Leaderboard

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.

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.

That definitely doesn’t have fused leaflets, like Sabal ‘Lisa’ does. As for any variegation, I only see necrotic leaf tissue, and no variegation. Not sure if it’s just my phone or if I’m missing something here, but I see no yellow/white sections in the leaves at all. Can you please point exactly to what you’re looking at?

Need some Cold Hardy seedlings after the Freezing weather? My large palms in yard took 27F with ease, no damage. I counted about 37 seedlings in this pot, most have 2 leaves. $30 plus Shipping, Spaghum, Box, etc. Beachpalms@cfl.rr.com

Finally seeing some early signs of spring blooms on my Handroanthus (aka Tabebuia), both the dark pink heptaphyllus and the lighter pink impetiginosus.) Even my previously shy blooming Bauhinia x blakeana now has clusters of buds on many of its branch tips. Despite what the winter was like on East Coast of the U.S., here in the West we experienced "relatively" mild temps. It's so dry I've had to start handwatering again! Palms in the top image are Parajubaea (l) and Jubaea (R).

Some 🔥 in the garden recently. Dypsis rosea Chambeyronia divaricata

Just planted - 4/3/2024 ~1 year - 3/18/2025 8 AM ~2 years - 3/20/2026 8 AM

It ain’t dead 🤷‍♂️😂. It lost its leaves during the cold this year but apparently lived. Had a lot, lot more fruit on it but they ripened up quick after cold and the local squirrels just love these. It’s kinda high up these days for me to want to get on a ladder to get them down. It seems to be seedless for the record and the fruit is actually really good on this one.

Here's a Texas version:

A wonderful gift of some Ferox seedlings sent to me by a PACSOA member. They shall be greatly treasured and grown with love. If iam gifted a plant I never forget that gift and will always remember who gifted me that plant, always with great remembrance. Thanks Gary

Today the big sallehana I purchased at the recent pacsoa show went in the ground, I have others in my garden so iam confident it will live they are quite tough, there only weakness is lack of water!

Today the good old phoenix robellenii got my attention, fitting in so well as a landscape plant. They may be common but they have that tropical landscape feel about them!

First up sack the gardener for cutting of a bit of garden eye candy, they said it years the younger generation are not interested in things like gardening, pidgeon racing or anything outdoors. Heaven forbid nowadays they are only interested in a google pixel addiction, what will our palms become in the future. There will come a day when they will look at botanical gardens and go what are those things growing, that’s if botanical gardens exist in 200 years. Seeds are the future generations and without people germinating them a lot will be lost. Richard

Nice, I am trying to germinate seeds of the yellow type. Saw this tree the other day in Harlingen, Texas.

Welcome back from hibernation.. Your buddies hanging out on the walls here all winter this year have missed you

At Mounts

They get huge and do trunk here down south. Growth that takes decades in the wild shady forest can be achieved in years in gardens with full sun, irrigation, and no root competition. And males often tend to put all energy into one trunk. Still I would not skin their trunk—it’s just not right

Lol I already am a palm hybridizer, it's why I want the pollen. I have one of the only known live Jubaea growing in ground here in NE Florida, but as most know, historically they do not live or survive to maturity here. Hence the need for pollen, as the hybrids do. If you are willing to send some pollen we can talk more in private about the process. Thanks for the consideration.

I'm seeing this on most of my palms too. The next one ironically is pushing and the tips are already separating while it's pushing so I thought probably more cold damage related. I'll try the twist.

Small mammal must have dropped a seed here

Myself personally bottom heating set at 30 degrees, coco coir perlite mix just slightly damp, using etoliation to help things along. If the seed is 5mm in size you bury it 5mm if 10mm you bury 10mm and so on. Oh and patience.

It is interesting to look at , to say the least . Maybe sick or just a genetic anomaly. As long as it is growing and not a fungal infection in the root ball or something , I would leave it be. It seems that is what the staff has decided to do. Harry

Lisa or no Lisa it’s one crook palm!

Agree with the above. I don’t see variegation or fused leaflets. Looks like Borrasodendron.

@Merlyn Good luck on the palm recovery. Some stuff seems to respond, and others are past the pale. Now we have multiple gardens that are Darwinian in nature 😁

That looks more like a Borassodendron with cold damage

I lost my bet, dang. Just for s..ts n giggles, I'd like to see it. 😂

There is some good stuff in here, iam even starting to look at this thread and say oh that’s where I planted that palm, I better get back and water it after I forget where I planted them! Richard

Anyone wanna understand the logic of the city planting more palms here? Are there not enough already?? 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️ Make it make sense 🤣

I have a photo of the local mature specimen setting fruit, but it's difficult to make out the exact color of the petioles in the photo. There are some better photos on Palmpedia: https://palmpedia.net/wiki/Saribus_rotundifolia They tend to agree that the inflorescence should eventually turn brown. The fruit is a very striking red before it gets totally ripe and black.

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 don’t really know what you mean. Would you propose they cut it out? To me it looks like it’s either been cold damaged or possibly too dry rather than any disease which may spread, but I wouldn’t be killing a Borrasodendron for any reason anyway. It’s worthy of helping to fight for recovery.

Hell = places like Texas... 😂

Hi everyone, Quick update for the skeptics of the "war of attrition": Today, March 20th, my balcony fortress in Arbon/Stachen (443m) has officially transformed into a tropical greenhouse! After a minimum of +5.4°C (41.7°F) on the balcony last night (while it was -1.1°C / 30°F at ground level), we just hit a phenomenal 21.0°C (70°F) in the shade with 60% humidity this afternoon! 📈💎 The result is undeniable: our Howea forsteriana (Kentia) is not just surviving; she is actively exploding. As you can see in the photo, the new spear is already opening up! 🦜🌿 This is the power of thermal mass and understanding your microclimate. While some might call it a "trashing," I call it a "Pura Perfezione" spring awakening. ☀️🇮🇹❄️ Fortune favors the bold! Kind regards from the Lake Constance Fortress, Mazat

I have seen the same palm a year ago in the summer and it was the same color. It does have a large look to it.(Borass...) but it definitely is not cold related. The leaves are similar to pictures of Sable Lisa that I have seen, but I can't understand the variegated color.

Super rare exotic I will plant at the end of winter, but it’s fair game for anything to get planted now right up until next summer, planting all winter, but autumn is the best time for me in my climate!

They are a nice palm, warm feet they like and will start to get a move on, you could have gotten a runt sucker, a really healthy vigorous sucker taken from the parent plant should see a nice potted plant in 5 years with a few suckers forming and about 2 feet in height. They are slow to start but once they get a move on it’s the sss as me speed of growth as the green ones. Different varieties have varied growth rates, try ayanishiki or zuikonishiki they are the toughest ones and easiest to grow.

I have two barrel cactus in the ground. They should do well for you. Super slow growing though. I've noticed some standing water on the side of the road on our way to the park in your neighborhood. That's from how much rain ? I had to go to Kerrville this morning. Guadalupe River water level is very low , the water barely flows. It's going to be tough this year.

Good looking hospita! The leaves look huge, like bailey size. Trunk also looks thicker than I thought, based on some mature 25 footers I saw in a miami garden years ago that had 6-7" clean trunks. On the transplant root sensitivity, going from a pot into the ground is not a transplant, far less trauma. I have severed a root or two removing from a pot, no issues. Transplant means many root tips are cut, With palms some roots die back to the trunk when cut and send out another root, some continue to grow the damaged root. I am not sure which behavior is consistent with cuban copernicias. Transplanting a copernicia, digging from the ground and replanting is the tricky one.

I had a 9 footer transplanted from a shady lot in homestead and planted in full sun in 2011 at my place. Ken johnson took 5-6 months to prune it and deliver. Any time you cut roots in a transplant the palm will give up some leaves. Many nurseries will do that for you, cut off a few extra before they deliver a recently dug palm. This is because after transplanting the palm has less roots, some were cut. And there is not enough water uptake capacity in the remaining roots to supply the leaves which continuously transpire water. So the palm sacrificially drops older leaves. Looks like you did a painstaking job there Toni, only the lowest leaves browned, and it is growing. Keep it moist in the heat, and get a good palm fertilizer recommended by locals. I have brought (2)fallaensis, (3)hospita, (2)macrofglossa, and (1)baileyana out from heavy shade to full sun in pots( not a transplant, a plant) with zero leaf burning from sun exposure. My bigger problem is they tend to get fungal attack here in the shade, maybe too much dew for shade here. Roots are easier to handle on a small copernicia than a big one as the mass of the rootball can bend/sever the roots at the trunk during handling. I have found all the cubans copernicias want plenty of water or rain in the heat, though they be can be drought tolerant(florida drought tolerant). Good you got it in the right spot Toni. Maybe some humic acid a few times a year and some dolomite around the root area along with a good palm fertilizer. Enjoy the view from above, one day you may have to walk away a bit to get a better view. Here is my large fallaensis still recovering from a hurricane hit.

From my experiences... Acacia stenophylla- only lives 1-3 years here then croaks, COOL TREE Brachychiton rupestris - seems hardy, our mature specimen defoliated at24F but branch tips seem ok, no leafing out yet Ceiba insignis- seems similar to C. speciosa Chilopsis lineararis- never made it through a summer here Eriobotrya deflexa- GREAT TREE but very susceptible to fireblight Leucaena pulverulenta- ours has grown great, planted in 2013 and is over 30ft, defoliated at 24F this year but already leafed out Osmanthus americanus- now Cartrema americana, though its native I have tried over a dozen specimens and never got one to establish Neolitsea sericea- SUPERB TREE for central FL Pittosporum undulatum- tried several times, no luck Xylosma congestum- AWESOME as a tree! Albizia chinensis-24F defoliated it this year, waiting for it to leaf out to see if any damage Cordia boissieri- good tree here, probably has damage below 18-20F Elaeocarpus sylvestris- had a small one growing well for a couple years then lost it under falling trees in a hurricane a few years ago. But E. decipiens is an awesome tree Michelia x alba - now Magnolia x alba, it and M. champaca get damaged below 28F and need evenly moist soil Photinia serrulata (possibly serratifolia?)- grown ok here but more of a shrub Phytolacca dioica - specimen here planted a few years ago, about 10ft tall, defoliated at 24F this year, looks to be resprout at tips or near

Doesnt Jonathan have easy warm weather for growing his sabinara, I hear it’s a growers tropical paradise @Jonathan. I gave him two calmus varieties I got from last years show, so I hope this large one fits in his mailbox, I had to buy it for you Jonathan, hope you don’t mind.🤣

My first C. baileyana arrived from I don't remember where in a long skinny box that once held a baseball bat. When I opened the box I almost had heart failure. The seller had unpotted it, hosed it off then tossed it into the box - no padding, wrappings, nada. Just a 6-8" baileyana with 18" of bifurcated root rattling around its cardboard shipping container. I gave him what-for and detailed instructions on packing/shipping. He immediately went ballistic and reported me to eBay for having the nerve to diss him. Upshot to this kerfuffle: I potted my Copernicia, then held my breath. In 2 months it sent roots out of the drain holes. I planted it on our unirrigated Garden Lot. It's trunking now. This is a tough palm.

We got a F2 natwood to ground control… please prepare for take off! Could it be the first cone of the specie?!!!

Thanks Colin. Useful to have your input on this. I’m still a bit confused about C graminifolia vs C schippii. In Hodel’s 2013 paper (see below), he distinguishes C graminifolia from C schippi based on its solitary habit and one nerved thin leaflets. When I dig into previous history, it seems they were lumped into synonymy based on the study that all C schippii in cultivation were hybridised with C potchutlensis (C x Irving Cantor). Is it possible that C graminifolia and C schippii are one and the same (the solitary or open clump forming palm you describe) and those that are now thought of as C schippii (the large clustering palm you describe) is actually C x Irving Cantor or Irving Cantor backcrossed with the parents? Interestingly, both species are currently accepted on Kew’s checklist and described as caespitose. Photos of seen of C ‘schippii’ are very nice large clumps, but I find it hard to believe that Schipp would’ve described it as one of the most beautiful and elegant palms especially considering there are many other visually similar Chamaedorea (C costaricana, potchutlensis etc). I’d have thought that description would apply more to what I know as C graminifolia with the very dainty leaflets resulting in a unique looking palm. Not meaning to be provocative in any way and I definitely bow to the experts on this but I love a good palm mystery! I’d be curious to know whether the clumping forms of C graminifolia out there always send new stems up via rhizomes away from the main stems as described (like R rhizomatosa) and whether C schippii is any different. Photos I’ve seen of supposed C schippii look to be more traditional style clump forming like C costaricana, potchutlensis, hooperiana etc)

Thanks to all my friends. I actually already had these seeds. The person who sent me the seeds had sent them to me. He had already sent me these seeds in 2017/2018. They germinated but then died while I was in the hospital. I don't remember what size the seeds were, but the person who sent them to me is a great chamaedorea expert (you Australians already know who he is), and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank him. I almost never thank him publicly.

Yeah, that's the penalty you pay for planting zone 10 palms in a borderline 9b/9a area. Many of the established palms will grow back ok, and I'm guessing all the burnt cycads will do just fine. One thing that I'll definitely be doing is not replanting any large, "marginal" palms. Anything that gets big quickly and might randomly die one winter will not have a space in my yard. But smaller ones (Syagrus Amara, for example) may get another chance. The Arenga Pinnatas will stay if they live, because they take a long, long time to get too big to remove. Speaking of which, I cleaned up another part of the front yard yesterday afternoon. This is along the driveway, just to the right of the photos in my last post. This is the "before" photo: The big visible burned ones are (left to right) Coccothrinax Argentea, Zombia/Coccothrinax hybrid, Triangle (Dypsis/Chrysalidocarpus Decaryi), an Encephalartos Whitelockii behind the Sago, and a tall Arenga Pinnata. Here's the after: The Coccothrinax and Zombia/Cocco hybrid seem to be okay. Both are pushing new fronds with good looking spears. The Triangle's spear looks pretty good. I need to go sharpie-mark it and the Arenga Pinnata. The couple of cycads (Encephalartos Whitelockii, Tegulaneus, Manikensis/Turneri, Natalensis, and a Cycas Clivicola) were all burnt to a crisp but should be fine. The Clivicola is already bulging with a pending new flush. An Encephalartos Senticosus (Msinganus?) looks totally fine, with just 3 or 4 burnt leaves out of 50 or so. The Arenga Pinnata is a big question mark. The end of the new spear is dead, but the lower part of the spear looks ok. The lower end of the existing fronds seem solid. It's grown back (slowly) from previous defoliations in the 25-28F range. I cut the dead ends off and snipped off the dead leaflets: On the right side of the above photo there's 3 sticks that *might* be an alive Attalea Brejinhoensis. The spear and lower end of the older fronds seem ok too. Hopefully it gets moving soon! The variegated Caryota Mitis was torched to the ground, killing all 5 trunks. But there's at least 4 new sprouts from the roots!

pretty things can start out ugly 😄. I think they will look quite ok in a few months if the rainy season cooperates. There's probably a lot of natural fertilizer aka industrial waste in the soil lol

Yike! Someone oughta slap em!

I have the same problem with my lipstick palm. She is growing like crazy to a stunning 9ft plus. She can’t stay anymore under the shade and I have no other shade anywhere. So I had to be creative and attached a shade cloth to 2 palms and pushed it up with a long mango grabber to keep the shade cloth higher. It’s not perfect but she is under shade. You can create the same oblique so the Sabinaria is protected. See pic. Hope that helps. I have 2 Sabinaria happy in the shade, nice dark green. They need shade and lots humidity !