Is my palm a true filifera or a hybrid?

[Mazat]

On 10/18/2025 at 12:51 PM, lita said:

I'm coming over! 😜 

Okay😁

[Mazat]

On 10/18/2025 at 12:51 PM, lita said:

I'm coming over! 😜 

A major change in terms of climate too. 

 

[dalmatiansoap]

This is what I have as Filifera

[lita]

On 10/20/2025 at 4:51 AM, dalmatiansoap said:

This is what I have as Filifera

I see a smidgen of purple

[aztropic]

22 minutes ago, lita said:

I see a smidgen of purple

On 10/15/2025 at 12:29 PM, aztropic said:

Not sure if the shading on the pictured right petiole is red or brown? Hope for Brown. 🤷‍♂️

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Take a closer look lita. There is no purple. Any shading you see is brown. That is another perfect example of a pure filifera.👍

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[lita]

1 hour ago, aztropic said:

Take a closer look lita. There is no purple. Any shading you see is brown. That is another perfect example of a pure filifera.👍

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Oh, so it can have brown at the base of the petiole and still be a pure filifera? That’s awesome news for my store-bought potentially pure filifera!

[Hu Palmeras]

Very cool my friend

[sonoranfans]

On 10/21/2025 at 11:08 AM, lita said:

Oh, so it can have brown at the base of the petiole and still be a pure filifera? That’s awesome news for my store-bought potentially pure filifera!

The classic robusta has copper colored dead leafbases, filiferas go light brown.  I lived in arizona 10 years and saw plenty of mature filiferas, robustas and filibustas.  I just don't see the copper in your palm.  If it has robusta blood it must me minimal.  It does look like it hates that pot.  Trunk looks elongated and thin as well as a classic overtrim that often happens with a longer term container palm.  

[Phoenikakias]

34 minutes ago, sonoranfans said:

The classic robusta has copper colored dead leafbases, filiferas go light brown.  I lived in arizona 10 years and saw plenty of mature filiferas, robustas and filibustas.  I just don't see the copper in your palm.  If it has robusta blood it must me minimal.  It does look like it hates that pot.  Trunk looks elongated and thin as well as a classic overtrim that often happens with a longer term container palm.  

What is this one based on that feature?

and this one?

[lita]

On 10/22/2025 at 9:10 AM, sonoranfans said:

The classic robusta has copper colored dead leafbases, filiferas go light brown.  I lived in arizona 10 years and saw plenty of mature filiferas, robustas and filibustas.  I just don't see the copper in your palm.  If it has robusta blood it must me minimal.  It does look like it hates that pot.  Trunk looks elongated and thin as well as a classic overtrim that often happens with a longer term container palm.  

Thanks for the info. I expected a fatter trunk based on what I've read on here. But now that it's planted on the ground, maybe that will change. There's a good chance that it's a filibusta, but with minimal robusta traits. 

[sonoranfans]

On 10/22/2025 at 12:40 PM, Phoenikakias said:

What is this one based on that feature?

and this one?

Looks dominated by filifera genes to me.  

[Phoenikakias]

1 hour ago, sonoranfans said:

Looks dominated by filifera genes to me.  

Tom, if we look at F2 and higher hybrids, situation becomes chaotic. I prefer not speaking of just filibusta but rather of filibusta-filifera and filibusta-robusta. Take for example this specimen. It has been growing twice faster as the other two and when younger had markedly purple hues on the petioles. Also its offspring have bright red stems. However purple disappeared with age as also largely the white fuzz on the base of the costa.

⁰

[sonoranfans]

20 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

Tom, if we look at F2 and higher hybrids, situation becomes chaotic. I prefer not speaking of just filibusta but rather of filibusta-filifera and filibusta-robusta. Take for example this specimen. It has been growing twice faster as the other two and when younger had markedly purple hues on the petioles. Also its offspring have bright red stems. However purple disappeared with age as also largely the white fuzz on the base of the costa.

 

I expect that F1's are just a small part of the hybrid population as these readily hybridize on their own.  My memory of the grand old filiferas planted in rows on palm tree lane in phoenix are of trees with 3 to 4' thick trunks at the base, you can only experience the awe fully in person.  Last I saw them they were 40-50' tall or so.  Those FIiferas in arizona had a lighter grey green leaf too.   Might be all palms in this thread have some robusta genetics.  I guess time will tell, 3'+ thick trunks are likely all filifera.  But different regions and soil types may cause trunks to be more slim, and in 15 years I have yet to see an impressively thick filifera or filibusta type in florida.   Filifera and filibusta types with thicker trunks don't hold as many green leaves here.

[lita]

Guys, now that my filifera is in the ground, how often should I water it? One of the lower leaves is yellowing, and I’m worried it might need more water—but my garden soil is pretty clay-rich, so I’m also scared of overwatering. I also picked up a bottle of liquid palm fertilizer.

[aztropic]

Till Thanksgiving, 5 gallons of water per week is adequate. December through February, 5 gallons every 2 weeks is adequate.March 2026 on through summer,back to 5 gallons per week. After November 2026,the palm should be happy with whatever falls from the sky.👍🌴

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[lita]

6 hours ago, aztropic said:

Till Thanksgiving, 5 gallons of water per week is adequate. December through February, 5 gallons every 2 weeks is adequate.March 2026 on through summer,back to 5 gallons per week. After November 2026,the palm should be happy with whatever falls from the sky.👍🌴

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Thank you so much. Wow, they're thirsty

[jwitt]

54 minutes ago, lita said:

Thank you so much. Wow, they're thirsty

They live naturally in swamps, and acidic fertilizer (fish emulsion), acidic soil,  can give pure filifera(from native groves)seedlings the "red". 

Infact, I can do the same with a young @aztropic palm(2-3 years old), turn the red on/off.

 

[jwitt]

On 10/25/2025 at 8:01 AM, sonoranfans said:

.....  But different regions and soil types may cause trunks to be more slim, and in 15 years I have yet to see an impressively thick filifera or filibusta type in florida.   Filifera and filibusta types with thicker trunks don't hold as many green leaves here.

I suspect soil is a big player.  

Fairchild, Miami

 

West Maui(alkaline), couple hundred feet to the ocean

[lita]

12 hours ago, jwitt said:

They live naturally in swamps, and acidic fertilizer (fish emulsion), acidic soil,  can give pure filifera(from native groves)seedlings the "red". 

Infact, I can do the same with a young @aztropic palm(2-3 years old), turn the red on/off.

 

Gonna follow the watering schedule by @aztropic from now on. This is the fertilizer I bought on Amazon: