The lovely lanonia dasyantha

[happypalms]

If you’re after a beautiful easy growing palm, look no further than the dasyantha. They seem to love whatever iam doing to them. A beautiful understory palm. I have a few in dappled light to deep shade to morning sun and they all seem to love growing in these conditions. They will drink as much water as you give them and a little tolerance to mild dry conditions if you miss a watering. 
I love them super easy to grow and not too bad on the eye, the poor man’s mapu is definitely worth growing. I even lucked up with a variegated variety from a seed batch I germinated. 

[Mazat]

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

If you’re after a beautiful easy growing palm, look no further than the dasyantha. They seem to love whatever iam doing to them. A beautiful understory palm. I have a few in dappled light to deep shade to morning sun and they all seem to love growing in these conditions. They will drink as much water as you give them and a little tolerance to mild dry conditions if you miss a watering. 
I love them super easy to grow and not too bad on the eye, the poor man’s mapu is definitely worth growing. I even lucked up with a variegated variety from a seed batch I germinated. 

wonderful, Richard

[Harry’s Palms]

Super nice looking palm . They would probably not be happy here . Our dry winds would not be favorable , they look like they enjoy humidity . Like Licuala , most are hard to keep happy. That variegated one is very special , I’ll bring my shovel! “ dig fast , run like you stole it”  Harry😂🌴

[happypalms]

19 hours ago, Mazat said:

wonderful, Richard

They will grow for you in your grow room, and might even grow in the ground with a bit of winter protection could be worth a try! 

[happypalms]

17 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Super nice looking palm . They would probably not be happy here . Our dry winds would not be favorable , they look like they enjoy humidity . Like Licuala , most are hard to keep happy. That variegated one is very special , I’ll bring my shovel! “ dig fast , run like you stole it”  Harry😂🌴

Oh yeah drive it like you stole it hey! I reckon you’ll be in with a chance of growing one around the back of your house in a protected shaded corner in a container.

Richard 

[Mazat]

6 hours ago, happypalms said:

They will grow for you in your grow room, and might even grow in the ground with a bit of winter protection could be worth a try! 

Yes, Richard 🤗, a really good idea

[tim_brissy_13]

On 3/6/2026 at 1:05 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

Super nice looking palm . They would probably not be happy here . Our dry winds would not be favorable , they look like they enjoy humidity . Like Licuala , most are hard to keep happy. That variegated one is very special , I’ll bring my shovel! “ dig fast , run like you stole it”  Harry😂🌴

If you keep it shaded I think they’d be well suited to your climate. From what I’ve seen, Lanonia are a completely different grow to most Licuala and anything from Northern Vietnam and China tends to have pretty good hardiness of both heat and cool. These can grow up to 1000m asl (3300’) well away from the equator. Mine are in ground and have seen down to -1.5C/29F and up to 44C/111F without issue. 
 

My climate would be less favourable than So Cal for these I’d say. For reference, the only Licuala I know surviving here are L ramsayi and L fordiana and they are very slow to the point of being stunted.

[happypalms]

6 hours ago, Mazat said:

Yes, Richard 🤗, a really good idea

Rps have seeds available, easy to germinate, they even germinate in the post in the package! 

[happypalms]

17 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

If you keep it shaded I think they’d be well suited to your climate. From what I’ve seen, Lanonia are a completely different grow to most Licuala and anything from Northern Vietnam and China tends to have pretty good hardiness of both heat and cool. These can grow up to 1000m asl (3300’) well away from the equator. Mine are in ground and have seen down to -1.5C/29F and up to 44C/111F without issue. 
 

My climate would be less favourable than So Cal for these I’d say. For reference, the only Licuala I know surviving here are L ramsayi and L fordiana and they are very slow to the point of being stunted.

Have you tried spinosa Tim! 

[Harry’s Palms]

Thank you @tim_brissy_13 . If I ever stumble onto one I would give it a try . I think Licuala Ramsayi can grow here . @DoomsDave has a large one. Harry

[DoomsDave]

11 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Thank you @tim_brissy_13 . If I ever stumble onto one I would give it a try . I think Licuala Ramsayi can grow here . @DoomsDave has a large one. Harry

Oh hell yeah! Get one and give it a go - and LOTS OF WATER.

[realarch]

Glad to see this palm is so adaptable climate zone wise, in ground or as potted specimens. I’ve had some in pots for years and like most Licuala/Lanonia, don’t seem to mind being root bound and always look just ducky.

There was a rumor going around, for the more mottled specimens, that one should never fertilize because it would diminish the characteristic. I lightly fertilize my potted Lanonia and can’t say if it made a difference or not.

I’ll snap a photo or two and post.  

Tim

[tim_brissy_13]

On 3/7/2026 at 8:29 AM, happypalms said:

Have you tried spinosa Tim! 

Yeah once a few years back, a tiny sprout from Merc. Failed miserably but I suspect it wasn’t just the cold. Could never get it going. Probably not high up on my list to try again but I would guess it would be a chance here if I got everything right

[realarch]

Here are some more photos.

Tim

[happypalms]

9 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Yeah once a few years back, a tiny sprout from Merc. Failed miserably but I suspect it wasn’t just the cold. Could never get it going. Probably not high up on my list to try again but I would guess it would be a chance here if I got everything right

I got a few floating around the nursery, did you repot mercs plant or leave as is after getting it, because if you didn’t repot it, mercs plants needed to be repotted after you get them, he had his fertiliser down pat hydroponically, but once they left his nursery a different story, the perlite vermiculite mix was trouble for a lot of growers! 

[happypalms]

15 hours ago, realarch said:

Glad to see this palm is so adaptable climate zone wise, in ground or as potted specimens. I’ve had some in pots for years and like most Licuala/Lanonia, don’t seem to mind being root bound and always look just ducky.

There was a rumor going around, for the more mottled specimens, that one should never fertilize because it would diminish the characteristic. I lightly fertilize my potted Lanonia and can’t say if it made a difference or not.

I’ll snap a photo or two and post.  

Tim

They are a winner, I can’t wait for my large form varieties to grow up and see what they look like. 
I did read that they lose there mottled look if well fed. 
I just liquid fish emulsion my ones and they seem to hold the mottled look. 

[happypalms]

9 hours ago, realarch said:

Here are some more photos.

Tim

One beautiful plant Tim! I shall say it lucky Hawaii growers. 
Richard