Ceroxylon amazonicum

[Jim in Los Altos]

This small Ceroxylon amazonicum was planted out as a 4” liner up here in Northern CA a few years ago. Seems happy enough but so slow. Who else is growing this species and please post photos. My fastest growing Ceroxylon is C. alpinum and looks close to showing some real trunk soon. 

C. amazonicum

C. amazonicum

[mnorell]

That's a cool-looking palm, Jim, even though it may still be pokey, and wonderful that you have one alive...am I wrong in remembering that some people have still had some trouble with this species being temperamental despite its much warmer native environment compared to its "head in the clouds" brethren? The most recent revision of the genus says it has a very restricted altitude range of 800-1200masl. That elevation in Ecuador sounds like it would still be quite warm so it seems to point to quite a bit of flexibility if you're growing it in Los Altos Hills. Maybe it will speed up very soon, I am personally a big fan of this genus but now live in a place where it could scarcely be considered methinks. Please keep us posted with photos of this as well as your almost-trunking C. alpinum as they develop!

[tim_brissy_13]

56 minutes ago, mnorell said:

That's a cool-looking palm, Jim, even though it may still be pokey, and wonderful that you have one alive...am I wrong in remembering that some people have still had some trouble with this species being temperamental despite its much warmer native environment compared to its "head in the clouds" brethren? The most recent revision of the genus says it has a very restricted altitude range of 800-1200masl. That elevation in Ecuador sounds like it would still be quite warm so it seems to point to quite a bit of flexibility if you're growing it in Los Altos Hills. Maybe it will speed up very soon, I am personally a big fan of this genus but now live in a place where it could scarcely be considered methinks. Please keep us posted with photos of this as well as your almost-trunking C. alpinum as they develop!

C amazonicum grows well here even in the colder spot in Melbourne like up in the Dandenong Ranges where freezing temperatures are common. It seems C amazonicum borrows its hardiness from its close relatives and doesn’t necessarily follow with those with common habitat. 

[happypalms]

Once again Jim another great palm you have when you collect palms it’s not what you know but who you know.

[Jonathan]

Hey Jim, late reply but here's my little fella looking pretty happy on a midwinter morning at 43 degrees south. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

12 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Hey Jim, late reply but here's my little fella looking pretty happy on a midwinter morning at 43 degrees south. 

Cute little guy. I hope it grows huge in the coming years! You have a really nice Ceroxylon collection! 

[Hillizard]

This little Ceroxylon amazonicum endured a lot of stress to get to California eventually! I ordered it in 2025 directly from an Ecuadorian nursery. It ended up in Florida quarantine for weeks, then arrived in California bare-root, half-dead and bone-dry! I tented it in plastic and kept it in standing water for weeks. It's now putting out its second leaf.  I've not had much success with this species in the past, but I'm trying again. This palm hates heat waves, so I'll probably keep it indoors in a pot for the future. Eventually it may end up at a Bay Area botanical garden like the C. sasaimae seedlings I grew in the past. 

[PlantMorePalms]

20 minutes ago, Hillizard said:

This little Ceroxylon amazonicum endured a lot of stress to get to California eventually! I ordered it in 2025 directly from an Ecuadorian nursery. It ended up in Florida quarantine for weeks, then arrived in California bare-root, half-dead and bone-dry! I tented it in plastic and kept it in standing water for weeks. It's now putting out its second leaf.  I've not had much success with this species in the past, but I'm trying again. This palm hates heat waves, so I'll probably keep it indoors in a pot for the future. Eventually it may end up at a Bay Area botanical garden like the C. sasaimae seedlings I grew in the past. 

I ordered two from likely the same source, but they both dried out and died despite copious watering. I was pretty disappointed, it sounds like you gave them better artificial respiration when they arrived 

[Hillizard]

1 hour ago, PlantMorePalms said:

I ordered two from likely the same source, but they both dried out and died despite copious watering. I was pretty disappointed, it sounds like you gave them better artificial respiration when they arrived 

Sorry to learn yours didn't live! The Bay Area is more in line with this species climate preferences than interior NorCal. In my case it was likely more just luck than horticultural skill that allowed it to survive.

[tim_brissy_13]

Mine has grown really well throughout our summer despite multiple days of extreme heat. Mine gets filtered light for most of the day; it’s on the south edge of a south facing garden (southern hemisphere) so larger palms in the garden give it a degree of protection but definitely does see at least brief periods of direct sun throughout the day. 

[Hillizard]

24 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Mine has grown really well throughout our summer despite multiple days of extreme heat. Mine gets filtered light for most of the day; it’s on the south edge of a south facing garden (southern hemisphere) so larger palms in the garden give it a degree of protection but definitely does see at least brief periods of direct sun throughout the day. 

Good information. I'll keep this in mind if/when I plant mine out in my crowded palm garden. Yours looks great!