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Two of my Kentiopsis oliviformis are getting ready to bloom for the first time

Thought I'd share a few pics from my yard after a rather chilly winter - the Central Valley of California had a record-breaking fog event from late November through about the end of 2025. Temps stayed in the 40s for 360+ consecutive hours - no freezing, no frosts, just consistently cold and wet with next to no sunshine for nearly a month. Most palms grew right through it, but a few of the more tropical species really hated this - I rehomed a few to warmer (drier/sunnier) climates down south. Here are a few shots from today - everything in growth mode as we're getting 80s and 90s consistently - racing toward the 100s too! In just a matter of weeks winter will be a far memory as we bake in the 100s until we cool again in October. Archontophoenix tuckeri - grown from seed from @DoomsDave. I'm pretty sure you threw a handful of seeds at me during one of my visits to your place. Trunking archontophoenix cunninghamia in the back. Seed-grown howea forsteriana & allagoptera peeking in behind tuckeri. Syagrus rommanzoffiana - nothing special, but I recently did clean up the trunk, which makes it look 10x nicer. A shot of my front yard - the pink Handroanthus is just about done blooming. Below it I have Brahea Super Silver, Brahea Pimo, and closest to the bottom is a Jubaeopsis affra, recoving from an irrigation mishap in summer of 2024. The irrigation timer went offline mid June while we were out of the country traveling, and this whole area went without water for 2 weeks. Jubaeopsis took that personally. It's been slowly recovering from that 'drought' event. Handroanthus umbellatus was in bloom just a few weeks ago. This is Livistona speciosa. I grew this from seed, and gave the rest to folks in Southern California. Does anyone have any still growing? I think some of them may have gone at palm society auctions. Chamaedorea hooperiana - The ficus roxburghii looks so pretttyyyyy in the back with all that new growth Sabal uresana - looking stretched. This thing is slowwwwwwww This is the view out our back door. Arcontophoenix tuckeri on the left. The red amaryllis is an heirloom passed down from a neighbor before she passed. Phoenix rupicola. You can spot the Brahea Super Silver in the background. The silver-ish palm below it is Chamaerops humilis var. argentea. There's a Cycas deboaensis on the bottom right that will need to find a permanent spot. I have a habit of putting plants in temporary spots, then moving them when I decide on a permanent spot. I feel like plants develop much better in the ground than in pots. They also benefit from regular irrigation being in the ground, and I don't have to worry about forgetting to water them in pots. This little corner area is filling in so nicely, and will become very thick with vegetation as plants keep growing. Beccariophoenix alfredii is in the far back. Ravenea glauca is center toward the left. Sabal mauritiformis is off to the right. Cycas revoluta x deboaensis is front and center. Lastly, a shot of a Clytostoma callistegioides flower, and a Dendrobium chrysotoxum which I have in bloom. The Dendrobium is grown inside a greenhouse. The last photo is of my plumerias waking up after a chilly nap. I had lots of rot to deal with this winter. BONUS - see if you can spot the Chrysalidocarps prestonianus... It went into the ground directly as a 4-inch plant from Floribunda some 5 or 6 years ago. Almost forgot the Chrysalidocarpus decaryi as well. Decaryi doesn't like the prolonged cold/wet conditions, but it grows out of damage fairly quickly - and we don't always get those particularly cold/wet winters. Some years we are dry and sunny like the rest of Southern CA.

The first ring on my California grown Chrysalidocarpus robustus. I don't recall seeing any other big specimens here in California. Thanks to visiting the Big Island I have seen some tall specimens which put my juvenile plant in perspective.

Still going strong, thanks to our mild winter. I'm curious to see how it does above the roof!

I just got back from a brief road trip to Bahia de Los Angeles to see the northernmost red mangroves on an island in the Gulf of California! It is a tiny coastal village in the middle of nowhere with no cell service and only satellite internet. Nevertheless, I stumbled upon some incredibly rare palms in a random garden! Anyone know any information about this garden? I tried knocking on the doors nearby but nobody was home, but there was a house pipe with wet ground beneath it so it looks like someone is tending to these palms. Click here if you want to see ALL the photos from the road trip First is the trip's purpose: the colony of red mangroves with the second pic being the particular northernmost mangrove in the colony. I'm guessing palms are Medemia argun, Bismarckia nobilis, Copernicia baileyana, Hyphaene coriacea, Cocos nucifera (only one in the village), Sabal riverside, Brahea armata (native), and Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera.

Thought I’d ‘bump’ this topic and add a few recent progression photos. This Lemur has really grown in the last few years and is such a magnificent palm. In one of the overall shots there is a shovel with an orange handle for scale. Tim

Exciting New Additions We are very grateful for the continued support through 2025 and into 2026, and are thrilled to announce our updated price list to kick off the growing season. This includes some exciting new additions and old favorites, see the preview below for some highlights: Chrysalidocarpus aff. ovobontsira One of the most exciting new palms, a large Chrysalidocarpus species that came in under the name ovobontsira, but ended up being something more exciting, a palm that doesn't fit neatly into any description and is apparently new to science. It is a gorgeous, moderately fast growing palm with a striking white pruinose crownshaft, upper trunk, petioles, and spadices. Finally available for your own garden/nursery! Orania disticha Hailing from Papua New Guinea, this amazing palm is one of the select set of species that carries its leaves on a single plane, giving the crown a distinctive 'flat' appearance. A great talking point for the tropical / semi-tropical garden. Physokentia petiolata This exceedingly rare Fijian palm has been an extended labor of love to bring into cultivation. The purple crownshaft, bright red inflorescence, and stilt roots make this a unique showstopper palm that inspires and delights. Geonoma oldemanii A clustering Geonoma from Brazil / French Guiana with beautiful large bifid leaves, the newest ones showing a splash of red. A great 'eye level' palm that adds an interesting accent to well planned gardens. Zamia elegantissima A new cycad for the spring list - a stunning landscape specimen with petioles that are relatively spineless compared to others in the genus. All this and many more, available now on our price list! Visit https://floribunda.xyz/pricelist Lemurophoenix halleuxii

I had the pleasure of getting a tour of @oliver's garden and thought I would share a few photos of the palms he has growing that survived 2021 freeze and I was able to photograph. He also has a Raphia sp. (sese?) planted next to a resaca so it stays wet. First up Tahina spectabilis.

Out in the scrub again running around. Getting in a swim before winter gets here, and as usual bangalows in the wet areas and creek beds. Such a tough palm, but they do like moisture. Even there native habitat some of the leaves can look a bit tatty. So if your plants need is not perfect fear not even in habitat they can appear a bit tatty.

Allogoptera caudescens opening a new leaf is such an attractive sight.

I'd like to share some information and photos of the eight full days IPS'ers spent in Viet Nam. These include palms and a few shots of the cities and countryside. The hotels were super, people friendly and helpful, and the streets swarmed with tourists, many probably Americans, Europeans, or Australians. Many shops in the streets had signs in English below the Vietnamese text - I'm told that English is taught in the schools. The tour started in Hanoi and ended in Hoi An, sister city to Da Nang. Nights were spent is six separate cities. I was told that it never freezes in Viet Nam, and this permits landscapers to use many palms. Everywhere, one of the most prominent was the royal palm (Roystonea regia). There were tremendous numbers pf betelnuts (Areca catechu). Another very common sight was the coconut (Cocos nucifera). I also saw a few plantings of the Manila or Christmas palm (Adonidia merrilli) and Chinese fans (Livistona chinensis). Overall, the selection for landscaping was pretty predictable and not highly interesting. Hours of sitting by bus windows made possible many pictures of unique aspects of the environment. Here is a typical city street in Hanoi: Here is a gathering of ladies at some sort of gathering. The long dresses are an anomaly, where women dress in traditional forms to celebrate a religious holiday. Normally, men and women dress just like we do. Photo number 3 is either from Hanoi or Ninh Binh, and shows an aspect of city travel that is unlike the USA, where even the poorest person drives a car. In Viet Nam motor scooters are much more common than motor vehicles and often used by young people of both genders. Quite often, there is a passenger (friend, wife, girl friend, child) clinging to waist of the driver. Masks are more common than not - I am told (but not convinced) that it is due to air pollution in cities like Hanoi (estimated population 10 million). Crossing the countryside, the lower elevation land devoted to rice paddies, usually with a country village in the background. Occasionally, the villagers decide to sacrifice a little rice growing land to have a graveyard. These are usually filled with elaborate structures to mark the resting places that are products of the peoples real tradition and skill at monument making. I was told that the lotus is considered to be a symbol of Viet Nam (I was also told that it was a heron, also a bull).But here is a city monument, probably in Ha Tinh. The hammer and sickle to the upper left are, of course, a symbol the the Vietnamese Communist party. The government of Viet Nam has an explicit symbol in its flag, red with a yellow star. The next pic is from our tour of the Forbidden City in Hue, showing one of many elaborate monuments from Viet Nams ancient past: Now, let's turn our attention to palms. Rain, slippery mud, huge rocks to climb over, laziness, and advancing age caused me to turn back or avoid several of the field excursions. Here's yours truly with a Lanonia species on the first day, in Cuc Phuong NP. Most of my best photos are from Bach Ma NP, where we were transported to the top of a hill on a concrete road and left to walk down and look at palms in the vegetation on either side. when we had done all we wanted to we could flag down one of the minibuses going back down the hill. My first shot was of what may be Pinanga ammanensis or possibly a Nenga species - Bill Baker wasn't yet sure. His photo in Facebook several days ago is much better than mine, but the same palm. My next photo is of a palm that I think is what Dr. Baker entered in Facebook as Licuala dakrongensis. We saw many Plectocomia elongata, which I am told is the tallest rattan. Everyone got a picture of this Caryota no (Bill Baker's is best). Here are two pics of Calamus walkeri, which was highly abundant everywhere. the second vividly illustrates the thorns. Finally, I will end with a shot of Da Nang, taken from a hillside in the Son Tra Nature Reserve. Hope you enjoyed this, as I did in posting.

Copernicia fallaensis.

Medemia argun. He has a flowering male and female but not getting any seeds yet. He hopes to do some manual pollination as soon as the female is ready. 😊

Coccothrinax borhidiana.

Copernicia macroglossa.

Copernicia baileyana hybrid (I think).

It is that time of year again in the Northern Hemisphere. Mostly a variety with orange flowers here in my garden. They make a nice green ground cover when not in bloom.

Acquired from Floribunda and planted January 2019, this palm is looking really lovely at the moment. It has always been a very spiny thing, but yesterday I did a double take -- it's as smooth as a fine suede jacket! And such color! No evidence of the "rubra" (red) for which it is named, but beautiful all the same. Still young, and has only a few spines on one side of the trunk. I'm interested to see yours -- please share photos if you are growing this species.

A nifty diminutive palm from New Guinea, Hydriastele rheophytica. Loves water hence, the name, and sparsely clumping. I remember Brad posting a photo of one in his garden not too long ago. Tim

Syagrus stenopetala.

Beccariophoenix alfredii.

And here's a trio, rousselii is the big one, crinita front right, and rubra in back

The palm didn’t miss a beat with the move… Seems equally happy in its new location. Both the old and new locations see a lot of sun (the new location slightly more sun than the old). I haven’t tried it in either of my two “worst of the worst” spots for sun, but it seems fairly sun tolerant to me (within reason). Likely similar to lutescens in that regard, but more cold tolerant (as in fewer “fried” looking fronds coming out of winter). Here’s a snap I just took at 9:30am this morning…

Damn that thing is beautiful. More than I deserve. Sprouting seeds maybe sell the babies.

The yard was FULL of Clivia flowers but due to the unprecedented heat in March, I didn’t have much time to snap photos before the flowers began falling off.

Last Friday, this Iriartea deltoidea dropped a flower sheath with a loud "thwop!" and shook itself out like a wet mop. A day or two later I finally returned with the camera to capture the glowing flowers. Now on the fourth day, the bees are still buzzing around it. These stately palms are a favorite.* I first saw them in Costa Rica, looking down on the fluffy crowns from hanging bridges, mesmerizing. These individuals were planted in July of 2011. IMG_5346.MOV *(All my palms are favorites.)

Pinanga caesia may suffer from overexposure on PT, but mine only recently started blooming so the novelty hasn't worn off yet. I still get startled when I walk by when a new inflorescence is about to open. The entire tree is Technicolor, but the blooms dial it up to 11.The deep red covering (bract?) only stays on for a few hours. After it falls away, the soft pink flower buds are exposed for less than a day. First thing the next morning the flowers open to a cloud of bees. After only a few hours all the flowers have fallen to the ground leaving just the bare violet rachilia that might go on to make fruit, if I'm lucky. I wonder what role the intense colors play. I assume the bees are attracted to some fragrance, not the color, but I really don't know. I could believe brightly colored fruit attracts birds for seed dispersal, but that is months down the road. No matter, it is an impressive, albeit brief, show. Palmpedia says this species is difficult in California. I hope people on the mainland are able to find a protected spot in their garden that can provide the right microclimate for this beautiful palm. If you are going to try zone pushing, might as well swing for the fences. I hear that this is one of the taller Pinangas,. I'll need to keep adding another baby every few years so I always have eye level blooms.

A few more red fronds , anyone? Finally some blue sky to show off the colors. IMG_5250.mov …and a backlit Chrysalidocarpus ‘Dark Mealybug.’

Just my self indulgent contribution to this thread - I’m pretty proud of this one. Comments above are correct. These are tolerant of cool and even occasional cold nights. Mind in Melb, Aus occasionally has frost settle on the fronds with temps down to -1.5C /29F. Last winter we had about 10 frosts with temps at or below 2C/36F and the monthly average minimum temperature during the coldest month was barely above 5C/41F. Only minor cold spotting as a result. It’s also seen a few days up around 44C / 111F with very low humidity this summer and shown no ill effects to occasional exposure to these conditions. Our night times nearly always cool down significantly which may help. For reference, this one is in an east facing garden. It gets filtered morning sun until about midday. Happy to have this one growing here. There aren’t many palms that can grow here with those huge pinnate leaflets divided at random which just appears so tropical like in many Pinanga and Areca sp.

Everything in the picture was planted by hand circa 2018-2019. New zoysia sod just went in a month ago. Love my little tropical garden! (SW Florida Zone 10b) JD

I have finally been able to bring the three main species of Beccariophoenix together in my Oakland CA garden. B. Alfredii has been growing well from 1 gallon and has really picked up speed this past year (prob close to 4 ft or so of frond length. B. fenestralis has been slow but solid from a 1 gallon as well for the past 3 years (hard to see this palm as its protected and covered by other plants). B. madagascariensis has proven to be very hard for me to track down until this past week in San Clemente! I was able to get a masterfully grown 15 gallon and drove it back to Oakland in my car with palm fronds slapping my son in the face in the passenger seat! B. fenestralis with nice windows! 3 years in the ground. B. madagascariensis with Acanthophoenix rubra in the ground for 2 days lol. Looking good with the recent rains! B. alfredii with beautiful purple petioles and fast growth.

I didn't think this would open sky flowers but I was mistaken. It is a pleasant surprise to see them.

This one is in a prime spot. Trunk is almost a foot across at the base, much more robust than the others, but hard to tell in photos.

Been pleasantly surprised by my one and only to sprout from a small seed batch last year. Hasn’t been fully exposed to the elements yet but has coped with the cool. Suchan interesting and colourful little seedling. Very rewarding from seed.

My biggest Hedyscepe canterburyana that I grew from seed from the beauty in pogobob old garden is finally setting seed. Last summer when Tim from Hawaii was visiting it flowered but the seed aborted.

Never a dull moment in the garden with a dypsis louvelli and a Chambeyronia hookerii for a touch of colour.

Some 🔥 in the garden recently. Dypsis rosea Chambeyronia divaricata

Here are some of mine. They all look remarkably decent for coming out of winter, though the winter was pretty warm. If I get the order here correct, the first one is the standard form, seed collected from Hawaii, probably seven years ago. The second one is var rubrum, which is really beginning to look pretty darn nice. It’s about head high. The last one is a small conjugatum/furfuraceum which is slower than slow, but pretty darn tough too. Never cold spots. Definitely seems to be the most attractive of an already attractive genus when it gets bigger. Beautiful palms, especially in the tropics.

It's been exactly 4 years since my Copernicia berteroana last flowered. Looks like this year will be the year to start some more seeds. Seems to be a scarcely seen palm in peoples gardens for whatever reason. Maybe a 4 year flowering cycle has something to do with it?🤔😄 aztropic Mesa, Arizona

I happened to be on a flight from Honolulu to Hilo yesterday, but on approach to Hilo at 2:45 pm, the pilot made an odd left turn. Then another more severe left turn and I could feel the plane climbing rather than descending. I knew something was wrong, and wondered if we were returning to Oahu. The pilot announced we were being diverted to Kona, much to the dismay of passengers. Planes don't do well flying into ash clouds, thus the inconvenience. Luckily a dear friend, BGL, came to pick me up and take me back across the island. The park was closed, visitors ordered out, and the highway approaching the park was closed. This is an exciting place! Edit: I should add, the repeated eruptions are contained within the humongous main crater up in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and notwithstanding the flying tephra, no homes or towns are in peril.

Chuniophoenix nana!

Clinostigma samoense Clinostigma with Astrocaryum, Pritcharia, and Attalea in the foreground. Tim

Mine came from the same FB batch as Kim's. It went into the ground in March 2019 from a 1 gallon pot. After seven years, it is now about 15 ft (4 m) tall overall with about 4 ft of bare trunk. The color of the trunk is a dull red-orange. Totally carefree. I had never noticed any spines on the crownshaft, but when I looked closely today, I do see very widely separated short spines about a half inch (1 cm) long. Much more conspicuous are the white hairs on the leaflets. I have not noticed these on any other palm species growing in the garden. Could this be a reliable diagnostic character in addition to the coloration? Mine has developed a swollen base.

These three varieties of palms are a must have for any palm collection. All easy to grow and all have that exotic look so desired by gardeners and collectors. So if your climate is good enough these ones are a must have. I should know they are my best selling palms I have, proof enough they are popular! lanonia dasyantha kerriodoxa elegans Johannesteijsmannia altifrons

A flash of red getting around the place!areca vestria dypsis lantzeana dypsis louvelli

Mine has grown really well throughout our summer despite multiple days of extreme heat. Mine gets filtered light for most of the day; it’s on the south edge of a south facing garden (southern hemisphere) so larger palms in the garden give it a degree of protection but definitely does see at least brief periods of direct sun throughout the day.

I’m growing a few of these out here, in central San Diego. They are D. Album var. Conjugatum. I believe they came as small liners from John Light, in Florida, maybe around 2017. Planted them about two years ago, and they’ll get more sun this coming year, with some changes to the yard. Southwest/Western exposure, mostly. They’ve been slower, but steady growers. There is a patio overhang without a gutter, so there’s have gotten a decent amount of roof runoff. Still working out the placement of the rocks.

Here are some in Southern California! The small one is growing in the Sonoran Desert in El Centro, CA - survived two years so far!

@peachy I was not going to let this one pass this time, I regretted not purchasing it last year, well this year it was up for grabs and grab I did! It was even in flower so there may be hope a seed or two if the palm gods are watching!