How Do Palms Hybridize?

[PalmTreeDude]

How exactly do palms hybridize? Does the pollen from one palm go into the flower of another different palm? In that case, wouldn't there be hybrid palms all over the place? 

[Josh-O]

1 hour ago, PalmTreeDude said:

How exactly do palms hybridize? Does the pollen from one palm go into the flower of another different palm? In that case, wouldn't there be hybrid palms all over the place? 

great topic! This will be an interesting  thread to follow

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Same principle as creating a goldendoodle. The only difference is that wind/insects/humans, etc can affect the delivery method so to speak. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Only palm species with very similar genetic makeups can hybridize. Palms within the same genus certainly can such as a Phoenix canariensis and P. reclinata or Chamadorea radicalis and C. microspadix. Some genus are similar enough to hybridize such as Syagrus and Butia. Others are so different that it is impossible such as Wodyetia with Phoenix or Cocos with Dypsis. I get naturally hybridized seedlings all the time sprouting in my yard as "weeds." Bees are the main transporter of the pollen from palm to palm and there are palm hobbiests that create man made hybrids such as mule palms (Butia X Syagrus).

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Yes, jim brings up a good point. Cocoids would be canines in my example, phoenix would be horses, chamaedorea would be cats, etc.  They are all animals but cannot interbreed.

[Palm Tree Jim]

9 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Only palm species with very similar genetic makeups can hybridize. Palms within the same genus certainly can such as a Phoenix canariensis and P. reclinata or Chamadorea radicalis and C. microspadix. Some genus are similar enough to hybridize such as Syagrus and Butia. Others are so different that it is impossible such as Wodyetia with Phoenix or Cocos with Dypsis. I get naturally hybridized seedlings all the time sprouting in my yard as "weeds." Bees are the main transporter of the pollen from palm to palm and there are palm hobbiests that create man made hybrids such as mule palms (Butia X Syagrus).

Nice explanation Jim.

[Flow]

Another reason hybrids aren't all over the place is geographic distribution. You can cross a Jubaea with a Butia without a problem but it would never happen without human interference because their habitats are thousands of kilometers apart and the Andes are in between. Geographic distance could also be a reason why they developed into new species or genera in the first place.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Flow

[BS Man about Palms]

Just answered with a link over on my BS Garden thread.... same link here from Geoff Stein. 

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3012#b

[PalmTreeDude]

50 minutes ago, BS Man about Palms said:

Just answered with a link over on my BS Garden thread.... same link here from Geoff Stein. 

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3012#b

Good information!