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I photographed this beautiful Jubaea chilensis palm tonight. I hope that when it grows up it will be the only beauty in the place.

Pure Enc. Longifolius working. -dale

Equatorialis. Sorry for the bad pic but it was buried amongst many 15 gals. Last leaf was a 5 footer so hopefully these 2 are even longer.

That is a very nice looking palm . Just a bit of experience with my Chambeyronia, the first few years of flowering usually don’t produce seed. Mine has been flowering for a few years and has beautiful flowers but that’s it. The first two years the spathe never even opened , it just fell off. Mine has over 6’ of smooth trunk below the crown shaft. My friend a couple blocks away whose palm is much older just got his first batch of seeds. Harry This Chambey infrutescens is about 10’ up in the palm.

I've been collecting palms for 23 years and have never had a flowering Chambeyronia. Looks like this C. hookeri in my yard could be my first! 🤞Can't wait to get seed from my favorite palm species!

@sonoranfans About the same story around here , in SoCal. We had a few small , independent nurseries that were so cool . I would visit them regularly and they knew that I liked palms . They would sell me old stock , that needed to be planted out or potted up , at reduced prices . The big box used to have many varieties of palms for reasonable prices . The whole nursery business has changed so now I go to private growers that I met here on Palm Talk. We still have one nursery that sells some interesting palm species but they are not cheap , reasonable , but no deals. I did buy a neglected Livistona Australis there for $100 in a large pot , marked down from $140 . That being said , I just last week bought a couple of Ravenea Rivularis in 10” pots that were on the clearance rack for $3 each . They were healthy , just needed to be potted up. Reminded me of years gone by. Harry This was from the nursery that sells unique palms …..for a price! A Syagrus Schizophylla for $45 . Not a killer deal but given how slow these grow , fair.

Lo Ho Longifolious x Horridus

True Blue Arenarius

I am happy to see some future prospects. They all waited a long time and popped all at once.

Hanging leaf base leftover from a hurricane snapped frond. Also growing out of a little frost/freeze damage from this winter. Probably one of my favorite palms for sure. Photo taken this evening.

Hi, can you tell me where in Italy you're doing this experiment? Keep in mind that the problem with palms and subtropical plants in the central Mediterranean isn't the minimum temperatures, which are sufficiently high, but their long-term persistence. I've been experimenting with palms and other subtropical plants in Palermo for over 50 years, and I can tell you that there are many more cultivable palms than you might think. If you're interested, I can provide you with a list of those I've successfully tested, but unfortunately not coconuts.

Tip of the iceberg…

A while ago @DoomsDave sent me some seeds . The first three batches were Chamaedorea Oblongata , Ptychosperma Caryotoid , and Chrysalidiocarpus Blacki. When I was taking the lids off to check moisture I think I may have mixed up the lids to the containers . The id was written on the top. I’m fairly confident they are not Chamaedorea . Harry trying show seed sorry , dirty hands. Been gardening Thanks for whatever help you can give . Dave said wait until it shows a jagged leaf edge . He’s leaning towards Dypsis/Chrysalidiocarpus. The pot in front has the two smallest sprouts . Happy with the yield on this micro batch. Harry

I have both and I cannot tell them apart.

I like pembanas, they can get some nice blue/green trunk hues in part shade. They proved to be my weakest palms in hurricane milton(110mph), the solitary one tilted and lifted roots up and the multi(3 trunks) had its tallest trunk snapped at the base. Fortunately I have a number in pots as these palms went to seed after 5 years and dropped them everywhere including (3) pots with soil in them. I planted one out, the other two will go in soon. The C. cabadae Ive seen didnt have as much of that glaucous, waxy blue. In direct sun, they may not hold the waxy tint for long.

Also potted up a few foxtail palms. Not as popular as they once were several years ago, but occasionally, someone does ask for them, so it's nice to at least maintain a few for just such an occasion. aztropic Mesa, Arizona

Licualas ,they are actually quite easy to grow and surprisingly quite cool tolerant. With so many varieties available in the genus theres a licuala out there for most collectors. Once you start collecting them they grow on you like chamaedoreas and the dypsis genus. They do like water and if growing in containers you need good drainage, and with good drainage you can sit them in a shallow tray of water almost growing them hydroponically. They perform well in the ground in wet climates but if you’re climate can get dry they out perform the ground dwellers in containers. And being slow growing most varieties, they are a good candidate for greenhouse growing and collectors. Some varieties can get that rhapis look about them, but there are so many available and such diverse leaf shapes. So the next time you want a new palm for that greenhouse collection take a look at licualas. Licuala png dwarfLicuala ptatydactyaLicuala mustapanaLicuala stenophylla var stenophylla Licuala wahLicuala North Sumatra

Copernicia gigas plants in 2-liter pots I got some other new species in my website too. Copernicia Gigas plants for sale - PalmSeedlings.com

Here’s my Dioon Edule “Querataro Blue” form pushing what looks like 5. I want to love this plant so bad but it loses its blue color between flushes and subsequently isn’t nearly as striking. Cone still hanging on. The plant is a heavy pupper and I actually just cut off quite a few large offsets. I’m terrible at keeping pups alive so we’ll see what happens. -dale

The good rain has got the garden moving, a lot of new growth, the stomata’s are breathing well free from dust and the summer root growth is showing in the gardens vigorous growth.

After trimming some tall fan palms day before yesterday I was greeted with a boom late last night as the rain came down. Its more like w whumpff! One of my mature royals decided to release a leaf with a wet crownshaft. The leaf stem and leaflets were completely dry, but the massive crownshaft was quite wet and heavy. Seeing it there on the ground I was grateful I didn't have to trim that sucker from below! So I went out to see it in the morning and took a pic with Adirondack chair for scale The palm is a fattie for a royal and is approaching full recovery from hurricane Milton in oct 2024. The older these royals get the more I appreciate the self shedding, saves me being on a ladder underneath. These royals cost me $160 each with delivery and 90 for planting (each) with a bobcat. They had 3-4' trunk in late 2011 as delivered. We are aware when a leaf dries out or even looks half dried out and avoid being under them at that time. Credit florida weather and a popup automatic irrigation system for its appearance, I don't really put too much care into them! Its nice to have something bullet proof and low maintenance. Most of the time they dont drop with a heavy wet crownshaft but when they do its like what I imagine a big dinosaur sound like with the heavy footfall. I have two large royals, this is the smaller of the two and they are enough for me. Warning! You should be able to see why you should not have these in a place where you walk (or sit) regularly like a front yard path to the front door. And if you park a car under one like this, expect a big body shop repair bill as it is about 50-60 lbs falling frm 25+ feet.

I love this time of year! Flush fest going on! Here is just a few. Lehmannii

2011 is long ago and prices have changed a lot. I paid $3 each for my archontophoenix alexandre my cheapest purchase. But A. Myolensis was more rare in nurseries and there were only 2 available which I purchased for $30 each for a 5 gallon. I bought a copernicia baileyana 5 gallon for $40 from a small grower. Those royals were 36 inch box trees and the planting fee was $150 each till they started digging and found almost all sand. Then they dropped the planting price to $90 each because it was a fast dig. The 2010 cold(28F) killed 3 of my small royals(7-15g) that were planted 3 months prior. I looked around the neighborhood and saw the larger royals only had burn on older leaves as the cold air was warmer at height. So I decided to get some insurance on another 30 year cold snap just in case and I bought these royals with 4-5' trunk. I cant find pics with the strap stakes on them right after planting in late spring 2011. They grew quickly right off the bat, they loved the rainy season that kicked in a couple weeks after planting. Today the market is different, the aftermath of the housing market collapse of 2008, many small specialty nurseries went out of business in the next 5-6 years, while most home owners went to big box stores, >90% of my palms came from specialty palm nurseries. The royals were from a local nursery that had a lot of field grown palms that supplied the housing market wholesale. As they sold off their stock to sell the land, they opened up to private buyers. They were 2 miles from my house so delivery was easy for them. What I saw in the local market was when the smaller businesses went out, box stores raised their prices which were already mostly higher than the small nurseries. It was sad to see all those small specialty nurseries go under and the local selection was depleted. I planted out 65-70 palms that I'm sure today they would cost 3x more at least and I cant get them locally. If I want palms now, I mail order them from a nursery down in Homestead. These prices are not bad if you order small ones. Availability varies this is the current list https://www.redlandnursery.com/availability-list/

Areca rabaul anyone.

A couple of dypsis forcifolia, looking forward to planting these beauties in the garden.

Put it in the shower and wash the leaves especially the undersides frequently, it’s the dry air that helps spider mites flourish. Or take it outside if you can and hose it down regularly. Be careful not to overwater if you are continually washing it down. But they are easy to grow!

The colour of the Geonoma atrovirens definitely gets the eyes attention.

Burretikentia hapala peeking in...

I have some absolute beautiful specimen agave Parryi in 25 gal tubs and squat 7s. Instant showpiece. 25 gal. $100 7gal. $50 Located in. SoCal

These are real Chilean jubaes

Only some nurseries sell Butia capitata (Odorata). I think the one in the photo is a hybrid with Jubaea.

Socratea rostrata always gets my attention! Both in the container and in the ground. Iam buying a Time Machine just to fast forward and live 40 years from now. Just to see the palms in full glory!

Yes like a lot of us we see both good and bad in technology, and we thought the industrial revolution was a big leap forward. Just look at what the internet has along with computers. If used for the good of humanity it’s a wonderful thing. Put it in the wrong hands and we know the consequences of that decision. Money has now become just a number on a computer screen in cyberspace, that can be used to our advantage in many ways possible. It’s hear to stay like it or not so it’s much easier to embrace and utilise than buck and go against the system. It’s incredible what that little screen in our hands has done for travel a world once so far away is so accessible, that’s one thing you’re daughter would think nothing off but second nature to her, but for you and I it’s a wow thing. Ps I nearly caught the yellow robin in flight. Richard

After 5 months

Among other things, these did.

I do concur. C. pembanus. Tim

I have some pictures that I took a few days ago. I'm growing 3 Filiferas. The two in the backyard seem to finally grow faster after being in the ground for three years. The one in front, I grew from seed, grows way faster and has been in the ground only for two years.

All I know is that you're a great botanist and you like exotic things. If it were a dinosaur, what kind of dinosaur would Jubaea chilensis be?

What size was it when you bought it? I would imagine it would have been 36-42 box if you needed a bobcat. I would have so many palms if I lived in Florida. I paid $150 for a 15 gallon flame thrower. Prices are so expensive in California.

Thanks for the replies. I tried a new pH kit and came up with 7.5 in 3 spots about 20 cms deep. Here are some better photos of the palm .

I don’t know about coriacia but my thebaica is slower than slow!!! It is neat but I will probably never see it trunk!!!

There are very few fibers on @jwitt picture of his "hybrid". For me, my filiferas from seed have started to push out split leaves about 4 to 5 months after germination. Here are a couple of pictures of mine. Note: Germinated March 6, 2025. The first pic is from August 9, 2025, shortly after first split leaves despite having a grasshopper problem last summer. Second pick is today May 30, 2025, that are currently between 12" and 18" overall height.

After mowing my lawn today, I did take the time to get the grass a little further back from my filifera as well as my little mule: I also spotted a pair of Texas spiny lizards on the side of my house while I was out working:

So get things moving heres a tray of Adonidia dransfeildia! in pots

Before I had my land I was renting, so I learnt how to container garden. I used to arrange my container plants around like a miniature tropical garden. It was fun and helped me learn about growing. For containers soil is the key!

@happypalms You're a very good container gardener. By contrast, I'm the world's worst container gardener LOL.

I’d say that’s a pembana, @Cape Garrett ! They kinda sit awhile then EXPLODE in height. Here’s some of mine after about 10-15 years in the ground.

Wallichia densifolia new leaf, and the Chambeyronia off in the distance. And a nice bit of colour with the Chambeyronia, dypsis cabadae and archontophoenix purperea!

Being so dry in Arizona,falling fronds are not a concern. I've purposely weighed several of them and they are always only 5-6 pounds total. Don't think I've ever seen one fall off 'wet' around here. Location, location, location. 🤷‍♂️ aztropic Mesa, Arizona.

Aloha Kostas, We have three growing in our garden which is on the hot and dry side of the Big Island. They were 4' - 5' when we planted them in late 2009. All three are planted in very little soil. The first one is basically sitting on the roots of a giant silver oak tree where there are no more than 6” of soil. The middle one is in approximately a foot of soil. We were able to plant the third one in an area that has a rich soil fill. Tallest is now 15'. The shortest in about 12' Two of the three are in bright sun. The other one is under the Oak tree and in semi shade. The average temperature here is about 82 degrees in the day time. Our annual rainfall is about 40” inches so I water them every couple weeks. They've only been fertilized once.....about a year ago. None of them has ever had a problem; they are very hardy, totally majestic and one of our favorite palms. Go for it! Here’s a picture of one of ours. Mike and Lee