livistona decora vs. mariae

[Stevetoad]

can anyone tell me if there are any traits that differ decora from mariae when young? i bought a decora a year ago that looked very much like my mariae. now i picked up another decora and it looks quite a bit greener and the leaves arnt "forked" at the ends. ill try to post some pics this afternoon. i dont want 2 mariaes so if i planted 2 ill be digging one up. thanks guys and gals

[Tulio]

Stephen,

Mariae when young is reddish like rigida. The leaves aren't droopy or split like in decora. I hope this help.

[Stevetoad]

Heres some pics that might help of the palm in question

[Stevetoad]

[Stevetoad]

[Tulio]

Not mariae. Mariae at that age should have a lot more red. It looks like decora hybrid.

[palmaddict]

The one pictured is decora. Marie at that size would have a bit of purple in it. Side by side at that age they are easy to tell apart. I find marie to be a little bit faster and the purple makes it a bit more interesting. I have a feeling when they get bigger they start to look the same or at least much similar.

[Stevetoad]

It's about 2 1/2 feet tall if that helps too. The other decora I have in a pot doesn't seem to hold as many leaves as this one either. My mariae out front looks very close to this one. My larger mariae had red leaves when it was smaller then just a light blush now it has none at about a foot taller than this one. Maybe both aren't pure mariae?

[Stevetoad]

Also this one has purple on the petiole where the one in the pot is pure green.

[Josh76]

Also this one has purple on the petiole where the one in the pot is pure green.

I believe there are two types of decora which are distinguishable by the petiole colour. Apparently the green-petiole form is cold-hardier.

[Stevetoad]

Also this one has purple on the petiole where the one in the pot is pure green.

I believe there are two types of decora which are distinguishable by the petiole colour. Apparently the green-petiole form is cold-hardier.

Do they both have that super weepy look when bigger?

[Phoenikakias]

Also this one has purple on the petiole where the one in the pot is pure green.

I believe there are two types of decora which are distinguishable by the petiole colour. Apparently the green-petiole form is cold-hardier.

Do they both have that super weepy look when bigger?

Ιt is a decora alright! Some decora have really occasionally very reddish petioles, but this feature disappears by age and in fact it may not appear on the next new leaf of the very same plant! What Josh writes is very interesting... I would add that the red petiole-decora is very faster than the green petiole one!! I will post ASAP pictures of mariae and decora of same (juvenile) age. They look pretty different! Yes also the the red-petiole decora has the weepy look.

Edited August 26, 2012 by Phoenikakias

[Phoenikakias]

First three pics show a L. decora seedling with markedly reddish petioles. Note that in the same pot there is one more seedling of about the same age and of the same kind (from the same bunch) which is green and significantly smaller. Last two pics show the same reddish plant one year after (it remains in the same pot). Difference in growth with the green seedling remains and in fact becomes bigger, but no red nuance anymore on petioles.

[Phoenikakias]

This is now my L. mariae (pic 1) and and then as juvenile many years ago (pic 2).

On the other hand this is now my decora (pic 3, 4) and then (pic 5) at about the same age with the mariae

Note that from this adult decora originate seedlings of previous post. In front of the adult decora grows, yet at a juvenile stage, another plant of the same sp. originating from seed of an another old plant in the royal botanic garden of Athens. It has absolutely no hint of red on petioles, (pic 6) is much slower in growth rate but nore cold hardy since it remains unaffected every winter, while the big decora becomes a bit yellowish during wet and cool winter.