Acoelorrhaphe wrightii I don’t see many on palm talk

[happypalms]

One palm that always confuses me always forgetting that name that’s so hard to say and spell. These two are around at least 30 years of age both gifted to me as a 24th birthday present. Super tough heat cold wet feet all round palm. They look there best when given a good clean up and a bit of care, but can be left in there own do just as good. These ones are setting seeds I don’t worry about growing them but I should do a couple of dozen just to have to in the collection for other collectors who are brave enough to grow them. 

[SeanK]

They're definitely happier in a low, wet spot. Need extra room since they sucker and spread.

[tim_brissy_13]

They seem to be quite uncommon in Australia. Probably due to being quite slow growing and eventually developing into a large clump. Great palms for large gardens though. And I never knew how showy young plants can be, but mine is showing some nice colour on the abaxial surfaces. 

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, SeanK said:

They're definitely happier in a low, wet spot. Need extra room since they sucker and spread.

Up close not the best looking. But from a distance absolutely gorgeous.

[happypalms]

40 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

They seem to be quite uncommon in Australia. Probably due to being quite slow growing and eventually developing into a large clump. Great palms for large gardens though. And I never knew how showy young plants can be, but mine is showing some nice colour on the abaxial surfaces. 

Trust you to have one of these tough cold climate winners. Not from my seeds is it. Ps scrub that salt build off the container bottom it burns the roots.

[tim_brissy_13]

9 hours ago, happypalms said:

Trust you to have one of these tough cold climate winners. Not from my seeds is it. Ps scrub that salt build off the container bottom it burns the roots.

No the ones from your seeds are still pretty tiny. Melbourne growth rate with these things will be painfully slow I think. 

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

No the ones from your seeds are still pretty tiny. Melbourne growth rate with these things will be painfully slow I think. 

I would find Melbourne painfully to if I lived down there in the land of Mexico south of the border to cold for me unfortunately. 

[Jonathan]

33 minutes ago, happypalms said:

I would find Melbourne painfully to if I lived down there in the land of Mexico south of the border to cold for me unfortunately. 

Bit hot up there in Melbourne!

I'd love to try a few of your seeds though Richard, if you can be bothered grabbing a few?

I had a couple 10 years or so ago but they didn't make it through a run of super dry summers unfortunately. Cold was never an issue.

[Harry’s Palms]

To me , it is always the clumping fan palm that starts with an “A” . I had the hardest time with the name. I have never seen one for sale here or I would have one down on the hill. There are some down in San Diego Balboa Park. Most notably one on either side of the pathway to the arboretum. They are well maintained and quite large . When I am there , I often wonder how long they have been there. When I first noticed them on a family holiday , I took a picture and showed it to my palm mentor . After he told me the name , I looked it up in my palm book and read up on it , super slow growing. I wonder if they can be divided? Harry

[quaman58]

Here in San Diego, boy they take a while to start looking like anything. I think mines been in the ground for over ten years (from a 2 gallon plant) and is finally growing noticeably. Its tallest stem is about chest high. I’ll grab a pic when I get home. Like Harry mentioned, there are some great ones here and there in town. Seem to be tough as nails, and always look good when they get size.

[bubba]

You do not hear much about them in Florida, where they are indigenous, because they are almost as common as our Sabal! It would be no different for you in Australia to constantly write about your beautiful but indigenous Fan palms! We are always looking for that unique variety of palm in our area that is uncommon.

That stated, the Paurotis palm is stunning, and not to be dismissed (Acoelorrapphe wrighii)! Where they came up with this name is an enigma wrapped in a riddle! Great palm and great to see it's proliferation worldwide!

[gyuseppe]

17 hours ago, happypalms said:

One palm that always confuses me always forgetting that name that’s so hard to say and spell. These two are around at least 30 years of age both gifted to me as a 24th birthday present. Super tough heat cold wet feet all round palm. They look there best when given a good clean up and a bit of care, but can be left in there own do just as good. These ones are setting seeds I don’t worry about growing them but I should do a couple of dozen just to have to in the collection for other collectors who are brave enough to grow them. 

Richard here Acoelorrhaphe wrightii is doing great, I have 2 in the garden grown from seed in 2008

[ZPalms]

Very cool palm, I think they look so good when they have some height to them and its kept very cleaned and maintained and the orange inflorescences look nice as well.

[SeanK]

3 hours ago, quaman58 said:

Here in San Diego, boy they take a while to start looking like anything. I think mines been in the ground for over ten years (from a 2 gallon plant) and is finally growing noticeably. Its tallest stem is about chest high. I’ll grab a pic when I get home. Like Harry mentioned, there are some great ones here and there in town. Seem to be tough as nails, and always look good when they get size.

I imagine that the natural rainfall is too low in San Diego. Everglades Palm likes water.

[happypalms]

16 hours ago, Jonathan said:

Bit hot up there in Melbourne!

I'd love to try a few of your seeds though Richard, if you can be bothered grabbing a few?

I had a couple 10 years or so ago but they didn't make it through a run of super dry summers unfortunately. Cold was never an issue.

No worries will have a look to see if any are in there and ready. Bit hot in Melbourne I dunno you blokes would fry in my summer temperatures up to 42 degrees Celsius. Funny story I dated a Canadian lady and the condition was she had to have an air conditioning installed or a no go when she flew out from Canada. So if you guys visit you can sit inside and admire my garden from the window in the cool air conditioning just so you don’t work up a sweat drooling over my palms. 🤣

[happypalms]

12 hours ago, ZPalms said:

Very cool palm, I think they look so good when they have some height to them and its kept very cleaned and maintained and the orange inflorescences look nice as well.

They are nice palm especially when given them a nice haircut and clean up. 

[happypalms]

12 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard here Acoelorrhaphe wrightii is doing great, I have 2 in the garden grown from seed in 2008

At least it hasn’t died for you, thats one good thing about them for you.

[happypalms]

12 hours ago, bubba said:

You do not hear much about them in Florida, where they are indigenous, because they are almost as common as our Sabal! It would be no different for you in Australia to constantly write about your beautiful but indigenous Fan palms! We are always looking for that unique variety of palm in our area that is uncommon.

That stated, the Paurotis palm is stunning, and not to be dismissed (Acoelorrapphe wrighii)! Where they came up with this name is an enigma wrapped in a riddle! Great palm and great to see it's proliferation worldwide!

Yes I see on palm talk archontophoenix are very popular overseas, here a dime a dozen and hardly get a second look. I did read joey  palms in there native land, the leaves are just off and used as an umbrella then just discarded when the rain has stopped, there that common. I think they were introduced into Australia back in the late 80s as the silver saw palmetto for medicinal reasons then they realised that it was the wrong variety.

[happypalms]

14 hours ago, quaman58 said:

Here in San Diego, boy they take a while to start looking like anything. I think mines been in the ground for over ten years (from a 2 gallon plant) and is finally growing noticeably. Its tallest stem is about chest high. I’ll grab a pic when I get home. Like Harry mentioned, there are some great ones here and there in town. Seem to be tough as nails, and always look good when they get size.

My ones are pretty old in the ground for at least 23 years and about 7 years in there container when I got them. The big one I first seen was fantastic after it had a haircut. Try a bit more water for your one to speed it up.

[happypalms]

16 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

To me , it is always the clumping fan palm that starts with an “A” . I had the hardest time with the name. I have never seen one for sale here or I would have one down on the hill. There are some down in San Diego Balboa Park. Most notably one on either side of the pathway to the arboretum. They are well maintained and quite large . When I am there , I often wonder how long they have been there. When I first noticed them on a family holiday , I took a picture and showed it to my palm mentor . After he told me the name , I looked it up in my palm book and read up on it , super slow growing. I wonder if they can be divided? Harry

They look like a palm you can divide i might try it one day. Sharp little thorns on them,  so I rarely work on them. What is common in some palms in there native country are so rare in other places. I can’t even say the name let alone try and spell them. That’s how I look them up in the books I know it’s the first palm in alphabetical order. 
Richard 

[gyuseppe]

19 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

No the ones from your seeds are still pretty tiny. Melbourne growth rate with these things will be painfully slow I think. 

Tim   They grow quickly here

[Palmensammler]

If someone can give me an advice how to grow them i would try again. My last trials with seeds from Costa Rica failed after 4 years.  They still looked like one year old ones when they died.

Eckhard 

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, Palmensammler said:

If someone can give me an advice how to grow them i would try again. My last trials with seeds from Costa Rica failed after 4 years.  They still looked like one year old ones when they died.

Eckhard 

I would suggest planting a plant the size of the one @tim_brissy_13 posted a picture of or bigger, zone 7 pretty chilly and cold not sure if they would take that, perhaps @gyuseppe can give some advice on cold tolerance, or other members on palm talk. 

[Harry’s Palms]

7 hours ago, happypalms said:

They look like a palm you can divide i might try it one day. Sharp little thorns on them,  so I rarely work on them. What is common in some palms in there native country are so rare in other places. I can’t even say the name let alone try and spell them. That’s how I look them up in the books I know it’s the first palm in alphabetical order. 
Richard 

I know what you mean about the teeth on some palms. After posting pics on the Phoenix Roebelini thread I realized mine needed thinning out as the adjacent , large Dioon Spinalosa is getting ready for its annual flush of fronds. There I am on my ladder wedged between the Phoenix beasts and the Dioon’s prickly attitude getting pecked to death. That’s why it didn’t get done earlier , right through me sweatshirt , the lil bastards!! Bullocks!! I have a P. Reclinata that needs thinning badly , it’s gonna have to wait. Harry🤨

[gyuseppe]

They resisted about -6 degrees Celsius, without even a single damage in January 2017, the water did not come out of the taps and I did not understand why, it was frozen, something that has never happened before in my life

[96720]

Mine in Phoenix really hot and dry!!

[happypalms]

4 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I know what you mean about the teeth on some palms. After posting pics on the Phoenix Roebelini thread I realized mine needed thinning out as the adjacent , large Dioon Spinalosa is getting ready for its annual flush of fronds. There I am on my ladder wedged between the Phoenix beasts and the Dioon’s prickly attitude getting pecked to death. That’s why it didn’t get done earlier , right through me sweatshirt , the lil bastards!! Bullocks!! I have a P. Reclinata that needs thinning badly , it’s gonna have to wait. Harry🤨

When I prune roebelenii I always cut them right back so none of the old leaf sheath has spikes, at least that way next time i only have green or old leaves with no other dead frond ends to contend with. Slightly easier but you still get hit by them even through welding gloves. I can see you know Harry and the words mentioned about being jammed on a ladder, you gotta love gardening but man those old dead roebelenii spikes will get you and are more deadly when dead than live.

Richard 

[happypalms]

58 minutes ago, 96720 said:

Mine in Phoenix really hot and dry!!

There tough alright kick em as you go past and they love it.

[sonoranfans]

I have a neighbor that has two of these that are 25+ years old.  They do not self shed and they sucker profusely.  They also have vicious little thorns to cut you when you reach through the trunks to trim a leaf.  He needs a huge ladder and apole trimmer to trim them and they need it once a year.  I had a phoenix reclinata hybrid, I had my quota of suffering trimming it, I am not wanting another suckering palms with nasty thorns that needs to be trimmed annually.  My neighbor needs a day and a half to trim his two clumps and was pretty unhappy about it when we talked.

 

 

[96720]

I agree with all of that it is much more suckering than a Phoenix and the thorns are nasty I’m not one for removing things but wished I knew more about them before I planted it!!!!

[Harry’s Palms]

4 hours ago, 96720 said:

Mine in Phoenix really hot and dry!!

Very nice! Right at home in that setting. Harry

[happypalms]

6 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

I have a neighbor that has two of these that are 25+ years old.  They do not self shed and they sucker profusely.  They also have vicious little thorns to cut you when you reach through the trunks to trim a leaf.  He needs a huge ladder and apole trimmer to trim them and they need it once a year.  I had a phoenix reclinata hybrid, I had my quota of suffering trimming it, I am not wanting another suckering palms with nasty thorns that needs to be trimmed annually.  My neighbor needs a day and a half to trim his two clumps and was pretty unhappy about it when we talked.

 

 

I can see why with two clumps from the dinosaur era. @peachy these ones are for you I know you like clumping palms and these two are a good reason to like them 🤣 oh those thorns are up there with bactris gassipaes they will get  you.

[happypalms]

5 hours ago, 96720 said:

I agree with all of that it is much more suckering than a Phoenix and the thorns are nasty I’m not one for removing things but wished I knew more about them before I planted it!!!!

Time to get the chainsaw out the one with a ten foot handle and stand back and cut away till you’re heart’s content. Good luck even if you look at them you get scratched.

[sonoranfans]

 I moved here 15 years ago and they were impressive then(3/4 size) so you wont have to wait too long.  You could withhold water and slow them down perhaps.  My neighbor mentioned a flamethrower would be the way to eradicate them.  These are going to get more and more brown till the rains hit.  THey are attractive when trimmed up but it seems like the trim lasts 3 months before they start browning again.  ANd he has been keeping the footprint smaller(?) by removing trunks that come up on the outside.   Seems like a running bamboo but with thorms alll over.  Heavy maintenance in full sun florida, make me really appreciate my royals archies and chambeyronias ets., that drop their own leaves.  

[Looking Glass]

They can be a nice screening palm for a corner, or square or round spot.   But around here they should get early, aggressive and frequent pruning to stay in check.  They seem to like richer soil and fertilizer and wet spots, to look their best.  They are often yellow and ratty around here.  

[bubba]

Taken now-Seed?

[happypalms]

7 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

 I moved here 15 years ago and they were impressive then(3/4 size) so you wont have to wait too long.  You could withhold water and slow them down perhaps.  My neighbor mentioned a flamethrower would be the way to eradicate them.  These are going to get more and more brown till the rains hit.  THey are attractive when trimmed up but it seems like the trim lasts 3 months before they start browning again.  ANd he has been keeping the footprint smaller(?) by removing trunks that come up on the outside.   Seems like a running bamboo but with thorms alll over.  Heavy maintenance in full sun florida, make me really appreciate my royals archies and chambeyronias ets., that drop their own leaves.  

When you said flamethrower to eliminate them, I thought how is a Chambeyronia going to out grow that triffid of a plant. But then I realised what you meant burn them to a crisp, they would most likely return even stronger. After seeing the clump your neighbour has I might start now to eliminate a few suckers in hope of not having a monster eat my garden. I could only imagine what they would look like in habitat!

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, Looking Glass said:

They can be a nice screening palm for a corner, or square or round spot.   But around here they should get early, aggressive and frequent pruning to stay in check.  They seem to like richer soil and fertilizer and wet spots, to look their best.  They are often yellow and ratty around here.  

Given the attention they need and if they get it they can be quite a good looking palm. Just the sharp thorns deter any fast maintenance work that’s for sure. They would make a great security fence though no criminal is going to get through that razor wire in the form of a palm.

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, bubba said:

Taken now-Seed?

They will set seeds I have hundreds of them that I don’t worry about. A few of the cold climate growers want a few seeds, being such a cold tolerant palm. 

[Harry’s Palms]

2 minutes ago, happypalms said:

Given the attention they need and if they get it they can be quite a good looking palm. Just the sharp thorns deter any fast maintenance work that’s for sure. They would make a great security fence though no criminal is going to get through that razor wire in the form of a palm.

That and a Euphorbia! Harry