Mauritia flexuosa

[Really full garden]

These seedlings are about five months old.I had 5 seeds germinate after 5-6 months.Three rotted and two did not germinate.I have a sesonally flooded spot that is the future home for a few of these palms.I am amazed at how much these seedlings resemble the sedge umbrella grass - the semi aquatic papayrus relative.

I wonder how closely I should plant them?

[Jeff Searle]

Scott,

    Well, if your asking for our opinions, I would give them plenty of room. As you know, this is a big palm. I think at least 20' apart. Give or take...

Jeff

[Palm Guy]

Scott,

I agree with Jeff. If you want to be able to view each palms crown in its entirety, its best to plant it at least 20 ft apart but since you live in a favorable climate I would say 25-30ft would be better. I've heard that the petioles alone can reach 30 ft!

They do look like papyrus!

cheers,

[bgl]

Scott,

Since I believe you now have plenty of room, I think a grove of them, 30-35 ft apart, would be an absolutely amazing sight! :cool:

Bo-Göran

[ariscott]

I would kill to have one of those.... yes.. 10m apart will be good.

Regards, Ari

[Really full garden]

I have never seen a mature one in person.I have seen a photo with people standing nearby and this palm is massive.

Ari, Is this a forbidden species in Australia?

[ariscott]

No...the seeds are in the allowable import list. It's just hard to find here in Australia. I have spots for all my big fan palms, so hopefully one day I can add this to my collections.

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Here are some Buritis, Mauritia flexuosa in habitat.  Maybe you can get some ideas from what they look like around here.      This is one of the most common palms in our area, and one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful.  When the Euterpe precatoria and the M. flexuosa are together the sight is always a pleasure to behold.

[Really full garden]

Don,thank you for the incredible images.This is a spectacular palm.How long do you think it will take to get some clear trunk on these seedlings?I will plant them out in their permanent location later this year.

[amazondk]

Scott,

I really do not know how long until the palm will have clear trunk.  But, you either see juvenile palms or ones with trunk.  So, I imagine that after a certain point they kick in with growth and develop quickly.  They like moist sandy soil with a lot of organic matter.  The fruit also makes great ice cream.

Here are a few more.

This is looking at the Mauritia grove next to my lot on the Rio Negro.  My lot is just off to the left.

[ariscott]

You are killing me.. Don. Do they grow a bit like corypha? Sideways first and then up (if you know what I mean).

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Ari,

As far as I have seen they normally grow just straight up from the ground.

dk

[ariscott]

Do you have a pic of young plants before trunking?

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Ari,

I don't know if I do or not.  But, I am driving 775 kms back to Manaus from Boa Vista today and tomorrow and there are probably millions of Mauritias along the way.  So, I will take a few pictures and post them when I get home.

dk

[amazondk]

Ari,

Here are some pictures from the trip back to Manaus.  These were taken on Wednesday afternoon on the 300 km first leg from Boa Vista to Rorainopolis.  When I got to the 170 km point the light was very nice as well as the scenery.  I drive this road enough that I know where things are quite well by now.  The place has a nice little range of hills covered with forest and some pretty Mauritias setting the stage.

[aussiearoids]

Marvelous photos Don . I am certain this is a very fast growing species for us in the wet tropics .. The one I used to see in Whyanbeel had a very tall trunk and it could not have been that old .. maybe 1m a year trunk growth once established ..?

[ariscott]

Thanks Don... it is very wide before trunking, I can see from the photos (that was what I meant... I didn't explain very well). Very pretty palms indeed. Just remember of me... when you ever see any seeds  :: . I will swap you with 2 bucketfull of carpies...  

Michael,

Have you seen any for sale down there? And would that fit in the back of the car??

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Machiel,

Yes they will quite well for you I am sure.  I would say that they do grow fast. One thing is that you really don't see many small ones.   So, I believe that means that they tend to grow fast once reaching a certain stage.

Ari,

Seeds are never a problem.  The fruit is consumed here for drink.  And, there is a company that makes ice cream bars from the fruit which are delicious.  

Here are a few more photos from further down the road.  The country side changes as you go south.  There is no savana land like around Boa Vista.  For 120 kms you go through the indian reservation where the forest comes up to the side of the road.  The countryside going south to Manaus is quite hilly and the Mauritias normally are around the pockets of water and streams in the low parts all over.

The road BR 174

Were fill from the highway has blocked the natural water circulation many trees get too much standing water I believe and slowly go into decline and die.  There are some old ones that have died in this area.  The leaves of the trees with too much water are not the deep green of those in better habitat which is damp and even wet at times of the year, but has some period of dry soil.

[ariscott]

Don,

They are a must have... I think. I think the younger one looks better myself, but I don't mind the ones with the trunk either   . I have a perfect spot for it... for one day when I can find one.

Regards, Ari

[aussiearoids]

Ari , I have never seen any offered for sale here .. just missed out on some at Maurie Spinas !! There are a few mature trees but maybe you need cross pollination ? I am sure we will get some eventually .. I have a few perfect spots for them .. but they will grow without there feet in water .

[amazondk]

Ari and Michael,

The Mauritia has a very wide natural distribution in Brazil across Amazonia and into the Northeast of the country.  They are found where ever there is enough water for them.  They range from the rain forest to the savanna.  So, I am sure they would do fine in your areas.  If you notice from the photos the palms frequently do grow pretty close together.  

Here are some more pictures from the trip.

As I got closer to Manaus there were some roadside trees with fruit.  The Mauritias blooms and fruits are a real pretty sight.

[amazondk]

I think that the Mauritia, know locally as the Buriti, can be planted quite close together if one wants to.  The trees do not arch out when close but grow up pretty much straight with their leaves merging.  Here is an example.

Some more small trees along the roadside.  One had been pruned by someone clearing the brush.

[simona]

Hello there,

As you might be aware, this PALMTALK is also visited by lots of guests (non members) who find you guys absolutly remarcable.

One of them is a good friend of mine from Salzburg/Austria who would be happy to get some tips for the best way to germinate Mauritia seeds.

Hi Scott,

you wrote that, you had 5 seeds germinate after 5-6 months. Please be so kind and tell us what where the conditions [germination media, soil & moisture & temperature conditions].

Thank you in advance!

[ariscott]

(aussiearoids @ Apr. 12 2008,08:46)

QUOTE

Ari , I have never seen any offered for sale here .. just missed out on some at Maurie Spinas !! There are a few mature trees but maybe you need cross pollination ? I am sure we will get some eventually .. I have a few perfect spots for them .. but they will grow without there feet in water .

You need a male and a female, Michael. So, when you get it... make sure you get more than one. Although, even then there is no guarantee...

Regards, Ari

[amazondk]

Ari,

Maybe this is a dumb question, but would both a male and a female bear fruit?  From what I see they all act alike.  That is all of them I see once they are mature bear fruit.

dk

[ariscott]

I don't have an answer to that, Don. All I know... someone had to get pollen from another tree - to pollinate his. Maybe they do have male and female on the same tree and have to cross pollinate...   . Now, I feel dumb!!

Regards, Ari

[brodklop]

Ari,

Here is a pic of one that was growing at Babinda in Nth Queensland.

I say was, because I think it was wiped out by the bad cyclone a year or so back.

I agree these are fantastic palms and any effort to grow them would be worth it.

[brodklop]

Here is one growing at the Palmetum in Townsville.

I think it is not as good as it could be because it's a little on the dry side.

If they planted it on the edge of the lagoon it would have prospered

Brod

[Caribbean Palms]

Don, absolutely incredible photos, thanks for sharing.

Mike

[amazondk]

Mike,

This palm is probably the most representative of our area.  It is a beautiful tree.  It is so common that people really do not give it the value it is worth.  The tree grows all around Manaus in empty spaces right in the middle of the city.  But, it is rarely planted.  I am glad you like the pictures.

Scott, I hope you don't mind that I put all these pictures on your thread.  I figured you would not mind.

dk

[amazondk]

Brod,

The trees in your photos do not have any skirt of dead leaves.  Do you think that they took them off?

dk

[amazondk]

This is a photo I took a few years ago in Balbina Lake which is just to the east of the last pictures.  This area is dry part of the year.  The lake is has a dam which produces electridty for Manaus and the water level is controlled.  But, they seem to drain it enough for the Mauritias to do ok.

dk

[amazondk]

Mauritas by the airport in Manaus.

[Really full garden]

Don, your photos are an inspiration.It is great to see these palms growing in situ.

Simona,I normally germinate all my palm seeds using the baggie method with slightly moist peat and sand mixture.My Mauritia seeds began to rot so I removed them and placed them in a 2gal.black plastic pot planted them just deep enough to cover the seeds.The pot received strong filtered sun,these seeds need warmth to germinate 30c or so.

[ariscott]

(brodklop @ Apr. 12 2008,20:01)

QUOTE

Ari,

Here is a pic of one that was growing at Babinda in Nth Queensland.

I say was, because I think it was wiped out by the bad cyclone a year or so back.

I agree these are fantastic palms and any effort to grow them would be worth it.

Babinda?? Is it at John Farrington's place? No... it is still there, from what I know. But it is not John Farrington's anymore...

Regards, Ari

[simona]

Thank you for those wonderful pictures Don, I really envy you for living in that absolutely beautiful environment [ it’s hard to describe and no adjective would probably ever do it justice].

Thank you Scott for explaining your germination method.

....I read that: The buriti is a dioecious species, without vegetative differences to distinguish the male and female individuals.

[amazondk]

Scott,

I am sure that the trees will make a great contribution to your landscape.  They normally grow in sandy areas fairly rich in organic matter.  But, they will do ok in clay soils if they get enough water.  They don't have to have be in areas that flood to grow ok either.  

dk

[Paco]

Hello Don, great pictures, I love the atmosphere, kind of Jurasic I 'll say hehe.

I Have a questions, Does Mauritia grow in all year round flooded areas? or is it just a seasonal flood.

Every time I see your pictures guys I ask to my self what the @#¡%!# am I doing here  ???

[brodklop]

Don your photos are so good. I just love this palm. It must be incredible to live amongst them. I think most gardeners trim dead leaves. I think they look better.

Except palms like Copernicia Macroglossa and others.

Ari I am not sure who's it is at Babinda. Daryl knows. I just heard this one fell in cyclone Larry.

[aussiearoids]

There are a few big gardens around Babinda ,, it could have been Farringtons , or maybe along the road to 'The Boulders' and Mark Daish's place .

Remember seeing John Farrington on the front page of the Cairns Post after he had driven all the way up to the old hippy commune at Cedar Bay to collect pollen from some male Mauritia flexuosa growing there . He was up on top of a ladder pollinating his female . Thats a keen palm grower !! btw its only about 400 klms over some outrageous rough roads , its only very recently been sealed all the way to Cooktown .