Wodyetia Bifurcata

[Palm Guy]

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out what a 25 ft- 30ft specimen would look  

like in my rather small yard. If you have time and wouldnt mind posting some pics it would be much appreciated. I hear they are less massive in girth than Royals but i have never seen a Foxtail in person.

Thanks,

Mike F

[Walter John]

(Palm Guy @ Jan. 15 2008,12:41)

QUOTE

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out what a 25 ft- 30ft specimen would look  

like in my rather small yard. If you have time and wouldnt mind posting some pics it would be much appreciated. I hear they are less massive in girth than Royals but i have never seen a Foxtail in person.

Thanks,

Mike F

Never seen one, holy cow, is there anybody else in the same boat ?

[Palm Guy]

Lol, no Foxes in Bermuda. Dont ask me why. Looks like its a very lonely boat.

[osideterry]

This is the biggest Foxtail I have a photo of, and it's a beefy triple. This one is at a residence in Huntington Beach, CA.

A basketball rim is at 10ft (usually) for comparison.

[Palm Guy]

Wow, nice specimens. From the pic I would estimate them to be near 20 ft to the top frond. This is exactly what I was looking for. I've seen pictures of some large specimens but its hard to guess height without good reference points. Thanks.

People in South Florida and California must be pretty tired of seeing these guys but not me. Its pretty funny how one man's trash is another man's gold. I love these palms.

More pics please!

Mike F

[ruskinPalms]

Wodyetia is certainly not trash, but I also don't think that Syagrus is trash. When grown in perfect conditions, once these reach maturity, they can be confused with Roystonea - really. These in the above pic look beautitful, but they still will get thicker trunks and obviously taller as they grow. I have some foxtails planted stupidly close to my house...but if I had them planted farther away, they would have died in this last freeze. sigh.

[Breadfruit Bill]

I have some in my front yard...  and my parents have some older ones in their yard...  (photos taken over the past year)  I say plant em.  This palm will take a long time to get big and if you don't like it when it gets to be 30ft tall, then chop it down and grow something else!

My place

Not my place, the foxtail crowns can be seen in the upper left of this photo...  those are about 30 ft overall...  Very pretty!

[paulgila]

heres a large specimen near san diego,CA in the garden of chip arnold.

[PalmatierMeg]

This is my foxtail. It's about 20' tall, 11+ years old & producing seed. It's withstood temps down to 30 degrees with scarcely any freezer burn. Very classy palm. I had to search 3-4 years to find one. Next to it for comparison is Roystonea regis we bought at WalMart (!) in 1993 for $12.97. Only time they ever sold them.

[Tyrone]

I never get tired of them. There a few seeding ones around Perth now, maybe 20yrs old and about 25-30ft tall. Once past about the 5th leaf stage they can take lots of sun too.

regards

Tyrone

[spockvr6]

Heres a decently sized one I photographed 2 years ago in Palm Harbor, FL.

[Eric in Orlando]

They have starting being planted a lot around here the last few years but mostly smaller container specimens. I have recently seen some landcapes using larger field grown specimens.

These 2 specimens are at a house near downtown Orlando. They are 2 of the first ones I saw planted locally, planted around '94. they survived 26F in 2/96. the pictures are a couple of years old

[Bigfish]

Here's a couple in a yard near Oviedo, FL.  Not exactly 30 footers, lol, but still pretty nice.  Planted in 1998 I think, and these pics are a couple of years old.

And I can't resist taking a chance to post one my mom's Foxtails.  This one was about a 5 gallon size in July of 2005.

[Joe palma]

Great pics!

I have to say I am surprised at Terry's and Paul's shots of CA grown ones. They look great!

Mine seem to struggle through the winters. As I type I am losing another one that is about 10' tall, from a 25g planted about 4yrs ago. Bums me terribly!

I think it is the soil, or a pathogen in it, that gets them during the winter months. Sure wish I knew the trick!

On a positive note, I have had one of them produce it's first inflorescence!

[osideterry]

Joe - I'll try growing another one this year (killed 6 so far) but I'm treating it as if I were going to grow a coco. Major drainage, choice location. You can't just put one in the ground here randomly with a little amended soil. I had one looking nice, and last winter knocked down to just a small spear - and it was pushing an inch in 6 months. I gave up on it.

[ruskinPalms]

So far, Wodyetia seems to be a pretty tough palm to kill here in FL. They obviously can take into the upper mid to upper 20's maybe once every year or so and live through it. Like Roytonea, these likely gain hardiness with age. All my rather young Wodyetia took a frostless, windy 29F without any damage. I think frost is pretty rough on them though, but if a heavy frosting only happens every once in a while, then these do fine. There are plenty of large Wodyetia in colder areas than mine here in the Tampa Bay area. Wodyetia is a winner and is here to stay in the central FL landscape - even if they are wiped out by a more severe freeze in the future, I think they will always be pushed by the box stores so they would get replanted in the landscape pretty quickly. I am not sure why Roystonea is not pushed as heavily at the box stores in 3 gallon sizes like Wodyetia. Anyone know why Roystonea is not sold as abundantly as Wodyetia and Adonidia ???

[spockvr6]

(ruskinPalms @ Jan. 15 2008,21:28)

QUOTE

Anyone know why Roystonea is not sold as abundantly as Wodyetia and Adonidia ???

My guess is because they get so huge.  I suspect the typical homeowner with a typically sized lot would rather have something more in scale (such as a Foxtail).

[ruskinPalms]

(spockvr6 @ Jan. 15 2008,22:05)

QUOTE

(ruskinPalms @ Jan. 15 2008,21:28)

QUOTE

Anyone know why Roystonea is not sold as abundantly as Wodyetia and Adonidia ???

My guess is because they get so huge.  I suspect the typical homeowner with a typically sized lot would rather have something more in scale (such as a Foxtail).

This is defintely true Larry. But, well cared for queen palms and CIDPs get huge too and people still plant them in little yards. And Bismarckia is starting to dwarf people's homes now over the past few years too. Also, in Miami and south FL, Roystonea are quite abundantly planted in little residential lots. I agree they may be out of scale for most homes, but a lot of commonly sold palms are out of scale too. Maybe I just don't see enough truly large Roystonea around here to fully grasp just how massive they get and I am mistakenly thinking they are no larger than a very robust Queen palm. I just wish they sold them at Walmart more

[ruskinPalms]

Somewhat back on topic. Which is hardier between Roytoneas regia and Wodyetia? I've asked this question before but it was a while ago and more people have experienced more freezes since then so they may have new input. I think it was decided a while back that Roystonea regia could take a lower temperature than Wodyetia and survive, but that the foliage of Wodyetia may be a little tougher than R. regia.

[Palm Guy]

Thanks for the pics guys. Absolutely beautiful palms. Now I get a better idea of what I'll be dealing with in the future.

Has anyone had their foxtail topple over in a hurricane/strong winds?

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Hi Mike.F

At the moment they won't let me drive, bBut my son

Josh has his Learners permit,  now I'll get

him to drive me to the tallest specimens in Cairns

And post for you, There a hard one to blow over.

These one's I'm referring to have seen many Cyclone's

and only petiole damage long time ago.

Post them for you later.

Cheers Mikey.

[aussiearoids]

There are heaps planted around the local sugar mill .

Though most are very young compared to the Cuban Royals there as well , after cyclone Larry , the Royals had no leaves left , the Foxtails had a frew bent leaves !

It was amazing to see how tough these palms are .

The Foxtails in the supamarket car park next door to the Mill , are thriving , flower spikes forming with less then 2m of trunk .

[DoomsDave]

Phat Phoxies are Phab!

Here's one on Marco Island Florida:

(Note the big fat seeds; Royals are teensy by comp)

[DoomsDave]

The Shoe for trunk scale:

[DoomsDave]

lookit those seeds!

[PalmatierMeg]

My foxtail & Roystonea went through Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne and Wilma in 2004/5. Neither blinked. Most palms handle hurricanes well because they give in high winds rather than break or uproot.

Get a foxtail. You won't regret it.

[Randy]

(Dave from So-Cal @ Jan. 16 2008,21:32)

QUOTE

The Shoe for trunk scale:

Dave,

Thanks for the obligatory converse photo opp! That is a phatty foxtail!

[Randy]

Great post, it's really cool seeing the larger woody's. Foxies and cubans are my favorite, IMO the foxtail is the most elegant form. I sure hope mine get that large and look that good years from now.

[Tyrone]

The habitat of Wodyetia in north QLD is an open and exposed area on rocky granite slopes not far from the ocean. It's also an area that is quite cyclone prone getting full blown cat 5 cyclones, and even still, Wodyetia survives. A tough palm.

Good for hurricane prone Florida.

regards

Tyrone

[tropical1]

Here is the largest one I have ever seen in Fla. It is at the Edison estate in Ft. Myers.

[JimStPete]

Here's a pic of my largest Foxtail Palm (and some other palms).  Sorry that the picture quality is not very good.  I don't mess with the camera settings, I leave it on automatic and sometimes that just isn't good enough.

[spockvr6]

(ruskinPalms @ Jan. 15 2008,22:16)

QUOTE

Maybe I just don't see enough truly large Roystonea around here to fully grasp just how massive they get and I am mistakenly thinking they are no larger than a very robust Queen palm. I just wish they sold them at Walmart more

Yes...Royals get much much bigger than Queens over the long haul!  

And....Ive seen 3 gallon Royals at WalMart a few times, but they do not seem to be regular items there.

[spockvr6]

(ruskinPalms @ Jan. 15 2008,22:21)

QUOTE

Somewhat back on topic. Which is hardier between Roytoneas regia and Wodyetia? I've asked this question before but it was a while ago and more people have experienced more freezes since then so they may have new input. I think it was decided a while back that Roystonea regia could take a lower temperature than Wodyetia and survive, but that the foliage of Wodyetia may be a little tougher than R. regia.

I woud guess your assessment correct.  I guess time will tell....there are lots of Foxtails planted around central FL now.

The foliage on Royals is definitely not very hardy compared to Foxtails though.

[ruskinPalms]

Hi Larry. Did any of your foxtails take any noticable foliar damage from this last trip into the upper 20's? Did your Royals take much damage comparatively? My foxtails seemingly took no damage from this last freeze, even though they do have a little of the usual rattiness of winter. My largerst royal up in the wind a bit did take a little noticable damage (maybe 10% to 15% browning overall) from the freeze. Both seem to be a lot tougher foliage-wise than say my V. arecina, Hyophorbes, Coconut and even my D. lutescens.

[spockvr6]

Bill-

All the Foxtails appear fine.  Ive found one or two with some slight bronzing on a few leaves that were skyward facing.  But, all in all, there came through 99% fine.

The Royals took notably more damage. The foliage is definitely more tender.   But, th damage to the Royals would still be considered quite mild.  Its mostly just those browned tattered wind whipped leaf ends.

Absolutely both of these proved tougher than Veitchia, Dypsis lutescens, etc in this last freeze.

[spockvr6]

Here are a couple of the largest Foxtails I have seen in Tarpon Springs. I happened to be walking by one day when the owner was outside and I asked them when he planted them.  He said it was in 1996.