Caryota gigas

[redant]

Other then the one I think I have seen at animal kingdom, I don't think I have ever seen a mature one of these in FL. I'm willing to except the fact that this palm will never make it through a hurricane, but other then that any FL growers have any thoughts/experience with this palm. I have a small one I want to plant out.

Thanks for any info.

Edited August 1, 2008 by redant

[cobra2326]

I also would like to know. I have one in a gallon that I'll be planting out in a few years.

[Tala]

What do you want to know? C.gigas is actually obtusa, some from India, or Thailand, China, kind of a sporadic range like S.maurit's. Unusual ... They can grow from seed to flowering maturity in about 12 yrs in cen. Fl., less in so. Fl. Shady conditions can stretch that out a bit. Shallow root system, very hard wood, difficult to cut. Beautiful palms, like a some kind of prehistoric tree fern on steroids. About 20 ft wide span. Slow for the 1st yr or so, increase in speed / overall hgt. as they age. Takes a good 2 yrs to finish flowering. Does that help?

[palmislandRandy]

I saw this one yesterday at the Orchid Society in Delray Beach. Sorry, don't know anything else about it.

[Tala]

your pics look to be C.maxima aka Himalayana or ochlandra. The obtusa/gigas etc. palms hold a wider bole, large enough you often cannot lock your arms around it, more black fibers in the stem, much longer fronds that lay out flat (like a tree fern) rather than upright (like a bamboo) in these pics.

[tikitiki]

My neighbor has had a 5 gallon planted out for a year. It came through this past winter with no problems at all. there is one in fruit at Leu as we speak.

[KyleNcal]

12 years from seed to flowering seems really quick, no wonder they aren't planted more. I brought down some seeds to Mexico(zone 11), now I'm rethinking where to plant them. On RPS I thought it said something like 40 years to flower.

[Tala]

its all about climate. I'm sure in cooler places (eg. their habitats, prob. So.Cal., etc.) they can take 40 yrs. Here in Fl. they can take longer if planted in shady spots but thats really the only thing that slows them down. I have yet to see any species that could not reach maturity & begin flower in / around a decade, from common clumpers like mitis to giants like obtusa. So far the only one that seems to struggle here is urens but even they flower quickly as well.

[redant]

What do you want to know? C.gigas is actually obtusa, some from India, or Thailand, China, kind of a sporadic range like S.maurit's. Unusual ... They can grow from seed to flowering maturity in about 12 yrs in cen. Fl., less in so. Fl. Shady conditions can stretch that out a bit. Shallow root system, very hard wood, difficult to cut. Beautiful palms, like a some kind of prehistoric tree fern on steroids. About 20 ft wide span. Slow for the 1st yr or so, increase in speed / overall hgt. as they age. Takes a good 2 yrs to finish flowering. Does that help?

Yes, that was helpful, thanks. I also did not know the lifespan would be that short, may make a big difference on my planting location.

[Eric in Orlando]

Its a shame that it seems that C. obtusa/C. gigas are going to be short lived in FL, too. Since they grow 60-80ft in habitat and they are slower growing than other solitary Caryota, they seemed to be a longer lived fishtail palm. Now it appears once they get 20-30ft tall (in 10-15 years) they are fruiting. I wonder if the heat and humidity are speeding up the life cycle.

[Exotic Life]

IS this normal...? I've this germinated, but the seed is above the groud now... or is it time for a deeper pot?

[Tala]

your seed is fine, as long as the palm was able to push new roots into the soil you are good to go. After the first 1 or 2 leaves the seed is spent.

Eric - that has got to be it, the same thing happens in other "semi tropical" locales. Lately what I have been trying to do or suggest is to plant them under oaks or in broken shade. This will prolong their lives a bit, force them to become canopy emergent types. Might get 20 yrs instead of 12...

Edited August 7, 2008 by Tala