Leaderboard

A bit small but i call it a victory, my freeze damaged spindle i thought was a goner has survived the trunk cut and started a new spear! the white petiole seen above it is about 4 inches tall with no leaves, and was at the cut a week or so ago. hopefully it survives summer and a few fronds so it gets strength before winter🤞

It’s nearly 13 years since I had the great fortune to first meet the legendary ( and extremely generous) Tassie Troy and I thought it’s time to pay homage to all those who have helped me , and those in the Palm pantheon , like Darrold and Colin and Jonathon, who visited in the early days ( when there were only tiny plants) and didn’t wonder, at least out loud , if anything would ever eventuate. Here are a few pictures .There are around 25 species including 12 of chamaedoria. Some like the big baueri , trachycarpus and forsteriana are hard to depict . Nothing can keep up with the torallyii. Of course all 4 Lord Howe Island palms love it here in Hobart. Mike

I am curious if other SoCal gardens have had their KO’s bloom and/or set viable seed? This is by far the biggest and best flower mine has set.

It's a majesty, Ravenea rivularis. As for price, I have no idea.

The palm tree that I've been asked for a lot from abroad, especially in Latin America. I'm sharing just my five Juania australis palms. I hope to receive more seeds of this species and genus soon. From CONAF Chile, the park ranger tells me it's false that this palm dies. It's a myth. And if they have died, it's due to poor care, or even small palms exposed to terrible heat. And you already have your rare Juania australis.

I cut off the ends of fronds on a CIDP that crowds my porch and windows. The palm remains vigorous.

I would just cut it off at the base. Removing 1 frond off a Phoenix palm isn't going to hurt anything. aztropic Mesa, Arizona

Dave, I’ve always been a “plant them even when they’re tiny” kind of guy. Many of my big honking palms were planted as 2 or 3 inch seedlings directly to the ground. Here are just a few of them…

Harry, all but one are planted as of today. One more to go into the ground. I rarely keep any palms potted for long. I don’t like to wait until summer. I did put the Pinanga coronata palms into a big decorative pot however.

This little Veitchia always looks great, especially sporting a large spathe. Flowering is infrequent and I can only surmise that it’s a function of having just the right amount of rainfall. I’d throw in temperature and humidity, but those conditions don’t fluctuate much in East Hawaii. We’ve had over 100” (2500mm) since the beginning of the year. Here are a few updated photos. Tim

You’re right! He said it was a royal but on second glance its a majesty.

..

It won't even notice, you might though, watch for the spikey leaflets they're like needles

Hugo 🤗 🌴

Lanonia dasyantha, never a dull moment with dasyanthas!

In regards to planting small palms, from little things big things grow!

Lovely garden . That big Bauri is amazing! How long has that been in the ground , and planted from what size? I planted one about a year and a half ago (Cheesemania) . It is still sorta small but getting bigger pretty fast. I’m afraid I’ll have to walk around it when it gets like yours😄. Harry Silly me , I thought they were a bit smaller than R. Sapida!

Dave, I’ve always been a “plant them even when they’re tiny” kind of guy. Many of my big honking palms were planted as 2 or 3 inch seedlings directly to the ground. Here are just a few of them… @Jim in Los Altos. I have done that as well and been ok. I was just curious how others have done it . Some of them stay in pots for a while just because I am deciding on final spot or don’t have time to dig the hole. Harry ‘These two came home from Maui with me in 4” pots . Pritchardia H. above and Chambeyronia M. below . Planted within a week of coming home .

@Jim in Los Altos sure an if yer not a better man than me! I always pot up and wait they’re rooted then move ‘em out or move to bigger pots.

I have 5 acres but that’s on hillside so more land really, as they measure land flat and with a hillside you get that extra land due to the slope. So about 7 acres give or take, but plenty of room to garden in which is about 2.5 acres of garden!

A nursery over the hill in the SFV is selling this royal for $500. I believe its a regia, but not sure.

Is it ok to just cut the end of this canary palm leaf, just the tip that overlaps the sidewalk? or is it more healthy for the palm to cut it off at the base?

Here's two getting an overtrim in my neighborhood today. Won't affect them in the least... aztropic Mesa, Arizona

I wouldn't pay $500 for that...

My Areca catechu, where it is growing at 140 m above sea level in the Azores archipelago (Macaronesia), suspect zone 11B, but due to the lack of heat could as well be 9A/B. It gets sunscald easily, as per photos (taken 24 April 2026). Trunk: Discoloration, typically turning dark brown, charring, or developing cracks in the bark due to high-temperature exposure. Leaves: Scorched leaves or "leaf burn" occur if the plant is exposed to harsh, midday sun. My specimen is about 12-13 years old (purchased as a seedling from the Canary islands) and in a proper tropical environment it would already be several times taller, but in the Azores it is growing very slowly, but is not dying either. Like many other tropical species that are either susceptible to diseases or simply are unable to handle the wind the rain and the cool climate between 7C and 26C with extra-estival temperatures mostly 10C to 17C although this year or even the past couple years extra-estival temperatures do not even reach 17C while staying more like 11C to 14C most of the time.

Im in California, some people say they don’t grow as well. But im about 25 miles as the crow flies from the coast. It gets 100 degrees here in the summer. I think if I deep water during the high heat it might explode in growth, fingers crossed 🤞

I would bet it will be bigger! In the location you planted it in. Full sun and backfilled soil like that is about as good as it could ask for. mine only gets a few hours of full sun and is in a lot of competition with the other surrounding palms.

Coincidentally, "po" is a Celtic word, as is the one who writes it. In the United Kingdom, there are Juania australis palms. They are very clever to already have large, mature palms. It's a shame they lack a female to produce seeds. A distinguished Irish gentleman contacted me. I suggested he try to obtain a female palm from Chile. If it went well, the United Kingdom will one day supply the world with Juania australis seeds.

I'm from England yeah. I don't really know Chilean Spanish. Solo sé que dicen po un poco como los mexicanos dicen wey. Maybe we'll get British Jaunia seeds one day if the botanical gardens collaborate, I doubt they'll be made public though. Estuve una vez a la frontera entre Bolivia y Chile, cerca de dos volcanes. No me acuerdo sus nombres.

Hey friend, are you from England? I see you know Chilean Spanish. Juania australis is even more of a forbidden palm. Even I had trouble getting them. I'll be receiving another batch of seeds from the island soon. I hope to put them to good use.

I paid the gardeners $250 to move it and they did a pretty good job.

Déjame uno po 🥺🙏 Worth a try😅

A nice solid Johannesteijsmannia Altifrons seedling!

Thanks Kiwan. I’m fortunate to be in a very mild (for NorCal) microclimate here. Pacific influence, SF Bay buffering, and just enough inland for some good warmth. I just ordered more palms from FB. tonight. I got a suggestion to try Pinanga ‘Maroon Crown Shaft so I ordered a few as well as Chrysalidocarpus ‘Baby Red Stems, Chamaedorea arenbergiana, and Pritchardia aylmer robinsonii. It’s going to be a challenge selecting places for them all! I’ve planted all of the first batch.

Just buy that plot of land the sooner the better, and plant as many palms as you can. Iam happy with my block of land, 28 years living on my land and love it. Buy your plot of land and build your dream garden. It does take a long time for a palm garden to grow so the sooner you start the better, and if you need more time before you buy, start growing your collection in pots so when you get your land, you will have a head start on the palm collection and palms to plant good luck. But never stop growing and collecting palms and one day your dream garden will appear!

Don't see them actually eating the seed, but they sure seem to be attracted to them.

Got some unpredicted rain yesterday but won't know how much until daylight - I'd be thrilled to get 1/4". That constitutes a gulley washer at our house during the past couple years. The Drought Dome over our neighborhood must sprung a rare leak.

Thanks everybody. Colin, your earlier contribution ( shared between Troy, Ted and me )really boosted my garden . Always room for more exotica. Each of the 4 LHIs does well but quick growth of the hedyscepes is a pleasant surprise. Harry, baueri was a strap leaf about 10 years ago but is a remarkably fast grower and has lovely shape. Jonathon, the butia has gone well and will be a substantial tree soon. It’s presently a bit concealed by faster growers. Mike

This Pritchardia was obtained as Lowreyana but as you can see it is not that species. Any advice is appreciated

i Tim, Not remota as it has the droopy leaf tips and a cuppy leaf. I have one in my garden, Wollongong and Sydney botanic gardens, they all look the same. More pictures of the mystery Pritchardia.

I think I’d narrow it down to P hillebrandii or P remota Colin. The frond structure seems to have that P hillebrandii structure of being strongly undulate but still having relatively stiff leaflet ends. I think P remota tends to have droopier leaflet tips but I know this trait can vary. The cottony covering on the folds seems quite thick so I’d guess P wailealeana is out. I think maybe time to get out the magnifying glass and look for any lepidia on the abaxial surface of the fronds. I can’t tell if it’s there. If not, P hillebrandii I think. I don’t suppose anyone is in touch with Hodel? I’m guessing he’d be able to identify at a glance.

Permitted Pritchardia species allowed into Australia Not all species in Australia are on this list IE Pritchardia napaliensis which was once, i imported one 2008 with a permit, it spent 2 years in Quarantine, Luckily the napaliensis has been seeding and the seed donated to many germinators here, You will see them for sale at the Pacsoa show next year, and on ebay from local growers soon even in Western Australia but not Tasmania nor Northern territory. regards Colin Pritchardia affinis Pritchardia arecina Pritchardia aylmer-robinsonii Pritchardia beccariana Pritchardia filamentosa Pritchardia filifera Pritchardia forbesiana Pritchardia gaudichaudii Pritchardia grandis Pritchardia hardyi Pritchardia hillebrandii Pritchardia kaalae Pritchardia lanaiensis Pritchardia limahuliensis Pritchardia lowreyana Pritchardia maideniana Pritchardia martii Pritchardia martioides Pritchardia minor Pritchardia mitiaroana Pritchardia munroi Pritchardia pacifica Pritchardia pericularum Pritchardia perlmanii Pritchardia remota Pritchardia schattaueri Pritchardia thurstonii Pritchardia viscosa Pritchardia vuylstekeana Pritchardia waialealeana Pritchardia woodfordiana

Hi Michael, The gardens looks fantastic, it has been a while since seeing it. It has grown so much since the last visit well done, time for some more?😊 regards Colin

Definitely not Pritchardia so it can’t be native to the islands. I agree with Sabal yapa. If you ever read that a particular palm species requires full sun to be healthy, take it with a grain of salt. Dozens of my “full sun required” palms are in full shade and are perfectly happy. Many even look better in full shade than in the sun.

Greetings from the happypalms garden centre where we aim to please, I look on palmtalk and every now and then even I need a fix of some tropical bling! Richard

Hi Harry yes the dreaded old man winter is coming, autumn for my garden I get a lot of good growth from coming out of summer and all the high root activity from the heat, then when autumn hits the new spears are starting to crack open. But iam sure winter will take its toll on the new seedlings. Richard

I have one Sabal , a Riverside or Palmetto . Not sure which , but it grew about the same speed as our Brahea Edulis and Butia Oderata . Way faster than Livistona Chinensis. Mine was a gift from my mentor in 1997 or so . Just a strap leaf baby that I planted on our hill in full sun . Almost 30 years later , it is a full sized beauty . Harry ‘This was about a year ago . I agree they should be more common here in California . They grow so well and look great at all stages of growth. This species , whichever it is , takes a bit of room . Not for a small garden. Harry

….and Santa didn’t need to deploy his sleigh! Great haul , Jim . Reminds me of my visits to @DoomsDave . Just curious , do you leave them in a protected environment for a while , or plant them out right away ? Harry

BLOODY EXPLETIVE OBSCENITIES SCREAMED MATE!

I was overly optimistic to think they stood a chance here. They germinate well in winter in ambient outdoor temps, but despite anything I tried to keep them cool in summer it was an absolute failure. The averages for my place were not far different than habitat, but it gets way hotter here than habitat. I will stick to subtropical palms. They do much better.