Parajube cocoides -- hero or goat?

[DoomsDave]

Some have said P. cocoides is cool as can be

While others seem to disagree

Let's discuss here with civ-ill-it-ee . . .

[Stevetoad]

the one i have is one of my garden favorites!

[Alberto]

Are P.cocoides ugly palms?

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/22444-parajubaea-cocoides/?p=374002&hl=cocoides&fromsearch=1#entry374002

[quaman58]

Funny, I have several friends with them & they look great, but they're not very big yet. Randy's (Inland Palms) gets nearly defoliated every winter in Beamont, but then come racing back & looks great by the end of Spring. But he was talking to a commercial grower about them & the grower assured him that it will croak for some reason (at least in SoCal) prior to reaching it's full potential. When asked why, he said "I dunno. But they always do". Pretty gloomy assessment, I thought..

[Stevetoad]

Funny, I have several friends with them & they look great, but they're not very big yet. Randy's (Inland Palms) gets nearly defoliated every winter in Beamont, but then come racing back & looks great by the end of Spring. But he was talking to a commercial grower about them & the grower assured him that it will croak for some reason (at least in SoCal) prior to reaching it's full potential. When asked why, he said "I dunno. But they always do". Pretty gloomy assessment, I thought..

i asked mine if it would ever leave me today.....it said no

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

I have to admit, I am not keen on the fur on the trunk, and I certainly would like to know how the fur disappeared off those giants in Quito. It didn't do it on its own. I am not about to climb my cocoides to clean them.

[Sutter Bob]

Those look great Axel.

I haven't tried cocoides yet but torallyi looks quite promising here.

Plan to try sunkha next.

[SanDimas]

The pictured cocoides looks healthy and happy I might say.

Im not such a fan though of hairy trunks with the exception of the Australian tree fern.

I do have a tvt. thats only 4 feet high. Kept growing with a spear this past winter.

The spear opened up in March and steadily pushing and growing that spear a half inch per day.

While that spear is still opening and growing, another one is emerging. Its growing faster than my R. regia.

Regia seems like its still rolling out of bed from winter.

Seems like the tvt along with D. carlsmithii and robusta sailed thru this winter growing spears and loving it.

Cheers. Ritchy

BTW belated Happy Birthday SteveToad...and many more palms to plant and enjoy.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

here is my 3 yr old Parajubaea cocoides

[Jim in Los Altos]

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

I have to admit, I am not keen on the fur on the trunk, and I certainly would like to know how the fur disappeared off those giants in Quito. It didn't do it on its own. I am not about to climb my cocoides to clean them.

Axel, Many hairy trunked palm species "clean" their own trunks as they age. Look at really tall Trachycarpus and you'll notice a smooth or partially smooth trunk. Over time, especially in a humid climate, the hairy fibers rot and fall off.

[Daryl]

How could you not like the look of this???

[Alberto]

In this last pic you also can see a young hairy one , at right.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

here is my 3 yr old Parajubaea cocoides

I've never seen a cocoides seedling look like that. The form we grow here gets really long strap leaves that don't split until much later. I'll have to find my youngest cocoides and take a picture and illustrate.

[Brett in Mission Viejo]

I have one that I bought as a fifteen gallon 8 years ago, and it was looking real hero nice with about 4 feet of trunk. Then last September right after it got to 111F during the hot spell it stopped growing . The new spears turned brown and it did not push the whole winter. I am thinking this is about the size the make it to in inland so cal and it is a goat gonner. But I will wait a while before it is removed to see if it might start moving again:

[Stevetoad]

WHAT!!! Brett it looked perfect when i was at your place! thats heartbreaking.

[Brett in Mission Viejo]

Yeah, it could be a tough loss, for sure, but my Torallyi and Sunka, which are a tad smaller keep trucking along in the MV inland heat!

[Stevetoad]

Yeah, it could be a tough loss, for sure, but my Torallyi and Sunka, which are a tad smaller keep trucking along in the MV inland heat!

That's not good news for me. You and I have very similar summers. As of now my p.c is looking good but it seems they look great until they hit that magic size then start having issues.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

here is my 3 yr old Parajubaea cocoides

I've never seen a cocoides seedling look like that. The form we grow here gets really long strap leaves that don't split until much later. I'll have to find my youngest cocoides and take a picture and illustrate.

Axel

Mine is definitely a cocoides as the seed came from Darold back in late 2009 , The seed was smooth and not deeply furrowed like torallyii is. I think this one wont spit a lot more until it gets bigger .

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

here is my 3 yr old Parajubaea cocoides

I've never seen a cocoides seedling look like that. The form we grow here gets really long strap leaves that don't split until much later. I'll have to find my youngest cocoides and take a picture and illustrate.

Axel

Mine is definitely a cocoides as the seed came from Darold back in late 2009 , The seed was smooth and not deeply furrowed like torallyii is. I think this one wont spit a lot more until it gets bigger .

It must be the angle of the photo that's throwing me off. Mine just make a longer strap leaf before even splitting half way like yours is.

I have one that I bought as a fifteen gallon 8 years ago, and it was looking real hero nice with about 4 feet of trunk. Then last September right after it got to 111F during the hot spell it stopped growing . The new spears turned brown and it did not push the whole winter. I am thinking this is about the size the make it to in inland so cal and it is a goat gonner. But I will wait a while before it is removed to see if it might start moving again:

Library - 3458.jpgLibrary - 3457.jpg

Yes, they don't handle heat very well. I have a tall one with about 10 feet of trunk that took a hit during last Fall's 108F heat spell. All Winter, new fronds have emerged with burned tips. I thought it was frost damage at first but it can't be because none of my other parajubaeas got any frost damage, we didn't even get cold enough to burn nearby papaya leaves.

None of my other parajubaea got nailed by the heat, but they have less trunk.

Thw Wunderground graph shows the heat spell. We had several days of this. Temps at night did cool off, but it was of no help because it does appear that the fronds got damaged in the spear from the heat before the fronds emerged. It's taken until April of this year for it to make fronds that have no damage on them.

[quaman58]

I know that "Stevo" (at least as of a couple years ago) had a really good one that had flowered repeatedly. But he was battling some crown funk that I think he finally overcame. I need to drive by some time to give it a look. Did he ever make it to Hawaii permanently? Have'nt heard from him in too long.

[Jonathan]

here is my 3 yr old Parajubaea cocoides

I've never seen a cocoides seedling look like that. The form we grow here gets really long strap leaves that don't split until much later. I'll have to find my youngest cocoides and take a picture and illustrate.

Axel

Mine is definitely a cocoides as the seed came from Darold back in late 2009 , The seed was smooth and not deeply furrowed like torallyii is. I think this one wont spit a lot more until it gets bigger .

It's definitely coccoides, but not from Darolds seed, which alas have not germinated yet - although I haven't given up as the embryo's still look good after a couple of years.

This one is from seed bought from RPS which looked to be 100% coccoides, as described by Troy above.

Cocoides are problematic for me due to their lack of frost resistance at the size shown in Troys photo. My place is only about 45 minutes from Troys, much closer to the water (surrounded by it basically) yet due to its flat topography and large sandunes along the nearby beach is in fact a big frost hollow! So at the end of each winter Troys Coccoides looks good and mine all look like burnt toast. I've got some fast growing canopy around them now which should help a lot this winter.

It just demonstrates yet again that you cant look at a map and make assumptions about plant survival. Cause on that basis you would never guess that Troy could grow species at his place that struggle at mine.

Cheers,

Jonathan

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

here is my 3 yr old Parajubaea cocoides

I've never seen a cocoides seedling look like that. The form we grow here gets really long strap leaves that don't split until much later. I'll have to find my youngest cocoides and take a picture and illustrate.

Axel

Mine is definitely a cocoides as the seed came from Darold back in late 2009 , The seed was smooth and not deeply furrowed like torallyii is. I think this one wont spit a lot more until it gets bigger .

It's definitely coccoides, but not from Darolds seed, which alas have not germinated yet - although I haven't given up as the embryo's still look good after a couple of years.

This one is from seed bought from RPS which looked to be 100% coccoides, as described by Troy above.

Cocoides are problematic for me due to their lack of frost resistance at the size shown in Troys photo. My place is only about 45 minutes from Troys, much closer to the water (surrounded by it basically) yet due to its flat topography and large sandunes along the nearby beach is in fact a big frost hollow! So at the end of each winter Troys Coccoides looks good and mine all look like burnt toast. I've got some fast growing canopy around them now which should help a lot this winter.

It just demonstrates yet again that you cant look at a map and make assumptions about plant survival. Cause on that basis you would never guess that Troy could grow species at his place that struggle at mine.

Cheers,

Jonathan

Throw those cocoides seed into native soil outside and they will germinate quickly. We've been germinating seed from the Oakland palmetum that way. Takes less than six months with 100% germination rate. Seed must be in full sun. If gophers are an issue use a 15 gallon pot. I've got cocoides Palms coming out my ears due to the fact that they germinate so fast and so easily.

Cocoides is cosmetically frost hardy to USDA zone 10a only. However from a survivabiliry perspective it's a solid zone 9b palm.

I agree, zone maps are useless if they don't capture terrain features. The USDA recently published new maps in the US with topology info. Our area is zone 9b by the beach, 10a in the thermal belts above the coast and even 10b at 800 Feet to about 1200 feet. But even with topology maps are still just an approximation.

[Mark Heath]

I enjoy reading about all of the experiences you Cali guys have w/ Parajubes. I have only had luck w/ P.Sunkha so far but i am jealous of the pics you posted Axel, your cocoides looks fantastic!

I wish i could grow them!

[DoomsDave]

Here's the one in my front yard.

It's got a bit of a gangsta lean from being planted too close to other plants that were later removed.

[DoomsDave]

This is my Double in the back yard.

It's hard to see in this picture, but it's two plants, side by side. They took a long while to go completely pinnate, but they're moving along now.

[DoomsDave]

Here's a closeup with my hairy mitt for scale.

[Stevetoad]

Nice pics Dave. How old are they?

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

This is my Double in the back yard.

It's hard to see in this picture, but it's two plants, side by side. They took a long while to go completely pinnate, but they're moving along now.

004.JPG

Can't wait to see them this weekend. They look fantastic. Doubles are always better.

[gilles06]

here is mine in France

salut.

[Gtlevine]

I like cocoides a lot when grown properly, but they dont like heat. I eventually removed all mine and they were quite large. The ones i see on the coastline where there is a marine influence are gorgeous.

[Stevetoad]

I like cocoides a lot when grown properly, but they dont like heat. I eventually removed all mine and they were quite large. The ones i see on the coastline where there is a marine influence are gorgeous.

what did yours look like? i get very hot in summer so im wondering if im setting myself up for a let down once mine grows up.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Steve, grow torallyi var torallyi instead, it's more robust and I think it looks a lot more like a coconut because the fronds are more upright but still curve like those of a coconut. What could anyone not like about this palm, just look at this beauty! See photo below:

[Stevetoad]

ive got a tor tor out front already

[Gtlevine]

 

I like cocoides a lot when grown properly, but they dont like heat. I eventually removed all mine and they were quite large. The ones i see on the coastline where there is a marine influence are gorgeous.

what did yours look like? i get very hot in summer so im wondering if im setting myself up for a let down once mine grows up.

 

Mine looked gorgeous until they had several feet of clean trunk, then they started getting a crown funk when the summers got above 90F, every one of them, and I had five of them in my yard. They grew out of the funk when the weather cooled off, but I got tired of torturing them, so I gave them away to friends living on the coast and they are now enormous and beautiful palms. The big ones at the Huntington got the funk, then Gary Woods in Fallbrook had one with twenty feet of trunk that always had the funk and I think it finally carked also. I would advise anyone that likes P.C. to plant the hybrid with butia or not at all, unless your within 5 miles of the coast and get a lot of coastal influence. All you have to do is see the ones I saw in Leucadia on the ocean to fall in love with them, they are amazing!

Gary

Gary

[Stevetoad]

 

I like cocoides a lot when grown properly, but they dont like heat. I eventually removed all mine and they were quite large. The ones i see on the coastline where there is a marine influence are gorgeous.

what did yours look like? i get very hot in summer so im wondering if im setting myself up for a let down once mine grows up.

 

Mine looked gorgeous until they had several feet of clean trunk, then they started getting a crown funk when the summers got above 90F, every one of them, and I had five of them in my yard. They grew out of the funk when the weather cooled off, but I got tired of torturing them, so I gave them away to friends living on the coast and they are now enormous and beautiful palms. The big ones at the Huntington got the funk, then Gary Woods in Fallbrook had one with twenty feet of trunk that always had the funk and I think it finally carked also. I would advise anyone that likes P.C. to plant the hybrid with butia or not at all, unless your within 5 miles of the coast and get a lot of coastal influence. All you have to do is see the ones I saw in Leucadia on the ocean to fall in love with them, they are amazing!

Gary

Gary

thats a bummer i love mine right now because it always looks great. im not 100% sure mine is P.C but it sure looks like it is. i bought it as P. microcarpa but everyone has said it looks like P.C so im going ti assume theyre right.

[SanDimas]

Steve, grow torallyi var torallyi instead, it's more robust and I think it looks a lot more like a coconut because the fronds are more upright but still curve like those of a coconut. What could anyone not like about this palm, just look at this beauty! See photo below:

Axel again?

Seems like great minds think alike. My Syagrus Sta Catarina buddy and now P. tor tor as well.

I have one of these also although only about 5 feet tall.

My fastest grower with the spear opening/extending a half inch per day.

One of the few that actually grew spear all winter long.

Awesome specimen.

Cheers. Ritchy

[Hammer]

 

I like cocoides a lot when grown properly, but they dont like heat. I eventually removed all mine and they were quite large. The ones i see on the coastline where there is a marine influence are gorgeous.

what did yours look like? i get very hot in summer so im wondering if im setting myself up for a let down once mine grows up.

 

Mine looked gorgeous until they had several feet of clean trunk, then they started getting a crown funk when the summers got above 90F, every one of them, and I had five of them in my yard. They grew out of the funk when the weather cooled off, but I got tired of torturing them, so I gave them away to friends living on the coast and they are now enormous and beautiful palms. The big ones at the Huntington got the funk, then Gary Woods in Fallbrook had one with twenty feet of trunk that always had the funk and I think it finally carked also. I would advise anyone that likes P.C. to plant the hybrid with butia or not at all, unless your within 5 miles of the coast and get a lot of coastal influence. All you have to do is see the ones I saw in Leucadia on the ocean to fall in love with them, they are amazing!

Gary

Gary

I'm 6 miles from the coast. I wonder if thatthat rules out PC for me. Been thinking about adding some to the garden for a while now.

[LJG]

I like cocoides a lot when grown properly, but they dont like heat. I eventually removed all mine and they were quite large. The ones i see on the coastline where there is a marine influence are gorgeous.

what did yours look like? i get very hot in summer so im wondering if im setting myself up for a let down once mine grows up.

Mine looked gorgeous until they had several feet of clean trunk, then they started getting a crown funk when the summers got above 90F, every one of them, and I had five of them in my yard. They grew out of the funk when the weather cooled off, but I got tired of torturing them, so I gave them away to friends living on the coast and they are now enormous and beautiful palms. The big ones at the Huntington got the funk, then Gary Woods in Fallbrook had one with twenty feet of trunk that always had the funk and I think it finally carked also. I would advise anyone that likes P.C. to plant the hybrid with butia or not at all, unless your within 5 miles of the coast and get a lot of coastal influence. All you have to do is see the ones I saw in Leucadia on the ocean to fall in love with them, they are amazing!

Gary

Gary

Here is one Gary gave me 5 years ago. I took it kicking and screaming as I wasn't into Parajubeas much then. It is now one of my favorites. Also, I have heard from others also that once they get trunk they become problematic. Might be a maturity thing that once it starts flowering and producing seed it has much greater requirements. I think Bob De Jong had some in his old garden close to the coast he cut down.

[Gtlevine]

I just hurt my neck

[Stevetoad]

Len is that in austraila???