Ravenea rivularis

[Adam from Oz]

Hi all,

I just bought a 2m tall R. rivularis and plan to put it in my front yard. It would receive some sun but mostly dappled shade. ("Dappled shade" sounds so lyrical...........)

Would it grow OK in this?

Cheers,

Adam

[DoomsDave]

The answer is:

YES!

I have a large Roseanne Palm that's got about 3 feet (1m) of trunk that started off in the shade, pretty heavy shade, I would add.

It gets lots to drink.

As it's gotten bigger, so have the giant C. urens that have been shading it.

So far so good.

Now that it's gotten taller, it's getting more sun than it used to, and looking better and growing faster.

A bit of shade will probably (slighly) reduce the otherwise prodigious water needs of Palm Thirsty.

I call them the Roseanne Palm, after the comedienne by the same name, Roseanne Barr. Like its namesake the Roseanne Palm is big, fat, often inappropriate, but, used properly and with appropriate expecations, pretty cool . . . .

[Mandrew968]

Most important factor with these is water--rivularis pertains to this species loving water. They also have a modicum of cold...

[Adam from Oz]

Thanks guys!

Is Roseanne also a dypsomaniac? She seems to be retaining an awful lot of fluid..........

Cheers.

me.

[DoomsDave]

Thanks guys!

Is Roseanne also a dypsomaniac? She seems to be retaining an awful lot of fluid..........

Cheers.

me.

She certainly retains an awful lot of SOMETHING . . . .

[Tyrone]

Will love your clay mate. It'll get stuck right into it like a pig in mud.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Adam from Oz]

DONE, DONE, and ....you can fill in the rest.

1 x Roseanne in a smaller planter box to replace my Butia capitata var. yuckensis.

AND STACKS of water.

Thank you gentlemen

[Justin]

You seem to already have your answer, but I concur with the other fine gentlemen. And Dave. I have one that is shaded heavily by taller palms and bamboo, and it is very happy, so long as it has water and fertilizer. I agree that if you have clay, it will be ecstatic.

[Adam from Oz]

I have one that is shaded heavily by taller palms and bamboo, and it is very happy, so long as it has water and fertilizer. I agree that if you have clay, it will be ecstatic.

Oh, I do clay really well.

This is all good news. Happy Dance!

[DoomsDave]

whoa whoa!

Adam, don't put Roseanne into a skinny cocktail dress of a planter box!

Instead, opt for expansive fashions by Omar the Tentmaker . . .

The trunk gets about 1.5 - 2.6 meter thick.

Oy

[Adam from Oz]

Consider me WHOAED. WHOAED, Dave.

Planter box is 100cm x 100cm. Just wanna lift the plant a bit to give it a head start and make it easier to water before it reaches my clay of doom. I can then remove planter in a few years.

I can go to 120cm x 120 cm??

Are you sure about the 2.6m girth? That's 8.5 feet across! The ones that trunk here are more in the 60 - 70 cm range and still look great.

me again.

[peachy]

Forget the planter box, dig a hole and shove it in. They also eat like pigs so be prepared to feed it regularly. I planted both of mine in shade and let them find the sun by themselves. Mine dont mind the minus temps of winter but in summer they do get extra thirsty but wont keel over on a hot day if mama isnt about with a hose. The more its pampered the prettier they look but will survive a lot of neglect.

peachy

[Tassie_Troy1971]

HI Adam

Here is a Photo i took of DavesoCal Ravenea rivularis last August with Dave's size 12 shoe for scale. When it comes to bulging palm trunks Dave has got the voodoo !

Roystonea regia

[Tyrone]

That's one sicko Roystonea. Well done.

[Adam from Oz]

That's one sicko Roystonea. Well done.

I agree! PALM P#RN!

@Peachy, if I threw it straight into the ground, it would be impossible for me to water it adequately over the Summer months due to our water restrictions.

Best,

me.

[Adam from Oz]

Had to show you the plant in question:

Um, check out the size (or lack thereof) of the pot! The caudex almost fills it. On the left is its planter box and there's a watering can there that it has been looking lasciviously at.

[DoomsDave]

Adam, my toes curl in my size 12s

Majesties have trunks 0.5 m to 0.666 m across

I have just WHOA'd myself.

Your box is plenty big enough . . .

Sorry

[JASON M]

Big screw-up, Dave

[Adam from Oz]

Adam, my toes curl in my size 12s

Majesties have trunks 0.5 m to 0.666 m across

I have just WHOA'd myself.

Your box is plenty big enough . . .

Sorry

You are forgiven, oh, prodigal Dave!

One of the lines in your post I heard during an, um, "special access" movie on cable

Why do sooo many websites say sooo many different things about palms? One said that Majestics were ideal indoor plants while another said they were intolerant of any shade.

I've figured out that this will be quite a good solution to my front garden needs.

PLAN:

1. Ravenea rivularis in planter box on top of clay. Clay will let some water pool so it can keep its feet wet and yet still drain with a whack of Claybreaker, holes drilled in the bottom of the planter and some mulch put down before the sandy loam.

2. The Butia capitata var. yuckensis is to be dug up, the yuckiest of its yuckiest leaves cut off and put into a giant pot.

Questions:

1. How easy are Butia to move?

2. The plant is about 1m x 1m. About what size rootball should I get? It won't be anywhere near 1m x 1m!.

3. How long before I can introduce this pot into full sun? It's only August here (and there, I assume) yet I managed to sunburn a couple of days ago.

The plant still has those spotty lower fronds yet the top 6 - 7 leaves are all blue and healthy. SO, off with any spotted leaves.

Beats killing the plant outright. Just. What do you guys think?

Best.

me.

[Tyrone]

Sounds good Adam. I'd get that Butia into good free draining mix and put it immediately into full sun. Maybe it will burn a bit, but it will get over it. It will be heavy. Get some mates to help you.

Is it legal to use grey water in Melbourne? If it is, just pipe the shower and bath water to the majestic. It is in a little pot. I'd say it's been shade grown, but it's going into shade so it's alright. When young majestics are iron and magnesium hogs. Being on clay will help counteract the yellowing they can get on sandy soils like mine. Maybe in the surrounding build up soil you'll be putting into the planter thingy put some trace elements or even some citrus fertiliser as they have the same nutrient requirements as majestics. When it puts it's roots out in the warmer weather (which it will do with speed) it will come across the trace elements it needs and stay deep green. When majestics are hungry the first thing you'll see is the oldest leaves first getting yellowing between the veins but generally leaving the veins green unless the deficiency is really great and the veins will also go yellow, and the deficiencies will spread to younger and younger leaves. This is magnesium deficiency. The other one you may get (normally happens on high pH sand) is a yellowing out of the new growth. This is iron deficiency. And of course a general pale green colour over the whole plant is a lack of nitrogen.

I think a majestic will do well with you and once established and gets it's roots into the clay will be very happy.

Best regards

Tyrone

[peachy]

Having just gone through 12 years of water restrictions, including 4 years of bucket watering only, plus a total watering ban by any method for the final 3 years, I became skilled at recycling every drop of water used. (although I did include the 2 am sprinklers trick) I also had several visits from the water gestapo but nothing was ever proven. "Madam how many people live in this house ?" Seven adults ! "Well madam even with 7 people you have used 3 times the quantity expected" This when being blonde comes in handy. I always got off with a mild lecture about the importance of water conservation. Anyhow be that as it may, there is a vacant house around here that has been empty for about 7 years and the 2 majestics in the front yard have grown and survived without water, food or any kind of care all that time.

Peachy

Edited August 6, 2011 by peachy

[Adam from Oz]

Sounds good Adam. I'd get that Butia into good free draining mix and put it immediately into full sun. Maybe it will burn a bit, but it will get over it. It will be heavy. Get some mates to help you.

Is it legal to use grey water in Melbourne? If it is, just pipe the shower and bath water to the majestic. It is in a little pot. I'd say it's been shade grown, but it's going into shade so it's alright. When young majestics are iron and magnesium hogs. Being on clay will help counteract the yellowing they can get on sandy soils like mine. Maybe in the surrounding build up soil you'll be putting into the planter thingy put some trace elements or even some citrus fertiliser as they have the same nutrient requirements as majestics. When it puts it's roots out in the warmer weather (which it will do with speed) it will come across the trace elements it needs and stay deep green. When majestics are hungry the first thing you'll see is the oldest leaves first getting yellowing between the veins but generally leaving the veins green unless the deficiency is really great and the veins will also go yellow, and the deficiencies will spread to younger and younger leaves. This is magnesium deficiency. The other one you may get (normally happens on high pH sand) is a yellowing out of the new growth. This is iron deficiency. And of course a general pale green colour over the whole plant is a lack of nitrogen.

I think a majestic will do well with you and once established and gets it's roots into the clay will be very happy.

Best regards

Tyrone

Hi Tyrone,

have just planted out the Majestic (a full thread to follow with some graphic pics of a Butia being ripped from Mother Earth). I have put trace elements, magnesium sulfate and palm fertiliser on it. Now. to go back and finish La Partie Deux - the construction of my Lord Howe Island Bed on the grave of the world's now ex most repugnant Butia capitata var. uglyensis.

Phew!

Adam

[Tyrone]

Having just gone through 12 years of water restrictions, including 4 years of bucket watering only, plus a total watering ban by any method for the final 3 years, I became skilled at recycling every drop of water used. (although I did include the 2 am sprinklers trick) I also had several visits from the water gestapo but nothing was ever proven. "Madam how many people live in this house ?" Seven adults ! "Well madam even with 7 people you have used 3 times the quantity expected" This when being blonde comes in handy. I always got off with a mild lecture about the importance of water conservation. Anyhow be that as it may, there is a vacant house around here that has been empty for about 7 years and the 2 majestics in the front yard have grown and survived without water, food or any kind of care all that time.

Peachy

They would have loved the floods you had too. They even do survive here in sandy old Perth for a number of years without care, but without care they look so awful, even their mothers would reject them if you know what I mean. But it says a great deal about their survivability.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Tyrone]

Sounds good Adam. I'd get that Butia into good free draining mix and put it immediately into full sun. Maybe it will burn a bit, but it will get over it. It will be heavy. Get some mates to help you.

Is it legal to use grey water in Melbourne? If it is, just pipe the shower and bath water to the majestic. It is in a little pot. I'd say it's been shade grown, but it's going into shade so it's alright. When young majestics are iron and magnesium hogs. Being on clay will help counteract the yellowing they can get on sandy soils like mine. Maybe in the surrounding build up soil you'll be putting into the planter thingy put some trace elements or even some citrus fertiliser as they have the same nutrient requirements as majestics. When it puts it's roots out in the warmer weather (which it will do with speed) it will come across the trace elements it needs and stay deep green. When majestics are hungry the first thing you'll see is the oldest leaves first getting yellowing between the veins but generally leaving the veins green unless the deficiency is really great and the veins will also go yellow, and the deficiencies will spread to younger and younger leaves. This is magnesium deficiency. The other one you may get (normally happens on high pH sand) is a yellowing out of the new growth. This is iron deficiency. And of course a general pale green colour over the whole plant is a lack of nitrogen.

I think a majestic will do well with you and once established and gets it's roots into the clay will be very happy.

Best regards

Tyrone

Hi Tyrone,

have just planted out the Majestic (a full thread to follow with some graphic pics of a Butia being ripped from Mother Earth). I have put trace elements, magnesium sulfate and palm fertiliser on it. Now. to go back and finish La Partie Deux - the construction of my Lord Howe Island Bed on the grave of the world's now ex most repugnant Butia capitata var. uglyensis.

Phew!

Adam

You're on a roll. Don't stop. Great things are happening at your place.

Tyrone