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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'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.

I just couldn’t pass up on some of the plants on offer at the pacsoa show this weekend. Just a couple more for the collection! satakentia liukiuensis kentiopsis oliviformis Dypsis ambositrae Geonoma atrovirens licuala sallehana Calyptrocalyx flabellata pinanga sarawakensis loxococcus rupicola calyptronoma occidentalisDypsis sp Bill Beattie Basselina glabrata Dypsis orange crush calmus muelleri polyandrococus caudescens Calyptrocalyx yummutumecalyptrocalyx flabellata cocothrinax guargruana Mapu for the wife you know how it is fellas you gotta get the wife a gift when you spend up! Zamia pictaDypsis hetromorphusDypsis avisonii Dypsis DrannsfieldiiDioon Rio verdeDioon holmgreniiSchippia concolor All set to go in the garden for a bit more of that tropical look chamearops humillis cocothrinax eckmanii licuala fractiflexavietcha montgomerianadypsis procera

Has anyone seen anything like this before? I can’t help but wonder which Rhopalostylis variety it might be. My first thought was Chatham Islands, but I’m starting to doubt that. It could possibly be a Great Barrier Island form instead. Or even a naturally occurring hybrid with archontophoenix cunninghamiana? It’s surrounded by them.. Anyway what caught my attention is the very open crown and the extremely dark crownshaft color. I was also looking through some older Rhopalostylis photos and I think Geoff Stein used to have a few similar plants in cultivation. Curious to hear what others think on the variety — what are your bets?

Even if my garden is young, for some palms The circle is complete

It was a flamethrower when it came into this world and it’s going out as a flamethrower as well.

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

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!

@guillerman looks like you’ve got a really REALLY nice Rhop. baueri purple crownshaft just like mine!

I was just curious if anyone has had success with growing these in California. I've seen a photo of a nice looking one in Ensenada, Mexico before, so wondering if anyone has had one in California. I am growing a couple in the imperial valley of California and the one below has made it through two winters and one summer without any damage, but also with minimal growth. Also pictured are Dictyosperma album and Hypophorbe langenicaulis handing the desert heat for their third year now without issue!

When in Brisbane a must see place for any plant nut is the botanical gardens. The garden is improving with time and you can definitely see the age in some of the plants there. The tahina has tucked itself in and give it five years and a bit and it will be the showcase of the gardens, as you walk out of the visitors centre you will be greeted by the tahina welcoming you to the world of plants.

Bismarkia

Everywhere you look it’s more plants!

I agree with the others that you’ve got an R. baueri. Incidentally, Rhopalostylis and Archontophoenix DNA is not similar and, therefore, cannot hybridize with each other.

Hi there. I am honestly relieved that you are all doing well. Even if Okinawa's participation in this forum has dropped a bit lately, the Hawaiian forum members are always observed closely.👍 To enlighten you,... ...this is a brand new C.macrocarpa leave. Stay safe fellas, we count on you - best regards, Lars

I was searching for something and this thread popped up. I decided to update this phot of the entryway, since it has changed a bit during the intervening period from March of 2018 to March of 2026. 8 years will do that... to gardens and people. This is the Leucadia house. I will have to get some updated photos of the garden in Carlsbad at another time.

Two new Dypsis procera certainly got my eye attention after I planted them today!

It’s a photographers paradise for plants!

Looks like Rhopalostylis baueri. Could be R baueri var cheesmanii which I’ve seen can have a purple tinge to the crownshaft but I’m not sure if that’s formally diagnostic.

@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!

My golden Christmas ready to go in the ground caught my eye. Full sun for full yellow color.

Sabal Yapa new frond

Okay, it's in the grow room, Sabine just said, Phönix canariensis is doing well 🤗

Red Latania new frond

a little bit of Italy in Australia, here they are everywhere

Chuniophoenix hainanensis. One of my favourites. I saw this specimen last year, it’s a beauty!

Double flames?

I live about 30 miles due east of Kilauea summit. Of course, I live directly ON Kilauea, just the lower slopes. The spectacular fountaining two days ago was episode 43. These have been happening roughly every two weeks for the last 15 months, but each one only last a few hours. It is difficult to catch them unless you happen to already be in the park when it starts. Despite being so close, I have not seen the 300-400 m high fountains in person. Surprisingly, all these eruptions have had essentially no impact on me. All the action is within the caldera. I did get a dusting of Pele's hair (fiber glass) from episode 41 or 42 several weeks ago. I had to disconnect my roof's rain gutters from my catchment tank until rain washed it off. Otherwise, I might as well be in Ohio. I have been more worried about big earthquakes, but so far I only felt one minor M4.5 a couple months ago. Fingers crossed. Here is what the recent eruption looked like on weather radar. Doppler radar sees the steam and ash cloud rising over 3,000 m, not the actual lava fountains. Today the island is covered in red and orange as a massive storm slowly passes over.

Couple of dypsis species basilonga and prestonia

Compact and robust Butia today in Galena Park by the Houston Ship Channel

Here's an interesting planting of Livistona decora at the same nursery. The drought is severe here as well - no rain in 2026 yet...

Here's some massive Sabal uresana at Dyer's nursery in Weslaco. Photo doesn't do it justice - note the thickness of the trunk. @5am for scale in both photos.

Copernicias seem to like the desert a lot better than the beach out here.

Looks like my 2 good Washingtonias might just make a steady recovery, almost certain the first one will but iffy about the second one as it has white at the bottom of the spears but won’t pull. Replaced the dead windmills in new spots with better holes this time. Good luck to everyone else, apparently we will be seeing the 30s again later this week hopefully not below freezing though.

My minimum temperature was 13F this year, accompanied by freezing rain. My results were as follows. Chamaerops humilis (unprotected): No damage, actively growing. Chamaedorea microspadix (unprotected): Burning where ice accumulated, but actively growing. No damage to leaves that did not ice over. Chamaedorea radicalis (unprotected): Burning where ice accumulated, but actively growing. No damage to leaves that did not ice over. Sabal minor (unprotected): No damage. Sabal miamiensis (unprotected): No damage. Sabal miamiensis Leu garden hybrid (unprotected): No damage. Sabal uresana highlands form (unprotected): No damage and actively growing. Sabal uresana green/silver form (tarp wrapped around the spear base): No damage and actively growing. Brahea dulcis (covered by a tarp): Minor discoloration, but actively growing. Cycas revoluta (unprotected): Exposed leaves are burned, normal for temperatures below 14F.

What are they doing to that poor kentia, as an Australian I must stand up for one of finer palms living abroad in such cold conditions, please send my condolences to the palm!

Potting up a few more sprouts and spikes today, and a big thank you @tim_brissy_13 for the special little sprouts of lanonia, Pinanga and raphis varieties, it shall not be forgotten let us say, such a gift gets locked into the memory bank! And a few home germinated ones just to keep myself busy on the potting bench!

Yellow latania

It sure didn’t like the cold! Hopefully have time to recover before next winter . They are pretty slow at that age. Harry

Another old frond removal today. This one is particularly special as it's the only solitary maroon leaf, red vestiaria I've ever been able to find. And believe me I've looked.

The ‘ole’ Chrysalidocarpus paucifolius, aka ‘orange crush.’ Love the scale that growing in almost solid rock dictates. Tim

We wanted to share a true 'Pura Perfezione' moment from our balcony fortress on the 4th floor in Stachen, Lake Constance. My Howea forsteriana (Kentia) survived this very cold winter outside with solid professional protection! ❄️🛡️ We used multiple layers of heavy fleece combined with Sagex (Styrofoam) for thermal statics. The result: She is pushing a new spear right now! 🌿🔥 Today we are basking in a phenomenal (20.2 C / 68.4 F) in the shade, with a stable pressure of 1021 hPa. 🌬️💎

Trachies are tough too. Rooting for all of you!

Shade grown dictyosperma album.

are butia odorata

It's like we live in alternate realities. I'm not seeing anything remotely like the damage you're describing. I drive by tons of mostly abandoned Chamaerops and Butia every day and there isn't a scratch on any of them. Maybe the frost cloth is hurting your palms? All no protection: Livistona nitida - zero 0.0% burn on all leaves except for spear pull on 2 newest leaves, already pushing up growth. Livistona decora - 16-18 inch high seedlings, slight tip burn on a few Livistona chinensis - mostly undamaged Sabal rosei - no damage Sabal causiarum - no damage Sabal guatemalensis - tip burn to 30% burn on older leaves Bismarckia - mostly defoliated but pushing growth Queens x2 - one is only 30% burned, another is mostly defoliated but pushing growth Chuniophoenix nana - defoliated but pushing growth Bonus Lytocaryum hoehnei covered with a cardboard box (no heat) - no damage

Here is an update on some of my palms. I worked this past week and got everything trimmed. Palms that were damaged but not on the updated list are still alive and firm but no active growth yet. PALMS Aiphanes horrida x minima (6’) -100% burn, already had about 25% burn from earlier cold, it always showed damage below about 35F every year but always quickly recovered, dead Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (20’) -major burn, new leaf opening Archontophoenix purpurea (7’)- 100% burn new leaf opening Arenga engleri (7’)- surprisingly burn on one leaf, several leaves burned, very delayed damage Brassiophoenix drymophoeoides (5’)- 100% burn dead Carpentaria acuminata x Adonidia merrillii (25’)- 100% burn no signs of growth yet Chrysalidocarpus psammophilus (3’)- 100% burn dead Cocos nucifera ‘Green Malayan’ (10’, 3’ trunk)- almost 100% burn but a few green leaflets and petioles still green, already push new growth, it already had about 20% burn from frost a couple weeks prior, cut out dead center growth and spear, no rot, now new growth is strongly pushing out! Euterpe edulis (10’, 5’)- both have 100% burn 10’ specimen is dead, 5’ opening new leaf Hyophorbe verschaffeltii (6’)- 100% burn new leaf opening Pinanga coronata (4’)- 100% burn main stem appears dead, suckers have new growth Pritchardia hillebrandii (3’)- moderate burn, still lots of green center spear pulled, cut and treated, new growth pushing out Ptychococcus lepidotus (5’)- 100% burn dead Ptychococcus paradoxus (6’)- 100% burn dead Ravenea rivularis (6’)- 100% burn new leaf opening Syagrus sancona (7’)- severe burn new leaf opening Wodhyethia bifurcata (4’)- 100% burn dead PANDANS Pandanus furcatus (15’)- 100% burn but green already pushing out removed all dead leaves, new growth pushing out Pandanus letocartiorum (decumbens) (2’)- 100% burn dead Pandanus penangensis (monotheca) (5’)- 100% burn dead Pandanus tectorius (spineless form) (3’)- 100% burn dead Pandanus tectorius, dwarf spineless variegated form)- 100% burn dead PALM-LIKE PLANTS Ravenala madagascariensis (15’)- 100% burn, new growth emerging Ravenala menahirana (Honkondambo) (3’)- 100% burn, new leaf emerging, new leaf emerged but petiole browned and collaped, cut and new growth emerging again Sphaeropteris cooperi (Cyathea) (10’)- 100% burn new fronds uncurling Strelitzia nicolai (10’)- 100% burn new growth emerging

Brahea edulis is surprisingly hardy in my wet and cool climate. I have not protected this B. edulis since around 2013. Planted as a small seedling in 2008 it has grown quite a lot since then. It is faster growing then B. armata in our climate. After the unusually cold winters of 2018 and 2021 it almost completely defoliated but the spears did never pull and recovery was fast. It sustains little to no damage during our more normal winters. If temperatures start to drop to around -6°C/-7 (+/-20°F) for some duration you do start to see some leafdamage. I live at 50°N in Belgium, Z9a. Low this year was around -3.5°C(-25°F) on Christmas eve and a few nights just below zero at the beginning of januari. While much of Europe experienced a very cold winter our little region bordering the south north sea escaped the worst of it.