Can Chambeyronia macrocarpa Hold A Red Leaf For nearly Three Months? You Bet!

[Jim in Los Altos]

One of my dozen Chambeyronia (Flamethrower Palms) holds a new red leaf far longer than any of my others. Here’s the progression from November 20, 2023 to February 15, 2024. Two other palms in the garden threw red leaves in December and their red lasted just three weeks. 
 

Nov. 20

Nov. 30

Dec. 10

Dec. 23

Jan. 10

Feb. 2

Feb. 11

Feb. 22

[bubba]

That Chambeyronia red is really bright in California and Australia. Mine in Florida are not as bright red.

[Jim in Los Altos]

24 minutes ago, bubba said:

That Chambeyronia red is really bright in California and Australia. Mine in Florida are not as bright red.

Mine have a range of colors from pink to maroon to orange to ruby red depending on the particular palm. 
 

[happypalms]

Nice one Jim the heading should read when anthocyanins attack 🌱

[miamicuse]

I am jealous, all of mine last like one week no more.  What are you feeding it cranberry juice or beets juice?🤔

[Harry’s Palms]

Mine only lasts about a week but it is in full sun all day long. It was much more impressive before it grew out of the shade. I gave it some E B Stone just a few weeks prior to the last opening , maybe the next red display will hold longer. Harry

[tim_brissy_13]

3 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Mine only lasts about a week but it is in full sun all day long. It was much more impressive before it grew out of the shade. I gave it some E B Stone just a few weeks prior to the last opening , maybe the next red display will hold longer. Harry

I’ve seen correlation between shade grown Chambeyronia and holding new red fronds longer. Actually just any red fronds in general. I have an Archontophoenix alexandrae in fairly deep shade which opens a tinted orange/res frond for months, whereas my Chambeyronia macrocarpa var flavopicta only holds it for a week or two depending on the season and it is growing in full sun. 

[sonoranfans]

slow growth process retains the red longer so shade and moderate temps(sub80F?).  In winter mine lasts about 2-3 times longer.  In summer the late day sun comes from NW instead of southwest so the the spots for my hookeri and macrocarpa watermelon are much more sunny and they fade fast.   I have moved around containers of chambys, and so far they last longer in winter in shade.   New leaves are very low in chlorophyll but have anthocyanins fixed in the epidermal layer.   The chlorophyll flows into the palisade mesophyll layer in the leaf and that chlorophyll absorbs red light very strongly so the red disappears.  Anything that delays the chlorophyll transport into the leaf will cause the red to persist.  What you see in a leaf is light that has escaped being absorbed by chromophores(chlorophyll, anthocyanins, caretonoids, and xanthins).  Low light and cool temps should delay the growth process of the new leaf.

[miamicuse]

From my experience all of my lasted 5 days the most from the day of emergence to the day that it turns completely green, and this is the case for all of them in different areas of the garden with varying lights from full sun to part shade.

BUT this week I had one red leaf that started on October 24 and today is November 2, day #10 and while it had faded some but still more red than green.  This is more than twice as long as it did before and the only thing I can think of is there is a cold front now and temperature has been cooler this week and last being in the mid 70s.  Any chance the duration of the red leaf is related to the temperature...or humidity?

[Harry’s Palms]

My last one lasted 5 days , full sun . Harry

[The Germinator]

I only have a 4 in the ground but as you said Cali has lots of red ones. My observation has been if you foo foo your palm it does not push as many red emergent leaves., but when I neglect it I get more red pushes. Just like my Aloes if they get stressed out they turn red; must be some kind of a Chlorophyll issue.  What are everyone's experience. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

On 11/3/2024 at 1:48 AM, The Germinator said:

I only have a 4 in the ground but as you said Cali has lots of red ones. My observation has been if you foo foo your palm it does not push as many red emergent leaves., but when I neglect it I get more red pushes. Just like my Aloes if they get stressed out they turn red; must be some kind of a Chlorophyll issue.  What are everyone's experience. 

Ed, I “foo foo” all twelve of mine with regular feedings, watering, etc. and I get lots of color on all of them. I’m wondering if weather conditions here in CA are more conducive to vivid coloring. I do notice more vivid color on most of them when new leaves open in the late fall through winter. 

[happypalms]

Naturally @bubba of course Australia would have the brightest of red chambeyronia colour that’s how we do it down under.

[Cannonball]

Those reds are so stunning, mine are pretty much full sun now, however I have noticed that give or take a week they all open around the same time. When I first took notice of it a few years ago I thought I was just imagining it but it seems to be a thing.

[happypalms]

8 hours ago, Cannonball said:

Those reds are so stunning, mine are pretty much full sun now, however I have noticed that give or take a week they all open around the same time. When I first took notice of it a few years ago I thought I was just imagining it but it seems to be a thing.

I get them all the time with so many chambeyronia in the garden in different places. Sun shade it doesn’t matter always a new leaf appearing.

[Hu Palmeras]

Magnifico!!

 

Hugo

[donpachino1983]

Wowowowowowowo

[happypalms]

On 6/16/2024 at 5:32 PM, tim_brissy_13 said:

I’ve seen correlation between shade grown Chambeyronia and holding new red fronds longer. Actually just any red fronds in general. I have an Archontophoenix alexandrae in fairly deep shade which opens a tinted orange/res frond for months, whereas my Chambeyronia macrocarpa var flavopicta only holds it for a week or two depending on the season and it is growing in full sun. 

We can start a discussion with temperature related I reckon, the hotter the shorter they hold the red, cooler climate the longer they hold the red. 

[Harry’s Palms]

I would agree with @happypalms . When mine broke through the canopy it lost a lot of its “ red retention” . It is now more of a burgundy color that lasts less than a week in full sun . I had to also start watering more frequently when it grew into the sun because it would burn so badly . Copious amounts of water changed that. Harry

Just starting to open 

The burgundy red just started to show a day or so later . Within a week it was mostly green. 

[happypalms]

5 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I would agree with @happypalms . When mine broke through the canopy it lost a lot of its “ red retention” . It is now more of a burgundy color that lasts less than a week in full sun . I had to also start watering more frequently when it grew into the sun because it would burn so badly . Copious amounts of water changed that. Harry

Just starting to open 

The burgundy red just started to show a day or so later . Within a week it was mostly green. 

Water is a complete game changer in palm growing, if I was to be asked how do you grow palms my answer would be just water them. Of course there are a few exceptions drainage and temperature, but basically water and lots of it when it comes to my garden. 

[Hu Palmeras]

💪🦜🦜🌴🌴