Coccothrinax fragrans is a monster palm

[PalmatierMeg]

My Coccothrinax fragrans has turned into a monster palm for this genus. And it is also quite fast growing. Its trunk is 12" in diameter - this in a genus where the most trunks run 4-8". It belongs to the "relaxed leaf" group and each leaf is 3-4' in diameter.

[Sabal Steve]

Wow, that's a monster.  How tall an old would you say it is?

[Josh-O]

Very impressive Meg  

[PalmatierMeg]

11 hours ago, Sabal Steve said:

Wow, that's a monster.  How tall an old would you say it is?

Maybe 8-10 years. I got it quite small but still palmate.

[Monòver]

Likes coccothrinax x Brahea!!!

[Lmart]

Wow! Has it produced seeds before?  It would be interesting to see if seedlings from it will grow just as fast and large!

[Kostas]

Very interesting and nice one Meg!

[Scott Cohen]

Very nice! I have one about 15ft but with a much smaller diameter trunk.

[Las Palmas Norte]

This palm obviously loves the conditions it's growing in. A well grown palm shows it's comfort by displaying it's finest form.

Cheers, Barrie.

[PalmatierMeg]

6 hours ago, Lmart said:

Wow! Has it produced seeds before?  It would be interesting to see if seedlings from it will grow just as fast and large!

Last year it produced 60+ seeds. I sold them on eBay. Not planning on germinating any in near future.

[Walt]

Your C. fragrans has done far better than mine. I bought one from the Pralls (of Cape Coral) on 3-3-2002 (along with many other palms). I can't recall the exact size of my palm, but I think it was at least a 3 gallon size. I still have my receipt, and I paid $25 for it.

Actually, the palm grew well in a pot and I stepped it up in stages up to a 15 gallon size, then I planted it. In no time the palm started to decline, one frond at a time dying. After about one year I dug it up and repotted it in a 15 gallon pot. Once in the pot it started growing well again. About a year later I planted the palm back in the ground in the same spot it was, as I had (still have) about four Coconthrinax barbadensis and argentea palms growing there.

Well, after a month or so the C. fragrans started to decline again. I let it decline for about a year and dug it up again and repotted it in a 15 gallon pot. Again, it almost immediately started to recover. I let the palm fully recover, but this time I decided to plant it in a totally new location, which I did about two years ago. After two years the palm seems to be holding its own, but it's not growing and looking as good as my other Cocothrinax palms.

My small Cocothrinax fragrans palm can be seen in my YouTube video (below) starting at the 1:35 mark. I really expected more out of this palm considering I've been growing it for over 14 years now. It is what it is. If it declines again, that's it. I will not dig it out again. I will let nature take its course. I have a Copernicia alba that I've had since 2000, and it's no bigger today than when I bought it. Some palms species just won't grow for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfvREbbYOMw

 

 

[Mandrew968]

I have seen them big and bigger. These are closely related to spissa so it is no surprise to me that they can get quite fat. I have seen spissa bigger around than a royal palm--I understand if no one believes me. Ken Johnson does...

[Mandrew968]

On 4/29/2016, 8:34:10, Walt said:

 

My small Cocothrinax fragrans palm can be seen in my YouTube video (below) starting at the 1:35 mark. I really expected more out of this palm considering I've been growing it for over 14 years now. It is what it is. If it declines again, that's it. I will not dig it out again. I will let nature take its course. I have a Copernicia alba that I've had since 2000, and it's no bigger today than when I bought it. Some palms species just won't grow for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfvREbbYOMw

 

 

I think maybe a bold statement, if you have only tried one plant...