Gotta love those stilt roots

[realarch]

Was surprised recently to see that my Socratea exorrhiza was starting to put out it's first inflorescence and

was taken aback at how striking the spathe and the flowers are. It's nice to be able to see these up close at eye

level because fairly soon, from the palms fast growth rate, I'll be looking up at them.

The first pic was just after planting in October of 2008. The next was taken a few days ago.

[realarch]

I noticed the swelling under the leaf sheath and here's a pic just before it came off. All parts of this palm has nice coloration.

Here's a photo of the structural looking spathe. First up......

Then down.

[realarch]

Here are a couple of photos of the inflorescence, most of the flowers fell off during the night after it first opened, this is what's left.

[realarch]

That inflorescence held a few seeds for awhile, but they eventually all fell off.

But, shortly after that another swollen leaf sheath and another spathe.

Here is pic of the next spathe. Almost looks like a variety of bird of paradise.

The inflorescence packed inside.

We'll see if this one will produce viable seed.

[Kim]

Very fine photo sequence, Tim. I wasn't really tuned into the coloration of the palm when viewing these in Costa Rica, but seeing your palm up close really shows off nature's way with complex colors. It's exciting to see the size contrast from planting to present, and the developing inflorescence as well. Cool!

[Cindy Adair]

Wonderful photos! Hope you get lots of seed. Yours seems to enjoy a great deal of sun. Mine is in nearly full shade. As you might guess from the fact that some of these photos show larger than my usual tiny palms, it was planted by the previous owner. I've never seen evidence of flowering and it has a ways to go compared to yours... Who grows any other Socrateas? I'm excited about 4 out of 5 (so far) Socratea hecatonandra seeds sprouting after only 6 weeks since planting.

Oh, I did include two of my usual miniscule newly planted Socrateas. For the species names, just hover on the photo. So IF I can keep the three newest species I've found, any other Socrateas in cultivation? I obviously like these palms too!

[realarch]

Thanks Kim, thanks Cindy.

Cindy, mine has been in full sun since day one after planting, of course Hilo is a bit different when talking full sun. I did have trouble, or what I perceived as trouble, with the

stilt roots making it to the ground. They always seemed to peter out just before hitting the ground, so I wrapped the root base with shade cloth and that seemed to work as

the next few roots did make it to the ground. Eventually I did remove the cloth and it seems to be doing fine now that it is more mature. The palm overall is about the fastest in

the garden which I didn't expect and the Wettinia has grown about as fast, although a year younger.

Here are a few more shots of the inflorescence I took this morning.

[Cindy Adair]

I do like the "time lapse " photos! Please continue... Thanks for the cultural information also! I planted the tiny Socrateas in partial shade, but maybe I'll be a bit braver with more sun exposure if I end up with several S. hecatonandras to plant.

[bgl]

Tim,

Great photos and a great looking palm!

Once the seed production kicks in, you can expect a lot of self germination under the tree. If you want more Socrateas, germinate them from the seed (they are fast and robust germinators as Cindy pointed out). Attempting to dig up the seedlings that have already germinated in the ground is a tricky operation that is unlikely to end in success.

Bo-Göran

[brodklop]

Tim you are very fortunate to be able to grow these. Yours looks sensational. Hopefully it will set some good seed.

I have tried a few times. I have a bigger hot house now so I might grow it on in a pot for a while so it develops some strong roots.

Cheers

Brod

[realarch]

Thanks Bo, remember me telling you this Socratea was talking to me and letting me know how happy it was where I planted it? Honestly that is the ONLY time this has

happened! This offspring of yours has really done well.

Brod, when I first saw a photo of this in 'Riffle', I knew I had to have at least one. As babies they are usually doing a balancing act on one skinny little stilt root and often it

needs to be staked to keep it from snapping. Good luck on your next try.

[Pedro 65]

Beatiful shots Tim, I Love stilt root palms and Im over the moon that the largest Socratea, Socratea rostrata from very high altitude can grow here for me in the cool wet subtropics. Stunning Palm Tim, thanks for the pics, no doubt you will plant many more with your future seed. Pete

Brod, when you try again, "Never" let it dry out, the only S rostrata that died , died from the ground being "too dry"

[Darold Petty]

Hi Tim, great thread. Could you show and identify your Wettinia please ? I have never seen an in-ground plant in California, yet some species grow above 2000m in Colombia. Thanks!

[realarch]

Just wanted to post a pic of the flowers before they all fall off. The petals are really thick and waxy, like a fresh corn kernel.

Darold, I will post some photos of Wettinia.

[Cindy Adair]

What interesting and distinctive petals! Thanks for continuing my education!

[PalmatierMeg]

Wish I could grow these. Those stilt roots are amazing.

[tropicbreeze]

At the start of the dry season I put some shade cloth screens around both my Socratea exorrhiza. It still allows air movement but cuts out most of the drying wind. Working great so far, the plants look really good. Just got to get through the hot part of the build-up before the really high humidity and the storms move in.

[realarch]

Pete, good luck with your S. rostrata, read up a bit on it and I hope you have more than one. As long as you don't get any frost it should do fine.

Cindy, it's continuing ed. for me too.

Meg, we'll grow them for you and you can come visit them anytime.

Zig, I used the shade cloth here primarily to keep the sun off the emerging stilt roots. We have more than enough humidity and no drying winds ever.

If these guys are happy they grow fast, so good luck in the dry.

[amazondk]

The population in the country here uses the stems of these palms to make flooring and wall boards for houses. They split the trunk, clean out the soft material and split it into usable strips. Just a note on the local uses of this tree. Not that any of the people on this forum are going to do to this to their palms though.

dk

[pindo]

Hello Tim

Nice pics ...nice palm

Here a couple of images of S exorrhiza taken a few days ago on Barro Colorado Island, Gatum Lake , Panama Canal.

This island is a nature reserve where the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute conducts research

Regards

Edited July 29, 2012 by pindo

[realarch]

Muchas gracias Jose! Thanks for the photos. The first time I saw Socratea in habitat was on the Napo river in Ecuador. That whole trip was a dream.

I've been to Panama a couple of times and the next time want to get a bit more off the beaten track. Are you associated with the TRI?

[brodklop]

Pete, I would love to see a photo of your S. rostrata. Keep me in mind for seed when they set. I just ordered some seed of S. hecatonandra and exorrhiza, both low land species but I'll give them a go.

[Pedro 65]

Pete, I would love to see a photo of your S. rostrata. Keep me in mind for seed when they set. I just ordered some seed of S. hecatonandra and exorrhiza, both low land species but I'll give them a go.

Brod, these are only young plants which breezed through last winter and this winter, so it will be MANY years b4 any flowering. As you can see from my 2 pics, after I planted them I placed a large pot (with the bottom cut out) over the Palms and as the stilt root grows I keep them covered with decomposed wood and mulch. It good to keep them permanently moist, "never dry".Good luck with your seed, mine are also under a "Lot of canopy" for protection in winter.

The Wettinia leaf that can be seen is Wettinia mayensis.

[WestCoastGal]

I don't recall ever seeing one of these and your photos were fascinating. The root structure is amazing. I just posted a few pics from my flowering mule and the flowers on yours are so different. The mule's are quite delicate and the petals whither quite soon after falling. I think your description of corn-look is quite appropriate. They are really packed with stamens? too! Not sure of terminology here.

Thanks for sharing. Quite an interesting palm.

[brodklop]

Thanks Pete for that. So your Wettinia are doing ok for you as well? I just orded some seed of Wettinia aequalis and Wettinia quinaria.

[realarch]

I wanted to post this photo again of a Socratea forest just north of Hilo. It was spectacular and the stilt roots unbelievable.

You have to have a lot of room for a mass planting of these monsters.

[Cindy Adair]

I'd love to have a Socratea forest or at least walk through one! Great photo!

[pindo]

Woww ..woww... and again wowww

fantastic palms...!!!!

With that reason these palms were planted?

Thanks Tim ...I run out a words

[KrisKupsch]

Does anyone have some experience with the cold tolerance of Socratea hecatonandra ? I have two which germinated through winter and are now growing rapidly. They experienced temps down to 5C.

Regards Kris

[brodklop]

All the seed I ordered germinated. Except S. exorrhiza which customs confiscated as being a pest. The buggers