Caryota

[David Clulow]

The entry in The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening for Caryota states "12 species of hapaxanthic, monoecious palms to 30m." [in England the term hapaxanthic is used for taxa which reach an age before flowering and dying (mainly palms and bamboos), as against monocarpic which is reserved for relatively short lived mainly, annual and biennial plants.] Here is one of my Caryota urens

which flowered recently and died:

The second photo shows two more of this taxon with the same sowing and planting dates but planted in the shade of mango trees, they have not as yet, flowered. I do't know how Samantha one of our rescue howler monkeys got in the photo ! Here is close up of the top about 50 feet high

Here is a photo taken at the Botanic Garden in Caracas of a Caryota sp. without a label, but to my certain knowledge it has been beside a dripping tap for some 15 years.

[David Clulow]

Here is a photo of one of my Caryota mitis. I find it difficult to believe it is hapaxanthic ! It has been flowering for years and is still alive, here is a photo taken this week:

Here is the same palm photographed some five years ago

I have not noticed any dead stems when this has been cleaned. So is it really hapaxanthic?

Here is my one and only remaining C. zebrina

It just has not mooved, it has been planted some five years and is still only 2 to 3 feet tall. It is in fairly deep shade, should I move it into more sun?

[Walter John]

I wouldn't move the zebrina David, that's a common trait of this guy being rather slow. It likes a drink too.

Regarding Caryota mitis seemingly long life, I found at my previous garden with mitis that it's flowering time is very long as it slowly flowers all the way from top to bottom of the trunk, and that in itself takes a number of years. It will die eventually after the very last flowers are produced, but that can take quite a long time as I said.

I thought your urens was too short to finish up with life, did you fertilise it at all ? that would potentially speed up flowering and thence death.

I love your use of event timeline dates on your photos by the way David, very well done, much appreciated.

[richnorm]

I've been enjoying your posts David, if a little envious of the growth rates! I think that palm at Caracas BG is Caryota no though might be obtusa in a hot climate.

cheers

Richard