Mystery Palm

[Jim in Los Altos]

Four summers ago I dug up these two joined seedlings from underneath a huge Santa Catarina Queen palm in a client's garden who was about to move to a new location. They were two leaf seedlings at the time but as you can see they have not grown a lot in four years despite rich soil and lots of water. At the time I thought they were offspring of the huge Queen but as they slowly grew I realized that they're something else but what? There are no Phoenix or Butia palms anywhere near. Any guesses?

[Jim in Los Altos]

Also...they are currently under a foot tall.

[MattyB]

So you don't think they're Syagrus?  They look like Syagrus to me but I really don't know for sure.  I'll guess Butia capitata then.  Look at the petioles; there's a hint of those webbed thorns starting.  Just a guess.  Could the slow growth be due to a lack of sun?

[cfkingfish]

This might be crazy talk but that looks awfully like a juvenile Jubaeopsis to me.

[BS Man about Palms]

(cfkingfish @ Nov. 05 2006,04:09)

QUOTE

This might be crazy talk but that looks awfully like a juvenile Jubaeopsis to me.

I may be on the bus to Crazyville with you Christian.  From above they really look similar, from the base, a little less so. The speed would about be right.

[Alan_Tampa]

I was thinking more of hybrid dealy, SyagrusXButia or something maybe including Jubea you poor saps are infected with out yonder

Alan

[MattyB]

Who gets a volunteer Jubeopsis though?  Unless the homeowner sowed some seed there.  Hmmmmmm.  I still think it's Butia that came from the Bootya of a bird.

[DoomsDave]

Bootey Dootey!

They look like Juvie Buties to me.  Those web-spines are very distinctive.

Ahem:

Out the booty-butt of a big-a'd bird . . . .

dave

[Zac in NC]

Looks Butia to me as well.

Zac