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Congrartulation!😄

Which pup? 1 pup 2 pup! 😂

Some February sky -lights over the last couple weeks but, as promised, a hook back to the rest of last summer / fall, as we move forward as winter ends.. August 2025: 08 /16: Sky Eyes... Peek - A - Boo I see you.. ..What's that?, over there??.... 08 /21: Abstract Sky Paint, Take #1... 08 /21: A.S.P. ...Take #2... 08 /22: Thinking of you.. 08 /23: August's finale...

I've cut a few and didn't find any embryos. Figured I'd sow a good handful of them to see if any of them sprout but so far none have.

Some lessons have to be learned the hard way. Prioritizing instant gratification often just leads to punishment in the long run, when it comes to plants (and other things in life, of course). I bought a copernicia fallaensis in the middle of the winter a couple of years ago. It had an infection when I got it, unbeknownst to me, and it never really fully recovered from that. I will be adding it to the mulch pile soon. I was all excited when I got it because it looked nice and I couldn't help but to envision what it could look like one day. I, like you, thought I was getting a good deal. I also got a beccariophoenix alfredii that was about that size two years ago. It was way overgrown for its pot and its roots were badly entangled in the pot. I thought I was getting a good deal because of how tall and overgrown it was for its pot size. I tried transplanting it all on my own without the help of any landscaper or nursery employee, too. It's now about ready for the mulch pile itself. It never really took hold in its current location and was an extremely slow grower. Then the cold snap this winter finally took it out for good. Now, both of these palms were planted in my backyard, which seems to not be as favorable in general for palms... Anything planted in my front yard seems to grow better, for whatever reason. Point is, regardless, there's a method to buying palms in a way that leads to success. It's best to avoid buying things in the middle of the cold season. It's also best to avoid transplanting things in a way that causes root damage. In most cases, it's better to buy small. In this case, it may seem like the nursery screwed you over, but you also shouldn't really be palm shopping in December. And most nurseries won't stop you from yourself - if you're about to do something unwise they (mostly) won't lose out on an opportunity to make some money. Maybe this one makes it, and maybe it doesn't, but it's all part of the process of learning how to grow palms.

Oof.. Beat up atm, yes, ..but, as long as the trunk is solid, it will survive.. For now, leave it alone ..no matter how ugly the damage looks / urge is to trim might nag.. Leave- it- alone.. Once some of the new growth up top starts pushing out as temps rise over the coming weeks, you can start trimming away the ugly stuff.. Brown tipped sections of the leaves at the top will likely slough off on their own ( a couple of mine did this after suffering heat -related damage ) Lower down, you can trim away the older leaves, leaving an ~aprox 2" nub ( don't remove any leaves to the trunk ). Remaining piece still attached to the trunk will dry out and fall off on it's own. Have trimmed some i had to cut up ( Trunks roughly 2ft in height. Done to save / re-root them after the base of that plant rotted < from too much of our special flavor of sun ) down to about 3 or 4 leaves when rooting and they bounced back pretty quickly once rooted.. Keep us updated

I actually got rain! I bet it was close to an inch. It looks like that’s all we will be getting for some time though.

Hey everyone. I’m taking a trip out to Oahu in April and would love to visit places on the island that have tropics! I already have Hoomaluhia BG scheduled, is there any other Botanical Gardens that are a must see? Any growers out there that have land that would provide a mini tour of what they’re growing? Any must see nurseries? I’m flying from Arizona so would love to see things that won’t grow in the desert. thanks!

My fear is that if you get a few good years of growth then get hit with an event like this you will be dealing with a very large plant. I have seen the damage a large Aloidendron falling can do. They are extremely heavy and will crush anything below them when they come down. Heavy rain and wind with a top heavy Aloidendron can be a lethal mix.

I took a pass through the butterfly collection and this papilio lowii posed for me. Pigafetta elata (I only saw one) seemed fine outside. I am down to 2 of these from 5 I grew from seed and planted out in PR. Another rhino beetle delicacy. I now have some seedling Pigafetta filaris (the white one) gifted to me by PR00360 from RPS seeds. Hoping I can get some to trunking size when my beetles seem to ignore them. Mine are at the very dangerous to touch stage but eventually the smooth trunk becomes huggable. This Calyptrocalyx hollrungii is much bigger than mine. Such a nice palm. Sommieria is another species I “met” at FTG many years ago and am so happy to now have in PR. Next some classic FTG views. Entrance to the conservatory:

@FlaPalmLover if it's easy to keep water out then it's a good idea. Conventional wisdom also says to avoid overhead sprinklers. Yet every single palm nursery on the planet uses big overhead sprinklers, at least until 10g or bigger sizes. They switch to drip lines with emitters or bubblers on 10 to 100g pots. If overhead sprinkling was a serious risk then they wouldn't do it...they'd be risking their livelihood on it. For sure I wouldn't intentionally spray water in the crown, but I doubt a bit of rain is a serious risk. Other people here suggested Daconil in the crown, partially because it stays tacky when it dries. So the mixture *might* stick around in the crown even with some rain. Honestly, as long as torrential rain doesn't wash into the crown, many (or most?) would stay in place. And a systemic (like Banrot or Aliette or others) is great when absorbed. Systemics may be slower though, I read a study somewhere that it could take 1 to 2 weeks to get from the soil to the crown. So I like the idea of the 2 step treatment. I did a soil drench of Banrot + Aliette on a few key palms like my mutant Elaeis, a couple big Arenga Pinnata, and several Attalea Brejinhoensis. Those were all seriously burnt and the frond stems were at least partially burnt towards the crown. So I figure both is a good choice. @junglejim welcome to PalmTalk! I had a couple of 1-2 year old Pandanus Utilis (I think), but both died after 27-30F frosts. They defoliated and started to regrow, but then caught a crown rot and died. So a good crown treatment (Daconil, hydrogen peroxide, Mancozeb, any copper-based, etc) and a systemic (Banrot, Aliette, others) is a good choice.

My v. winins. Fairly low-light understood conditions but I let them dry out between waterings. My V. spiralis specimens are not doing so hot (too ailing for photos) though I treat them similarly. I wonder should I water the spiralises more?

Members are beginning to arrive in Vietnam for the biennial. I received this photograph from longtime member and director Norman Bezona. Livistona halongesis in habitat from (where else) the limestone cliffs of Ha Long Bay

I have visited Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami FL many times but always enjoy seeing new additions and checking on “old friends”. This Sabinaria caught my attention especially since it looks untouched planted outside despite the recent cold spell here. I eagerly await mine growing big enough to show off the gorgeous leaf shape and color! Below are two different Kerriodoxa elegans. Rhino beetles in Puerto Rico love these so not sure if I will get any to trunking size. I am really looking forward to seeing them in habitat in Phuket Island.Thailand on the soon to start IPS post tour. Calyptrocalyx albertisianus is a fairly new addition to my own farm after I saw a beauty at Dean Ouer’s place in HI a few years ago. Here is one at FTG reminding me that they are likely to be much taller than my other more shrub size Calyptrocalyx. I am including a striking cycad that I wish I grew. Microcycas calocoma.

Welcome to PalmTalk! Keep an eye on the weather. If we get another cold front, you may have to cover it again. If you have any fungicide, an application may help.

@PalmBossTampa Looks like you got a little too excited with the flamethrower!

Will be in touch, but you gotta turn that thermostat up in the refrigerator on the apple isle!

My stations recorded roughly 0.5 inches here. Could always use more, but at least this should stop all the dead foliage from catching fire and burning the city to the ground.

Well that’s one way to get a new variety of Bismarck!

.25 inches for me here in Pinellas with last night's front. Was hoping for more.

me too, i'm gonna try and find where it is

My current temperature is 23 Probably about 200 feet from the house, 28.3 By our pool, 31,7 by the house, But this entire week it will be in the high 50s and some 60s

Aside from being taller, from everything i've read, lowland form(s) are supposed to have numerous, smaller flowers per inflo compared to the higher elevation form(s) as well. Nice to get a full frame view of how the flowers look in comparison to the foliage regardless since maxima is on the " to acquire " list..

Referring to Art Chadwick’s description of these, I believe this is a highland type as the pseudobulbs don’t seem very tall to me.

Yes, both going in the ground either tomorrow or Wednesday. The foxtail is actually a little taller than the one I bought from the same nursery last year. Minimal foliage damage after our January freeze at 27°F.