Roystonea question

[quaman58]

Hey y’all, I had a question. I’ve had this palm for probably 12 years. A great grower, looks good all the time, almost no burned leaves ever. A few years ago, it began flowering. A little sporadically at first, but now it’s to the point where every leaf base has a flower spathe underneath. The upshot is that it flowers like crazy, millions of little flowers falling, all throughout the year. But absolutely no fruit has ever developed. Any thoughts is what might be causing this? It just looks and grows so dang good in every other way, it’s hard to believe that it’s missing nutrients. Thanks in advance!

[Stevetoad]

sometimes it helps to climb up there and sniff the flowers.  If they smell like Cheetos and Pepsi then that might be the problem. Please let us know what you discover. 

 

[quaman58]

Steve,

That's why I come to this forum; for out-of-the-box thinking like that. I'll be renting some climbing spikes on the way home, so stay tuned.. 😑

Bret

 

 

 

[Jim in Los Altos]

2 hours ago, quaman58 said:

Steve,

That's why I come to this forum; for out-of-the-box thinking like that. I'll be renting some climbing spikes on the way home, so stay tuned.. 😑

Bret

 

 

 

I’m guessing you’re joking about the climbing spikes! 🙂 

[quaman58]

Still undecided Jim. If you see a news report about a dead older guy at the base of a palm tree, just remember that Steve made me do it..

[Stevetoad]

It’s a real thing guys. Here’s the proof. 

[96720]

You don’t want to spike a royal get a ladder or a pole saw and cut one off!!!

[Phoenikakias]

7 hours ago, Stevetoad said:

It’s a real thing guys. Here’s the proof. 

Awesome,  cheetos for vegans!

[Phoenikakias]

Funny things apart, you have check whether flowers do set fruit, which is subsequently aborted in a very young stage. I face this issue with my Pritchardia plants, regardless season of blooming.

[ck_in_fla]

I have the same issue with my Roystonea here at the Northern limit of this trees range in Central Florida.  I always assumed it was because there are no other Roystoneas nearby to allow the insects to pollinate the flowers...

Am I off base on this?

[PalmatierMeg]

13 hours ago, 96720 said:

You don’t want to spike a royal get a ladder or a pole saw and cut one off!!!

Agree. No spikes ever! Do not violate the integrity of a palm trunk.

[quaman58]

15 hours ago, ck_in_fla said:

I have the same issue with my Roystonea here at the Northern limit of this trees range in Central Florida.  I always assumed it was because there are no other Roystoneas nearby to allow the insects to pollinate the flowers...

Am I off base on this?

I just assumed that there were male and female parts on the flowers of the species that would not require additional palms in the area. Certainly are plenty of bees working these flowers. Odd that no seed has been set yet though.

[quaman58]

14 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Agree. No spikes ever! Do not violate the integrity of a palm trunk.

I was just kidding a bit Meg. The trunk is so fat, I wouldn’t even be able to get my arms around it, ha ha

[TomJ]

Mine is huge, fat, and healthy and never once flowered since planting in 2007 ?

Yours must be happy.