Dypsis Onilahensis

[Eric in Orlando]

I was over at my mom's house yesterday evening to mow her yard. Got some photos of the Dypsis onilahensis I planted there several years ago. It has gotten a very white trunk. It is in fairly dense shade so it stands out, especially in the evening. It isn't suckering but has produced an ofshoot a couple inches from the ground.

[Jeff Searle]

Eric,

What a beautiful plant. Planted there several years ago, how much cold has it taken over the years? I never knew this palm would grow this far north. And do you remember the height that it was when you planted it?

Jeff

[Eric in Orlando]

The one at my mom's house is under thick tree canopy so it is very protected. It was planted in summer 2000, a 1 gal plant about a foot tall. In the Jan. 2003 freeze when it got to 27F in Orlando it saw maybe 30F. The one at Leu Gardens had only light damage, it and D. baronii fared much better than D. lutescens, which had severe burn, some trunks were killed back. Both D. baronii and D. onilahensis both seem hardier than D. lutescens.

[surferjr]

The one at my mom's house is under thick tree canopy so it is very protected. It was planted in summer 2000, a 1 gal plant about a foot tall. In the Jan. 2003 freeze when it got to 27F in Orlando it saw maybe 30F. The one at Leu Gardens had only light damage, it and D. baronii fared much better than D. lutescens, which had severe burn, some trunks were killed back. Both D. baronii and D. onilahensis both seem hardier than D. lutescens.

Eric,

YOU NAILED IT RIGHT ON THE BUTTON!!

SAME RESULTS IN MY YARD!

First image is D.onilahensis.... Second D. baronii both have seen 22 degrees...and not missed a beat but Lutescen in my yard have burns, and I've need to cut trunks because this not the case with the others.

[LJG]

I really like this variation of Dypsis onilahensis. Most the ones I see around SoCal and green trunked and do not have as much of the intense white coloration. I picked one of these up from Jeff last year so I hope mine turns out to look like it. It is finally starting to take off and grow.

[Neofolis]

I was wondering, beautiful pictures by the way, my largest onilahensis seedling has just started to produce a second spear from a second growing point, both at the top of the plant. Much like the way Chamaedorea cataractarums divide at the growing point. Is it normal for onilahensis to divide in a similar way or is this a sign of stress or damage?

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is the Dypsis onilahensis at Leu Gardens, under Ficus auriculata canopy;

and the Dypsis baronii

[Jeff Searle]

I really like this variation of Dypsis onilahensis. Most the ones I see around SoCal and green trunked and do not have as much of the intense white coloration. I picked one of these up from Jeff last year so I hope mine turns out to look like it. It is finally starting to take off and grow.

Len,

The ones from me, white as snow. So,if it grows out to be less intense, then it can and should be attributed to your growing conditions and the So.-Cal climate. But, I'm sure you'll see it turn out to be quite nice.

Jeff

[ruskinPalms]

Wow, the onilahensis and baronii look marvelous! Too bad I am not looking to add any more palms any time soon...

[LJG]

I hope so. I ordered two from you last year but one you sent is a Psammy. Nice move.

I really like this variation of Dypsis onilahensis. Most the ones I see around SoCal and green trunked and do not have as much of the intense white coloration. I picked one of these up from Jeff last year so I hope mine turns out to look like it. It is finally starting to take off and grow.

Len,

The ones from me, white as snow. So,if it grows out to be less intense, then it can and should be attributed to your growing conditions and the So.-Cal climate. But, I'm sure you'll see it turn out to be quite nice.

Jeff

[Neofolis]

I was wondering, beautiful pictures by the way, my largest onilahensis seedling has just started to produce a second spear from a second growing point, both at the top of the plant. Much like the way Chamaedorea cataractarums divide at the growing point. Is it normal for onilahensis to divide in a similar way or is this a sign of stress or damage?

Anyone?

[Dypsisdean]

Corey,

I have my share of these types of Dypsis, and I have had quite a few that do this split, and they don't appear stressed. I think it's just another way of dividing, perhaps left over from an evolutionary type thing. Maybe they emerged from the same evolutionary branch of the "tree" as the other dividing palms ( D. decipiens, D. 'slick willy, D. perrei - or what's been sold as D. perrei) and one group went with larger trunks and fewer stems by splitting, and the other went with smaller suckering trunks, but still have the splitting gene in there somewhere.

Of course that is 100% pure conjecture on my part, and I don't even know why I brought it up.

[surferjr]

Wow, the onilahensis and baronii look marvelous! Too bad I am not looking to add any more palms any time soon...

You need to change you mind as both of these species need time and require planting small.....it worth adding a couple more Gems to everyone collection! Photo's don't do them justice!

[Neofolis]

Corey,

I have my share of these types of Dypsis, and I have had quite a few that do this split, and they don't appear stressed. I think it's just another way of dividing, perhaps left over from an evolutionary type thing. Maybe they emerged from the same evolutionary branch of the "tree" as the other dividing palms ( D. decipiens, D. 'slick willy, D. perrei - or what's been sold as D. perrei) and one group went with larger trunks and fewer stems by splitting, and the other went with smaller suckering trunks, but still have the splitting gene in there somewhere.

Of course that is 100% pure conjecture on my part, and I don't even know why I brought it up.

Thanks Dean, I'm quite interested to see how it develops, as it's still a relatively small seedling, so I was quite shocked to see it dividing.