Loyalty to the King

[Pivi]

that's weird...at your location they should do great. hmmm

[Logolight]

I like A. cunninghamiana.  I has a nicer shape than the others.

[madagascarbob]

(Greenleaf @ Feb. 17 2008,21:02)

QUOTE

It has been debated in the US of the Illawarra version  of Archo cunninghamiana being able to handle cold weather better. It was on this board, quite some time ago though.

Check this out

Illawarra king palm

I have 5 Illawarra's in my yard and 1 I planted in a neighbors's yard ,that one planted about 12 years ago . The only difference I see is it's about half the size of a normal king and has sort of weeping leaves .No more cold hardy than the others , frost will burn them .The small size is kind of nice .

[cobra2326]

(Scott @ Feb. 17 2008,12:23)

QUOTE

I'm glad this came up because it give me the opportunity to ask, when buying the Archontophoenix, how can you tell the difference between the alexandrae and cunninghamiana?

Especially when much younger.

Anyone?

[deezpalms]

(Scott @ Feb. 17 2008,09:23)

QUOTE

I'm glad this came up because it give me the opportunity to ask, when buying the Archontophoenix, how can you tell the difference between the alexandrae and cunninghamiana?

Especially when much younger.

Scott, to answer your question, Alexanders have silver undersides on their leaflets. That's the easiest way to tell the difference.

[joe_OC]

Saw A. myolensis and A. purpurea, up close and personal over the weekend and have changed my mind and would say the Mylolensis would be my King palm of choice...The long narrow green crown shaft looks awsome.

[Scott]

(deezpalms @ Feb. 18 2008,07:29)

QUOTE

(Scott @ Feb. 17 2008,09:23)

QUOTE

I'm glad this came up because it give me the opportunity to ask, when buying the Archontophoenix, how can you tell the difference between the alexandrae and cunninghamiana?

Especially when much younger.

Scott, to answer your question, Alexanders have silver undersides on their leaflets. That's the easiest way to tell the difference.

Thanks Dude!

Also Darold Petty was kind enough to PM me with this early this morning....

"How to distinquish A. cunninghamiana from A. alexandrae?".  When I was young, (a long time ago!),  these two were the only species in the genus.  All of the newer species have been split off from A. alexandrae, which  formerly had been considered a highly variable species.  The easy distinction is that A. cunninghamiana is green on the underside of the leaflet and the others have a silver-white sheen to the underside,... 'glaucous'.  This is apparent even in small one-gallon plants.

I have to admit this is something I've wondered for the longest time but figured the difference must be so slight I just wouldn't worry about it. But since my cunninghamiana burned to death a couple of years ago, I'm finally over it and I'm ready to try this one again.

After reading Greenleaf's and Madagascarbob's threads, is it safe to assume the cunninghamiana is the safest for more extreme heat and cold?

[Peter]

Scott, in my experience without a doubt the cunninghamiana is most cold tolerant of the bunch.  I had alexanders, maximas and tuckerii's that burned badly last year right beside cunninghams that were undamaged.  A myolensis was undamaged but under canopy so I can't say for sure on that one.  I decided to take my non-cunninghams out and I replaced them with Seaside Growers 'monstera's, which are beefy cunninghams with a huge bulging crownshaft-very attractive imho.

[Scott]

Peter - got a picture of those monsteras? Sounds cool!

[Peter]

Sorry Scott, no photos of a mature one, and mine are still small.  I was at Mark Gammell's place in Dana Point over the weekend and he has a nice fat one with about 4-5' of trunk and an overall height of maybe 15' or so.

[LJG]

(Peter @ Feb. 18 2008,17:33)

QUOTE

I replaced them with Seaside Growers 'monstera's, which are beefy cunninghams with a huge bulging crownshaft-very attractive imho.

Peter, do you know why they named it this? Is it just a large cunninghamiana that produced similar appearances in its second generation? Or was it crossed with another King?

[Scott]

Peter - are the Monsteras under a canopy?

[Peter]

Some yes, some no.

[DoomsDave]

Purps are purty, no two ways about it.

That purple color rocks, but it's best in Florida,and/or in the shade.

Purps are slow.

So, I voted for tuckeri.  They're fast, and pretty, with those perfect lime-green crownshafts and silvery under-leaves.  Great canopy at my place.

I've got about six of them, plus some Alexes . . . .

[freakypalmguy]

How'd they do last year Dave? The tuckeri's that is?

Matt

[Jeff in St Pete]

I voted for A tuckeri.  I germinated a bunch from seeds and planted about a dozen of them all over my yard in Tampa.  The ones in shade under live oaks were the fastest growers.  I germinated the seeds in Fall 2001, planted most of them in my yard in 2003, and when I sold my house in Dec 2006 they were 8-10 feet overall (roughly 3 meters).  Definitely one of my top favorite palms!

[Palm Hound]

Do you want to see a crazy hybrid, how about A. cunninghamiana X philodendron? They are a hot couple that no matter how intimate they become, will be unable to bear seedlings.

[Scott]

Looks pretty kinky ???

[Peter]

Len, they just made up that name.  I think the story is that they got seeds  15-20 yrs. ago from an old Mexican guy who had it growing in his yard.  And yes, they do come true from seed.  Here are a few photos of a particularly beefy cunninghamiana that I found growing in West Hollywood.  I have no idea whether it's one of Seaside Growers' monstera's, but whatever it is, it's huge.  Hard to tell from the photos, but it holds it's own next to the Royals.  You can just about make out how the trunk is about 50% larger than the 'normal' cunninghams in the photo, and it must have about a 6-8' crownshaft.

[Eric in Orlando]

It was a hard choice between A. myolensis and A. purpurea  but this won out;

[brodklop]

(Peter @ Feb. 19 2008,10:25)

QUOTE

.  Here are a few photos of a particularly beefy cunninghamiana that I found growing in West Hollywood.  I have no idea whether it's one of Seaside Growers' monstera's, but whatever it is, it's huge.  Hard to tell from the photos, but it holds it's own next to the Royals.  You can just about make out how the trunk is about 50% larger than the 'normal' cunninghams in the photo, and it must have about a 6-8' crownshaft.

Peter,

It's hard to tell as you said from a photo, but to me that looks a lot like a Alexandra x Cunninghamiana hybrid. Cunninghams have lilac flowers and Alex have light yellow flowers. The crownshaft is too green to be a Cunningham. When I lived in Sydney these hybrids were very robust and good looking. When I first came to Brisbane I grew one also and it was a big tree about the size of a Royal. The trunk was of couse thinner.

Great pic.. thanks Peter

Brod

[elHoagie]

(Peter @ Feb. 18 2008,17:33)

QUOTE

I decided to take my non-cunninghams out and I replaced them with Seaside Growers 'monstera's, which are beefy cunninghams with a huge bulging crownshaft-very attractive imho.

I think some of your castoffs may end up in El Sereno....

I voted myolensis by the way.

[MattyB]

(Wal @ Feb. 17 2008,01:11)

QUOTE

Very tough choice, but this week I've gone for the maxima. I've seen mature specimens of each the so called kings except for myolensis, and I have one of each growing at home. I've gone for maxima for it's sheer beauty and power look and I'm referring to the one growing at Daryl's place as mine are still yet to mature.

I doubt whether too many people have seen mature specimens of each of the Archos. It's hard to go past a well grown alex for that matter, this is a tough poll.

I'm with you on this one Wal.  A. maxima!

The purpurea aren't always a stunning purple.  They're slower and burn in the sun too.  A. maxima handles wind, sun and are fattys!

[DoomsDave]

(freakypalmguy @ Feb. 18 2008,22:00)

QUOTE

How'd they do last year Dave? The tuckeri's that is?

Matt

Took a hit.

The smaller ones died.  About three feet tall or less.

The bigger ones showed damage, rocketed to the moon, more or less

[deezpalms]

(Peter @ Feb. 19 2008,07:25)

QUOTE

Len, they just made up that name.  I think the story is that they got seeds  15-20 yrs. ago from an old Mexican guy who had it growing in his yard.  And yes, they do come true from seed.  Here are a few photos of a particularly beefy cunninghamiana that I found growing in West Hollywood.  I have no idea whether it's one of Seaside Growers' monstera's, but whatever it is, it's huge.  Hard to tell from the photos, but it holds it's own next to the Royals.  You can just about make out how the trunk is about 50% larger than the 'normal' cunninghams in the photo, and it must have about a 6-8' crownshaft.

The real story about the "monsteras" is that the owners of Seaside Growers was over in Jamaica I believe, on vacation when they spotted a local man selling "Monster" King palms on the side of the road. They got some seeds from him and that's what started their collection. Now the few original plants are gigantic and have been seeding for many years. Most of the seeds tend to pop and grow into multi trunked trees and they have many more multi's than singles. I have 2 triples and one double all of which were in 1 gallon pots and 4-5' tall. They are all in 15's now and  have stout trunks with fat bulging crownshafts.

[MattyB]

Dave are you saying that this Archontophoenix is exibiting a clumping habit?  Or that the seeds are sprouting out of multiple embryos? I'm confused (as usual).

[Mats]

(deezpalms @ Feb. 25 2008,14:05)

QUOTE

The real story about the "monsteras" is that the owners of Seaside Growers was over in Jamaica I believe, on vacation when they spotted a local man selling "Monster" King palms on the side of the road. They got some seeds from him and that's what started their collection.

Jamaica?  The story Jim Cassady (co-owner) told me was the same one that Peter related, that "they got seeds  15-20 yrs. ago from an old Mexican guy."  

.

[Palm Hound]

Maybe the old Mexican guy was in Jamaica. What I believe Dave is saying is they are sold in multiples.  I bought a one gallon Monstera one year ago, put it in the ground last spring and it is a fatty. It would fit in a seven gallon pot now.

[joe_OC]

Sheesh, David...

Now you have gone and done it...I have got to add A. myolensis, A. purpurea, and A. tuckeri

to the yard...

[Hollywood Palms]

I voted for A. myolensis. It's the only variety of King palm that I have.

The two A. myolensis I have are from Phil. Both were small 5 gallon little numbers and are about a year and a half in the ground. One will be 6 feet in few months-yup they are growing that fast.

I am going to use A. myolensis as my canopy scape, along with Kentias, on my hillside.

Now: where do I get bulk A. myolensis? <sigh>

David

[DoomsDave]

(freakypalmguy @ Feb. 18 2008,22:00)

QUOTE

How'd they do last year Dave? The tuckeri's that is?

Matt

THey are a bit on the tender side, that's for sure.

THe big ones, no problem.

I lost two small ones outright, and others suffered serious damage.

We had about 27 F for four days, all night long.

Alexes did a little better.

Kings and purps, not a scratch.

And, the Maxies got whacked . . .

[Daryl]

I voted maxima, but they are all lovely palms...

Here are some photos from Brisbane...Can you pick which species they are?

[NBTX11]

Question for you King Palm fans.

How long would I get away with a King Palm in ground in my area, planted against the SE wall.  

See my sig for low temps.  Avg about 25F over the past 6 winters, ranging from 22 or 23 to 27F for the min winter low.  The queens around here burn some in the colder winters (and will probably be killed in a big time freeze).

[elHoagie]

Jim - There was some moderate damage to my A. cunninghamianas at my old place in the freeze last year, but they still looked ok and were in no danger of dying. I had two nights below freezing, one at -2.5C (27F) and one at -1C (30F), and the palms were in exposed locations. But, they were also fairly large plants, at least 3m (10ft) tall...

[NBTX11]

(elHoagie @ Mar. 02 2008,08:44)

QUOTE

Jim - There was some moderate damage to my A. cunninghamianas at my old place in the freeze last year, but they still looked ok and were in no danger of dying. I had two nights below freezing, one at -2.5C (27F) and one at -1C (30F), and the palms were in exposed locations. But, they were also fairly large plants, at least 3m (10ft) tall...

Thanks Jack.

I get at least one temp at 27F or below every year, bottoming out at around 25 or so.  Most freezes however, are in the 28F-32F range.

[fastfeat]

(Pivi @ Feb. 17 2008,07:04)

QUOTE

Auch, this is a tough vote...

I like them all. It's really hard to choose one.

Tuckeri for it's speed, cunnighamiana for it's hardiness, purpurea for it's look...

But in the end they all have a great look.

This time i choose purpurea

Pivi--

Nice A. purpurea. Did you shoot these? Looks just like a planting in Laguna Hills, CA (Orange Co) at a medical building that I saw a couple ogf years back.

[madagascarbob]

New maxima leaf !

[deezpalms]

I didn't vote because it's too hard.

This past Fall I potted 3 different archos ina 10-gallon pot. Left to right: alexandra, purpurea, and myolensis.

Terry, I think that this will look sweet when they all get to a nice n' beefy size!

I voted for purpurea also because of the colorful crownshaft. I have all of the species listed here and purpurea wins hands down. Second would be myolensis. This is another colorful one just not as pronounced however you can definitely see a hint of turquoise in the crownshft.

[sonoranfans]

My alexes have grown very quickly from 1 gallon size in just 6 months, so I like them best now. Perhaps the 3-5 gallon size myolensis I have in containers will win me over in the future, or maybe if the alabang(alex/bangalow) hybrid seedling triple I received from Mike Evans turns out to be a cold tolerant show stopper, they could win me over. But for now the alexandre (triple) is my favorite king.

[SoTropiCal Ben]

I like the purpurea, but I have to give the edge to the myola... just for it's rarity, it's turqoise glossy hue, a it's growth speed.

Edited October 27, 2010 by SoTropiCal Ben