Which Syagrus is Tougher?

[palm tree man]

I really want to plant one of my greenhouse potted palms out this spring. Spring tends to do that to us all, but which one is the toughest and would stand a chance in zone 9A? Would it be contestant number #1 Syagrus Oleracea? Would it be contestant #2 Syagrus Oleracea? Finally, would it be contestant #3 Syagrus Botryophora? All three species have already been slowly acclimated from the greenhouse already and have been exposed to temps at around 27 degrees and are currently in five gallon pots. Who will win the coveted spot in a nice sheltered zone 9 garden? Cast your votes now!

[Palmdude]

Plant them all and you'll get the best answer to your question, nobody knows your zone better than the plants in your garden

[palm tree man]

You know Palm Dude that is really a pretty good answer! They are all pretty close in hardiness. Oleracea survived 19 and came back strong according to Dave Witt and did not receive damage in Jacksonville at 22 in a friend's garden. To quote a saying "The one's that look the most like a queen are the toughest"! Thanks again man. Hey what are you growing? Any success stories; please share with me.

[edbrown_III]

I have lost most of the various Syagrus when planted out here. some at very high temps ==----

The only ones I know that have taken 20 F has been a S. yunganesis . I have lost S. glaucescens , flexuosa, and coronata as well S. schizophylla,

I have what a putative S. pseudococos that has taken cold but I need to see if flower to be sure that it is a pure S. botryphora It mihgt be a hybrid that has some other blood in it to toughen.

S. oleracea I havent tried but most of the places it grows in don't have deep freezes. Some of these palms you really need to see it flower or produce seeds to know that it isnt a variable queen or some mixed species. Until then you think its a specific species based upon general characteristics but really is something else which has a bit of hybrid vigour.

I think Mark Heath tested a bunch at his place --- I remember the S. costae (S. coronata x cereansis ?) had survived almost equivalent cold. He tested a bunch of mixed Syagrus where he lives they had different seed sizes etc there sort of a Syagrus species (type) much like Phoenix . reclinata isnt really cold hardy but a multi trunked mixed Phoenix is cold hardy . I have several in the yard perhaps 25 feet tall and they survived the 16F we saw in 89 (killed to the roots but came back) Some of the other ones .

John Bischoek had a super Nova queen --- it was a super queen but had some S. coronata blood in it (at least from the toothy boots. There is a simular one at Hampton or whatever in Lake Placied which has taken alot of cold probably as cold as Jax. Most of the plants I tested I tested before 2001 --- lost alot of different speices -- this had sort of steer me to hybrids of the Syagrus as you have invested 10 or more years and you lose it.

I got several S. kellyana up to citrus pots -- when I get them up to 20 or 25 gallon plants I will plant out to testut this is a few years away. Palm man I will try to r eply when I get more thoughts to gether to add to this

Best regardss

Ed

[palm tree man]

Thanks Ed, syagrus are like phoenix and I have questioned my seed sources at times in order to make sure that I had the real thing and not something that was passed to the wholesaler as the real thing do to similarities. I was sold three different sabal for example as Sabal "Riverside" and I think only one of them is the real deal. Where did you find S. yunganesis; some of the less common Syagrus have been very difficult to locate. I have been looking for Comosa for a very long time as well. I can't even locate seed for it. Thank you again Ed.

Daniel

[edbrown_III]

Floribunda has offered them at times they are very slow growing tho .

S. comosa doesnt produce alot of seeds and has a very limited fruiting period --- I guess one of these days a few seeds will make it into cultivation

Some of these Syagrus just don't have a lot of seeds unlike S. romanzoffianum but some do like S. coronata and others. You really need to see the photos and look at dimensions of seeds and reproductive parts as this is what they used to classify the plant.

Best regards

Ed

[Rory]

Floribunda has offered them at times they are very slow growing tho .

S. comosa doesnt produce alot of seeds and has a very limited fruiting period --- I guess one of these days a few seeds will make it into cultivation

Some of these Syagrus just don't have a lot of seeds unlike S. romanzoffianum but some do like S. coronata and others. You really need to see the photos and look at dimensions of seeds and reproductive parts as this is what they used to classify the plant.

Best regards

Ed

S. coronata and a lot of other species will produce quite a few seeds as long as you can keep the damn tree rats away from them. Squirrels seem to love Syagrus seeds around here.

[edbrown_III]

Floribunda has offered them at times they are very slow growing tho .

S. comosa doesnt produce alot of seeds and has a very limited fruiting period --- I guess one of these days a few seeds will make it into cultivation

Some of these Syagrus just don't have a lot of seeds unlike S. romanzoffianum but some do like S. coronata and others. You really need to see the photos and look at dimensions of seeds and reproductive parts as this is what they used to classify the plant.

Best regards

Ed

S. coronata and a lot of other species will produce quite a few seeds as long as you can keep the damn tree rats away from them. Squirrels seem to love Syagrus seeds around here.

I agree .. just my faulty sentence construction did not convey that clearly ----------- the other point is that some species just dont have very large inflouresce bundles so very few seeds --- this is the reason some species just dont appear in the nursery trade. They also dont have large ranges (probably because of this) just a few pockets over limited geographical region --- long trips to find them and low chances of obtaining seeds in the wild.

Best regards

Ed

[Palmdude]

Thanks Daniel

Growing:

Syagrus Romanzofiana

P. Roebelini

p. Sylvestrus

P. Reclinata

CIDP

P. ? Wild date palm

P. Rupicola (Cliff date)

Livistona Australis

L. Decipiens

L. Chinensis

Bismarkia

C. Baileyana

Sabal palmetto

Dypsis Decipiens (wish me luck)

D. Lastelianna

D. Utilis/fibrosa

D. Pembana

D. Lutescens

D. Cabadae

Arenga Tremula

A. Engleri

A. Hookerii

Pinanga kuhlii/Coronata

Areca Vestiaria orange

Veitchia something or other

Chameadorea Radicalis

C. Sefreizii

C. Oblongata

A few more chamys that I have no id for

Keriodoxa elegans

Satakentia

Burrito kentia Hapala lol

Kentiopsis Oliviformus

Calyptrocalyx Polyphyllus

C. Albertisiana

Chambeyronia macrocarpa

C. Hookerii

Licuala peltata sumowongi

L. Ramsayii

Archonteophoenix Purperea

Rhapsis

Bottle, can't remover the Latin for that one

I think that's it and now it time to stop buying palms!..........not!

Most of the rare stuff is new to me within the last two years so time will tell how they do. A number of the species I have will not be hardy enough for the ground so I'll enjoy them in pots for as long as I can and drag them inside the house/garage when it gets cold.

[Palmdude]

Oh and some fishtails and Solitaires , also germing some fox tails, wild Areca, royals, cocothrinax (old man), pseudophoenix sargentii, Ptychospermum lineare and a few more that I collected but have no ID for. Most of the seedlings will be given away or planted in the woods around my house and wished good luck