Mystery Hardy Fan Palm

[Palm and Pool]

I hope someone can help me identify these palms. 

My guess is that they are all the same. 

I have found these as volunteers in my yard and potted, fertilized and relocated them to better spots.

I just assumed they were Mexican Fan palms because those come up all over the place here in the Houston area.

But now I am not so sure.  I just discovered that my back neighbor has many of these coming up in her yard. 

That makes me think that they are not Mexican Fan palms because they have survived the past two years of extreme cold 15F where young unprotected Mexican Fan palms have not survived.

She also has a big palm that is probably mature enough to make seeds. It survived the cold as well.  But she couldn't tell me what kind it is.

Any ideas?

Thanks

First and last pictures are palms growing in neighbor's yard.

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Palm and Pool

[Brandon39.5]

Looks like Livistona chinensis to me.

[Palm and Pool]

Thanks! 

I will look that up.

[JLM]

Definitely Livistona chinensis

[Palm and Pool]

Thanks, JLM.  I am very happy to have another hardy variety to go along with the windmill and mexican fan palms in my yard! 

Edited August 8, 2023 by Palm and Pool

[Palm and Pool]

Oh, by the way,  does anyone know about how fast these grow?  Like does it add six inches of trunk height per year or one foot, etc.?  Thanks

Edited August 15, 2023 by Palm and Pool

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

2 hours ago, Palm and Pool said:

Oh, by the way,  does anyone know about how fast these grow?

These are definitely considered slow growing palms. Also way to many variables to figure per location. At that size I wouldn't think it would put on my much height per year. 

T J 

[Brandon39.5]

2 hours ago, Palm and Pool said:

Oh, by the way,  does anyone know about how fast these grow?  Like does it add six inches of trunk height per year or one foot, etc.?  Thanks

i've got a juvenile one here in mallorca zone 10a and it has made 3 fronds in 3 months, for me it's being a fast grower, but when they get bigger I would say that it is a moderate grower

[Palm and Pool]

These are definitely considered slow growing palms. Also way to many variables to figure per location. At that size I wouldn't think it would put on my much height per year. 

Thanks, TJ.

That actually works out well for how I have them arranged.  I want fan palms of different heights so that I don't end up with just tall lonely Mexican Fan palms. 

Edited August 16, 2023 by Palm and Pool

[Palm and Pool]

3 hours ago, Brandon39.5 said:

i've got a juvenile one here in mallorca zone 10a and it has made 3 fronds in 3 months, for me it's being a fast grower, but when they get bigger I would say that it is a moderate grower

I put some in the ground this year and they have grown by leaps and bounds compared to the ones that got TLC in pots.  Also, the volunteers in the neighbor's yard look great, and they got no protection at 15F nor fertilizer or extra watering, etc., and are enduring the past six weeks of 100F with no rain.  I should just plant the rest because they will be better off without all my "help"

Are yours in the sun, shade, or part shade?

Edited August 16, 2023 by Palm and Pool

[PalmatierMeg]

17 hours ago, Palm and Pool said:

I put some in the ground this year and they have grown by leaps and bounds compared to the ones that got TLC in pots.  Also, the volunteers in the neighbor's yard look great, and they got no protection at 15F nor fertilizer or extra watering, etc., and are enduring the past six weeks of 100F with no rain.  I should just plant the rest because they will be better off without all my "help"

Are yours in the sun, shade, or part shade?

Most palms grow much better and faster in the ground. And some really hate being in pots (majesties, Copernicia)

[sonoranfans]

I'll back up Meg.  I have never grown aa palm that was faster in a pot than in the ground.  This shouldnt be a surprise as roots will grow bigger and faster in the ground uncontained.    Looks like L Chinensis to me too.  I have a multi(4) that is about 15' tall in 12 years  from a 3 gallon seedling(smaller than the OP's).  I think fast growing palms are OK ins some spots, but in ten years those fast growing palms are a bunch of poles with crowns/  One day in say 5-10 years one may ask:  why didnt I plant more slow growing palms so my hard doesnt look like a loose bamboo patch, all poles.  I learned this to a lesser degree than I state but I am not looking for anything fast now, You cant look into the crown of a 30' tree without a drone camera.  Its nice to walk around the yard an see into some crowns instead of a bunch of poles, great poles mind you, but the underneath view is mostly not as nice. 

[Brandon39.5]

20 hours ago, Palm and Pool said:

I put some in the ground this year and they have grown by leaps and bounds compared to the ones that got TLC in pots.  Also, the volunteers in the neighbor's yard look great, and they got no protection at 15F nor fertilizer or extra watering, etc., and are enduring the past six weeks of 100F with no rain.  I should just plant the rest because they will be better off without all my "help"

Are yours in the sun, shade, or part shade?

It's in shade most of the day but in the afterenoon gets a bit of sun. and it's in the ground. I water mine every 2 days that's probably why it grows that fast and the soil is really good. I will put some photos later

Edited August 16, 2023 by Brandon39.5

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

I really love the look of a stretched out shade grown Chinensis. Maas nursery has a bunch that have never seen direct sunlight and there majestic. 

T J 

[Palm and Pool]

Most palms grow much better and faster in the ground. And some really hate being in pots (majesties, Copernicia)

Yeah, that's what I thought, too.   So I put my caryota maxima in the ground, and it died and just about broke my heart.  I really want a caryota in that spot.  I know it was really just the freeze that got him, but I am still sad about it.

Anyway, I didn't plant these little fan palm volunteers because I thought they were Mexican Fan palms which I have had die when they are really little due to winter freezing weather.  So, I am thankful that people have identified these little palms as L. chinensis and I can go ahead and plant them since they have demonstrated they will make it through a freeze

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Palm and Pool

[Palm and Pool]

 

I really love the look of a stretched out shade grown Chinensis. Maas nursery has a bunch that have never seen direct sunlight and there majestic. 

T J 

 

Where is Maas nursery, and do they have a more varied selection of palms? 

 

[Palm and Pool]

3 hours ago, Brandon39.5 said:

It's in shade most of the day but in the afterenoon gets a bit of sun. and it's in the ground. I water mine every 2 days that's probably why it grows that fast and the soil is really good. I will put some photos later

Yes, I would love to see some photos.  What kind of soil do you have there?

[Palm and Pool]

6 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

Its nice to walk around the yard an see into some crowns instead of a bunch of poles,

Exactly!   I want some shorter palms to fill in the spaces for a palm forest sort of effect.

 

I want something sort of like this:

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Palm and Pool

[johnnymak]

15 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Most palms grow much better and faster in the ground. And some really hate being in pots (majesties, Copernicia)

Some don't seem to mind.

[Brandon39.5]

10 hours ago, Palm and Pool said:

Yes, I would love to see some photos.  What kind of soil do you have there?

soil is very good the first 3 or 4 feet well draining and I have a layer of leafs on top of the soil. this part of the garden is like my mini jungle, so I dont really have much palms is more for other plants. deeper is normal mallorca soil like a rocky clay soil but not heavy clay is more like a light clay.

Edited August 17, 2023 by Brandon39.5

[PalmatierMeg]

10 hours ago, Palm and Pool said:

Exactly!   I want some shorter palms to fill in the spaces for a palm forest sort of effect.

 

I want something sort of like this:

 

Those palms look like Livistona decora. Very elegant

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

14 hours ago, Palm and Pool said:

Where is Maas nursery, and do they have a more varied selection of palms? 

Local nursery down this way. There not a great place for palms, every now and then ill be surprised by something they have. 

T J 

[Palm and Pool]

9 hours ago, johnnymak said:

Some don't seem to mind.

Wow!  That is just magnificent.  Is it a licuala?