A study of Borassus

[bubba]

Here are a few specimens I have recently noticed. Are you growing these?

[bubba]

Another shot

[bubba]

[bubba]

[bubba]

Did I catch a UFO in one of these shots?

[Zeeth]

Borassus are great palms. I, personally, much prefer B. flabellifer to B. aethiopum, but the former is much rarer in Florida than the latter. 

[5150cycad]

3 hours ago, bubba said:

What a great picture. 

[bubba]

I think that was a parrot. Why is flabellifer rarer in Fl. than aethiopum?

[NatureGirl]

My Bo aethiopum planted from seed in situ 1994

[PalmatierMeg]

Charlene, that palm is huge. I didn't know it was that fast growing.

I have two juvenile B. flabellifer I germinated from seeds generously sent by Kris in India.

Here are photos of my larger palm taken in 2015. This species is much more colorful than aethiopum, yellow-orange petioles with black spines.

Borassus flabellifer, Cape Coral, FL,  2015

[NatureGirl]

I agree Meg, flabellifer is more colorful, and that's what I originally wanted for my yard, plus the overall smaller size. But seeds of that one were unavailable at the time. It is a real monster now, been mature for maybe 8 or 9 years (male).

[bubba]

You grew that from seed 23 years ago in Satellite Beach. Beautiful specimen and great insight.

[sonoranfans]

On 7/21/2017, 3:41:35, Zeeth said:

Borassus are great palms. I, personally, much prefer B. flabellifer to B. aethiopum, but the former is much rarer in Florida than the latter. 

they are both pretty rare in my area of florida.  Part of that may be that they need to be planted small, grow slow initially, but then get too huge for most yards.  I see plenty of bismarckias that people locate near their front door or walkway, not knowing that its going to be a huge palm.  Borassus are a step up in size from bismarckia for sure.  I am perhaps a bit confused as the most colorful one Ive seen was Rod Andersons aethiopum grown in arizona, orange on the petioles with black thorns and light green leaves.  Rod also had a flabellifer which was a gorgeous darker green, but no notable orange on petioles at ~6' overall juvenile stage.  When I moved to florida I saw the borassus A. at steve sterns place in miami had mostly black petioles, but still light green leaves.  those palms were larger than Rods but with thinner trunks and petioles.  At the time I though they just didnt get as robust in florida.  My own aethiopum had lime green petioles until this year when the older ones turned quite blackish, I thought it was sick at first.  My place is in a "dry spot" between tampa and sarasota, we historically get less rain, but we got lots of rain this year, coinicidence?  I was wondering if this is an effect of the humid/wet climate on the Aethiopum, as they are native to dry savannahs of africa.  Flabellifer as I recall are native to the humid tropics, probably better adapted to florida weather.

[topwater]

On 7/21/2017, 2:56:03, bubba said:

Here are a few specimens I have recently noticed. Are you growing these?

I will be if my seedlings don't croak. I lost two out of four when I repotted them.  For such a gargantuan palm they seem to be pretty dicey when small.