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Mercury Psillakis germinator extraordinaire.

palmtreesforpleasure

By palmtreesforpleasure
in MEMORIALS

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palmtreesforpleasure Grand Master

palmtreesforpleasure

Posted
Posted

It is with great sadness and heavy heart  to inform palm talkers that Merc passed away today  from a shark attack whist surfing at Dee Why beach. He loved his surfing and his palms. 

He was a generous,  humorous person with a kind heart, and we all in shock at his passing

He will very sadly missed.

All our thoughts are with his family

regards

Colin

  • Like 11
  • Upvote 2

coastal north facing location

100klm south of Sydney

NSW

Australia

tim_brissy_13 Grand Master

tim_brissy_13

Posted
Posted

Oh my god Colin I just heard the news and I can’t believe it. I never met Merc in person but I’m still so shook up it shows the contribution he had to the palms community in Australia and even globally. 
 

Your title is apt, he’s the best germination of seed I’ve come across, just seemed to be able to get anything to sprout and was an amazing grower from that point on. I’ll post some of the palms he gave me as remembrance but that no doubt won’t nearly be fitting for such a great guy beyond his palm community contribution. He was always very generous and happy to chat palms anytime he’ll be missed. I can’t even imagine what those closer to him than I must be feeling. 

  • Like 7

Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

happypalms Grand Master

happypalms

Posted
Posted

Such a great man I have many of his seedlings in my nursery. I first got in contact with Merc during COVID. He was fantastic to deal with and had such great palms unheard of in Australia. I often commented to him that he was the germinater and could germinate a rock. I just recently sent him two kerriodoxa elegans, I will miss him I would always send him a message saying what’s new at mad Mercs nursery this week. We both had a lot in common with our palms. The palm community will miss him. RIP Mr psillakis the germinater! 
Richard and Jodie 

  • Like 8
peachy Grand Master

peachy

Posted
Posted

This is a horrible shock.  Merc was always so easy to deal with and always mentioned if he had something special he thought I would like. My deepest sympathy to his family. It's just too sad.

Vale Mercury.

Peachy

  • Like 7

I came. I saw. I purchased

 

 

27.35 south.

Warm subtropical, with occasional frosts.

Tyrone Grand Master

Tyrone

Posted
Posted

This is just terrible news. What a huge loss to the palm world especially in Australia. My thoughts are with his friends and family. 

  • Like 5
  • Upvote 1

Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

gyuseppe Grand Master

gyuseppe

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, happypalms said:

Such a great man I have many of his seedlings in my nursery. I first got in contact with Merc during COVID. He was fantastic to deal with and had such great palms unheard of in Australia. I often commented to him that he was the germinater and could germinate a rock. I just recently sent him two kerriodoxa elegans, I will miss him I would always send him a message saying what’s new at mad Mercs nursery this week. We both had a lot in common with our palms. The palm community will miss him. RIP Mr psillakis the germinater! 
Richard and Jodie 


Richard, did I understand correctly?
The one who was supposed to send me seeds these days?

  • Like 2
  • Upvote 1

GIUSEPPE

happypalms Grand Master

happypalms

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:


Richard, did I understand correctly?
The one who was supposed to send me seeds these days?

Yes that is correct Merc psilakis, the man with a heart bigger than the biggest palm on the planet! 
Richard 

  • Like 4
gyuseppe Grand Master

gyuseppe

Posted
Posted
6 minutes ago, happypalms said:

Yes that is correct Merc psilakis, the man with a heart bigger than the biggest palm on the planet! 
Richard 

Richard, I ask you a big favor. If you can call the family and offer them my condolences, tell them that I met him through Facebook and, while talking, he said he would send me some seeds, even though he had only known me for a short time, and even though he didn't have time to send me the seeds, and how he would have done it, that was his intention. Thank his wife and daughter on my behalf, please. Obviously, I was shocked.

  • Like 3

GIUSEPPE

Hu Palmeras Grand Master

Hu Palmeras

Posted
Posted

How sad, friends, to hear the news of his passing. And I've noticed that many members of PalmTalk have passed away. Imagine how sad it is. We're just passing through this world.

  • Like 3
  • Upvote 1

Screenshot_20240422_175305_Microsoft365(Office).jpg.2d807628875283f040af1dbd643ddcaf.jpg

 

JohnAndSancho Grand Master

JohnAndSancho

Posted
Posted

Y'all I'm sorry. Condolences and good vibes to his family and all of y'all. He sounds like someone I would have liked to know. 

  • Like 2
  • Upvote 2
Harry’s Palms Grand Master

Harry’s Palms

Posted
Posted

So sorry to read this . My thoughts and prayers for the family . Harry

  • Like 4
  • Upvote 1
Jonathan Haycock Mentor

Jonathan Haycock

Posted
Posted

Still can’t wrap my head around it being Merc in the news reports. I honestly don’t know what to say, but just wanted to pay my respects. He was a good bloke, clearly loved by his family, friends, and the wider palm community. You’ll be missed Merc.

  • Like 8

For those of you that frequent Facebook, I’ve set up a group called “Pommy palms”, where many of the palms I’ve seen since emigrating to Australia have been documented. If you wish to be a member, copy and paste “Pommy palms” into Facebook to view the page and click “Join group”.

gyuseppe Grand Master

gyuseppe

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, SeanK said:

A short article for for non-Aussies.

https://greekherald.com.au/news/greek-australian-surfer-mercury-psillakis-killed-in-shark-attack-at-dee-wh/

Thanks! 

He has known me for a few months, and had to send me some seeds, it's not like everyone to send seeds to someone you don't know, this does him credit, for me he was a good person, I repeat I am shocked by this tragedy

  • Like 2
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GIUSEPPE

Phoenikakias Grand Master

Phoenikakias

Posted
Posted

I am deeply shocked. I have been planning to cross and back  by swim the bay today, but after those terrible news and because of some very apparent analogies I'd better postpone it...

  • Like 4
LJG Grand Master

LJG

Posted
Posted

Wow, this is so sad. Someone sent me a news report on this and at first I thought it was one of those fake AI deaths as it seemed to crazy to believe. I never met him personally but communicated a lot online and of course sent him seed, or received his seed, over the years. RIP. 

  • Like 6
  • Upvote 1

Len

Vista, CA (Zone 10a)

Shadowridge Area

"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

-- Alfred Austin

gyuseppe Grand Master

gyuseppe

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, Hu Palmeras said:

How sad, friends, to hear the news of his passing. And I've noticed that many members of PalmTalk have passed away. Imagine how sad it is. We're just passing through this world.

Yes it's true Ugo. Many people I here and exchanged seeds, with have unfortunately passed away (rest in peace all)

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1

GIUSEPPE

Tassie_Troy1971 Grand Master

Tassie_Troy1971

Posted
Posted

Very sad news Merc was a great bloke and master germinating palms 🌴 

  • Like 4
  • Upvote 1

Old Beach ,Hobart
Tasmania ,Australia. 42 " south
Cool Maritime climate

Cindy Adair Grand Master

Cindy Adair

Posted
Posted

I heard on National Public Radio about someone getting killed by a shark near Sydney. The reporter followed up with how the victim was an experienced surfer 100 meters from shore and shark attack statistics, but didn’t give anymore information about the person who died. 
 

Extra sad to learn more about the man whose life was lost. 
 

Thanks to those who helped me learn more about him and for posting here. 

 

  • Like 4
  • Upvote 1

Cindy Adair

Jonathan Haycock Mentor

Jonathan Haycock

Posted
Posted

Daryl O'Connor and I spent a few days in Kiama with Colin Wilson back in late 2022. We arranged to meet Merc at Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens. Here he is standing against a Caryota kiriwortgensis. Rest easy Merc, hopefully see you up there someday (save me some of your best seedlings as you used to do down here). 

IMG_3460.jpeg

  • Like 9
  • Upvote 1

For those of you that frequent Facebook, I’ve set up a group called “Pommy palms”, where many of the palms I’ve seen since emigrating to Australia have been documented. If you wish to be a member, copy and paste “Pommy palms” into Facebook to view the page and click “Join group”.

palmtreesforpleasure Grand Master

palmtreesforpleasure

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Merc has been germinating seed for me for some time which have then been donated to many Australian Botanic gardens,. We bought seed together, sometimes separately. He was great supporter of the Palm conservation project I am involved with.

So when you visit Wollongong, Hunter region, Sydney , Coffs harbour, Cairns etc Botanic gardens you will see some small palms he may have germinated. Most are still to small to plant out but over the next 5 years they will turn up in the ground. When i asked him if he would become involved he could not say yes fast enough.  A huge lost to the world, he was one of those people that everyone loved.

  • Like 6
  • Upvote 2

coastal north facing location

100klm south of Sydney

NSW

Australia

Alex-v Collaborator

Alex-v

Posted
Posted

Our condolences and support to his family. RIP Mercury

  • Like 3
pogobob Veteran

pogobob

Posted
Posted

Very sad, he was well known around the surf community as well. RIP

  • Like 3
  • Upvote 1

Robert de Jong

San Clemente, CA

 

Willowbrook Nursery

Than Veteran

Than

Posted
Posted

So sorry to hear! I heard the news about the crocodile attack but I didn't know he was into palms! My mother's maiden name is also Psillakis, I wonder if we were distant relatives.. 

  • Like 3

zone pushing

peachy Grand Master

peachy

Posted
Posted

Merc's family now has a GO FUND ME page if any wishes to give them  a hand in this terrible time.

Peachy

  • Like 5

I came. I saw. I purchased

 

 

27.35 south.

Warm subtropical, with occasional frosts.

Dimimelbourne Collaborator

Dimimelbourne

Posted
Posted

Wow I just saw this, devastating news 😓 I bought many a young palms off him back in Aus. His spirit lives on in the beautiful palms he germinated and shared with us all. 

  • Like 4
gyuseppe Grand Master

gyuseppe

Posted
Posted

I heard from Richard Moy that his funeral was today, how I would have loved to be with his family on this sad day (may he rest in peace)

  • Like 5

GIUSEPPE

palmtreesforpleasure Grand Master

palmtreesforpleasure

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Merc's funeral was very well attended, around 500 people. The police had to close the street to traffic.

The wake was as large with speakers honouring his life.

He was a champion surfer and Kelly Slater wrote a nice comment about him.

This Saturday at Deewhy beach a huge public memorial for Merc is being held on land and sea supported by corporate sponsors and local council. Maria has asked for me to address the crowd about his passion for palms which i will do.

Miss the regular contacts, laughter and palm banter

 

  • Like 5
  • Upvote 2

coastal north facing location

100klm south of Sydney

NSW

Australia

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