Emergent palms

[Carlos Simón]

Hello,

For some years I have a serious problem in a small garden area. To reduce the wind and daily breeze I planted "Caisimón of Anis" (Piper auritum) and Kava-kava (Piper methysticum), among other things, as windbrake barriers. At the begining everything was fine, but when vegetation began to grow, these plants became invasive and now they are completely uncontrolled. Many plants, including palms, have died because of these.

Now, I need to cut and remove these every year. I can´t use herbicides, because I have animals in the garden ( turtles, iguanas, frogs, etc.) Well, my idea is to plant some palm trees that resist shadow the early years and then, step by step, they emerge in full sun.

I have already tested it but to be honest I´ve lost so much palms. Find understory palms is very easy but fast emergent palms have proved to be more difficult. Some Veitchia, Ptychosperma, Archontophoenix have succeeded. Now I´m testing Acanthophoenix rubra, Areca gupyana, Areca catechu and few others and I think they are going well.

I would like to hear your opinions and suggestions

Here are some pictures to illustrate it.

I have cleared this area today

In this area are still some trunks of kava kava and you can see some Veitchia spiralis trunks:

Trunk of Veitchia spiralis. Here you can see the dramatic growth!

[Carlos Simón]

Veitchias emerging alongside the kava kava:

In this "mamey colorado" ( Pouteria sapota ) was broken couple of years ago and it has been difficult to reach the plant canopy again:

Another view of the area:

[Carlos Simón]

Chamaedoreas, Pinangas and other understory palms are really happy in this situation:

Another view where you can see many understory plants living perfectly:

Two year and half old seedling of Cryosophila albida. It´s doing fine in the shadow:

[Carlos Simón]

It´s in a cleared area with filtered light. Acanthophoenix rubra is going very fast ( it´s two years and half old )and doing well too:

Another example of dramatic growth!

Areca catechu need much more light but if I control the growth of kava kava, it could be a good emergent palm. I will also eliminate the heliconias.

I hope your suggestions and forgive my bad English  

Regards,

Carlos

[palmislandRandy]

With fast emergent plants, how will you see your palms through all that canopy?

[Carlos Simón]

With fast emergent plants, how will you see your palms through all that canopy?

Randy, I need shadow for my understory palms and other plants. Kava kava and relatives are so agressive that nothing else grow under their shadow. They are very competitive and fast-growing. Another problems are their roots and new shoots because they introduce it in pots and anywhere where soil and nutrients are available. The idea is to destroy Kava kava with the shadow of the palms. Mechanically it is impossible to destroy it, I can not chemically, then I will do physically: shadow !

I know I can plant a Ficus but then I have a bigger problem  

[ariscott]

What about Australian natives? Normanbya normanbyi and Gulubia Costata?

Regards, Ari

[Dave-Vero]

...and of course Carpentaria.  Archontophoenix species, however, seem nearly perfect.

Best wishes with the Piper.  Could you apply herbicide to individual cut stems, covering the treated spot with foil or plastic (or even candle wax)?  Herbicide was used in Miami after a hurricane to control fast-growing vines, and continues to be used to maintain natural vegetation.  I haven't seen concerns about effects on animals.  

Are there any appropriate Canary Island woody species?

[Carlo Morici]

 Beautiful pictures of an ugly problem, Carlos!

How much surface is "piperized"?

I would cut down and cover with a wide layer of landscape fabric (malla antiraiz) around palms and trees. When pipers sprout back and uplift the fabric, just walk over it a few times. It may not kill them but help a lot!

Dave, Lowland Canary Island plants able to go through that ? ???  ...  

[Carlos Simón]

Hi,

I´m sorry for my delay to answer you all but I was not at home...

What about Australian natives? Normanbya normanbyi and Gulubia Costata?

Ari, I´ve already planted two Normambia in a sunny area and they are in good shape. Gulubia I just have few one year old seedlings and we need to wait :-( I wonder if you have any experience with Actinorhytis calapparia, because I have some good size seedlings ready to move to the ground. Do you think they shall survive in the "piper shadow"?

What´s the weather like in Darwin now?

...and of course Carpentaria.  Archontophoenix species, however, seem nearly perfect.

Archontophoenix palms are perfect as emergent palms but Carpentaria I suspect needs a sunny position.

There is no way of using herbicide  

Are there any appropriate Canary Island woody species?

Mostly native coastal plants are succulents and there are not way they survive under the piper´s canopy

How much surface is "piperized"?

500m2, more or less...

Carlo, my main problem is not around the roots. I have problem finding good information about emergent palms. A friend sent me an e-mail and proposed me Chambeyronia. Do you agree? You have seen this palm in the wild...

Thank you to you all.

Regards,

Carlos

[ariscott]

Carlos,

In one of the 'forest' that we have left here in Darwin, Carpies can grow in the shade and emerge on the top. They are very fast growing... and so tough, you can't even kill it!! So, I think it is worth a try.

I am not sure about Actinorhytis calapparia, I always thought they like a bit more sun. What about Beccariophoenix? I don't think they mind a bit of shade when young?

I know Rhopalablaste elegans don't like full sun when young (I killed 2 already), so they are worth a try. Very pretty palms too... Also, Heterospathe elata (I killed 2 of these too). I have the opposite problem... I have too much sun, not enough shade... so my arguments, if it did not survive the hot sun, it might do well as emergent.

We are in between monsoon trough at the moment, so we actually have blue skies today. We had good rain so far this wet, so I can't complain. Hopefully the next phase of MJO will bring the monsoon trough back and we will be back in business ... the rain, I mean.

Regards, Ari

p.s. post photo soon :).

[Carlo Morici]

(Carlos Simón @ Jan. 11 2008,22:16)

QUOTE

A friend sent me an e-mail and proposed me Chambeyronia. Do you agree?

Definitely yes, it can take deep shade (but very slow then) and then full sun.

[Carlo Morici]

I love the pictures

(Carlos Simón @ Jan. 08 2008,00:06)

QUOTE

Veitchias emerging alongside the kava kava

Wow, so Melanesian! kava and veitchias - Veitchias are the right choice!   :laugh:

(Carlos Simón @ Jan. 08 2008,00:06)

QUOTE

"mamey colorado" ( Pouteria sapota ) and Caisimón de Anís (Piper auritum)

Oh! So Caribbean!   :laugh:

Caisimón grows in Cuba as secondary regrowth in wet slopes at 400-1000 m. I have seen juvenile calyptronomas growing through the thickets of P.auritum.