Archontophoenix Cunninghamiana in habitat

[happypalms]

Nothing better than a day in the bush, checking out the native palms, even a couple of Livistona Australis in the steep sandstone rocky country! 

[SeanK]

Beautiful, with a few Livistona tossed in for good luck. You are blessed to live in Australia.

[gyuseppe]

Richard how I would have loved to visit this place with you🙂

[happypalms]

6 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard how I would have loved to visit this place with you🙂

Gysuppe for you free tours of the most beautiful places in my area! 
I did ride an enduro motorcycle for many years, seeing some of the most beautiful remote places, with views as far as the eye can see!

[Jim in Los Altos]

Great photos, Richard! 

[happypalms]

3 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Great photos, Richard! 

Even more spectacular walking around them!

[Jonathan]

Beautiful! Where abouts were you?

[happypalms]

15 minutes ago, Jonathan said:

Beautiful! Where abouts were you?

Sherwood nature reserve!

[Harry’s Palms]

Thank you for the great pics! Some of those are quite old by the look of it . These are two of my favorite common palms . Harry

[kylecawazafla]

Beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing! 

[happypalms]

18 hours ago, SeanK said:

Beautiful, with a few Livistona tossed in for good luck. You are blessed to live in Australia.

The lucky country indeed, the mid north coast. In between Sydney and Brisbane a palm growers sweet spot. To hot up north with cyclones! 

[happypalms]

15 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Thank you for the great pics! Some of those are quite old by the look of it . These are two of my favorite common palms . Harry

It doesn’t get any better in my opinion, a very beautiful part of the world. Australia freedom and a clean environment fresh air blue skies, peace on earth! 
Richard 

[happypalms]

13 hours ago, kylecawazafla said:

Beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing! 

You’re welcome! 

[Tyrone]

I need to plant more Archontophoenix to create that same look. A beautiful place. Thanks for the pictures. 

[happypalms]

4 hours ago, Tyrone said:

I need to plant more Archontophoenix to create that same look. A beautiful place. Thanks for the pictures. 

One of the first palms i planted on my property, in a very similar manner to be used as a pioneer canopy palm, and that affect was created. 
There was thousands  of the palms in this area! 

[Than]

Wow.. the first photo is now my new screensaver! (With your permission ofc)

[Jim in Los Altos]

Richard, I planted A cunninghamiana and ‘Illawara’ mostly in groves starting about twenty years ago to create lots of canopy and since then, lots of those palm’s volunteers have grown to maturity as well. Of all “common” palms, they’re easily my favorite. They grow so fast in cooler climates! 
 

[Harry’s Palms]

@Jim in Los Altos, you have a pair similar to mine . I had to do a double take . Harry

These were in a pot in an office where my shop is. They were sad and full of spider mites . They were very small and I wasn’t sure they’d make it . Then a few years ago , I cut a bunch of the roots to put a pathway in. I thought for sure they would die ….nope! They have thrived .

[Jim in Los Altos]

12 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

@Jim in Los Altos, you have a pair similar to mine . I had to do a double take . Harry

These were in a pot in an office where my shop is. They were sad and full of spider mites . They were very small and I wasn’t sure they’d make it . Then a few years ago , I cut a bunch of the roots to put a pathway in. I thought for sure they would die ….nope! They have thrived .

Good for you, Harry! They look super healthy now. You almost can’t walk through my landscape without seeing Archotophoenix. They’re everywhere. Nothing here seems to ever bother them either. Without them, I’d have WAY fewer palm species since they are the main shade producers.  The low winter sun manages to get through though which is a plus. 
 

 

 

[happypalms]

7 hours ago, Than said:

Wow.. the first photo is now my new screensaver! (With your permission ofc)

Cool, no copyright laws @happypalms

[happypalms]

5 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Richard, I planted A cunninghamiana and ‘Illawara’ mostly in groves starting about twenty years ago to create lots of canopy and since then, lots of those palm’s volunteers have grown to maturity as well. Of all “common” palms, they’re easily my favorite. They grow so fast in cooler climates! 
 

Beautiful pics! They are still a favourite of mine. 
As yo say so easy to grow and very forgiving just add water and you have a fast growing palm. Next time iam on the Gibraltar range west of my town I will try to collect some of those ultra cool tolerant varieties that grow up there at high altitude.

Its no wonder they are so popular overseas planted on mass there just divine, although I don’t think Hawaii would think so being such a weed there.

[happypalms]

5 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

@Jim in Los Altos, you have a pair similar to mine . I had to do a double take . Harry

These were in a pot in an office where my shop is. They were sad and full of spider mites . They were very small and I wasn’t sure they’d make it . Then a few years ago , I cut a bunch of the roots to put a pathway in. I thought for sure they would die ….nope! They have thrived .

I love the photo of both of them they both look like one big palm together! 
I have seen them in habitat on creek bank with at least half the root ball exposed to the elements from erosion, there sure tough as adult palms, seedlings a different story. You did well as a palm lover transplanting them from the office to your garden!

[Tyrone]

8 hours ago, happypalms said:

One of the first palms i planted on my property, in a very similar manner to be used as a pioneer canopy palm, and that affect was created. 
There was thousands  of the palms in this area! 

I’ve got all Archontophoenix species growing and some groves of them, but I’ve now got 2500-3000 Archontophoenix maxima seed, so I need to make some groves of them. Probably about 1000 will do. 

[happypalms]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone said:

I’ve got all Archontophoenix species growing and some groves of them, but I’ve now got 2500-3000 Archontophoenix maxima seed, so I need to make some groves of them. Probably about 1000 will do. 

Omg that’s a lot of seedlings if you do them all correctly. I don’t grow them they grow to fast in containers and require constant maintenance in containers. I will leave the archontophoenix growing to the experts!

[Tyrone]

20 hours ago, happypalms said:

Omg that’s a lot of seedlings if you do them all correctly. I don’t grow them they grow to fast in containers and require constant maintenance in containers. I will leave the archontophoenix growing to the experts!

I think I will whack em in the ground early. That makes a stronger plant in my opinion. 

[happypalms]

26 minutes ago, Tyrone said:

I think I will whack em in the ground early. That makes a stronger plant in my opinion. 

I reckon just dig a big long trench, where you want them and just pour the seeds in, you never know your luck! 🍀 

[Harry’s Palms]

On 1/22/2026 at 7:52 PM, Tyrone said:

I’ve got all Archontophoenix species growing and some groves of them, but I’ve now got 2500-3000 Archontophoenix maxima seed, so I need to make some groves of them. Probably about 1000 will do. 

I was given a pot of A. Maxima and A Purpurae from a friends yard . I didn’t want to try to separate them so I just dug a hole and planted them . I guess some day I will know which is which. They are hardened off now and growing well. I have added a few Archontophoenix varieties now but I keep hearing there are others. Harry

[happypalms]

19 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I was given a pot of A. Maxima and A Purpurae from a friends yard . I didn’t want to try to separate them so I just dug a hole and planted them . I guess some day I will know which is which. They are hardened off now and growing well. I have added a few Archontophoenix varieties now but I keep hearing there are others. Harry

Tuckeri, myolensis a couple more you can track down! 
Richard

[Mazat]

On 1/21/2026 at 9:52 AM, happypalms said:

Nothing better than a day in the bush, checking out the native palms, even a couple of Livistona Australis in the steep sandstone rocky country! 

off into the bush, wonderful, Richard 🤗

[happypalms]

18 hours ago, Mazat said:

off into the bush, wonderful, Richard 🤗

You would love doing it, it’s a great place to be!🌱

[PalmBossTampa]

On 1/21/2026 at 3:52 AM, happypalms said:

Nothing better than a day in the bush, checking out the native palms, even a couple of Livistona Australis in the steep sandstone rocky country! 

Wish i was there but your pics will have to do! Love it 

[happypalms]

12 hours ago, PalmBossTampa said:

Wish i was there but your pics will have to do! Love it 

There a hundreds of places like this around my area! 

[Jonathan]

On 1/23/2026 at 2:52 PM, Tyrone said:

I’ve got all Archontophoenix species growing and some groves of them, but I’ve now got 2500-3000 Archontophoenix maxima seed, so I need to make some groves of them. Probably about 1000 will do. 

I'm starting to get nervous about how many seeds you've sent me...should I take a trailer to the PO tomorrow?

[Than]

@dimitriskedikogloy make sure you add lots of A. cunninghamiana in your nursery inventory later! They are hardy and fast! Mine behaves as if winter isn't a thing! The only issue they have in our climate is the strong summer sun but that's only when they are tall enough to be above the canopy.

It's funny how such a tough palm is so hard to find in our country; everyone sells A. alexandrae instead, which is a bit more sensitive. So you'll have an advantage!

[dimitriskedikogloy]

1 minute ago, Than said:

@dimitriskedikogloy make sure you add lots of A. cunninghamiana in your nursery inventory later! They are hardy and fast! Mine behaves as if winter isn't a thing! The only issue they have in our climate is the strong summer sun but that's only when they are tall enough to be above the canopy.

It's funny how such a tough palm is so hard to find in our country; everyone sells A. alexandrae instead, which is a bit more sensitive. So you'll have an advantage!

Yes I have noticed that too most sources say that king palms are not hardy at all or that they can minimum take a very short dry -2 but even with a.alexandrae nurseries that don’t really know about palms just let them sit outdoors even in the winter. Eventually they are left with 2 or 3 fronds but they do indeed survive without care.from the seeds that I ordered only the a.cunninghamiania had the “new” label so I’m really optimistic that most of them will sprout since I bought a heating mat too

[Than]

22 minutes ago, dimitriskedikogloy said:

Yes I have noticed that too most sources say that king palms are not hardy at all or that they can minimum take a very short dry -2 but even with a.alexandrae nurseries that don’t really know about palms just let them sit outdoors even in the winter. Eventually they are left with 2 or 3 fronds but they do indeed survive without care.from the seeds that I ordered only the a.cunninghamiania had the “new” label so I’m really optimistic that most of them will sprout since I bought a heating mat too

My cunninghamiana took -2 C for several hours with zero damage. It was of course under canopy, but no extra protection. I have read they can take -4C for short periods.

[Phoenikakias]

It is the most reliable and suitable crowshafted palm for your climate!

[dimitriskedikogloy]

9 minutes ago, Phoenikakias said:

It is the most reliable and suitable crowshafted palm for your climate!

What about the kentia not really crownshaft but I think it can take some moderate frost under canopy 

[Phoenikakias]

36 minutes ago, dimitriskedikogloy said:

What about the kentia not really crownshaft but I think it can take some moderate frost under canopy 

Not as much as Piccabeen. Kentia is comparable to Alexandra palm.  Former can withstand down to -5 C frostless freeze without damage.

[Phoenikakias]

48 minutes ago, dimitriskedikogloy said:

What about the kentia not really crownshaft but I think it can take some moderate frost under canopy 

Pay attention please, -5 C refer to large, mature specimens established in the ground. For potted juveniles I reckon -2 C is their limit.