happypalms Sowing a few seeds

[peachy]

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

They will set seeds in my garden, if the possum’s don’t get them before anything can be done with them. 
Iam currently digging all my green ones out of the main garden along with a clump of variegated rhapis. Had enough of the great big suckers producing a mass of canes, bring that roundup with you please.

Richard

That is the reason I now keep them in pots. They went feral at my old place and it was so much work to keep them under control.

Peachy

[gyuseppe]

Richard, I'm sure some will end up in my house 👌(always with your pleasure)

[Harry’s Palms]

Interesting . I had one Excelsia set seed last year . The original pot must have had multiple plants . I planted the seeds in the garden just to see if they would sprout . Now I know what to look for . It seems to stay contained , for the most part . When a new shoot comes out where I don’t want it , I dig it out and put it in a pot . I moved one down in the shade of the Butia on the hill and it is doing well . 
 The other Rhapis is larger , in the courtyard and I let it get a bit wild but just started cutting shoots out of it. Harry

Rhapis Excelsia with fruit.

[Harry’s Palms]

That’s one thing about some of the Chamaedorea species , lots of fruit to brighten up the garden . Harry

[happypalms]

15 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard, I'm sure some will end up in my house 👌(always with your pleasure)

There’s always room for one more palm somewhere!

[happypalms]

14 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

That’s one thing about some of the Chamaedorea species , lots of fruit to brighten up the garden . Harry

Radicalis are one the most vibrant colours to have in the garden! 
Richard

[wimmie]

Always nice those Chameadorea's!

[Mazat]

On 12/12/2025 at 3:04 PM, Harry’s Palms said:

Interesting . I had one Excelsia set seed last year . The original pot must have had multiple plants . I planted the seeds in the garden just to see if they would sprout . Now I know what to look for . It seems to stay contained , for the most part . When a new shoot comes out where I don’t want it , I dig it out and put it in a pot . I moved one down in the shade of the Butia on the hill and it is doing well . 
 The other Rhapis is larger , in the courtyard and I let it get a bit wild but just started cutting shoots out of it. Harry

Rhapis Excelsia with fruit.

Wonderful Harry 🤗

[Mazat]

On 12/9/2025 at 1:05 AM, happypalms said:

A super rare raphis and as variegated raphis palm grower I just love this variety, I got a few seeds a while back and quite happy about having them in the collection. Iam sure it will be a few years before I can really do anything with them in the ways of propagation and planting them in the garden. 

Great Richard 🤗 

[happypalms]

A big thanks RPS for supplying these seeds. A pretty well much unobtainable palm for me so when rps had seeds for sale, I just had to buy them. A palm that’s not often available in large numbers so the opportunity was up for the taking. They are growing well a bit slow but they will put on some pace with the warm weather. 

[happypalms]

Some new ones and some sporadic germinaters and a few slow coach’s catching up. The warm weather has helped things move along and push up some of the slower germinating late comers. And a few new varieties coming up strong. Out of 11 dypsis minuta 11 germinated from home grown seeds, pretty happy with that. Theres always something popping up in the germinating department, but the biggest surprise is the Oraniopsis there still coming up very sporadic seeds! Oraniopsis appendiculata 

[peachy]

They look nearly big enough to plant already !

Peachy

[peachy]

Looks like I better save up some money. I see big purchases occurring in about 5 years from now !! (drooling already)  (hope I last another 5 years)

Peachy

[happypalms]

28 minutes ago, peachy said:

Looks like I better save up some money. I see big purchases occurring in about 5 years from now !! (drooling already)  (hope I last another 5 years)

Peachy

Dare I say I do pensioner discounts 🌱Richard 

[happypalms]

35 minutes ago, peachy said:

They look nearly big enough to plant already !

Peachy

Have you seen how big these monsters get, plant and you will have something the size of a 200 year old iron bark tree! 
Richard 

[peachy]

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

Have you seen how big these monsters get, plant and you will have something the size of a 200 year old iron bark tree! 
Richard 

Yes I have seen the huge Caryotas at Mt Coot-tha gardens but I think they take many years to get to that size, so it wouldn't be my problem then.

Peachy

[happypalms]

9 hours ago, peachy said:

Yes I have seen the huge Caryotas at Mt Coot-tha gardens but I think they take many years to get to that size, so it wouldn't be my problem then.

Peachy

If that’s the case plant three right next to the neighbours house, right in line with there pool actually along there driveway the leaves are rather large so they shouldn’t bother the cars underneath🤣

Richard 

[tim_brissy_13]

15 hours ago, peachy said:

They look nearly big enough to plant already !

Peachy

I had to pot up my C kiriwongensis twice while they were still sending out their first frond. You can just just from a young age these will be monsters. Mine now fill out deep 140mm containers and only now working on the second frond. They’ll get larger than any other Caryota, including C obtusa!

[happypalms]

27 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

I had to pot up my C kiriwongensis twice while they were still sending out their first frond. You can just just from a young age these will be monsters. Mine now fill out deep 140mm containers and only now working on the second frond. They’ll get larger than any other Caryota, including C obtusa!

Obviously you have seen them in full swing. The two in Sydney botanical gardens are one of the biggest palms I have ever seen making maxima look like an understory palm! I guess I won’t be doing mail orders on this one in the future 🤣

[tim_brissy_13]

1 minute ago, happypalms said:

Obviously you have seen them in full swing. The two in Sydney botanical gardens are one of the biggest palms I have ever seen making maxima look like an understory palm! I guess I won’t be doing mail orders on this one in the future 🤣

I’ve only seen one in Sydney next to another huge C obtusa and they are difficult to tell apart. They’ll definitely be monstrous though. 

[happypalms]

On 12/14/2025 at 10:13 PM, Mazat said:

Great Richard 🤗 

Such a shame I can’t send live plants to you or can I? 

[happypalms]

2 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

I’ve only seen one in Sydney next to another huge C obtusa and they are difficult to tell apart. They’ll definitely be monstrous though. 

Ok they fooled me which isn’t hard to do!

[Mazat]

7 hours ago, happypalms said:

Such a shame I can’t send live plants to you or can I? 

Richard, i read this in response to your question:
Sending live plants from Australia to Switzerland is very complicated and often not easily possible, as strict Swiss plant protection import regulations apply, requiring a valid phytosanitary certificate and a CITES certificate (for protected species) as well as a customs declaration; The plants must often be soil-free, and you must obtain information in advance from the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG). For private individuals, the import of live plants from non-EU countries is generally subject to notification and control, and some species are prohibited. 

🤔😞

[happypalms]

3 hours ago, Mazat said:

Richard, i read this in response to your question:
Sending live plants from Australia to Switzerland is very complicated and often not easily possible, as strict Swiss plant protection import regulations apply, requiring a valid phytosanitary certificate and a CITES certificate (for protected species) as well as a customs declaration; The plants must often be soil-free, and you must obtain information in advance from the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG). For private individuals, the import of live plants from non-EU countries is generally subject to notification and control, and some species are prohibited. 

🤔😞

Well that is a complicated system but basically you need a phytosanitary certificate, I have access to such a certificate and the know the company which does export live plants, unfortunately by the time the whole process was undertaken,such exotic plants would not live through such a long process, it is possible yes but is it worth it. 🌱

[happypalms]

A gift of some seeds from Colin Wilson which are always welcome, a few linearis that popped well and one lone Caryota monostachya. Thanks Colin 

[gyuseppe]

Richard, they are 2 beautiful species that I had and unfortunately they died while I was in the hospital, but I have to give myself courage, life goes on

[gyuseppe]

 

[happypalms]

8 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard, they are 2 beautiful species that I had and unfortunately they died while I was in the hospital, but I have to give myself courage, life goes on

Seeds are available at different times in Australia, your on the list for some next available batch. I wish to harvest my Metallica seeds but the postal service is slow now and with a lot holidays happening I will wait until the new year to harvest and post seeds out! 

[gyuseppe]

41 minutes ago, happypalms said:

Seeds are available at different times in Australia, your on the list for some next available batch. I wish to harvest my Metallica seeds but the postal service is slow now and with a lot holidays happening I will wait until the new year to harvest and post seeds out! 

Richard, thanks, that's too little. I also have to send Phoenix rupicola seeds to 2 people on this forum in Europe, but I've warned them that I'll send them at the beginning of 2026. In December, there's too much chaos in the Italian post office, and many envelopes get lost.

again thanks Richard

[happypalms]

13 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard, thanks, that's too little. I also have to send Phoenix rupicola seeds to 2 people on this forum in Europe, but I've warned them that I'll send them at the beginning of 2026. In December, there's too much chaos in the Italian post office, and many envelopes get lost.

again thanks Richard

You’re welcome, I know they get delayed in the first place to you, but I just want to pick them 🤣I can wait, but they will ripen even more!

[Mazat]

On 12/16/2025 at 11:16 AM, happypalms said:

Well that is a complicated system but basically you need a phytosanitary certificate, I have access to such a certificate and the know the company which does export live plants, unfortunately by the time the whole process was undertaken,such exotic plants would not live through such a long process, it is possible yes but is it worth it. 🌱

Yes, Richard.

In spring, around mid-April, that would be a very good idea 🤗

Right now it would be very risky, much too cold here, you're right.

[Mazat]

On 12/12/2025 at 3:04 PM, Harry’s Palms said:

Interesting . I had one Excelsia set seed last year . The original pot must have had multiple plants . I planted the seeds in the garden just to see if they would sprout . Now I know what to look for . It seems to stay contained , for the most part . When a new shoot comes out where I don’t want it , I dig it out and put it in a pot . I moved one down in the shade of the Butia on the hill and it is doing well . 
 The other Rhapis is larger , in the courtyard and I let it get a bit wild but just started cutting shoots out of it. Harry

Rhapis Excelsia with fruit.

I just have to say again that Sabine and I really like this variety.

[happypalms]

A little bit of luck with my metallica palms. I achieved success last season and wanted to see if I had cracked the process of hand pollination. This season I tried again and it seemed to work out good. So I will say I have worked out jow to pollinate my metallica palms. It’s just a matter of observation for male pollen collection and then through observation of the female plants. I know now when they are ready to go and what to look for. It’s not rocket science and it’s quite easy it only took me two season to learn the signs, now the next challenge will be my plumosa Chams. 

[happypalms]

On 12/13/2025 at 1:04 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

Interesting . I had one Excelsia set seed last year . The original pot must have had multiple plants . I planted the seeds in the garden just to see if they would sprout . Now I know what to look for . It seems to stay contained , for the most part . When a new shoot comes out where I don’t want it , I dig it out and put it in a pot . I moved one down in the shade of the Butia on the hill and it is doing well . 
 The other Rhapis is larger , in the courtyard and I let it get a bit wild but just started cutting shoots out of it. Harry

Rhapis Excelsia with fruit.

They look viable to me and the right colour although white is technically not a colour. They will set seeds but very rarely in my climate, I had a few this season but the rats got them.  It I got the rats in the end! Keep an eye for them in the garden it may take a while to germinate. 
Richard 

[LindaEWagers]

It looks good..

[gyuseppe]

Well done Richard, I too have done pollination with phoenix species in the past and it worked, it only takes a little bit of passion at the beginning, then no one can stop you, look at my friend Konstantinos from Greece, every year he produces hybrid phoenix seeds

[Harry’s Palms]

I have never ventured into pollinating before but congratulations! This is the first year one of my C. Metallica has more than just one or two seeds. They are still not ripe yet but there are more than a dozen there , still green. Another female has a few. It will probably be summer before they turn black. Harry

I have 9 of these in two seperate pots . The short one with the fruit is a volunteer. If/when they ripen they are headed to @DoomsDave palm spa ! 

[happypalms]

20 hours ago, LindaEWagers said:

It looks good..

Iam confident! 

[happypalms]

17 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I have never ventured into pollinating before but congratulations! This is the first year one of my C. Metallica has more than just one or two seeds. They are still not ripe yet but there are more than a dozen there , still green. Another female has a few. It will probably be summer before they turn black. Harry

I have 9 of these in two seperate pots . The short one with the fruit is a volunteer. If/when they ripen they are headed to @DoomsDave palm spa ! 

You lucked there Harry. The wind  or insects or just plain luck had the palm gods watching that day! 
Richard 

[happypalms]

20 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

Well done Richard, I too have done pollination with phoenix species in the past and it worked, it only takes a little bit of passion at the beginning, then no one can stop you, look at my friend Konstantinos from Greece, every year he produces hybrid phoenix seeds

Thanks I just love palms, propagating them and sitting ack watching them grow. Like you said you can’t stop once you start.