Copernicia baileyana

[Cindy Adair]

I collected these seed three years ago in Cuba and today planted two of them.

 I had placed them for the past couple of weeks, shifting spacing and watching the leaves.

I found wire under this one as you can see, so tomorrow I will go back and cut it out before planting, as no gopher protection needed here!

Clearly the location seemed to suit them and they are about 17 feet apart so more space than between those at Fairchild gardens.

Above is a Pseudophoenix ledeniana that also seems pretty happy, so will probably get planted there to look down on the Baileys for awhile.

The rocks were just excavated and had to go somewhere.The weeds behind obscure a sharp slope and will be knocked back every so often. We had a good soaking rain afterwards so perfect timing.

Any guesses as to how many years before they trunk?

One day I want to be able to be under them and look up to admire that stunning crown.

Please post your C. baileyana photos big or small whether yours or taken elsewhere. Thanks!

[RichAZ]

Looking good!  I love Bailey's but it seems likely that one cold AZ winter would do them in well before they got overhead.  Super nice trees.  Good luck with them.  

[peachy]

These were the palms that first got me hooked after seeing a photo in a book, then some in the old Brisbane botanic gardens. I bought a couple, had them about 12 years, then when they were finally tall enough to scratch  my ankles, I planted them carefully and they promptly croaked. For some reason all my 'dream' palms would be shorter than I am until I turn 140

 

[Cindy Adair]

Hi Peachy!

If I could send you a couple more of mine I would!

I have read (and been told) that Copernicias hate to have their roots disturbed. However I have moved some and repotted lots and planted out maybe a dozen and so far no issues. Of course we are talking mostly 5 gallon size or smaller.

However I did only plant the three, holding their siblings in pots until I make sure these three decide to live. 

Oh, today I spent way too long stubbornly removing all the wire so I could place my third Bailey in its chosen spot. Then I realized it was not soil with a few rocks, but entirely rocks.  Yes below is clearly one of those huge cubes of rocks placed to prevent erosion. So I replaced the rocks and soil on top and conceded.

Now the final palm to go in that area is a bit down the road, but has fertile looking soil. And the P. ledeniana and three gift foxtails are in place.

[Peter Pacific]

Thank you for this post, Cindy.  This is one palm I long to have in my garden but have not found one that will work for me and the logistics of getting it to Guatemala.

Peter

[Really full garden]

Cindy,   three years ? I have seeds germinating now . I know I probably should have done this twenty years ago.....

[aztropic]

20 hours ago, RichAZ said:

Looking good!  I love Bailey's but it seems likely that one cold AZ winter would do them in well before they got overhead.  Super nice trees.  Good luck with them.  

Not true! Actually seems to be a fairly hardy palm for Arizona.Here's 1 I grew from seed;started about 12 years ago.Don't be afraid to give 1 a go.

Aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[aztropic]

Other Copernicias I grew from seed,both 11 years old,berteroana (left) and macroglossa.

Aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[aztropic]

My 3 year old bailey seedlings for comparison; growing at Arizona speed.

Aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

 

[kurt decker]

19 years from seed collected in Cuba by Willie Kirsch. In the yard of my buddy Dr. Larry, in Cooper City, Fl.

[Mandrew968]

Cindy, great growth on yours-here are a few of mine. 

[Mandrew968]

11 hours ago, aztropic said:

Other Copernicias I grew from seed,both 11 years old,berteroana (left) and macroglossa.

Aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

You are way too choppy for my taste...

[aztropic]

2 hours ago, Mandrew968 said:

You are way too choppy for my taste...

Corner lot... With fronds down,drivers views were blocked.So,until there's 6 feet of trunk,it's chop,chop,chop!

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Tomw]

Seeing those trees trimmed like that hurts my eyes!

[aztropic]

1 hour ago, Tomw said:

 

1 hour ago, Tomw said:

Seeing those trees trimmed like that hurts my eyes!

Unfortunately,the choice was to trim off a few extra fronds or trim the trees off at ground level.In a few more years,they will be able to be displayed a little fuller. Safety first!

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Cindy Adair]

23 hours ago, scottgt said:

Cindy,   three years ? I have seeds germinating now . I know I probably should have done this twenty years ago.....

Better late than never for sure with trees...

[Cindy Adair]

20 hours ago, aztropic said:

My 3 year old bailey seedlings for comparison; growing at Arizona speed.

Aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

 

You are doing great! Until your recent posts I really did not know they would even grow well for you. How wonderful yours look!

[Cindy Adair]

18 hours ago, kurt decker said:

19 years from seed collected in Cuba by Willie Kirsch. In the yard of my buddy Dr. Larry, in Cooper City, Fl.

I love this photo and post! Informative with gorgeous tree and easier to pretend mine look like that now.

Hmmm, in 16 years I will be 76, if I'm still kicking that is, and that is less easy to think about. 

[Cindy Adair]

4 hours ago, aztropic said:

 

Unfortunately,the choice was to trim off a few extra fronds or trim the trees off at ground level.In a few more years,they will be able to be displayed a little fuller. Safety first!

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Difficult, but necessary choice! Really nice trees!

[aztropic]

7 minutes ago, Cindy Adair said:

You are doing great! Until your recent posts I really did not know they would even grow well for you. How wonderful yours look!

They do grow slower overall than those in FL or Caribbean because we have to deal with extreme temps which often make the palms stop growing.(120 degrees predicted for 2 days next week) Still,they do survive,so that alone makes them a good AZ palm if you can find them.

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Josh-O]

On 6/15/2017, 4:47:00, aztropic said:

Not true! Actually seems to be a fairly hardy palm for Arizona.Here's 1 I grew from seed;started about 12 years ago.Don't be afraid to give 1 a go.

Aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Dang!!

 

yours is doing great!!

[Josh-O]

Mine is just a tad bit smaller than yours scott

[Mandrew968]

On 6/16/2017, 9:48:00, aztropic said:

Corner lot... With fronds down,drivers views were blocked.So,until there's 6 feet of trunk,it's chop,chop,chop!

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Blocking driver's views?? What kind of ordinance is that?! There isn't any law in my neighborhood about such oppression-they get onto me for blocking my sidewalk and give me warnings to trim the fronds 8 feet above the walkways. My neighbor is a doosh about fronds going over his property line, but driver's views... I would fight that tooth and nail-I mean it's Copernicia we're talking here! They have to be ten times more rare where you are than where I am.

[BS Man about Palms]

Funny, I would do just the opposite. people can easily walk around fronds, but a 1 ton bit of steel kills bicyclists, or other cars or the like due to vision restriction..  There is a spot in a town near here that has a gentle downhill curve and you are allowed to turn left from a gas station. To the left it bends away AND is higher, PLUS some volunteer Washingtonia fronds blocking the sidewalk basically means its a gamble to pull out and left as the limit is 25-30mph and its possible neither participant can see each other until 100 feet away.