Pigafetta filaris

[realarch]

My buddy Dave, (Clino Dave on Palmtalk), has a stand of other worldly Pigafetta filaris on his beautiful chunk

of paradise north of Hilo. What used to be an expanse of an old sugarcane field is now lush orchards of

lychee, rambutan and mangosteen.( The effort to make the transition was, well, monumental.)

The lower portion is a reforestation project of indo-pacific species with a heavy emphasis on native Hawaiian

plants, that's where the Pigafetta live.

After leaving an expanse of manicured lawn, we entered the more wild part of the property and through the trees you could see

green, straight as an arrow, trunks of 'something'. Then you look up and see these incredible crowns floating above the trees.

Dave started his Pigafetta from seed obtained from Utopia nursery in Australia in May of 2003 and planted them in ground

in October of the same year. So, 9 years later this is what they've grown to look like.

[realarch]

Look up!

[realarch]

The white leaf sheath and petiole is what makes P. filiaris so different from P. elata. The white wanga palm. No confusion for me anymore.

Just look at this stand.

A few Veitchia sp. to draw the eye down.

[realarch]

While in the forest Dave's also got some beautiful Dendrocalamus brandisii.

A Rhopaloblaste augusta just watching us.

[realarch]

A couple of big cocos scattered here and there.

Clino Dave has quite a few Clino's planted of course and they are starting to get their groove on.

[realarch]

We also ran across a few Pritchardia, Dave I have a few I can give you if you want them.

A beautiful Alex all by itself.

[realarch]

Lastly a view of part of the lychee and mangosteen orchard in what is a wonderful, tranquil, and productive piece of Hawaii.

[Daryl]

Sweet photos Tim. Gotta love those filaris!

Daryl

[Peter]

Thanks Tim-I never really got the whole Pigafetta thing, but after seeing these photos I can see it. Are the mangosteen, rambutan, etc... bearing fruit yet?

Edited July 23, 2012 by Peter

[realarch]

Peter, the lychee and rambutan are regularly harvested which is no small operation. I'm not sure about the mangosteen.

Oh, Dave's got more interesting trees than you could imagine and since I'm only a palm tree guy I have no idea what they are.

You might PM him, he's got quite a grasp on what indo-pacific species he has and wants. You two would get along famously.

Thanks Daryl. How's your Pigafetta doing this winter for you?

[Walter John]

Oh yeah, those Piggies are Gods of the forest, thanks for posting..

[Cindy Adair]

P. filaris was the species I wanted, but have settled for P. elata (so far) since those were what rarepalmseeds.com had to sell. I think most of mine germinated. The tiny one I planted in April was doing fine in June. This was especially impressive when I germinated the seeds in Virginia and moved them to Puerto Rico as flimsy seedlings not even used to the sun. Note the improvised chopstick and twister tie on the first photos. After only 1 week there in a pot to acclimate it went into full sun. I did keep some in pots there and lost one of those. The one I kept in Virginia has since died. The bottom two photos are from June. I planted this one down the hill and hope I can eventually see it out my future back porch.

Your photos are stunning and after only 9 years from seed. Amazing! The other palms and trees look great as well. Thanks!

[Nate DeWees]

Pigs....gotta love em. Great pics!

[Xenon]

Very tropical looking...

Thanks for the pics!

Jonathan

[Jeff in St Pete]

Tim, thanks for the photos. Those piggies are magnificent! The third photo in post# 2 is killer.

[Mike in Nelson]

Those Pigs certainly don't mess around when it comes to growth rates! Awesome!

[CLINODAVE]

wow, Tim, you made my place look so dang purty! Good photographer, you!

[realarch]

Dang Dave, your place is purty! You can't help take a good photo of such good lookin stuff. Perfect time of day

to photograph the white crowns of P. filaris.

Thanks Wal, Nate, Johathan, Cindy and Mike.

Jeff, I thought I read somewhere on PT that you were having trouble with your Pigafetta, are they still hanging in there?

[Kim]

Thanks for the Pigafetta lesson, Tim! I have to agree, they are stunning specimens with those fresh green trunks. I would not want the job of picking up the fronds, though. Did you come across any downed fronds? Any impalement?

Nice tropical place, ClinoDave, keep up the good work.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Jeff, I thought I read somewhere on PT that you were having trouble with your Pigafetta, are they still hanging in there?

All 5 are gone Tim. The largest one grew to 30+ feet in about two years and then died. Our native palm weevil likes them just a little too much. Other than coconuts, I have never seen them kill any other of the palms I am growing except for Pigafetta. I have more piggie seedlings though and I'm trying again.

[realarch]

Bummer Jeff, I remember how healthy that one was just below the Bali house and how fast it was growing. Good luck, just maybe the next ones will make it.

[Pedro 65]

Thanks Tim for all the wonderful shots and quick lesson showing how different the 2 Pigafettas are. Wow, the White is very massive and very very stunning..Im glad I can atleast grow the smaller elata here in the cool wet subtropics.

[Daryl]

Thanks Daryl. How's your Pigafetta doing this winter for you?

Hi Tim, my black Piggies are doing fine thanks. They are loving this wet winter. My white one didn't last through its first winter (2011) in the ground though...

Daryl

[Gbarce]

I also have this species but I am having a hard time with it. Despite it's reputation it is actually a very slow grower for me. It's oldest leaves dry up pretty soon and it only maintains 3 or 4 leaves at any given time.

it's in a shady spot now but i am cutting a tree down so it will have more sun expsure. hope it speeds up after that

[CLINODAVE]

I also have this species but I am having a hard time with it. Despite it's reputation it is actually a very slow grower for me. It's oldest leaves dry up pretty soon and it only maintains 3 or 4 leaves at any given time.

it's in a shady spot now but i am cutting a tree down so it will have more sun expsure. hope it speeds up after that

Hi Gene, from what I have read, these guys don't thrive where there is a marked dry season cuz their homes in Sulawesi and PNG are, I believe, everwet. Like Hilo area where I live. And I think they really dislike shade. I have one that got its access to full sun blocked by its siblings early on. It is now remarkably shorter than the others and also retains far fewer leaves. The white one does not grow naturally in particularly high elevations, IIRC, so as long as you are in the lowlands that should be good. I have read that the more common p. elata grows at considerable elevation on Sulawesi.

Dave

[CLINODAVE]

Thanks for the Pigafetta lesson, Tim! I have to agree, they are stunning specimens with those fresh green trunks. I would not want the job of picking up the fronds, though. Did you come across any downed fronds? Any impalement?

Nice tropical place, ClinoDave, keep up the good work.

Thanks, Kim. I only let these palms grow in a reforestation area where they are out of the way, so when their fronds fall, I just leave em there. Interestingly, the fronds are surprisingly light cuz they usually dry up while still hanging on the tree. Much lighter than some Alexander fronds I have picked up.

Dave

[Al in Kona]

Oh yeah, those Piggies are Gods of the forest, thanks for posting..

They're not Gods of the forest if you happen to be under one when a leaf falls to the ground! Then you may be in God's hands!

[Daryl]

Gene, full sun plus full water for best success! These things can't get enough water...even down this far south mine get constant water even throughout winter...they just lap it up!

Daryl

[Walter John]

I also have this species but I am having a hard time with it. Despite it's reputation it is actually a very slow grower for me. It's oldest leaves dry up pretty soon and it only maintains 3 or 4 leaves at any given time.

it's in a shady spot now but i am cutting a tree down so it will have more sun expsure. hope it speeds up after that

I lost mine Gene due to too much shade in winter...as Daryl says, allow it bulk sun and bulk water...

[mike in kurtistown]

Tim,

Can't resist adding a pic of mine planted two-and-a-half years ago from one-gal pots. (Lawn tractor used for scale.) They were even smaller than Cindy's but in deplorable condition. I actually planted four. They can't take being in the same size pot for any length of time, must be planted out or go in a larger pot. I planted all four in this location. From the standing water after one inch of rain overnite, one can see that this is a low spot in my hilly topography. Of the four, one did die. Despite the growth rate, these palms are wimps when anything goes wrong. The remaining one - well, it fell victim to the lawnmower.

[mike in kurtistown]

Oh, and the three smaller palms are Metroxylon warburgii. They are now partially shaded, but I hope the Pigs will rise higher soon and they can come into their own.

[DoomsDave]

Well, keep up the pictgures, I'm glad I'm sitting down.

Those pigs rock every house, and, well, spines schmines, I mean, what are footie helmets for?

Just STUNNING.

[realarch]

Looking good Mike although those look to be P. elata. That would be a good segway into a P. elata thread.

[mike in kurtistown]

Sorry, got carried away by the growth aspects.

My seedling Pigafettas have always have very light brown spines and light leaf bases, and I always assumed that they were P. filaris. But the leaf bases/spines, as shown in the picture, have gradually become very dark brown as they have grown, so I have learned from this thread that they are actually P. elata.

[Eric F]

...so I have learned from this thread that they are actually P. elata.

An excuse to plant more palms