PSSC MEETING in the OC

[JEFF from Trabuco Canyon CA]

Saturday, Mar. 21, 2009

The Calif. Rainforest Garden

of Ralph Velez in Westminster

& Palm Island in

Mile Square Park, Fountain Valley

This meeting is a must for any palm enthusiast. It is our opportunity to visit the home of Ralph Velez, at 15461 Devonshire Circle, Westminster. If you don’t know Ralph, he started his palm collection in 1962. His yard was highlighted on Huell Howser’s television show. Many newspaper articles have been written about his fabulous garden of exotic palms and other unusual plants. His two story greenhouse will also be open for touring. There you will find many palms and plants that are unable to be grown outdoors in California.

Viewing will start at Mile Square Park at 10:30 am. Palm Island parking is on the Euclid Street side (see directions below), followed by a Potluck at 11:30. This is the Palm project which Ralph Velez has spearheaded since 1998 with the City of Westminster, his own efforts and some donations from growers and the PSSC. Ralph will give a short presentation on efforts to develop this public palm garden. At 1:00 p.m, we will reconvene with a tour of Ralph’s wonderful rainforest garden and the auction to start at 2:30 p.m. Address is 15461 Devonshire Circle. Ph. 714 775-6324 if lost. Cell phone is (714) 457-4442.

Ralph has spent a lifetime presently growing nearly 447 different species, most of which are outdoors (some 307 species in the ground), which will expose you to many varieties that can be grown in Southern California. His recently rebuilt green house holds over a hundred tropical species needing shelter and heat to survive and thrive.

Among the notables to look for are: Chamaedorea (over 50 species), a Dypsis sp. named “Slick Willy” from Madagascar, Syagrus oleracea, Syagrus glaucescens, Parajubaea cocoides and torallyi, Caryota gigas, Jubaea chilensis, and a most unusual and rare palm, Nannorhops stockiana,

which recently was set on fire by vandals. The list goes on. Ralph’s garden has been featured in several publications and on educational television programs.

Directions to Mile Square Park:

Coming from the North or South on the 405 (San Diego Freeway), exit on Brookhurst going North. Continue on Brookhurst past Mile Square Park turning right on Edinger Ave, proceeding to Euclid. Turn right on Euclid, go past the first traffic light at Heil and enter the Park gate on the right. Bring your newsletter (NL) as we are trying to get the parking fees waived with proof of membership, use the NL as proof. Park in Lot F, which is closest to Palm Island.

Directions from Mile Square Park to Ralph’s garden:

Exit Park parking lot and drive north to the exit on Ward and Edinger. Proceed north on Ward to the next light at McFadden. Cross the street and and immediately turn left on Nottingham. Continue west until you reach the corner of Nottingham and Devonshire Circle. Ralph is on the corner of Nottingham and Devonshire Circle.

Heads-up written by Ralph Velez about his garden:

The primary purpose of the following is to give members a kind of ‘HEADS-UP’ on what to look for the day of the tour. First of all there are a lot of palms to look at. Between my house and the parkway of my neighbors, there are over 400 palms and about 307 species to look at. 69 new palms were planted in 2008.

Secondly, I already know I have too many palms planted too close to each other. I have a constant battle going on in my head between the collector and the artist. I have always loved the ‘jungle’ and that’s what I have created. I hate brown leaves, so my ‘jungle’ is civilized. Of the 307 species in the ground, 41 are in the ground in my large 2 story heated greenhouse. A lot of my palm collection consists of tropical palms in pots from liners to 15 gal. size containers. All together there’s about 447 species.

I’ve been very fortunate in that I have a lot of my collection planted in my neighbor’s parkways. I got permission from my city and the various home owners to put my palms there. I have so much canopy and shade, that the sun loving palms such as Bismarckia, the Triangle palm and other sun lovers just will not grow on my lot.

In the front yard, very near the sidewalk, about 7’ from the block wall fence is a Dypsis sp. (slick willy) from Madagascar. This palm is so incredible in looks and cold hardiness. It keeps on growing right through the winter. It has two trunks. There is also a large Pandanus utilis with stilt roots protruding from the trunk. Those roots hit the sidewalk and then spread out like fingers.

Some of the palms I would like to bring to your attention are: the Syagrus oleracea. It may well be the largest in So. Calif. It’s in my north parkway (Nottingham) There is also a Syagrus glaucescens beneath it. It’s quite unique with the color of the fronds. In Devonshire circle; there are three species of Latania. Of the red, blue and yellow forms, the yellow, Latania verschaffeltii grows the fastest and looks the best year round. In the circle, there is also Parajubaea cocoides and torallyi, Caryota gigas, Jubaea chilensis, and a most unusual and rare palm, Nannorhops stockiana. What’s so unusual about it is the abundant soft tormentum near the base of the rachis. That all gone now because of the fire vandalism I always wanted to have a palm with a black trunk, but not this way. N. ritchina is usually the only species that one sees at Botanical gardens and peoples homes. The only stockiana I have ever seen is mine. I grew it from seed. This palm easily suckers and BRANCHES. Unfortunately, it is monocarpic, like the Arengas and Caryotas. My tallest Royal is across the street in the circle. It was planted in mid ‘70’s. In my parkway is probably the largest Licuala spinosa in Calif. It has never been damaged by any cold weather.

Almost in the center of my front yard is my fruit bearing Prestoea acuminata (montana) that I collected in the El Yunque rainforest in Puerto Rico. I’ve had viable seed for several years now. Acanthophoenix rubra is doing much better than I ever thought it would. Likewise, my Dictyosperma rubra under a lot of shade in the front yard.

Wallichia densiflora and disticha are in the back yard. Also in my back yard is a Cocothrinax dussiana (barbadensis), which I planted in 1965 before I even heard of the Palm society. There is also a huge Arenga pinnata and the largest leafed Sabal mauritiformis you can imagine. The one in the front yard is much taller, but does not have fronds nearly as large as the one in my back yard. Another great palm you don’t want to miss in the back yard is Licuala elegans. It is planted outdoors right up against the south wall of the greenhouse. On the south side of my house, where there is a block wall between my neighbor and me, are two good specimens of Hyophorbe, H. verschaffeltii and H. indica. The bottle palm is planted by my small pond near the block wall. It was just planted last July. There is a Veillonia alba hiding behind a huge trunked Royal right by the gate. Nearby are a Licuala sp. and a Ptychosperma macarthurii.

On the north side of the greenhouse is an Acrocomia Mexicana that I planted in 1969. In the same area are two Ceroxylons, but are relatively small. Also, in ‘69, I planted inside the greenhouse, a Zombia antillarium. The most unusual thing about this palm is the trunk. It is really slow, even in the greenhouse. I can imagine how slow it would be in a normal Calif. environment. In the greenhouse are Marojejya darianii and Johannesteijsmannia altifrons. It will be interesting to see which one will grow the fastest. If you are not familiar with these two palms, check them out in your palm book. They are just fabulous. Ravenea xerophylla, a sun-loving arid type palm from Madagascar is hidden under a tree fern in the back yard and has stayed alive for many years. It’s one of the slowest palms to have. I am amazed it’s still alive, especially it’s in a lot of shade.

In the front yard, very near the sidewalk, about 7’ from the block wall fence is a Dypsis sp. (slick willy) from Madagascar. This palm is so incredible in looks and cold hardiness. It keeps on growing right through the winter. It has two trunks.

Altogether, there are about 50 Chamaedorea species in the garden, so I hope you enjoy the tour and try not to miss those special palms you love.

[BS Man about Palms]

Ralphs Copernicia baileyana by the street is pretty awesome too!

[Shon]

I missed this one last time I'm not missing this one.

[osideterry]

I'm coming, and really looking forward to it. For the first time in a long time, no schedule conflict.

[BS Man about Palms]

I missed this one last time I'm not missing this one.

Says you.

[JEFF from Trabuco Canyon CA]

I am glad to hear you are coming Shon. Ellidro says he is coming which will be his first meeting.

[BS Man about Palms]

I am glad to hear you are coming Shon. Ellidro says he is coming which will be his first meeting.

50% of this statement may prove true....

[JEFF from Trabuco Canyon CA]

I hope to see some new faces tomorrow. Should be a great day!

Jeff