What would you buy?

[JohnAndSancho]

My family wants to buy me a gift to help cheer me up and they know I love palms. I'm of course constantly looking on Etsy and various other sites at palms because watching palms grow is therapeutic. I've got plenty in my shopping cart on various sites, but out of a handful, what would you pick? I also, as always, bounce between scientific and common names. And want to see growth that won't take years. Plants can go outside and soak up sun intermittently even during winter here. It's not Canada,.but they'll bounce between outdoors and indoors for about 4 months. Tons of indoor and outdoor humidity and full sun vs plenty of grow bulbs. 

 

Red Latania (I have a coupon), cheapest. Most colorful. 

 

Pinanga coronata (I have seeds germinating, but seeds take forever). Look amazing. 

 

Pritchardia Pacifica (also have a coupon, also tied for the most expensive of the bunch) Most exotic and arguably coolest. 

 

Chamaedorea Metallica (tied for most expensive, probably the easiest albeit slowest to grow)

 

 

[Looking Glass]

I like the Red Latan and Metallica ideas.   What about Chamaerops humilis?   I always wondered if this would work as a great indoor, outdoor palm.  Not too fast.  Could be happy in a pot for a long time.  Can tolerate some cool and dry air.   Trimmed up like a bonsai later would look great. 

[Dwarf Fan]

Another vote for the Red Latania

I personally like the look of the Red Latania the best, it sounds extremely cold Hardy and has a very unique and Exotic appearance.

The cold hardiness sounds very minimal/very suspect on the Pinanga coronata & Pritchardia Pacifica so I am guessing these would be mostly indoor Palms?

Metallica is not my fav Cham I prefer a trunking Radicalis or a more pinnate understory clustering Chamaedorea, but that is all personal preference and is highly variable according to the taste of the individual collector. Many people go love the unique look of the Metallica.

At the end of the day pick which on your think will make you more happy you will be the one looking at it.

[D. Morrowii]

I would vote for Red Latan as well. I hear they are not very cold hardy though. I think they are a high 10a to 10b palm so protection required. 

[JohnAndSancho]

Yeah, I think I'm looking for a houseplant. Although it could be outside most of the year. I think the Latan would be harder for the cats to tear apart. 

 

I'm in background check for a job, I think in the spring I'll look for a robellini or a washy to go in the yard. I don't think the cats would mess with those more than once. 

[JohnAndSancho]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265329839477?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=-Ii4yigzTby&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=-DwwY9FbQte&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

This is dope too. And also has built-in cat deterrent. 

[Fusca]

On 11/1/2023 at 12:33 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

Pritchardia Pacifica (also have a coupon, also tied for the most expensive of the bunch) Most exotic and arguably coolest. 

Apparently Pritchardia pacifica can be grown for quite a while in a container.  I spotted this one in Natal, Brasil so it stays outdoors all year long.   I believe it's not very cool hardy in addition to being not cold hardy since it has failed many times in SoCal.  Latania only has the red look as a young palm but being container grown shouldn't matter.   

 

[JohnAndSancho]

I'm sitting here doing these stupid online surveys to get a few dollars to buy that Rotundifolia. I've wanted one of those for a while now and that size at that price is a hard yes from me. I'm like $10 short right now. 

[PalmsandLiszt]

On 11/2/2023 at 7:31 PM, Fusca said:

Apparently Pritchardia pacifica can be grown for quite a while in a container. 

Not tried pacifica, but I have P. napaliensis in a pot indoors and it's doing great. Growing faster than anything else.

On 11/1/2023 at 5:33 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

Pinanga coronata (I have seeds germinating, but seeds take forever). Look amazing. 

Not grown this one, but Pinangas are really fussy indoor plants in my experience. (As are most things that look amazing...) And the ones that are supposed to have red emergent leaves often don't have them; there is a photo bias in showing the individuals that do, and/or conditions for these are very specific.

On 11/1/2023 at 5:33 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

Chamaedorea Metallica (tied for most expensive, probably the easiest albeit slowest to grow)

Yes, these are easy and almost bulletproof. And they are pretty, albeit not very exciting (to my mind). But probably least likely to die on you. I'm not expressing an recommendation here; it depends what your priorities are. I'd probably try to keep the Pinanga alive (and quite possibly fail).

[Hurricanepalms]

I know they are not on your list, but Johannesteijsmannia altifrons makes a great potted palm. They are very low maintenance, have a small root ball, are relatively slow growing, and are stunningly beautiful.

Edited November 24, 2023 by Hurricanepalms

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

I vote for Pacifica or Metallica as they both do well in pots Pacifica can take full sun and grow fast. Metallica has been a steady grower in full shade and has been super carefree. 

T J 

[RichardHemsley]

I would go with C. metallica, I have one that stays inside in the winter and moves outside for 8 months of the year with no ill effects.  Puts on a good amount of growth each year, so for me at least, is not really slow growing. 

[Brandon39.5]

Hmm... difficult to decide, but I agree with Richard, I would go for C. Metallica

[Philly J]

 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

@Philly J appropriate music for the palm haha 

T J 

[JohnAndSancho]

On 11/27/2023 at 9:33 AM, Philly J said:

 

 

I miss my balcony. 

[Than]

On 11/1/2023 at 7:33 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

My family wants to buy me a gift to help cheer me up and they know I love palms.

Let me know if they ever need an extra son

[fotodimatti]

I totally fell in love with Kerriodoxa elegans. My ones germinated a year ago. And are already beautiful. I have seen them potted indoors for winter.
Joey Palm is also a great potted palm.
 

[happypalms]

Gotta be the Metallica 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

@JohnAndSancho so what did you decide ? 

T J 

[JohnAndSancho]

2 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

@JohnAndSancho so what did you decide ? 

T J 

Welp. 

 

My family is very bipolar lol. The good news is I should be getting a nice tax refund for the first time in a decade so I'll just buy myself some more lights and palms.