Verschaffeltia splendida has always been my "white whale" palm — the one I find most beautiful, but also the one I'm least likely to pull off in my location. Here's an AI interpretation for fun (the trunk is a little squished, but otherwise nailed it!)...

That's actually my palm on the whale's back, picked up from Rancho Soledad last week while grabbing another "Evansii." It was on the loading dock straight from Hawaii and had to sit there a couple of days for inspection. I came back for it, and now that it's settled into my living room, I'm very much having that "what have I done?!" moment.

I already know outdoor survival isn't happening in my zone, so the plan is to try keeping it alive indoors. Right now I have a small humidifier aimed at it and I'm about to order a more powerful dedicated one for that corner of the room — open to suggestions! I did think about the bathroom for maximum humidity, but came across a post where someone tried that and still lost theirs, possibly from the humidity swings. So I'm leaning towards creating a less humid but more stable environment instead.

From what I've read, supplementary lighting might not be necessary since it's an understory palm — but I'd love to hear whether a grow light would actually make a difference. Light is decent but does vary throughout the year (as the sun shifts). Totally willing to buy a grow light if you think it might help. So far all talk has been about humidity, so that's mainly where my brain is at. But lighting is of course another factor.

The only Verschaffeltia splendida I've seen near me are at the San Diego Zoo and Sherman Library Gardens, both indoors in borderline "sauna" environments (with anthuriums, orchids, etc). I would love to be a third success story... but I also fully accept that I may have doomed this poor palm.

Current status:

• Humidity in that corner is reading 70% (with the temporary humidifier running)

• Still in its original volcanic substrate and original pot, with one root poking out the pot

• I'm planning to move it to a larger pot once it's more settled — unless sooner is better?

• Watering with distilled water, but not sure how often is best, and whether to also water the stilt roots?

• Not currently getting any supplemental lighting, but bright indirect lighting from the windows.

Any suggestions (even if you don't own this particular palm) are hugely appreciated!

It's a beautiful, exotic, tropical treasure. You must care for it like it's your most valuable possession. Congratulations! Give it light and moderate watering when the soil is a little dry. Be careful with that jungle; it will impress with its beauty and elegance.

That actually looks like an ideal setup right where it's at.Keep the humidifier going,or the leaf edges will probably brown out but not enough to kill it. I suspect it may not like San Diego night time temps, even in summer, so keeping it inside is probably a great idea.👍🌴

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

My two tolerate the chillier winter as long as it warms up, and lower humidity in the afternoon as long as it recovers at night. Low 40s stopped them growing, but its never for long here like there. I agree on that spot, the bigger issue will be when it gets too tall, mine started as 4 inch pots from Floribunda 2 years ago and are now 5 feet tall like that, so it doesnt take long at all to get a big one if they are happy. Good luck with it! But whatever you do dont get a phoenicophorium borsigianum, they will not grow below tropical steam bath temps at all, even here in central florida in a greenhouse i only get growth the hottest time of year, nights and days. The V splendida grows more in the cooler times though.

At my old house I had a heated greenhouse . It was the only thing I found that would easily care for true tropical plants . I would let the temp drop to no less than 58f . Before I left for work , I would soak the pea gravel floor ( about 4” deep ) and by the time I got home in the afternoon , it would be near raining inside . I had a fan (oscillating) in the corner with a vent up high near the gambrel roof. I built it from an old Sunset book diagram . Unfortunately, we had to leave it behind when we bought our new house as there was no area that would accommodate it. The tropical plants all died , even with the best care I could give the plants . Indoors and outdoors in a protected courtyard , one by one ….gone.

I do wish you better luck than I had . Tropical plants are very tough to grow in a temperate climate whether trying indoors at home or outdoors with protection . I did not have a Vershafeltia in there but I had a large Licuala Grandis and Spinalosa , Veitchia , Ptychosperma , as well as a few others . All of them looked awesome in the greenhouse and were pretty easy to grow , some in crushed lava.

Good luck , that is a beauty ! The very first one I saw was in the Palmatum at Rancho Soledad. They had a couple of them in large boxes , fully stilted and quite lovely. If you have room , I recommend a greenhouse for growing tropical plants. It is like cheating. 🤭Harry

Harry, my tropical palm trees haven't died. They live inside the house. No problem. You should bring the tropical kingdom to your home, my friend.

If they grow that fast you might need to add a second story to that corner of the house!

🌴🌴🌴🦜🦜

Iam learning towards my attempts at more of a catfish than a white whale. Heres my next attempt at killing another batch, only these ones are a variety that I got from Thailand with the name of black seed. May I suggest placing the palm in a shallow try of water in summer when in the greenhouse. And if indoors place it on a shallow tray sitting on top of some decorative stones for humidity.

I wish you the best of luck! 😎. I know it’s not an easy palm to grow outside the tropics. I do remember there was a very large one (~ 12 to 13 ft) at a very palmy house in Hillcrest on Robinson St. growing outside for two or three years. Then one winter it completely collapsed. I was actually shocked it lived so long outside, even in a climate as mild as in Hillcrest!

I might be mistaken, but I think Greg Hammond had one growing in an enclosed courtyard entry area (complete with little running creek, large glass pane ceilings) in an office building that he either owned or managed. That was the better part of 20 years ago when I was just starting to get serious about this madness. I remember asking him about it & he mentioned that the area was climate-controlled year round at 68F. Even back then it looked as if it wasn't going to be long before it hit the ceiling of the two-story high room.

Beautiful palm indeed! Personally, I don't see how a grow light would do any harm; it may help it grow faster (if this is a good thing!)

I had planted an area to go with my 6 of these but 4 have croaked so I need to redecorate some now. Love this one but it hasn’t been pleased with site conditions.

9 hours ago, happypalms said:

Iam learning towards my attempts at more of a catfish than a white whale. Heres my next attempt at killing another batch, only these ones are a variety that I got from Thailand with the name of black seed. May I suggest placing the palm in a shallow try of water in summer when in the greenhouse. And if indoors place it on a shallow tray sitting on top of some decorative stones for humidity.

Looking at those spines, a different variation altogether. The ones from the Seychelles have more abundant smaller, thinner spines even at the seedling stage. The armor on the small ones in your photo look to be even deadlier.

Tim

What if you had it in an enclosed location with misters? Maybe keep it in a pot but it would be a shame to not have that palm outside amongst the other palms.

9 hours ago, SCVpalmenthusiast said:

What if you had it in an enclosed location with misters? Maybe keep it in a pot but it would be a shame to not have that palm outside amongst the other palms.

It’s an indoor palm for me (winters get too cold here). It would live in that corner - or a high ceiling atrium if it outgrows that space. I’m going to add grow lights, a water dish below, and a dedicated humidifier. Then pray. 🙏

Here’s my inspirational photo, from another collector. He’s in South Florida so much more favorable growing conditions. But this is the dream…

Stacy, the more light and humidity you can provide to a winter indoor location the better. Should do well outside in warmer weather except during a hot dry Santa Ana.

I have seen posts of Florida grown Verschaffeltia, spending time outside and in a greenhouse where they eventually grow too tall.

Good luck, updates will be hellpful.

Tim

5 hours ago, iDesign said:

It’s an indoor palm for me (winters get too cold here). It would live in that corner - or a high ceiling atrium if it outgrows that space. I’m going to add grow lights, a water dish below, and a dedicated humidifier. Then pray. 🙏

Here’s my inspirational photo, from another collector. He’s in South Florida so much more favorable growing conditions. But this is the dream…

That’s the beauty of having it in a pot. You can bring it in during the winter. There’s a YouTuber who lives in NYC and does this, grows king palms, citrus trees that would otherwise croak in their cold. I genuinely believe you could have that set up in the summer. As long as its on a covered patio with misters.

Wishing you the best with it Stacey, I love your dedication!!

17 hours ago, realarch said:

Stacy, the more light and humidity you can provide to a winter indoor location the better. Should do well outside in warmer weather except during a hot dry Santa Ana.

I have seen posts of Florida grown Verschaffeltia, spending time outside and in a greenhouse where they eventually grow too tall.

Good luck, updates will be hellpful.

Tim

Good point about the Santa Ana conditions. Stacey doesn’t get them as frequent or severe as up here in Ventura County but they are becoming more frequent and more intense in recent years. The humidity drops and the wind is destructive to the more vulnerable species. Even mature palms can be damaged by the stronger gusts of 60mph . I’ve seen 90mph gusts up on our hill. Harry