A tall Kentia

[gurugu]

I spotted it the other day, just by chance. It is 7/8 mts tall. I picked a dozen of ripe seeds scattered on the ground, but there are many more green ones on the tree. So another source for future seeds. I know of two more " sources". There used to be more tall, seeding ones in the area, but they all were chopped down.

[Darold Petty]

Thanks for posting !  

[Harry’s Palms]

Very healthy palm . Seeds should germinate in about a year ( maybe a bit less ) without heat. There should be a reddish color on part of the ripe fruit. Harry

[gurugu]

1 hour ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Very healthy palm . Seeds should germinate in about a year ( maybe a bit less ) without heat. There should be a reddish color on part of the ripe fruit. Harry

Quite right. I have sown them, all colours; red, brown and these last ones are very (too) ripe. And only very few of them have sprouted.

By the way, this Kentia is not the tallest in northern Spain. Those in La Coruña are 10/12 mts tall and far older.

These other ones are starting to set flowers after many, many years.  First time I spotted them was back in the late 80s. They were transplanted to a different and sunnier spot in the same small garden a few years ago. They have always been planted in pure sandy soil.

[happypalms]

Get those seeds in and start a propagating for the world needs more palms! 

[Than]

Jealous AF! I guess temperatures don't reach 0 in the winter. Beautiful specimen and perhaps sandy soil was an important factor for their success.

[gurugu]

11 hours ago, happypalms said:

Get those seeds in and start a propagating for the world needs more palms! 

Not a bad idea, but what for? All these Howeas were chopped down . Would you believe it? as you see, they were already prtty tall, 6/7 mts tall

Last picture shows seedlings of the previous kentia close to a house

[gurugu]

11 hours ago, Than said:

Jealous AF! I guess temperatures don't reach 0 in the winter. Beautiful specimen and perhaps sandy soil was an important factor for their success.

You are quite right. None of them has seen freezing temperatures, and if so, for a short time.

The first Howea in this thread, the one 7/8 mts tall, is planted in loamy soil. And the two first palms which were chopped down, were also planted in loamy soil. All the others are or were in sandy soil.

These following ones are the only ones left still alive and with seeds, of which I have picked seeds and have sprouted (very randomly)

The last two pics are of those in La Coruña, and they are the tallest I have seen in northern Spain. About 10/12 mts tall. Look at the base of one of them. My shoe for comparison. Last time I was there, I picked 400 seeds.