cfpacs Central Florida Palm & Cycad Society - Summer 2025 Meeting

[CFPACS]

CFPACS 2025 Summer Meeting
Date: Saturday, June 7^th, 2025

Please RSVP to cfpacs.membership@gmail.com prior to the meeting.
We will only email the addresses for the sites to members who have sent an RSVP.

Site 1: A Private Garden in Saint Augustine South
Time: 10:00AM – 11:00AM
Site Address: Will be given to those who RSVP.
Description: We have lived here for 42 years and our garden has 22 different species of palms and has a tropical look for this far north.  We also have a large mango tree, two starfruit trees, and many flowering plants.  The front yard is very sunny and the backyard is a shady, coastal live oak hammock with palms in the understory.  Unfortunately, I lost my Archontophoenix cunninghamiana two years ago.  Very strange, because an Adonidia merrillii nearby survived unscathed.  We have two large Beccariophoenix alfredii one in full sun and one in part shade that were grown from tiny seedlings.

Site 2: A Private Garden on Anastasia Island
Time: 11:30AM – 12:30PM
Address: Will be given to those who RSVP.
Description: This garden features a frost-protected microclimate with large oaks and moderated barrier island conditions.  Due to the lack of frost and the moderate climate, this garden boasts an impressive selection of palms in the Allagoptera, Archontophoenix, Areca, Beccariophoenix, Chamaedorea, Chambeyronia, Chrysalidocarpus (Dypsis), Copernicia, Heterospathe, Howea, Latania, Pinanga, Ptychosperma, Pritchardia, Pseudophoenix, Roystonea, Satakentia, and Thrinax genera. The general area includes mature crotons, hibiscus, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Phoenix rupicola, and large avocado trees.  This is all made more impressive by the fact that the garden is only 10 miles from 30° north latitude.

Lunch: On Your Own in Transit to Third Site, 12:30PM – 1:30PM

Site 3: A Private Garden on Anastasia Island
Time: 2:00PM – 4:30PM
Address: Will be given to those who RSVP.
Description: This July will mark 7 years in our 1950s home on Anastasia Island. The palm collection includes over 20 species across varying degrees of hardiness. Many specimens were planted as 25-gallon plants so that they would have a better chance of surviving the marginal conditions in their first winters. The home's location is an excellent microclimate for the latitude, surrounded by water on three sides. Unfortunately, last year we lost our property's largest palm, a stunning Bismarckia, to the palm weevil. The garden is a bit roughed up after last year's tropical systems and cool winter, but we are grateful that we never dropped below freezing.

***** Auction and Vendor Sale after the tour at the last site. *****

Please Bring:

• A plant for the auction.
• Cash for auction/vendor sale.
• A chair for comfort.

Additional information:

• CFPACS Website Home: https://cfpacs.com/org/

We look forward to seeing you at the summer meeting!

[CFPACS]

Our hosts have provided a quick list of places to eat in St. Augustine without putting yourself too far out of the way:

If you wish to stay on Anastasia Island:

* = Walkable to the third site.

• Casual/Fast:
  • Food Truck Park: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TTnqLge1ohNo6LzQ6
  • Cafe Eleven: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GrmkrZmMtDAyXAEt6
  • Cheba Hut: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Bf9yWZmyqm7EkGrs5
  • Mojos Tacos: https://maps.app.goo.gl/iYwVHdzhFxNuELyo9
  • Osprey Tacos*: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aemSbL65PpZLoMkd9
    • Old Coast Ales: https://maps.app.goo.gl/WfPBiD6cirG7vXux5
      •  next door to Osprey - you can take your food there
         
• Sit down Service:
  • Conch House*: https://maps.app.goo.gl/N8aducU5hXqsmtYS6
  • Mellow Mushroom: https://maps.app.goo.gl/t2WSAWijRYx4qK4n7
  • Osteen's: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uitvhnpatEJJcLcn6: 

If you wish to venture back across the SR 312 Causeway:

• Crave US 1: https://maps.app.goo.gl/hpatydaU2BXSXteR8
• SR 312/US 1: Where you will find major chain restaurants.

Feel free to use these when planning your lunch for the tour.

[kinzyjr]

I took a look at the RSVP list a little big ago.  There are currently north of 40 RSVPs.  Please let it be noted that this meeting is open to other societies and anyone else that would like to attend.  If you send an RSVP to the membership address, you will receive a response and the addresses to the sites.  We currently have representatives of three different palm societies registered to attend and are open to having more.  Our hosts have quite a few surprises in store.

Some of the party favors are being donated by @Eric in Orlando - a little incentive never hurts!  

Thanks Eric!

[CFPACS]

The current list of RSVPs should have received the site addresses.  A society update email with a reminder to RSVP will be sent out later this week.  The folks who RSVP after this point will receive a separate email about a week before the meeting.

[gyuseppe]

On 5/13/2025 at 4:08 AM, CFPACS said:

The current list of RSVPs should have received the site addresses.  A society update email with a reminder to RSVP will be sent out later this week.  The folks who RSVP after this point will receive a separate email about a week before the meeting.

can you please send me the list of seeds you have? thanks

giuseppedellipaoli66@gmail.com

[kinzyjr]

Apologies for the delayed responses to everyone.  Life called and demanded an answer.  We have quite the cast of characters for this meeting.  It may have the highest attendance of any meeting in recent memory, with a total RSVP count over 60.  The range of folks coming includes folks from Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, as far down into south Florida as Cape Coral, and all points in between.  If you haven't contacted us to RSVP and would like to join in the fun, there is still time.

@ChristianStAug Now might be a good time to plug some party favors by Air Plant Supply  

On 5/27/2025 at 12:50 PM, gyuseppe said:

can you please send me the list of seeds you have? thanks

giuseppedellipaoli66@gmail.com

Also sorry, but was away and up in the mountains.  You can view the listing for the seed bank here: 

https://cfpacs.com/org/seeds-for-sale/

That list is a bit dated, but the email address for the seed bank, available at that link, is working and they should be able to let you know what we currently have available.

[CFPACS]

Everyone who sent an RSVP should have received an update email concerning the overflow parking for the first site.  In particular, if you drive a big vehicle like a large truck or SUV, you may want to head straight to overflow parking.  If you haven't sent an RSVP but would like to join us, you can meet us at the overflow spot before 10AM:

Overflow Parking: 2485 US HIGHWAY 1 S, ST AUGUSTINE, FL, 32086-6077 

Instructions: Please pull into Lewis Point Plaza and park in the portion of the lot away from the stores.  Our membership chair will be there to ensure you are shuttled to the meeting site and then back to your vehicle at the conclusion of the tour.  If you're able to walk roughly half a mile, you can also walk to the site from here.

[Eric in Orlando]

Sorry I won't be able to make it. But I'm sending along some donated palms from Leu Gardens for the auction. Here's a sneak peek.

 

Archontophoenix maxima, 2- 3 gal (seed source Leu Gardens), hardiness similar to A. alexandrae

Dictyosperma album (rubrum form) 2- 1 gal., 2- 3 gal. (seed source Montgomery BC), seems to be the most tender form of D. album and less cool tolerant, similar to Cocos

Livistona muelleri  1- 3 gal., (not sure of seed source), needs water and good soil, not drought tolerant at least when young, less hardy than L. chinensis and L. decora but hardier than Saribus rotindifolius

Livistona saribus 3- 3 gal. (seed source Leu Gardens), hardier green petiole form, slightly less hardy than L. chinensis

Rhapis excelsa 'Zuiko Nishiki' (variegated cultivar) 1- 3gal.  (division source Leu Gardens)

Sabal maritima 3-1 gal. (seed source Bok Tower, off one of the tall palms by the bell carillon)

Sabal mauritiiformis 1- 3 gal. (seed source Leu Gardens), the least hardy Sabal along with S. yapa, definitely a 9b/10a palm, damage below around 27/28F, death below about 22/23F

[CFPACS]

Thank you to @Lou-StAugFL, @Kekoanui, and @ChristianStAug for allowing us to tour their gardens.  With such a large turnout, you all did a great job of getting 60+ people through the tours on time.

It was great to see all of you @PalmJuan@CodyM@SW_FL_Palms@howfam@Fishinsteeg234@Keybmp @D. Morrowii@Jblume@Maddox Gardening-youtube@BrunswickGuy@kinzyjr@RiverCityRichard@Plantking165

and anyone else we missed!

The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 4th, 2025 at two private gardens in the Longwood area south of Wekiva Springs.  Look for more information here on PalmTalk, on the CFPACS Facebook, and on our homepage.  

 

[kinzyjr]

Photos from @Lou-StAugFL's garden:

The front entrance is very colorful and inviting. (4 photos)

 

Tour goers walked through the garden in groups at regular intervals due to a large turn-out.  There are mangoes fruiting and maturing in the garden, noticed by one of our tropical fruit experts.

 

The opposite size and back of the house provided a shady retreat for plants and people alike.

 

[kinzyjr]

Photos from @Kekoanui's garden:

The tour was a hit right away at the front entrance (4 photos):

  

 

The sign says it all:

As more than 50 people filtered through the dense jungle, many uncommon palms, like Chrysalidocarpus cabadae, were to be found.

[kinzyjr]

A few photos from @ChristianStAug's Garden

Everyone loves crownshaft palms, especially large Roystonea regia:

  

The pool area and shady spots were frequently toured because of their appearance and the fact that it hit 97F while we were there.

In addition to the palms, the host runs Air Plant Supply shop.  There were plenty of tillandsias and others in the trees on the property, as well as a booth with a QR code for a free eBook: https://airplantshop.com/

 

 

[kinzyjr]

The recap of the summer meeting is available here:

20250607_SummerMeeting_recap.pdf