copernicia cowellii

[MAPU 1]

Here is fotos of my neglected 1999 seedlings and 1 of habitat.

[Exotic Tropicals]

That's a lot of cowellii u got there.

[tank]

]Here is fotos of my neglected 1999 seedlings and 1 of habitat.

Dale,

Please post more habitat pics if you have them! I really can't get enough of this palm in habitat. I'm stuck with the rest as mine is still a strap leafed dwarf. Do you know the pine species in your habitat pic? Is it Pinus caribaea or tropicalis?

[Gbarce]

Charles/Portugal - great pictures! The young cowelii is particularly useful-- so we need to watch out for short stubby petioles and wide "fingers" -- or whatever you call those pointy leaf extensions

Mapu 1 - Your neglected seedlings are pretty useful too. At that "thick strap leaf stage" the seedlings should be really glaucous.

This thread is turning out to be pretty illustrative about species

[Tala]

p/up mine from a PalmFest in so. Fla. , another reason to resume these events ... cannot recall if seller was Dale or Mike Harris. It holds 5 or 6 leaves, the emerging spear is always very blue. This yr the tips have started to split, only get 3 leaves per yr. Its in the same 3g container I put it in after I brought it home as a 3 leaf sdlg, '99 or so I think, would have to check. Those larger plants you guys have on the 1st page don't look like cowelli at all, doubtful anyone had them available before 1997 if then, but considering it's Cuba I guess anything is possible.

[PalmatierMeg]

A couple weeks I picked up this 2-leaf C. cowellii seedling in a 1.5" cone. I was told it germinated from seed collected in Cuba. I planned to leave it in its cone on the back lanai. But last night I noticed two white roots growing out the bottom of the cone. Do I need to repot it now? Wait until more roots show? I don't want to "slow" or "stunt" the growth of a palm that grows glacially slow on its best day. If I repot, do I go to a 2" cone? A 4" tallpot? Or what?

Thanks for any info,

Meg

Copernicia cowellii in 1/5" cone

[Gbarce]

I'd say go for for the bigger pots maybe 5 gallons or whatever size pot is manageable for when you eventually plant it in the ground.

With Copernicias, there seems to be a lot more action going on in the roots than in the leaves.

[Tala]

Meg, that one of mine above has been in that 3g pot for a decade now! One time a root tip tried to come out, I just pushed it back in. They're by no means the root monsters that the other Cuban sps are. Perhaps after another decade has past I'll need to re-pot it ... When that time arrives I'll probably just cut the pot open rather than try to dump it. It makes 2-3 leaves per yr so the container has not slowed it down any.

[SubTropicRay]

I find this Copernicia grows faster up top when its roots are somewhat restricted. I'd say do not overpot or you will be waiting for awhile.

[Exotic Tropicals]

Mine seem to be loving the rain we've been having down here in Miami. They have started to move alot faster.

[Gbarce]

Bumping this post for Miccles.

Michael this is the species of the tiny 4 leaf seedling I showed you. Based on the examples on ths post it will be a couple of decades before I get to appreciate it becoming "true to form"--and there's even the added risk that it turns out to be something different .

Cuban palms are great but they are just so darn slow. The photos of the adult specimens in Cuba is why I choos to try to grow it in the first place.

[Miccles]

Thanks Gene !

I can see why you are growing it - those habitat shots are very distinctive. Your entire "Cuban collection" is top-shelf, and I honestly think you should start a thread on them. People would be blown away.

Thanks for the tour last week - you have many, many stunning palms, grown to perfection.

Best regards

Michael.

[fdrc65]

This is a leaf detail from Cuba of this beautiful palm Edited May 8, 2011 by fdrc65

[Mandrew968]

On 9/13/2010, 9:58:33, RainForestt Robert said:

Gene, here is a photo of my alleged C. cowellii.

 

Colin, I know exactly how you feel when you believe that you have the real deal only for someone to say "that ain't it".

This is a macroglossa, not cowellii.

[Mandrew968]

On 9/14/2010, 9:01:02, Charles Wychgel said:

Here is my Copernicia cowelli planted in 2000, the more I look at it the more I doubt the ID

 

Here is a young Copernicia cowelli picture taken in Cuba on the IPS post tour

These two are not cowellii either. I have seen Dale's and it blew my socks off--never used that saying before now... 

 

 

[aztropic]

I've actually had pretty good luck growing this species in the Arizona desert.I know they are the real deal, as I collected the seeds myself in Cuba.(2014) They really yellow up over our cool winters but grow well (dare I say thrive?) over our extremely hot summers. (105F - 115F highs June thru September)

Pics taken today.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[aztropic]

Link to more habitat pics.

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/41944-copernicia-cowellii-habitat-pics-from-cuba/

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

 

[aztropic]

They actually get a little greener over summer.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[JubaeaMan138]

Here is one of Mine I have 2 of these . I have bought a lot of these over the last 2 years all seedlings . I think now I have finally figured out how to keep these alive here in inland Southern California . Zero overhead water . Full sun meaning 100 plus degree weather in a cactus soil mixed with about 50 percent hydrated lime . And little to no water during my winter . Slow and small but alive and pushing a new leaf 

[JubaeaMan138]

Any one else on the best coast growing these? 

[aztropic]

8 years old from seed now. This is one of a few species that actually seems to grow better in the desert than humid south Florida.

Wonder if native soil composition could have something to do with it?

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[SouthFLA]

This is the largest Copernicia cowellii I've seen outside of Cuba. It's located in Miami FL. This is by far my favorite palm.

[aztropic]

That has to be THE largest specimen in the USA for sure!!! 

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[JubaeaMan138]

4 hours ago, SouthFLA said:

This is the largest Copernicia cowellii I've seen outside of Cuba. It's located in Miami FL. This is by far my favorite palm.

Killer! 

[PalmatierMeg]

7 hours ago, SouthFLA said:

This is the largest Copernicia cowellii I've seen outside of Cuba. It's located in Miami FL. This is by far my favorite palm.

That is a dandy.

[LP305]

This Copernicia cowelii pictured was planted around 2006. There are others in my yard that were planted in 2003 and are much smaller. 
The advantage that this one has is that it had an irrigation system installed next to it about 5 years ago and this, I believe, helped it shoot up.

I am getting about 3 to 4 new leaves a year now. The other stragglers make one leaf a year.  Another factor is that once they are a certain size then their growth rate accelerates. 

I even tried a nickel spray for a while but that did not speed up its growth.
It is the slowest palm I have ever grown. Be patient please.
 

 

[aztropic]

Still growing. Slow but steady species for the hot desert. Kind of reminds me of Copernicia macroglossa with its growth habits - just a miniature version.👍

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[yeye]

Really good progression Scott about the last year for your cowelii!!

which minimum temperature have you recorded since they are in the ground ? 29f ?

And which kind of soil have you got around them ?

Thanks 

Olivier

[aztropic]

Soil is an alkaline clay. They usually see a couple nights each year in the 29-32F range with only yellowing. Last winter did have 1 night of 28F,and most of my examples had some damage to unopened spears/bud, although they all grew out the damage over our extremely hot summer.

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona