Looking down lord Howe Island Alley

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Got this view last week of some of my Lord Howe Island 🏝 Palms from the upper deck.

 

[Harry’s Palms]

Very nice! I don’t think I’ve seen a Belmoriana ( if that’s what it is)  that healthy here . Our Foresteriana do much better in Southern California. Thanks for sharing. Harry

[Billy]

22 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Very nice! I don’t think I’ve seen a Belmoriana ( if that’s what it is)  that healthy here . 

Similar beauty with the recurved fronds, but those are Hedyscepe canterburyana. Absolutely perfect. 

[Harry’s Palms]

That makes more sense . Now I see the crown shaft . Lovely palm! Harry

[Rivera]

Spectacular, and with a nice view beyond as well. 

[DoomsDave]

Very nice @Tassie_Troy1971 

DON’T STOP! Keep the pictures coming!

[happypalms]

Can we call it the Mount Gower of Tasmania! 

[Darold Petty]

Believe me, Troy is an excellent grower !  

[Billeb]

17 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Very nice! I don’t think I’ve seen a Belmoriana ( if that’s what it is)  that healthy here . Our Foresteriana do much better in Southern California. Thanks for sharing. Harry

I see no difference at all between Belmoreana and Forseteriana in reference to which one grows better in SoCal. If anything….. my Belmoreana looks better. Hardest part is finding them for sale.  A nice Belmoreana looks 10X better than Forsteriana IMHO. 
 

-dale 

[Harry’s Palms]

@Billeb that’s great . The ones I know of in our area , not so much. Sullivans  has one very large one in Ventura that I know of and it just doesn’t seem as nice as the Foresteriana . I have seen a few around that are ok , but when I talk to other collectors they tell me the “ Bell Palms” struggle more . They are certainly slower , mine is being passed up by the volunteers that came from my Kentia’s that were planted at the same time! I think perhaps they do better in Ventura than here , 20 miles or so from the beach. We are about 8 degrees warmer during the day with a lot less fog . Harry

[Rivera]

6 hours ago, Billeb said:

I see no difference at all between Belmoreana and Forseteriana in reference to which one grows better in SoCal. If anything….. my Belmoreana looks better. Hardest part is finding them for sale.  A nice Belmoreana looks 10X better than Forsteriana IMHO. 
 

-dale 

Interesting to hear Dale. I'm a couple blocks from the beach in SF. I'll share my observations in like, 20 years!

I planted three that Darold brought up here during a couple of his palm runs. Mine are growing new leaves at a respectable pace. 

[DoomsDave]

21 hours ago, Billeb said:

I see no difference at all between Belmoreana and Forseteriana in reference to which one grows better in SoCal. If anything….. my Belmoreana looks better. Hardest part is finding them for sale.  A nice Belmoreana looks 10X better than Forsteriana IMHO. 
 

-dale 

If I run across any belmoreana, I’ll bird dog you to ‘em!

Any further than a few miles from the beach and belmores fry and die in the sun. I know because I had a few up here and as soon as they got even a little sun exposure that’s what happened.

[Darold Petty]

9 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

 

Any further than a few miles from the beach and belmores fry and die in the sun. I know because I had a few up here and as soon as they got even a little sun exposure that’s what happened.

In my garden, we are now experiencing "deep summer".... overnight low temps of 50F and afternoon high of 58 F, (10-14C)

 

[Jonathan]

On 7/1/2025 at 6:31 AM, Darold Petty said:

In my garden, we are now experiencing "deep summer".... overnight low temps of 50F and afternoon high of 58 F, (10-14C)

 

That's crazy Darold...14c max in summer? I'm currently in Revelstoke in the Canadian Rockies, temperatures have been around 35c here...seems all messed up, lol!

[Darold Petty]

The Golden Gate is a narrow gap in the California coastal range of mountains serving as entrance to the SF bay.  As the  enormous, interior central valleys heat up the cool marine air is drawn through this gap, and this marine onshore flow is the same as the ocean water temperature, normally in the high 50s F, but currently below average due to deep water upwelling.  So, the hotter the interior, the cooler at my place, 1.4 km inland from the beach !   

[Foggy Paul]

I can second "deep summer". Up here at 480 feet and 3 miles from the ocean (2 miles inland from @Darold Petty), in the evening you can barely see across the street. The photo below is typical--it was heavier last night. By morning everything under canopy is soaked from the "rain". The sun frequently fails to emerge all day. Locals refer to Grey May, June Gloom, No Sky July and Fogust 😆 It's great for the cool-weather palms and plants like our Sphaeropteris medullaris...not so much for lounging in the hammock, or watching fireworks. Our Hedyscepe is doing great, although a ways from trunking still. Our little double Howea belmoreana is struggling due to K deficiency and it actually does fry when the sun shines, but I think it will be fine eventually. (No palms in this pic, sorry.)

[pogobob]

Belmores do great here 10 miles from the beach North county Bonsall

[pogobob]

[tim_brissy_13]

@Tassie_Troy1971 question for you: do you irrigate your Lepidorrhachis and Hedyscepe in winter? Typically I don’t water anything in ground at all between May to September, but I’m wondering whether our frequent drizzle is enough to penetrate the soil to keep the true cloudforest species happy. Could they benefit from extra water even when it’s cold?

[Tassie_Troy1971]

14 hours ago, pogobob said:

Belmores do great here 10 miles from the beach North county Bonsall

Fabulous Bob

[Tassie_Troy1971]

9 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

@Tassie_Troy1971 question for you: do you irrigate your Lepidorrhachis and Hedyscepe in winter? Typically I don’t water anything in ground at all between May to September, but I’m wondering whether our frequent drizzle is enough to penetrate the soil to keep the true cloudforest species happy. Could they benefit from extra water even when it’s cold?

Tim I water my Hedyscepe and Leppidorachis and all the other palms on automatic drip bubbler irrigation for  1 hour every 4 days 

Mount Gower gets 1.3 M of precipitation a year especially in winter.

[Foggy Paul]

4 hours ago, Tassie_Troy1971 said:

Tim I water my Hedyscepe and Leppidorachis and all the other palms on automatic drip bubbler irrigation for  1 hour every 4 days 

Wow, that's a lot. I've been doing 16 minutes every four days with some supplemental hand watering to help dissolve the fertilizer. I may have to bump it up as the plants get bigger.

[tim_brissy_13]

9 hours ago, Tassie_Troy1971 said:

Tim I water my Hedyscepe and Leppidorachis and all the other palms on automatic drip bubbler irrigation for  1 hour every 4 days 

Mount Gower gets 1.3 M of precipitation a year especially in winter.

That’s great info Troy. I tend to back off watering in winter for fear of root rot but that’s probably not a risk for the Mt Gower species especially in my well drained soil. I’ve wondered why my Hedyscepe is faster for me in the warmer months - probably because it gets much more water. 

[Tyrone]

In the wild on LHI Howea forsteriana and belmoreana inhabit different areas to each other although they do overlap in places. In general, forsteriana likes the high pH limestone sands and in areas grows very close to the ocean, just like a coconut would in more tropical areas. Howea belmoreana likes the acidic gravelly loams especially along creek lines that often have a higher tree canopy. Going up Mt Gower Howea belmoreana takes over from forsteriana at mid elevations at a guess from about 200m asl. It then progresses and crosses over with Hedyscepe for a bit at about 400m asl then disappears maybe at 500m asl. Hedyscepe continues and gets more emergent as you progress to the summit at 875m asl. 
How that would relate to cultivation for Howea bemoreana is that it does like some protection at least in part shade. There are some on LHI that are at near sea level and in full sun but they are usually still near creeks with acidic gravels and the tree canopy has probably been cleared anyway like near Soldiers creek. Howea forsteriana still likes shady rainforest areas, but its ability to handle sandy high pH soils in more open areas may make it easier in cultivation in hotter climates like Southern California especially where the soil is high in pH. 

[happypalms]

On 7/3/2025 at 2:19 AM, Jonathan said:

That's crazy Darold...14c max in summer? I'm currently in Revelstoke in the Canadian Rockies, temperatures have been around 35c here...seems all messed up, lol!

Yes eating poutine and all my candied salmon I believe 🤣

[Tracy]

On 6/30/2025 at 12:19 AM, Billeb said:

I see no difference at all between Belmoreana and Forseteriana in reference to which one grows better in SoCal. If anything….. my Belmoreana looks better. Hardest part is finding them for sale.  A nice Belmoreana looks 10X better than Forsteriana IMHO. 
 

-dale 

Dale i have found Howea belmoreana to be a little slower.  I don't have any Howea forsteriana here in Leucadia but my neighbor has several along our fence line.  I have 3 belmoreana in Carlsbad and about a dozen forsteriana and the forsteriana are much taller after a couple of decades.   The belmoreana do great but they are definitely a little slower for me.

I planted this Howea belmoreana around 2011, and had to transplant it in 2013 to a different spot due to a house remodel.  It never faltered.

Hedyscepe canterburyana has been very finicky for me.  I have planted 4 or 5 and only one has been a long term survivor.   It is probably 15 years old and a fraction of the size of any of my Howeas. 

[Billeb]

7 minutes ago, Tracy said:

Dale i have found Howea belmoreana to be a little slower.  I don't have any Howea forsteriana here in Leucadia but my neighbor has several along our fence line.  I have 3 belmoreana in Carlsbad and about a dozen forsteriana and the forsteriana are much taller after a couple of decades.   The belmoreana do great but they are definitely a little slower for me.

I planted this Howea belmoreana around 2011, and had to transplant it in 2013 to a different spot due to a house remodel.  It never faltered.

Hedyscepe canterburyana has been very finicky for me.  I have planted 4 or 5 and only one has been a long term survivor.   It is probably 15 years old and a fraction of the size of any of my Howeas. 

Looks good @Tracy. I think I’m just lucky regarding environment, soil makeup and temps. Hedyscepe, Belmoreana and Forsteriana all seem to do good for me.  Dumb luck most likely. The alternative is I know what I’m doing. Probably low percentage that’s the reason!! 🤣🤣 

-dale 

[realarch]

Dale, I seriously doubt it’s ’dumb luck.’ You’ve got the instinctive green thumb. 

Tim

[peachy]

On 6/30/2025 at 5:19 PM, Billeb said:

I see no difference at all between Belmoreana and Forseteriana in reference to which one grows better in SoCal. If anything….. my Belmoreana looks better. Hardest part is finding them for sale.  A nice Belmoreana looks 10X better than Forsteriana IMHO. 
 

-dale 

In my experience belmoreana is much easier to kill than a regular kentia, which is why the latter is far more common as a specimen.

Peachy

[peachy]

Looks gorgeous Troy, I saw it on telly not that long ago and it made me feel so ancient ! I can remember when you first moved in to that house so your growth rare is excellent. Would it be 15 years or longer now ?

Peachy

[Billeb]

6 hours ago, realarch said:

Dale, I seriously doubt it’s ’dumb luck.’ You’ve got the instinctive green thumb. 

Tim

Thanks Tim!! 🙏 

3 hours ago, peachy said:

In my experience belmoreana is much easier to kill than a regular kentia, which is why the latter is far more common as a specimen.

Peachy

I think this is a very true statement @peachy. 
 

 

its hard to photo my Belmoreana but here it is behind my courtyard wall. I find both Forsteriana and Belmoreana the same speed.  Both are slow plants for me compared to others. 
 

-dale