Howea belmoriana

[pogobob]

[PalmatierMeg]

Beautiful palm. I have one 25+ years old, been in the Backyard Jungle for 15-20 years. It is about 3' tall but even more amazingly it has survived Hurricanes Irma, Ian, Milton, yadda, yadda (my 25 y.o. trunking H. forsteriana succumbed to Ian in 2025). H. belmoreana is supposed to keel over in my sweltering climate but this one clings on year after year. It is shielded by a mutant whole leaf oil palm above the canal, overhead canopy and palms to the east and west. I plan very carefully how to protect this little palm.

[Bags]

A great palm for SoCal 

[Billeb]

Such a pretty palm and so underutilized. I can’t understand why? 
 

-dale 

[richnorm]

52 minutes ago, Billeb said:

Such a pretty palm and so underutilized. I can’t understand why? 
 

-dale 

I find them very unreliable once they reach trunking.

[pogobob]

Unreliable? In what sense?

[richnorm]

31 minutes ago, pogobob said:

Unreliable? In what sense?

Once they get a couple of feet of trunk they start producing munted growth and micro-spears.  Seems to be a thing with both Howeas in my garden.  I have had some Hedyscepe do this too.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Very nice example pogobob 

My two specimens are trunking now and growing at kentia speed

[Tomas]

10 hours ago, richnorm said:

Once they get a couple of feet of trunk they start producing munted growth and micro-spears.  Seems to be a thing with both Howeas in my garden.  I have had some Hedyscepe do this too.

It could be boron or manganese deficiency 

Why at that stage? It's hard to say, but something like this happens to my palms too, they grow well and suddenly start to show signs of micronutrient deficiency 

[richnorm]

10 hours ago, Tomas said:

It could be boron or manganese deficiency 

Why at that stage? It's hard to say, but something like this happens to my palms too, they grow well and suddenly start to show signs of micronutrient deficiency 

I have tried fertiliser with trace elements, Hydrogen Peroxide, topical fungicide and a heavy dose of Epsom salts (which is a good cure for similar problems in Parajubaea coccoides) but alas nothing works.  The first photo is a plant that was in perfect condition six months ago but I knew it was just a matter of time before the misfiring spears would come.  The second photo is where it is heading and likely remain between life and death for many years!

[tim_brissy_13]

3 hours ago, richnorm said:

I have tried fertiliser with trace elements, Hydrogen Peroxide, topical fungicide and a heavy dose of Epsom salts (which is a good cure for similar problems in Parajubaea coccoides) but alas nothing works.  The first photo is a plant that was in perfect condition six months ago but I knew it was just a matter of time before the misfiring spears would come.  The second photo is where it is heading and likely remain between life and death for many years!

I saw this a bit when I visited NZ on some Hedyscepe at Landsendt and up at Kerikeri. It also happened to the Hedyscepe at the botanic gardens here years ago but I put that down to too much sun and heat eventually wearing it down. Not sure that’s the issue for you. Howea are prone to leaning crown syndrome here but I can’t say I can remember seeing this kind of problem with them here. 

[richnorm]

We have several allelopathic trees in this area and kauri can form a nasty podzol layer which may be present in some parts of the garden as it was all forest not so long ago.  Many palms thrive so it's a bit of a mystery.

[Tyrone]

Somethings telling me zinc and boron deficiency. I have found a couple of my belmoreanas do this but a dose of trace elements with zinc and boron and back they come. My pH is low which they should like. I can grow forsteriana without an issue and they should want a higher pH than what I naturally have. 

[Tomas]

14 hours ago, richnorm said:

I have tried fertiliser with trace elements, Hydrogen Peroxide, topical fungicide and a heavy dose of Epsom salts (which is a good cure for similar problems in Parajubaea coccoides) but alas nothing works.  The first photo is a plant that was in perfect condition six months ago but I knew it was just a matter of time before the misfiring spears would come.  The second photo is where it is heading and likely remain between life and death for many years!

The accordion leaves in the second foto are definitely a symptom of boron deficiency 

If the pH of the soil is too high or too low,  boron and manganese will not be available for the plants even if you supplement it. Low temperature in the root zone works the same way.

https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP264

[richnorm]

9 minutes ago, Tomas said:

The accordion leaves in the second foto are definitely a symptom of boron deficiency 

If the pH of the soil is too high or too low,  boron and manganese will not be available for the plants even if you supplement it. Low temperature in the root zone works the same way.

https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP264

They may be tapping into a pocket of highly acidic podzol once they reach a certain size.  Perhaps a good dose of lime might help.  Certainly worth a shot. And should perhaps test the soil a metre down.  Everything is fine for the first decade or so...

[Gardner]

9 hours ago, richnorm said:

We have several allelopathic trees in this area and kauri can form a nasty podzol layer which may be present in some parts of the garden as it was all forest not so long ago.  Many palms thrive so it's a bit of a mystery.

Do you know if these properties from Kauri timber are leached out of wood shavings and therefore are unsuitable for mulch?

[richnorm]

1 hour ago, Gardner said:

Do you know if these properties from Kauri timber are leached out of wood shavings and therefore are unsuitable for mulch?

I think it accumulates from roots and over a long period of time so shavings should be fine. I would use them!

[Matt in OC]

A wonderful, if slow, palm for us in SoCal. One of my favorites!

[Tracy]

The solitary one I have in Leucadia is getting more light now that I removed a Guava tree to its west and a little north.  The top of the wall is 6 feet high for perspective.