Moving my Chyrisalidocarpus (Dypsis) lafazamanga

[iDesign]

This is one of the first palms we planted in the big redesign project… and sadly, it needs to be moved. 🌴

The issue isn’t that it’s struggling—it’s actually thriving in it's mostly-sun spot! But it’s completely hiding my Chrysalidocarpus (Dypsis) mananjarensis (“Mealy Bug”)... and I love that palm way too much to keep it out of sight.

Our mistake was assuming that lafazamanga was going to stay small. Here’s a photo from when I first planted it—when it was small and cute...

And here’s how it looked when we put in the Mealy Bug. I was already worried about the size, but was hoping the Mealy would eventually outgrow the Lafa...

Well, the Lafa just kept growing (much faster than the Mealy). And I’ve come to the conclusion that if I ever want to see my Mealy Bug, one of them has to move. And since the Mealy is more rare (and expensive), the Lafa’s gotta go. I'm not too worried though as it’s been super healthy.  Just look at the spears in this pic I took just now!

You can also see the Joey that I’m planning to put in its place. My hope is that this switch will give the Mealy more breathing room and a bit more spotlight, while also letting the Joey shine (in a wind-protected spot). The Lafa will be given a different - but still prominent - place in the yard.

====
MY QUESTION:

I did some exploratory digging around the Lafa’s roots. I was able to hand-dig a lot of the top ones, but there are plenty that’ll need to be cut. Longest ones in my exploratory digging went about 3/4 of the distance to the Joey in that photo (but most were much shorter).

Since I’m not in a huge rush, I’m thinking it might be wisest to root prune now, then dig it out later (right?). And if so, is the best approach to cut roots with a shovel on just TWO sides for now (and leave the rest for dig day)? Or should I go ahead and cut roots on all four sides, then just let it sit here until dig day? And ideally—how long after root pruning should I wait before moving it? Perhaps do the move in early Fall?

I’m not as worried about moving this palm as I would be with the Mealy… but I still love my Lafa, and would hate to lose it.

Thanks for any tips!

[happypalms]

We have all done that mistake with plantings. Iam doing the same removing unwanted palms but only to make way for more exotic varieties. Your idea of cutting the roots and leaving it the sounds like a great idea, you could do half of the roots then a month or so later cut the other half of the roots. Use a reciprocating saw or sawzill I think that’s what they call them in USA (is it zebra or zeebra that kinda thing) just get a pruning blade for it and in a bit of sweat it will be done in no time. Plumbers use them a lot to cut pipes in the soil just cutting them into the soil as they go. Or an old chainsaw would work fine but most definitely not a nice new one that’s for sure, super high powered jet wash machines will cut into soil as well. Them some lifting gear and a strong back should see the job done good luck. 

[Harry’s Palms]

Good luck with the moving of this guy. I know someone who moved a waist high Decipiens successfully, I have never moved any of this genus so I don’t really know the chances . Harry

[flplantguy]

Im not a transplanting expert, but i think the actual move should be timed for optimal new root growth.  The summer i would assume is when they would grow the most roots, but i could be wrong- plants are weird sometimes lol.

[Harry’s Palms]

4 minutes ago, happypalms said:

We have all done that mistake with plantings. Iam doing the same removing unwanted palms but only to make way for more exotic varieties. Your idea of cutting the roots and leaving it the sounds like a great idea, you could do half of the roots then a month or so later cut the other half of the roots. Use a reciprocating saw or sawzill I think that’s what they call them in USA (is it zebra or zeebra that kinda thing) just get a pruning blade for it and in a bit of sweat it will be done in no time. Plumbers use them a lot to cut pipes in the soil just cutting them into the soil as they go. Or an old chainsaw would work fine but most definitely not a nice new one that’s for sure, super high powered jet wash machines will cut into soil as well. Them some lifting gear and a strong back should see the job done good luck. 

This works for cutting roots . I used a hand radial saw with an old blade to cut through roots of a couple of Archontophoenix so I could put a pathway in. I was afraid the A. Cunninghamiana would be very unhappy as I cut a lot of roots . The palms just kept on growing. Harry

[happypalms]

2 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

This works for cutting roots . I used a hand radial saw with an old blade to cut through roots of a couple of Archontophoenix so I could put a pathway in. I was afraid the A. Cunninghamiana would be very unhappy as I cut a lot of roots . The palms just kept on growing. Harry

You actually cut the roots of Japanese rhapis when you repot them. To help with rejuvenation. As discussed before I don’t think a Joey palm would like it that’s for sure but a dypsis such as lutescens would think it was just a annual trip to the barbershop or hairdresser and the lafazamanga certainly looks a lot like a lutescens. I would swap them over any day for a Joey like that good move. 
Ruchard 

[iDesign]

32 minutes ago, happypalms said:

You actually cut the roots of Japanese rhapis when you repot them. To help with rejuvenation. As discussed before I don’t think a Joey palm would like it that’s for sure but a dypsis such as lutescens would think it was just a annual trip to the barbershop or hairdresser and the lafazamanga certainly looks a lot like a lutescens. I would swap them over any day for a Joey like that good move. 
Ruchard 

It’s indeed very similar to lutescens, but I like it better. Here’s a photo I took comparing them.



Lafazamanga…
- is more of a lemon yellow (vs orange yellow), and less white color.
- has a pretty dark red color at base of new spears 
- gets fewer “fried” fronds in winter (for me at least)
- No new growth since the original split (and no “doinkers” (which I’m sure would make @peachy happy)

Great palm! Only problem is that it’s blocking my view of another great palm. 👀

[happypalms]

22 minutes ago, iDesign said:

It’s indeed very similar to lutescens, but I like it better. Here’s a photo I took comparing them.



Lafazamanga…
- is more of a lemon yellow (vs orange yellow), and less white color.
- has a pretty dark red color at base of new spears 
- gets fewer “fried” fronds in winter (for me at least)
- No new growth since the original split (and no “doinkers” (which I’m sure would make @peachy happy)

Great palm! Only problem is that it’s blocking my view of another great palm. 👀

Wise decision to swap it for a Joey. Lafazamanga is a beautiful palm sort of a baronii lutescens combo. But if you need any more joeys I have a few extra 😄

[Merlyn]

@iDesign if they are anything like Lutescens, they are not root sensitive.  I hacked a clump in half with a reciprocating saw, dug the two halves out of the ground with very few roots, and chucked them into the ground with a dripper.  And they grew.  And I yanked one back out of the ground a year later and moved it again...and again it didn't seem to care. 

I have also grown Pembana, Baronii and now small Albofarinosa.  I have not moved those, so I don't know if other clustering types are root sensitive.  I will say that the other types stepped up pots and planted fine with no setback.  I did, however, have setback/death problems with the bigger single stemmed Dypsis/Chrysalidocarpus.  But that was with small ones that were also frost damaged, so it's hard to guess if it was root disturbance or the frostburn.

[Than]

9 hours ago, Merlyn said:

@iDesign if they are anything like Lutescens, they are not root sensitive.  I hacked a clump in half with a reciprocating saw, dug the two halves out of the ground with very few roots, and chucked them into the ground with a dripper.  And they grew.  And I yanked one back out of the ground a year later and moved it again...and again it didn't seem to care. 

I have also grown Pembana, Baronii and now small Albofarinosa.  I have not moved those, so I don't know if other clustering types are root sensitive.  I will say that the other types stepped up pots and planted fine with no setback.  I did, however, have setback/death problems with the bigger single stemmed Dypsis/Chrysalidocarpus.  But that was with small ones that were also frost damaged, so it's hard to guess if it was root disturbance or the frostburn.

My super healthy decipiens died when I had to move it due to some roots being destroyed. And that was in the beautiful climate and volcanic soil of Bali. I always thought it's a root damage sensitive species ever since but perhaps I was just unlucky

[Mazat]

5 hours ago, Than said:

My super healthy decipiens died when I had to move it due to some roots being destroyed. And that was in the beautiful climate and volcanic soil of Bali. I always thought it's a root damage sensitive species ever since but perhaps I was just unlucky

That's sad. Sometimes things happen that are not really comprehensible 🤔☹️

[Merlyn]

@iDesign I thought about it a bit more, and realized I have moved several others successfully:

• I moved four small (under 4' tall) Pembana clumps (a quad and a double) with no issues.  They had some growth delay while getting rooted back in, but no deaths or other damage.
• I moved a Decaryi twice at about 3-5' tall, it's also still growing fine 4 years later.
• I moved a Cabadae cluster at about 4' tall twice in 2023 and again a month ago, also fine.

I have grown Lanceolota but haven't tried moving any.  The ones that died after transplant (or repotting) were Lastelliana and Leptocheilos.  But those were frost damaged and appeared to die from spear pull/bud rot.  So hopefully that means that Lafa is reasonably root hardy too.  I read on here that Decipiens is notoriously tempermental, so hopefully Lafa is not that!!! 

[iDesign]

6 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

@iDesign I thought about it a bit more, and realized I have moved several others successfully:

• I moved four small (under 4' tall) Pembana clumps (a quad and a double) with no issues.  They had some growth delay while getting rooted back in, but no deaths or other damage.
• I moved a Decaryi twice at about 3-5' tall, it's also still growing fine 4 years later.
• I moved a Cabadae cluster at about 4' tall twice in 2023 and again a month ago, also fine.

I have grown Lanceolota but haven't tried moving any.  The ones that died after transplant (or repotting) were Lastelliana and Leptocheilos.  But those were frost damaged and appeared to die from spear pull/bud rot.  So hopefully that means that Lafa is reasonably root hardy too.  I read on here that Decipiens is notoriously tempermental, so hopefully Lafa is not that!!! 

Sure seems closer to lutescens & pembana (which move easily) than decipiens and other single trunk ones (that are more iffy). I’ll try to be gentle but not stress too much over it. ✌️

[Palm Tree Jim]

Stacey,

Heres my 2 cents on your upcoming move.

Here in Costa Rica, lutescens grow like weeds and are transplanted all the time with no regard for the roots.  They are field grown and the nurseries butcher them when digging out. One would think there is no way this plant would make it and yet they thrive after the transplant. I needed a little privacy wall so used about 10 of them and they all survived.  

Yes, I know you are asking about lafazamanga but they are so close that I'm sure you will be fine.  

As for timing, move it sooner then later as you are going into prime growing season for Southern CA.

 

So, you want to try to grow a Joey?

 

 

[iDesign]

2 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

So, you want to try to grow a Joey?

I’d say I’m succeeding at growing a Joey!

I’ve had it several years now and it outgrew its original location (still in a pot). Though the leaves get brown edges, I’m still thrilled with it, and feel it’s earned a nice prominent spot. Will also pair nicely with the Mealy Bug (without hiding it).

[Palm Tree Jim]

Not an easy grow so congratulations!

[JD in the OC]

I think these transplant just fine. Just like C. lutescens.  Superthrive helps...
I just moved a 15ft field grown Dypsis sp. Lafazamanga yesterday here in South Florida.  Me and a friend dug it by hand. I added 1/2 cup of Superthrive to a garden hose feeder to water it in.  Helps skip the transplant shock.  We'll see how it does. Hoping the flowers remain healthy for seed production!

 

[iDesign]

2 hours ago, JD in the OC said:

I think these transplant just fine. Just like C. lutescens.  Superthrive helps...
I just moved a 15ft field grown Dypsis sp. Lafazamanga yesterday here in South Florida.  Me and a friend dug it by hand. I added 1/2 cup of Superthrive to a garden hose feeder to water it in.  Helps skip the transplant shock.  We'll see how it does. Hoping the flowers remain healthy for seed production!

 

Thanks so much for posting photos of your amazing specimen! Seeing it confirms my decision to move it, since (like lutescens) it makes “a better door than a window” - and would forever hide my mealy if I don’t move it. 🚪

Looking forward to seeing the creations you make with yours ("lafing bear?) 🐻 

I expect we’ll also start to see more of these in nurseries, as a less clumping lutescens alternative. 👍

[Harry’s Palms]

@JD in the OC please keep us posted on the progress of the transplant . I have not heard of this product you mentioned . I would like to know how it works . 
@iDesign same , keep us posted as to how this pans out for you, moving your palm. Transplant info is valuable for a lot of reasons. 
     Fortunately both my C. Lutescens are located where they will not need to be moved . It’s a good thing because they are large but it’s good to know they could be rehomed if needed . Harry

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, iDesign said:

Thanks so much for posting photos of your amazing specimen! Seeing it confirms my decision to move it, since (like lutescens) it makes “a better door than a window” - and would forever hide my mealy if I don’t move it. 🚪

Looking forward to seeing the creations you make with yours ("lafing bear?) 🐻 

I expect we’ll also start to see more of these in nurseries, as a less clumping lutescens alternative. 👍

Stacy, given the feedback on ease of transplanting both lutescens and lafazamanga,  you should proceed soon to take advantage of summer growth.   The other consideration is that you know how quickly they grow so even if it doesn't survive the transplant,  you can plant a replacement easily.   Good luck!

[JD in the OC]

3 hours ago, iDesign said:

Thanks so much for posting photos of your amazing specimen! Seeing it confirms my decision to move it, since (like lutescens) it makes “a better door than a window” - and would forever hide my mealy if I don’t move it. 🚪

Looking forward to seeing the creations you make with yours ("lafing bear?) 🐻 

I expect we’ll also start to see more of these in nurseries, as a less clumping lutescens alternative. 👍

Yes i think yours will be fine. This is the best time of year to transplant in CA like Tracy said.

Lafing Bear Palm. I like that! 😃

C. Lafaz won't likely make it into the mainstream here in FL because C. lutescens looks so similar and grows so well here.  If seed was avail by the 100,000's then commercial growers could potentially grow Lafaz here in FL for export to CA. That would be cool!  I think Lafaz is a prettier palm!

JD

[Merlyn]

@JD in the OC that clump looks pretty much like what I did with moving the Lutescens a couple of times.  The sandy soil here makes it easy to wash in, though sometimes I just backfill and stomp/punch dirt into place around the rootball.  I'd guess in clay you'd need to wash the soil into place to avoid having big air pockets.

[JD in the OC]

17 hours ago, Merlyn said:

@JD in the OC that clump looks pretty much like what I did with moving the Lutescens a couple of times.  The sandy soil here makes it easy to wash in, though sometimes I just backfill and stomp/punch dirt into place around the rootball.  I'd guess in clay you'd need to wash the soil into place to avoid having big air pockets.

Agreed! I backfill the hole around the root ball while watering it in and I also take a heavy duty red cutting shovel and chop around the root ball straight up and down while the water is running to eliminate all the air pockets.

IMO, The number one cause of palm death here in FL is when palms are planted by homeowners who leave air pockets around the roots.  Most lawn care companies tend to do this too! 

JD

[JD in the OC]

Pulled off some leaf sheaths. I'm going to start calling this the "Frosted Cane Palm".  😇 This is quickly becoming one of my fav Dypsis. Does anyone know if the botanists are working on a formal name yet?

The fact that C. 'Lafazamanga' does so well in South Florida makes me think it's more closely related to the Golden Cane Palm (C. lutescens) than it is to The Sugar Cane palm (C. baronii) which doesn't grow here.

 

[ExperimentalGrower]

How’d the move go folks? @iDesign @JD in the OC

This palm looks so similar to my baronii, and onhilahensis. But the rate of growth makes me still think it could be a natural hybrid. 

[JD in the OC]

Mine is doing fine. Has a seed rack on it that is about to ripen too.

It's not a hybrid. Just another unknown sp species in the baronii/lutescens/onilahensis complex.  I think it's getting named soon..

JD

[ExperimentalGrower]

14 hours ago, JD in the OC said:

Mine is doing fine. Has a seed rack on it that is about to ripen too.

It's not a hybrid. Just another unknown sp species in the baronii/lutescens/onilahensis complex.  I think it's getting named soon..

JD

Interesting to know. Is Kew working on the taxonomy presently?

[JD in the OC]

Kew or Dr. Hodel are working on some of the unknown clumping Chrysalidocarpus that have been in cultivation for a while.  That's all i know..

JD

[ExperimentalGrower]

1 hour ago, JD in the OC said:

Kew or Dr. Hodel are working on some of the unknown clumping Chrysalidocarpus that have been in cultivation for a while.  That's all i know..

JD

Good to know. Hopefully we see coverage of the publication in Palms in the not too distant future.

[iDesign]

On 9/2/2025 at 3:21 PM, ExperimentalGrower said:

How’d the move go folks? @iDesign 

Thanks for asking! Since this Summer has been so hot we ended up waiting until the new location for the palm was prepped... which we're still working on. So my lafazamanga is still in the original spot. I'll make sure to give an update after it's moved though!!!

---

On 9/3/2025 at 6:02 PM, JD in the OC said:

Kew or Dr. Hodel are working on some of the unknown clumping Chrysalidocarpus that have been in cultivation for a while.  That's all i know..

I'm grateful for their work, though I do wish they had more leeway on the naming conventions. The names you give to your hybrids are awesome... as is whomever dubbed this amazing palm "lafazamanga".

Many of us are still mourning the switch from the catchy "Dypsis" to "Chrysalidocarpus" - I always list mine as "Chrysalidocarpus (Dypsis)" in protest.  🤣

Joking aside, I'm thankful for their hard work, and palm genetics / family groupings is an interesting topic to me. 🧬

[iDesign]

My lafazamanga caught my eye this evening, and I thought I’d share a photo of it post-transplant (which happened months ago). 🪏

as far as I can tell, it’s very happy in its new location, and hasn’t missed a beat from the move.🤞

Has been such a great plant for me, so I’m hoping it will do as well in the new (equally prominent) location. 💕

[Harry’s Palms]

Thank you for the update . Your shared experience helps us . That palm is a beauty!  It has been a while since I moved a palm but I know the feeling of joy when it works. Harry

[kylecawazafla]

Looks great! How is your Joey doing? Is it J. altifrons? 

[iDesign]

My Joey (altifrons) is doing great. Around the same size, but it’s still in its pot… which might actually be a good thing!

The spot I had picked is very prominent visually, and the Joey would have looked amazing next to my mealy bug… BUT it turns out it’s windier than I thought. I had it sitting there in the pot for final testing and ended up moving it to a more sheltered spot a few times during windstorms. I didn’t think that area was windy, but apparently it is! 🍃

So now I need to find a new location. Which is a little disappointing, but safety first!

[kylecawazafla]

Yes, safety first! Hopefully you find the perfect spot.

[Harry’s Palms]

This has been the windiest year I can remember. The offshore winds have been very rough on the garden. Harry

[iDesign]

6 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

This has been the windiest year I can remember. The offshore winds have been very rough on the garden. Harry

YES!!! Crazy wind this year here in southern CA. 💨

Which made me wonder whether I could put the Joey in my preferred spot and just drag garbage cans in front of it during a rare wind event. 🗑️

I assume the wind caution is to keep the fronds from getting shredded, but I’ve also heard that some palms (like Ravenea julietiae) can actually be killed by wind stress, and if that’s the case with Joey, I’d better find a new spot (even if high winds in that area are rare). 

[iDesign]

Here’s a quick snap of my Joey this morning, still hiding in a sheltered location after the last wind event.

The preferred location (that I’m worried might be too windy) is in the lower left, in front of the mealy bug. You can also see a toppled bromeliad from the recent wind event (which is of course a non-issue).

On a positive note, I can see the mealy bug palm again! Which was the reason I moved my lafazamanga).

[Hilo Jason]

Great to see the Lafazamanga moved without any stress. Looks good!  
 

Your Mananjarensis is also looking great. That’s a nice size one for California! 

[Harry’s Palms]

Nice spot for the Joey . That little protection spot will hopefully keep it safe from these winds. You’ve done a good job of sheltering it . Harry