Crysophilla warscewiczii Central American palm

[happypalms]

Another palm from Central America the Crysophilla warscewiczii. Tolerance for cool conditions is plus for this lovely palm. Nicknamed the silver star palm, easy to grow and look after. Tolerant of a little dry conditions although that will slow it down a bit like most tropical palms they love water. Slow growing in my climate this one is 23 years old originally planted in a sunny spot then the garden grew around it  making deep shade for it. But a beautiful palm that is still a bit rare in my area. Rps just had seeds for sale so I put a hundred seeds in to see what pops up time will tell how I go with them. 

[JohnAndSancho]

Seriously, you've got all the coolest stuff. 

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Seriously, you've got all the coolest stuff. 

Na ah @realarch I dream of his palms lucky Hawaii growers who can just look at there palms and they grow🤣

[Harry’s Palms]

Nice ! A palm that grows as slow as my Guihaya ( spelling?) . That has an interesting leaf stricter. I’ll bet it is impressive in person. Harry

[realarch]

10 hours ago, happypalms said:

Na ah @realarch I dream of his palms lucky Hawaii growers who can just look at there palms and they grow🤣

Awww shucks Richard, Mahalo! 

[happypalms]

2 hours ago, realarch said:

Awww shucks Richard, Mahalo! 

Yeeeeerrrrrr what a shame hey!☮️

[Alberto]

Yes, a very nice palm!

[WagnerMX]

Cryosophila; I have a few seedlings of that species, a gorgeous palm. The silvery white underside of the leaves is very attractive. They can take considerable abuse as well, very drought-resistant. All seeds arrived germinated about a year ago, and not a single plantlet has "given up".

[mnorell]

I'm with the gang here in putting in a big vote for this genus. I have a decent-sized 5-gallon I bought from Phil Bergman (Jungle Music) and put it in my dappled-sun jungle area here in Palm Springs hand that troublemaker almost immediately rooted into the ground and started grinding out new leaves at a good clip, better than I had expected. It obviously loves warmth/heat, and Harry...I wonder if that may be the issue where you are. This genus is one of those "primeval"-looking fan palm genera that I really love, along with Sabal mauritiiformis, Livistona saribus and the non-palm (cyclanth) Carludovica palmata.

And in my own experience...I grew one of these in Natchez, Mississippi (zone 9a) and it actually survived a couple of winters. (I have it in my notes as C. albida, and GBIF lists that as a synonym for C. warszewiczii...but I have a feeling everyone's confused about the genus and many of these are misnamed in the trade.) I show in my notes that it was defoliated in the cold but actively pushing new leaves in March of 2010 after that infamous winter (18F low and for three days straight, below freezing for three days)...and I also show that it had no leaf-damage in temps down to 25F at least. It eventually died (the "when" and the "why" is not in my notes though undoubtedly in another winter that dipped into the teens)...but maybe there's a very valid reason they named these Cryosophila!

[bubba]

One of those?

[bubba]

[mnorell]

25 minutes ago, bubba said:

Keith, the one I have here was sold by Jungle Music as “Cryosophila sp.” So who knows if it’s stauracantha or warszewiczii. I also have a bag full of robust seedlings of “sp.”  Who knows…I will try to I.d. once big enough. But I think all but maybe C. nana are very similar. And I wish I could get my hands on C. nana but scarce as hens’ teeth apparently…

[gyuseppe]

4 hours ago, Alberto said:

Yes, a very nice palm!

Hello Alberto!

[realarch]

Finally got around to taking a few photos of the C. warscewicziii in the garden. Beautiful habit, but a mean muther with stiff spines. Like WagnerMX said above, the white underside of the leaves are really nice. The last photo is the inflorescence getting ready to pop.

Tim 

[RiverCityRichard]

Planted one last year in a neglected part shade are of the yard. Was defoliated during Hurricane Milton and is trying its best for life. Definitely not a fan of strong winds. What has everyone found the rate of growth to be?

[happypalms]

On 5/25/2025 at 9:32 AM, Alberto said:

Yes, a very nice palm!

I had to buy a hundred seeds from rps, too good to let them pass.

[happypalms]

18 minutes ago, RiverCityRichard said:

Planted one last year in a neglected part shade are of the yard. Was defoliated during Hurricane Milton and is trying its best for life. Definitely not a fan of strong winds. What has everyone found the rate of growth to be?

It looks like it has taken a beating, plus put some soil around the top she looks to be planted a bit too high. They are slow in my climate I bet @realarch they are super fast growing in Hawaii only because he looks at them all the time, and we all know if you look at a palm in Hawaii they grow one feet every look. 

[happypalms]

On 5/25/2025 at 10:35 AM, WagnerMX said:

Cryosophila; I have a few seedlings of that species, a gorgeous palm. The silvery white underside of the leaves is very attractive. They can take considerable abuse as well, very drought-resistant. All seeds arrived germinated about a year ago, and not a single plantlet has "given up".

They are tough palms, they do like water and will drink what’s given to them. But a winner in my garden, I will be planting more of them.

[happypalms]

On 5/25/2025 at 11:49 AM, mnorell said:

I'm with the gang here in putting in a big vote for this genus. I have a decent-sized 5-gallon I bought from Phil Bergman (Jungle Music) and put it in my dappled-sun jungle area here in Palm Springs hand that troublemaker almost immediately rooted into the ground and started grinding out new leaves at a good clip, better than I had expected. It obviously loves warmth/heat, and Harry...I wonder if that may be the issue where you are. This genus is one of those "primeval"-looking fan palm genera that I really love, along with Sabal mauritiiformis, Livistona saribus and the non-palm (cyclanth) Carludovica palmata.

And in my own experience...I grew one of these in Natchez, Mississippi (zone 9a) and it actually survived a couple of winters. (I have it in my notes as C. albida, and GBIF lists that as a synonym for C. warszewiczii...but I have a feeling everyone's confused about the genus and many of these are misnamed in the trade.) I show in my notes that it was defoliated in the cold but actively pushing new leaves in March of 2010 after that infamous winter (18F low and for three days straight, below freezing for three days)...and I also show that it had no leaf-damage in temps down to 25F at least. It eventually died (the "when" and the "why" is not in my notes though undoubtedly in another winter that dipped into the teens)...but maybe there's a very valid reason they named these Cryosophila!

Yes a true winner absolutely gorgeous. Interesting observations you made about your one in winter perhaps a bit more winter protection it may have pulled through, getting a bit tougher and taller each season eventually making it. Pity you don’t see more of them about for sale there’s a gap in the market for them. On another note your cyclanth what temperatures does it take in cold I have one and iam not game enough to plant out yet.

[happypalms]

54 minutes ago, realarch said:

Finally got around to taking a few photos of the C. warscewicziii in the garden. Beautiful habit, but a mean muther with stiff spines. Like WagnerMX said above, the white underside of the leaves are really nice. The last photo is the inflorescence getting ready to pop.

Tim 

Another beautiful specimen from the land of Hawaii. I see you have been looking at it a lot 🌱🏝️

[peachy]

4 hours ago, realarch said:

Finally got around to taking a few photos of the C. warscewicziii in the garden. Beautiful habit, but a mean muther with stiff spines. Like WagnerMX said above, the white underside of the leaves are really nice. The last photo is the inflorescence getting ready to pop.

Tim 

Totally gorgeous but how many decades did it take to get that big ?

Peachy (officially a coffin dodger as from tomorrow)

 

[happypalms]

53 minutes ago, peachy said:

Totally gorgeous but how many decades did it take to get that big ?

Peachy (officially a coffin dodger as from tomorrow)

 

In Hawaii @peachy most likely 2 years the way they grow in gods own palm garden. @realarch must have his phone number and pms the great man for a weather report so he knows when to plant them😂

Richard 

[Frond-friend42]

Here's one from Braulio Carillo State Park in Costa Rica.

[realarch]

Richard, in addition to gazing at my palms, you also have to talk to them. Plenty of both going on, so much so, my neighbors are convinced of my certifiably. Planting happens year round here, not much variability in temperature or rainfall. (This year might be an exception)

Peachy, I’m assuming a Happy Birthday wish is appropriate for today, right? BTW, that palm is about 15 years old. I was in high school when I planted it. 

Tim

[happypalms]

6 hours ago, realarch said:

Richard, in addition to gazing at my palms, you also have to talk to them. Plenty of both going on, so much so, my neighbors are convinced of my certifiably. Planting happens year round here, not much variability in temperature or rainfall. (This year might be an exception)

Peachy, I’m assuming a Happy Birthday wish is appropriate for today, right? BTW, that palm is about 15 years old. I was in high school when I planted it. 

Tim

What’s the first sign of insanity talking to ones self, second sign is when the palms answer back! And @peachy has birthday 🎂 today oh wow that’s only 21 candles on the cake 🎂 😄 I hope your present arrives today peachy 🌱

Richard 

[mnorell]

23 hours ago, happypalms said:

Yes a true winner absolutely gorgeous. Interesting observations you made about your one in winter perhaps a bit more winter protection it may have pulled through, getting a bit tougher and taller each season eventually making it. Pity you don’t see more of them about for sale there’s a gap in the market for them. On another note your cyclanth what temperatures does it take in cold I have one and iam not game enough to plant out yet.

I only just got my Carludovica from Hawai’i here in the desert and it’s under my Talipariti tree adjusting before it goes in the ground. I grew it in the Florida Keys and it did well in limestone there except that the Key Deer kept tearing at it so it always looked sort of ratty. We get cold winter nights where I am now in Palm Springs but days are fairly warm and the season is brief, so I’m rather guarded in my optimism but I’ve seen a couple of folks here on the forum in borderline climates say it makes it through winters in places like central coast NSW and I think also central Florida, if with rough appearance at the end of winter. So fingers crossed. It may be something you want to try in a protected spot. 

[happypalms]

4 hours ago, mnorell said:

I only just got my Carludovica from Hawai’i here in the desert and it’s under my Talipariti tree adjusting before it goes in the ground. I grew it in the Florida Keys and it did well in limestone there except that the Key Deer kept tearing at it so it always looked sort of ratty. We get cold winter nights where I am now in Palm Springs but days are fairly warm and the season is brief, so I’m rather guarded in my optimism but I’ve seen a couple of folks here on the forum in borderline climates say it makes it through winters in places like central coast NSW and I think also central Florida, if with rough appearance at the end of winter. So fingers crossed. It may be something you want to try in a protected spot. 

Thanks for the information Iam hopeful, I have read about them growing in climates i thought they would not grow in. Time will tell this winter that’s for sure.