Anyone growing Kentiopsis pyriformis?

[Palmdude]

I bought a seedling, it looks necrotic to me, anyhow does anyone have any advice as to what sort of position I should plant it in? Shade emerging into sun like my Oliviformis seem to like?

[Gtlevine]

I have 2 of them, one about to form trunk. They are in filtered sun but I live in a hot dry climate. Great palm from NC, probably second only to Piersoniorum in my opinion. Far superior to Magnifica.

Gary

[BS Man about Palms]

Really in the top 3 as far as ease to grow here in So Cal. I would say at that size go light on the water. I have seen more seedlings die from overwatering than dry. Once established they can take more sun than many think. Maybe Jeff Searle will chime as I planted one slightly larger than that a while back and its done great.

[Palmdude]

Great advice! I was thinking the same thing as far as keeping them on the dry side. I was surprised to see any that were still alive at the nursery after seeing the seedlings dampening off last year. I was happy a few made it though and decided to give one a go. I've wanted this palm for a while now

[Sabal Steve]

Here's mine, it's been in the bathroom. Just repotted it today.

[BS Man about Palms]

Oh yeah.. as of this point heres a summation of this palm... its the ONLY palm I have 2 of planted in the ground! That should let you know what I think of these palms...

[Palmdude]

Hate them so much you had to have two?

[Josh-O]

anyone have any pic's of them growing in the ground?

[Palmdude]

Would you guys grow it out a bit in a pot or pop the little sucker in the ground?

[Pal Meir]

I don’t have experiences with Kentiopsis, but as I have grown up all my palms from seed and in pots I observed similar chlorotic growth of seedlings. The most frequent reasons were

(1) not sufficient drainage together with

(2) too humus rich substrate,

(3) maybe in a too big pot,

what resulted in oxygen deficiency.

When you repot your seedling in a smaller pot with a substrate composed e.g. of 50% pine bark (c. ½”) and something like Seramis (= burnt loam) you may water it even regularly, if you avoid “wet feet”. The natural habitat of this palm seems to be in tropical rainforests on hillsides with silicate rocks (acidic), so the roots get always fresh oxygen rich water. I would wait with planting it outside (even in Florida) on a site protected against direct sunlight until this palm has grown a stem.

[richnorm]

I don’t have experiences with Kentiopsis, but as I have grown up all my palms from seed and in pots I observed similar chlorotic growth of seedlings. The most frequent reasons were

(1) not sufficient drainage together with

(2) too humus rich substrate,

(3) maybe in a too big pot,

what resulted in oxygen deficiency.

When you repot your seedling in a smaller pot with a substrate composed e.g. of 50% pine bark (c. ½”) and something like Seramis (= burnt loam) you may water it even regularly, if you avoid “wet feet”. The natural habitat of this palm seems to be in tropical rainforests on hillsides with silicate rocks (acidic), so the roots get always fresh oxygen rich water. I would wait with planting it outside (even in Florida) on a site protected against direct sunlight until this palm has grown a stem.

Good points. That seedling looks a bit swamped in that container. I wonder if using H2O2 on seedlings provides an additional benefit of extra oxygenation of the mix.

[oliver]

Here is my biggest one in South Texas. It was planted about 8 years ago from a 1 gallon. It is sort of in the ground. It is in a raised planter filled with slightly acidic, well draining soil to a depth of about 2 feet. I am sure that the main roots have penetrated my clayish slightly basic soil and found the water table which is only 5 feet below the bottom of the planter. I have several others which went straight into the clay and are doing fine, but they are only about half the size.

[Josh-O]

Oliver, Nice looking specimens. They are sure on there way to be knock out plants.

Can you grow coconuts where you live?

[Capnrey]

My KO is doing pretty well, so far. But I didn't grow mine from seed - this one came from Phil's/Jungle Music. It's only been in the ground for a year and it only has put out two fronds so far. One of the slower palms in my garden.

[Ben in Norcal]

Are we talking about Oliviformis or Pyriformis? I'm unclear what the pictures are of.

[oliver]

My pictures are K. pyriformis. I am growing coconuts but they are not as pretty as the ones in Miami/south. K. oliviformis btw grows like a champ here.I have a few magnifica but they are still less than 3 ft overall. Same age as the pyriformis pictured and the 5ft of wood trunking oliviformis.

[Gtlevine]

Here is my Pyriformis and Piersoniorum for comparison, both about to trunk this year.

[akamu]

K.pyro are an easy grow no problems I also got mine from jungle music about three years ago and it is one of my favorites. planted it in dappled light and it looks flawless about 3ft overall approx. 2+ leaves a year . great palm for So Cal. K, Ollie is much faster. Good luck palmdude. great score

[Palmdude]

Thanks Adam and everyone for your replies

[Capnrey]

Are we talking about Oliviformis or Pyriformis? I'm unclear what the pictures are of.

OK . .my bad. I'm still trying to learn all these friggin different species.

[Josh-O]

Here is my Pyriformis and Piersoniorum for comparison, both about to trunk this year.image.jpg

image.jpg

[Palmdude]

Sweet Josh!

[Pedro 65]

Pyriformis is a "great permormer" , in its growth speed and looks, cant get the whole palm in pic but this was under 2ft high 3 yrs ago, its top last leaf is a good 2.5 mtrs

Pete

[Geoff]

Few older plants growing in the Marcus' amazing garden

[LJG]

Few older plants growing in the Marcus' amazing garden

Kentiopsis pyriformis.jpgKentiopsis pyriformis and Jeff.jpg

That second photo with Jeff shows a great comparison between Pyriformis and Piersoniorum.

[DoomsDave]

As noted by Bill, pyriformis appear to take drying well. I found some babies shoved in a corner, neglected, doing fine. Just potted them up. No mistaking that pyro-reddish color.

[BS Man about Palms]

Few older plants growing in the Marcus' amazing garden

Kentiopsis pyriformis.jpgKentiopsis pyriformis and Jeff.jpg

That second photo with Jeff shows a great comparison between Pyriformis and Piersoniorum.

My guess being the piersoniorum blocking Jeffs face?

[BS Man about Palms]

Heres my larger one planted at least 5 years ago. IIRC this palm sat down as a decent 1 gal in my backyard that hit 26F and below 30F several nights back in 2007. I decided then they were pretty hardy! If it had more sun I'm sure it would be bigger.. The only real sun it sees is around June when the sun is at its most northern.

I like the comparisons to piersoniorum and I will start a thread about that... I hope peeps transfer their pics over there too.

Heres the trunk of my piersoniorum and how close I planted my other pyriformis to it. I suspect in 3 years the pyriformis will be the larger one.

Oh yeah, get over the weedy bit... that pic was taken after a 2 minute weeding session...

[Hilo Jason]

Here's a picture from 1 year ago of one of my Kentiopsis Pyriformis as it was opening a new leaf. This is the most recent pic I have of this plant but since it does grow pretty well for me, it's a bit larger now.

[Walter John]

I rate K.pyriformis as one of THE best palms to grow. I would like a hundred of them.