Phoenix theophrastii at night

[edbrown_III]

Phoenix theophrastii at night in my back yard 

 

[kinzyjr]

Gorgeous!  Mine never seem to take off here. 

[Scott W]

Beautiful Ed!  😍  

[Phoenikakias]

2 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Gorgeous!  Mine never seem to take off here. 

It needs much water to promote decent growth.

[Scott W]

Good to know.  I have an area of the yard that gets tidal flooding.  Sounds like this is where it need to go when I plant a couple from the seeds I germinated.

[Phoenikakias]

3 hours ago, Scott W said:

Good to know.  I have an area of the yard that gets tidal flooding.  Sounds like this is where it need to go when I plant a couple from the seeds I germinated.

For those doubting the separate sp status of theophrasti compared to dactylifera, this is imo the basic argument against their claim on the grounds of cultivational requirements. Potted theo plants should always be placed on saucer filled with water, as long as temperature does not fall below 12 C.  In the very arid landscapes of the Greek Islands it is much more possible and probable that you encounter here and there a dactylifera than a theophrasti.

Btw I come more and more to the conclusion that there are two extreme forms of P theophrasti regarding frond structure. The one form has more densely arranged and shorter leaflets. The other one has more sparsely arranged and longer leaflets. I am not sure whether each form relates exclusively to certain population stands but I think that at least first form is more common within the population of Stalida and the other within the population of Vai, in Creete. Ed's specimen belongs to the first type.

Here examples of both forms of specimens growing in my garden very closely together.

And the whole plant with the densely arranged leaflets.