Licuala ramsayi the easiest licuala to grow

[happypalms]

They don’t get any easier than the ramsayi. Super tough and a lot of tropical looking palm for your garden, just add water. 

[mnorell]

Richard, how would you rate their growth-rate where you are? And in particular, against other Licuala species?

[Frond-friend42]

I've tried from seed: L. peltata sumawongi, L. orbicularis, L. grandis and L. ramsayi. I agree with ramsayi being easier than the others. I have to let the peltatas dry out practically or they root-rot. The ramsayis are more comfortable with water. I'm not sure how far this can be pushed but they are faster that the others and much more forgiving.

[happypalms]

8 hours ago, mnorell said:

Richard, how would you rate their growth-rate where you are? And in particular, against other Licuala species?

In a subtropical climate such as my climate winters slow them down. The big one in the picture is 27 years old and the other smaller one the garden has been there for about 4 years under neglect, it has picked up pace since I started ramping up on my irrigation schedule. So I would say a bit below medium paced not a rocket ship , up there with a kentia, you turn around in the years and hey you got a nice palm. Other licualas are quite paced in containers and around the same in the ground as ramsayi. Here’s a pic of a bracteata and it’s starting to get a move on after 3 years in the ground and at the rate it’s growing I would say a bit better than ramsayi. But all the other licuala love water in my garden. The lanonia (was licuala) dasyantha is the fastest of them all for me, you won’t stop them growing quite well paced! 

[happypalms]

4 hours ago, Frond-friend42 said:

I've tried from seed: L. peltata sumawongi, L. orbicularis, L. grandis and L. ramsayi. I agree with ramsayi being easier than the others. I have to let the peltatas dry out practically or they root-rot. The ramsayis are more comfortable with water. I'm not sure how far this can be pushed but they are faster that the others and much more forgiving.

The problem with most licuala out of the tropical climate is they need water and warm feet, I find the ones from the cooler winter areas  like Thailand do best in the subtropical climate. But ramsayi is a die hard and very forgiving, and will tolerate a dry season and still not get setback too much. A great palm for that tropical look in any garden! 

[aabell]

Easy to grow and looks as nice as the most tropical Licuala - what more could you ask for? This one has done well for me in the pot since I got it, finally picked out a permanent spot for it. Excited for bigger leaves once it gets established. 

[Merlyn]

Ramsayi, Grandis and Sumawongii do well for me here, though Grandis isn't tough enough for my typical 27-28F frosts (-2 to -3C).  I've kept one alive here for several years under porch canopy, but this winter's 22.5F (-5C) might have killed it.  The two in ground Ramsayi did well and so did my three Sumawongii.  Ramsayi is definitely an easy grow for me, and tough for sun or shade.

[happypalms]

2 hours ago, aabell said:

Easy to grow and looks as nice as the most tropical Licuala - what more could you ask for? This one has done well for me in the pot since I got it, finally picked out a permanent spot for it. Excited for bigger leaves once it gets established. 

Yep a lot of tropical look for very little effort, if there was a list of palms that are die hard easy to grow and a lot of bang for buck this is one of those palms in that list. 

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, Merlyn said:

Ramsayi, Grandis and Sumawongii do well for me here, though Grandis isn't tough enough for my typical 27-28F frosts (-2 to -3C).  I've kept one alive here for several years under porch canopy, but this winter's 22.5F (-5C) might have killed it.  The two in ground Ramsayi did well and so did my three Sumawongii.  Ramsayi is definitely an easy grow for me, and tough for sun or shade.

I had no idea they took those sort of temperatures, pretty good for a tropical palm. Sumawongii are just as beautiful if not better than ramsayi, but iam impressed at the low temperature they can take. Handy information to know thanks.