This ones for all the kentia lovers out there!

[happypalms]

I couldn’t help myself in buying an original plate from 1896. It just goes to show that palms have been of intrest for a long time, and to stop by lord Howe island and collect seeds way back then they certainly had some great minds to think about the beauty of palms. Botany has always had its place in history and will continue to do so. 

[gyuseppe]

on the cover it also says becc., which is the name of the Italian odoardo beccari who first described the discovery of howea

[happypalms]

6 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:

on the cover it also says becc., which is the name of the Italian odoardo beccari who first described the discovery of howea

Well there you have it thanks on that one gyuseppe interesting fact! 

[Darold Petty]

Here is one of mine, purchased at the Paris flea market, from  L'illustration Horticole, circa 1880.

 

[Harry’s Palms]

From what I have read , the British were some of the first to collect rare plants from around the world . I guess having such a fleet of ships and explorers had a lot to do with it. The Spanish and others had many explorers but I have not read about their exploits in regard to botany. Those early prints are very nice . Harry

[Tyrone]

Queen Victoria loved palms and especially Howea. She wanted a Kentia next to her coffin when she died. It’s such a pity she never visited Lord Howe Island. She would never have gone back to London. 

[happypalms]

35 minutes ago, Tyrone said:

Queen Victoria loved palms and especially Howea. She wanted a Kentia next to her coffin when she died. It’s such a pity she never visited Lord Howe Island. She would never have gone back to London. 

The grand old Victorian era, argh those were the days hey, apparently so they reckon! 

[happypalms]

11 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

Here is one of mine, purchased at the Paris flea market, from  L'illustration Horticole, circa 1880.

 

And even better purchased at the flea market in Paris, right place at the right time! 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Nice! I love the species and have lots of them. Here’s one I planted a bit over twenty years ago. 
 

 

[happypalms]

11 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

From what I have read , the British were some of the first to collect rare plants from around the world . I guess having such a fleet of ships and explorers had a lot to do with it. The Spanish and others had many explorers but I have not read about their exploits in regard to botany. Those early prints are very nice . Harry

They wanted to conquer the world the British empire. Good old Captain cook look what  happened to him dinner is served and he was on the menu! The Germans had some great botanist, I think the Spanish where more interested in gold than plants.

Ricahrd 

[happypalms]

16 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Nice! I love the species and have lots of them. Here’s one I planted a bit over twenty years ago. 
 

 

They are hard to beat, such a glorious palm. I still plant them now and then such a great pioneer palm. On a side note any regrets in planting that huge phoenix in the background?

[Tyrone]

31 minutes ago, happypalms said:

The grand old Victorian era, argh those were the days hey, apparently so they reckon! 

They were the first palm collectors. They had such a “can do” attitude. A coal fired palm house the size of a ship? Why not? Want to grow bananas in England in a hothouse? Why not? Want an Amazonian water Lilly to flower in England? Let’s just do it. 

[happypalms]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone said:

They were the first palm collectors. They had such a “can do” attitude. A coal fired palm house the size of a ship? Why not? Want to grow bananas in England in a hothouse? Why not? Want an Amazonian water Lilly to flower in England? Let’s just do it. 

Like the man said if you got the money we can do anything you want. No wonder they had the money imposing all those taxes on the poor people! But hey wouldnt we like a hothouse the size of ship you bet I would!!!

[Jim in Los Altos]

31 minutes ago, happypalms said:

They are hard to beat, such a glorious palm. I still plant them now and then such a great pioneer palm. On a side note any regrets in planting that huge phoenix in the background?

No regrets on the Phoenix canariensis. A bird or squirrel planted it however.  

[Harry’s Palms]

3 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

No regrets on the Phoenix canariensis. A bird or squirrel planted it however.  

I have one now on my hill that is just about ready to dig out . It is growing more rapidly this year and I really don’t want it on my hill. I will pot it up and find a home for it. It could be from my Reclinata as it is fruiting. Harry

[happypalms]

On 6/28/2025 at 2:48 PM, Harry’s Palms said:

I have one now on my hill that is just about ready to dig out . It is growing more rapidly this year and I really don’t want it on my hill. I will pot it up and find a home for it. It could be from my Reclinata as it is fruiting. Harry

For some reason iam just not a fan of those huge phoenix palms. You’re on the money Harry in digging it up. I have three planted up the back corner of my yard and just stay away from those deadly thorns that require surgery to remove. Iam more of a bactris deadly needles fan, there not to be mucked with! 

[Darold Petty]

Richard, do you have Calamus on your property ?

[Rivera]

On 6/27/2025 at 9:48 PM, Harry’s Palms said:

I have one now on my hill that is just about ready to dig out . It is growing more rapidly this year and I really don’t want it on my hill. I will pot it up and find a home for it. It could be from my Reclinata as it is fruiting. Harry

Such a risk in SoCal as well, right? A giant healthy CIDP is something you might or might not want, but a giant dead one... No one wants that. Sad to look around and see all those grey/brown mammoths with their last dead fronds just hanging there. 

There do seem to be some issues up here, but they're not widespread... yet.

[Harry’s Palms]

They seem ok here . They just get too big! Harry

[happypalms]

11 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

Richard, do you have Calamus on your property ?

Yes and I know what you’re thinking! And I just imported some unusual calmus from Thailand flat seed variety apparently. I  dread to think of what I done for my future doctor appointments or the ED department at hospital. Garden maintenance will never be the same again!