Chamaedorea seifrizii

[Gileno Machado]

This palm below is my tallest Cham seifrizii germinated from seed a couple years ago, which I like real well. It was labeled as "blue" but hasn't showed up any distinctive hue so far. I've placed it on a wind protected spot outside of the shadecloth area and it seems to enjoy so far.

I've seen pictures of a nice clump in Fairchild (don't remember if they were located in full sun though...).

This is a new species in cultivation here, not so common as metallica and elegans, so I'd appreciate any tips on cultivation, exposure, soil type, fert, etc...thanks.

[ianedwards]

Gileno, Here in Sydney I can grow C. seifrizii in a little shade in the garden, but with a winter temperature down to 6-8C, and summer rarely above 30-35C, they seldom flower and never set seed, unlike most Chamaedoreas here. But my daughter grew them in a very warm courtyard where they flowered and set many seed. I think a warm summer is what they need. They are quite drought resistant.

[chris.oz]

Gileno,

I have found these to be hard to grow in the garden here [ many times they have fallen prey to fungal rots]  unlike many other chamaedoreas eg. C. tepejilote grows really fast and strong and C. metallica is slow but very reliable,  while C. costaricana also does well.

Ian may have hit the nail on the head re the need for warmth and if so,  you should be able to grow these well.

[MattyB]

Hi Gileno.  Obviously I don't know how they perform in your climate, but here in California they can handle a surprising amount of sun.  I translplanted one at my mom's house about 15-20 years ago.  It was tough and not only recovered but adapts to 3/4 of a day full sun in summertime.  In winter the changing angle of the sun puts it back in shade and it becomes unacclimated again only to burn off a bit every early summer.  By the end of summer it's looking good again.  It never dries out so I don't know about drought tolerance.  It's not tough enough to handle the shade/sun change without burning, but once it's accustommed to the sun it will become more compact and do just fine.  If it's left to the sun the entire day then it never looks good.  Drainage does not seem to be paramount to this species either because it's thriving in an unamended spot.  I think it likes the fact that it is always wet.  Hope that helps.

[metalfan]

I know that they do very well in Central and South Florida, a friend just gave me one that's about 6 ft tall and full of seeds. I haven't planted it out yet, I thought I'd keep it in under the skylights this winter, but I have the other bamboo palm(microspadix) in the ground in shade, and it took 22F last winter and is blooming NOW and about to set seeds

[Gileno Machado]

A big "Thanks" to each one of you for the informative views on cultivation of the species. These seeds came from southern Spain and this particular seedling has always felt very "at home" here since germination. I can't wait to see the bamboos showing up...

I've just checked a Brazilian book about exotic palms and it shows pictures of 2 different varieties, one of them named "Fairchild", with broader and longer leaflets (like microspadix) in elegant display. Anyone growing this last one too? and what are the particularities and the differences, in terms of cultivating conditions, amongst the several chumping Chamaedoreas? I've noticed that all of my brachypodas, microspadix and fragrans are starting to grow fast now, not to mention the oblongata, adscendens and geonomiformis but I'm still afraid of exposing them out too much during this summer since I can only check them out on the weekends and they all look fragile. Love them all, nevertheless.

PS: MattyB: By "unamended soil" you mean = clay? Do you heavily mulch it too? Liquid fert?

Grato a todos.

[ianedwards]

Gileno, the "Fairchild" one is I think one that was once called C. erumpens, until Don Hodel found both leaf forms on the same plant. They both seem to grow about the same here.

[Phil]

I feel that Chamaedorea seifrizii is far from the ideal Chamaedorea.  It historically is known as the "bamboo palm".  It has been extensively grown commercially.  But, it has some real shortcomings.  The major problem is this species' susceptibility to fungal infections.  These are identified by brown splotches on the trunks.  Infected plants don't die quickly, but rather languish and look scrappy.  If the San Diego area, it's hard to find an older specimen that is not affected by this malady.  Personally, I feel there are far superior Chamaedorea species that one can grow.   If one wants the smaller sized suckering Chamaedorea microspadix is superior.  If one wants a taller suckering species, I think hooperiana and costa ricana are far more beautiful and seemingly resistant to fungus.  Seifrizii has a few virtues, but overall I think other species are better for the garden.

Phil

[PalmGuyWC]

My two cents......

I've seen Cham. seifrizii growing in the wild around Merida Mexico on the Yucatan pennisula. As I recall they were growing in full sun, or almost full sun, but the ones I saw were what I would call the "superior" variety. They had very thin blades and were a blue/green color. There are several different forms of Cham. sefrizii, some with thin blades and some with wider blades. They also readily cross with Cham. erumpens, and most of the ones in commercial trade are crosses, and not as desirable to me as the pure form with thin blades. It's been speculated that C. erumpens and sefrizii are the same species, but just different forms.

Once established they seem to be drought tollerent and will take a lot of neglect. I've seen them used as hedges in South Florida and they seem to thrive there. They require a lot of heat, and I've never had any luck growing them in N. Calif. They are not particularly cold hardy, but a perfectly grown one is beautiful.

Dick

[eastern.nurseries]

Is erumpens a hybrid of oblongata x seifrizii?