia how right my boss was 

[Pal Meir]

Not 37 years ago, but 39 years:

[Brad52]

I planted 3 one gallon size < 3 years ago and they have produced seed already.  Looking less than happy in full sun with lots of dry…

Edited August 27, 2023 by Brad52

[happypalms]

7 hours ago, Pal Meir said:

Not 37 years ago, but 39 years:

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣I was trying to fudge a few years off thanks for reminding me iam getting older 🤪

[The Palm Nut]

These are one of my favorites as well. I started off with this one many years ago, I couldn't begin to guess its age, but I have many generations from it throughout the garden. At first, I would follow good practices in germinating seeds but after some years I would just clean off the husks (easy to do) and drop them throughout the garden. This practice has worked for many species of palms I have in the garden over the years. Recently I dedicated one spot in the garden for a germination site, makes for an easier recovery if germination is successful. I am sure a lot of you out there do this if you have favorable conditions (climate). It's not rocket science. Just don't expect high germination rates! 😄

[happypalms]

My one and only dypsis louvellii a real collector’s gem such a neat small palm I will plant it in the ground once I decide what situation it will grow best in 

[BS Man about Palms]

Beautiful.
On my bucket list..

[happypalms]

Another cute little dypsis lantzeana a real little gem for the understory 

[happypalms]

The good old reliable chameadorea atrovirens  a real easy landscaping palm to work with a true winner in the chameadorea world for proven success I do get a little amount of seeds from them easy to germinate palm 

[happypalms]

Iam pretty happy about my darianii surviving winter it even put out new leaves in winter I left it sitting in a bucket of water over winter so it had cold feet iam pretty sure it was in a protected hothouse temperatures around 2 degrees Celsius I will continue to grow it in a protected environment for another winter then all I have to do is plant it in the wettest spot I can create not easy in the bush around my garden but iam sure I can create those conditions I will make a raised garden extremely large with some sort of water retaining tricks out there but iam sure i will still need good drainage or i will just leave the hose on permanently either way it will get special treatment i only have one and cry if I break the roots 

[happypalms]

This palm is an easy to grow one in my climate once again iam sure more water in my climate would make for a bigger palm after 20 years or are they just slow ?

[tim_brissy_13]

Schippia surprisingly does well for me in Melbourne. In ground 3 years now. The first year it suffered transplant shock and didn’t grow, I was sure all was lost considering it’s marginal here. But then the last two years it has recovered and puts out about 5 fronds per year. Not much vertical growth though. 

[iDesign]

Was pleased to see this palm mentioned, as it's been a LONG time since I've seen the name. Not sure why this palm is not more loved on the forum (best guess is because it's very slow growing?). It's one of my personal favorites, and relatively rare, based on the scant information I've been able to find online.

What I like about it is that it looks nearly PERFECT all of the time, without any effort on my end. It's very slow growing, but that also means little to no maintenance. Cutting off a frond is infrequent enough that it's a special occasion.

While not much bigger than when I bought it, I'm happy with its relatively small size. I purchased it at almost this same size many years ago (from Rancho Soledad... was brought in from Hawaii). Mine goes into the ground this coming Spring... in a very prominent location.

[The Palm Nut]

Yep, slow but steady. Mine in the center.

[Frond-friend42]

4 hours ago, iDesign said:

Was pleased to see this palm mentioned, as it's been a LONG time since I've seen the name. Not sure why this palm is not more loved on the forum (best guess is because it's very slow growing?). It's one of my personal favorites, and relatively rare, based on the scant information I've been able to find online.

What I like about it is that it looks nearly PERFECT all of the time, without any effort on my end. It's very slow growing, but that also means little to no maintenance. Cutting off a frond is infrequent enough that it's a special occasion.

While not much bigger than when I bought it, I'm happy with its relatively small size. I purchased it at almost this same size many years ago (from Rancho Soledad... was brought in from Hawaii). Mine goes into the ground this coming Spring... in a very prominent location.

Yours looks great.  How much do you water it?