Pseudophoenix ekmanii

[Tomw]

For those of you that are lucky enough to have them please post current pictures of them. I was doing some PalmTalk searches and found a few old threads about the Pseudophoenix ekmanii, and would love to see progress reports.

Edited March 21, 2012 by Tomw

[MattyB]

Here's mine 2 years ago when I planted it. It's taken two years for it to grow 1 leaf. It seems to take SoCal winters like a champ so far. I only water it by a hose, every once in a while, only during summer. It's a tough plant, like a cactus, but it's sooooo slooooowwwwww.

[Ken Johnson]

Here is a shot with Christian Faulkner in it.From a garden in South Florida.

[Tomw]

Ken,

What a nice plant!! Do you know how old that palm is?

[Ken Johnson]

Ken,

What a nice plant!! Do you know how old that palm is?

500

[Mike Evans]

I have this one in a 3 gal. It is ~13 years old, and has some cold damage from the bad winter a few years back. Got this from Mike Harris (Caribbean Palms). He probably has some left. It puts out about 1 leaf / year. One of these years it might be large enough to put in the ground.

[MattyB]

Mike, what sort of low temps did that plant see? It looks like a brother to mine .

[Jeff Searle]

I have this one in a 3 gal. It is ~13 years old, and has some cold damage from the bad winter a few years back. Got this from Mike Harris (Caribbean Palms). He probably has some left. It puts out about 1 leaf / year. One of these years it might be large enough to put in the ground.

Mike,

Your plant IS plenty big enough to plant out by now. The rewards will be much greater. It will not only grow a litttttttle faster, but will be a little more cold hardier in the ground. No reason to wait!

[PalmatierMeg]

Great palm topic. This species is unlike any other, even the other 3 Pseudophoenix. It looks like a sculpture. I got mine from D'asign Source in Loxahatchee as a 1g in '08 or '09. I planted it right away. The tallest frond is maybe 30" now. No sign of a trunk. I protected it during the harsh winters of 2009/10/11 but left it alone this last winter. Nothing seems to faze it one way or another - it's a palm in its own orbit. Still, very cool and I'm glad I have it.

Pseudophoenix ekmanii

Side views

Tallest frond and new spear

[Caribbean Palms]

Mike E., I'd def. go ahead and plant your 3 gal. My three from the same crop have been in the ground for three years and they are doing OK. They've been through a couple of frosts with no protection but I usually cover them if it's getting below 40 F.

WARNING: The following is a shameless commercial plug:

I'll have some of these this coming weekend at the Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society Spring sale at the Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach.

P. ekmanii in front and Cousin Hemi (Hemithrinax ekmaniana)is in the background. A happy family....

[SundayMoney]

Mike H.

Sweet looking Hemithrinax in the background. How old would you say it is?

[Caribbean Palms]

Mike H.

Sweet looking Hemithrinax in the background. How old would you say it is?

Almost 5 years old

[Bob Greiner]

Mike E., I'd def. go ahead and plant your 3 gal. My three from the same crop have been in the ground for three years and they are doing OK. They've been through a couple of frosts with no protection but I usually cover them if it's getting below 40 F.

WARNING: The following is a shameless commercial plug:

I'll have some of these this coming weekend at the Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society Spring sale at the Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach.

P. ekmanii in front and Cousin Hemi (Hemithrinax ekmaniana)is in the background. A happy family....

After that shameless commercial plug I am really thinking about driving up to Mounts next weekend.

Bob

[MattyB]

Do you acclimate these to sun slowly, mike?

[Caribbean Palms]

Do you acclimate these to sun slowly, mike?

I grow these under 50% shade while in containers so they are fairly hardened off and then plant them directly out in the sun. The area they are growing in my yard has a few scattered slash pines that gives a little shade. I've never had them burn but the older fronds sometimes get a little yellow but the new growth comes out perfect.

[MattyB]

Ok great. I've had mine in the ground for 2 years under 50 percent shade cloth. Maybe ill start upping the light. They are so slow that i'd hate to shock it and burn it.

[DALION]

You need to find a friend going up to St Pete next week willing to take a couple of those cousins for the CFPACS meeting. I'd take one of each.

[Tomw]

Great palm topic. This species is unlike any other, even the other 3 Pseudophoenix. It looks like a sculpture. I got mine from D'asign Source in Loxahatchee as a 1g in '08 or '09. I planted it right away. The tallest frond is maybe 30" now. No sign of a trunk. I protected it during the harsh winters of 2009/10/11 but left it alone this last winter. Nothing seems to faze it one way or another - it's a palm in its own orbit. Still, very cool and I'm glad I have it.

Pseudophoenix ekmanii

Side views

Tallest frond and new spear

PalmatierMeg what a beautiful palm, I look forward to my palm getting that big some day!

Is it planted in full sun?

Edited March 26, 2012 by Tomw

[PalmatierMeg]

Great palm topic. This species is unlike any other, even the other 3 Pseudophoenix. It looks like a sculpture. I got mine from D'asign Source in Loxahatchee as a 1g in '08 or '09. I planted it right away. The tallest frond is maybe 30" now. No sign of a trunk. I protected it during the harsh winters of 2009/10/11 but left it alone this last winter. Nothing seems to faze it one way or another - it's a palm in its own orbit. Still, very cool and I'm glad I have it.

Pseudophoenix ekmanii

Side views

Tallest frond and new spear

PalmatierMeg what a beautiful palm, I look forward to my palm getting that big some day!

Is it planted in full sun?

Tom, it's in full sun unless a frond from the nearby Bizzie droops over it (Bizzie frond gets sawed off). My ekmanii had gone pinnate in a 1g so I planted it right away. It's a tough palm that shrugs off heat and sun. Just be sure they are well drained. I don't hover over mine anymore but I think it puts out a couple fronds a season, just does its individual thing - as I said, a palm in its own oblivious orbit. I'd love to put one on my new property but I don't have enough money and time left.

[aztropic]

Here is one from Fairchild.The largest ekmanii's there are now almost 5 ft tall overall.Notice how each new leaf is considerably longer than the last - a good sign that they are happy.Unfortunately,all 4 Pseudophoenix species appear to be susceptible to the same blight that has taken out many of their ancient specimens.Fairchild seems to have a "let nature take its course"attitude about treating this disease,so these guys may only be around a few more years.

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Jastin]

That's not a very good attitude to have

[aztropic]

A grouping...

Does anybody know the real history on these? They were installed large about 3 leaves ago and may have been obtained directly from the DR

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Tomw]

Here is one from Fairchild.The largest ekmanii's there are now almost 5 ft tall overall.Notice how each new leaf is considerably longer than the last - a good sign that they are happy.Unfortunately,all 4 Pseudophoenix species appear to be susceptible to the same blight that has taken out many of their ancient specimens.Fairchild seems to have a "let nature take its course"attitude about treating this disease,so these guys may only be around a few more years.

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Wow, what a beautiful plant! It would be almost criminal to allow a disease that is treatable to take out a specimen like that. I don’t get it!!!! In my opinion they have an obligation to not "let nature take its course".

[LJG]

Here is mine. I bought it from Mike Harris in 2007. It has been in the greenhouse for 5 years and after looking at photos of other peoples here on PT it motivated me to plant it. Here it is in it's new home (Pre shade tent).

[Gtlevine]

Here is mine. I bought it from Mike Harris in 2007. It has been in the greenhouse for 5 years and after looking at photos of other peoples here on PT it motivated me to plant it. Here it is in it's new home (Pre shade tent).

Your daughter is much cuter than the palm.

[BS Man about Palms]

Here is mine. I bought it from Mike Harris in 2007. It has been in the greenhouse for 5 years and after looking at photos of other peoples here on PT it motivated me to plant it. Here it is in it's new home (Pre shade tent).

Your daughter is much cuter than the palm.

I concur. the worst part is for the next 10 years or more is that this is the closest in size they will be..

[DoomsDave]

Len, great garden.

Hmm.

[Tomw]

Here is mine. I bought it from Mike Harris in 2007. It has been in the greenhouse for 5 years and after looking at photos of other peoples here on PT it motivated me to plant it. Here it is in it's new home (Pre shade tent).

Len,

What a beautiful setting, I love what you have done with your garden. Can you show us some more pictures?

[Jastin]

Love the rock work. That cycad is going to get huge!

[MattyB]

I took some updated pics this morning. It was under 50% shade for one year, and for the last year it's been under the plastic mesh, approx. 30% shade, so I decided it was time to cut off some shade cloth and give it a taste of half day sun. Next year I'll remove the mesh completely.

[MattyB]

Just for the fun of it, here's the whole Pseudopheonix planter, with P. sargentii, P. ekmanii, and P. vinifera.

[Jastin]

You have to have so much patience for this palm. I would put it in a place where I could forget about it.

[Jastin]

I love creating little homes for my palms, the planter looks great Matt.

[aztropic]

A few of my ekmanii's.I've planted some around the yard with unfavorable results so decided to grow them up to 3 gallon size and try again.

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[aztropic]

By the way,vinifera and sargentii both do well here planted out in full sun.Ekmanii,not so much...

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Hilo Jason]

Len - in that 2nd picture you posted, is that a spindle palm or a spindle x bottle hybrid? I remember you having the hyrbid and was wondering how that was doing for you.

Great Pseudophoenix Eckmanii by the way!

[LJG]

Thanks Gary, Biil, Jastin, Tom (I will try to get some photos) and Dave. I appreciate it. Jastin, the cycad is a Encephalartos arenarius, just greening out since it gets a lot of shade. So it won't get as large as the standard greens out there.

Hi Jason, it is just a standard spindle palm. I moved that cross last Spring to a sheltered area under canopy and it did great through winter. So I think it will be fine it just did not like full sun and full winter exposure.

[Hilo Jason]

Thanks for letting me know Len. I'll plant mine in a sheltered location. Would love to see pictures of yours if have any handy.

[Tomw]

This is my baby. Thanks to Mike Harris.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Tomw

[cfkingfish]

The biggest one I can remember besides that one I am standing next to, is one at Montgomery planted in an odd courtyard setting. Plenty of sun but runoff from the roof points directly into the crown.