Palm Hybrid: Adonidia x Wodyetia OR x Veitchia

[PalmatierMeg]

I recently came across and purchased a hybrid palm I hadn't heard of before. The seller says the mother is Adonidia merrillii and the father could be either Wodyetia bifurcata or a Veitchia sp. He says it is a natural hybrid from his property. He germinated seeds from his Adonidia mother and discovered some of them grew 2-3x as fast and were far more vigorous and robust than pure Adonidia seedlings. They also have plentiful dark speckling that I haven't seen on Adonidias. Seller believes the father of these seedlings is either a Wodyetia or one of the Veitchia spp nearby. I hope this hybrid is as fast growing and robust as he says it is. I have planted it in spot in the back yard I have been holding open for 6 months. Does anyone here know of or possess a similar palm to this? I assume because of the Adonidia connection it shouldn't be considered a Foxy Lady but does it have a similar moniker?

Adonidia x Wodyetia or x Veitchia sp

[dmc]

Meg all i can tell you there is veitchia in that plant.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I grew some veitchia from seed last year and there were a lot of dark speckles and looked very similar to these seedlings. 

[Matt in OC]

I bought a plant from Seabreeze a few years ago they called the California Christmas Palm which is Adonidia x Veitchia. It hasn't been fast for me. It looks somewhat similar to yours, but its leaves aren't as droopy. I'll try to take some pictures tonight as I don't have any that are recent.

[Beespalms]

In Thailand, I saw the three mentioned palms (adonidia, woodyetia, & vethcia) plus Carpentaria crossed in all directions.  A lot of the hybrids were unimpressive, compared to a Foxylady.  

Whenever I would sprout foxtail seeds in large batches for commercial production, I always get a handful of small odd shaped seedlings.  I used to toss them thinking they were just duds, but have been hanging on to them now.  I think the adonidia’s cross the the woodyetia pretty easily.  

[Vari805]

Hi Meg,

I bought a handful of these a few years ago from SoFlo.  Grew great in pots here is SoCal, but since I have clay soil here at my current house, I was afraid to plant them, and thought it was better to give them a fighting chance elsewhere, and sold them.  Reports are they are growing like gangbusters in San Diego County.  

Never did see the wodyetia in them, only dark black speckling common in veitchia.   I grow both wodyetia, veitchia, and foxylady, as well as the carpenteria x wodyetia, and the Seabreeze Adonidia x Veitchia, all of which are different than this particular hybrid Meg is referring to.  Hybrids are definitely cool, some much more dramatic than others.  Only time will tell.  That is part of the the fun.  

 

 

[Steve the palmreader]

5 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I recently came across and purchased a hybrid palm I hadn't heard of before. The seller says the mother is Adonidia merrillii and the father could be either Wodyetia bifurcata or a Veitchia sp. He says it is a natural hybrid from his property. He germinated seeds from his Adonidia mother and discovered some of them grew 2-3x as fast and were far more vigorous and robust than pure Adonidia seedlings. They also have plentiful dark speckling that I haven't seen on Adonidias. Seller believes the father of these seedlings is either a Wodyetia or one of the Veitchia spp nearby. I hope this hybrid is as fast growing and robust as he says it is. I have planted it in spot in the back yard I have been holding open for 6 months. Does anyone here know of or possess a similar palm to this? I assume because of the Adonidia connection it shouldn't be considered a Foxy Lady but does it have a similar moniker?

Adonidia x Wodyetia or x Veitchia sp

I saw some near where you live that I thought were hybrids .I will try to post some  pictures next time I am over there.

[Matt in OC]

Here’s my plant. 

[PalmatierMeg]

Thanks, Matt. The leaves are definitely less droopy and I really like those distinct black speckles. I, too, suspect my palm's father was a Veitchia rather than Wodyetia. My next question: will seeds from my new baby be sterile like those of Foxy Lady?

[Palm Tree Jim]

Meg,

I see veitchia traits in your hybrid for sure.

Regardless, a nice hybrid!

My curiosity has me wondering if this would grow here in Southern CA......

[PalmatierMeg]

2 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Meg,

I see veitchia traits in your hybrid for sure.

Regardless, a nice hybrid!

My curiosity has me wondering if this would grow here in Southern CA......

Well, Seabreeze Nursery once sold them as "California Christmas Palm" (such cutesy names - ack!). So, perhaps they were on to something. For what it's worth, my seller indicated this hybrid was much more robust and faster than its Adonidia mother. I know Adonidias are wimps, but if Veitchias do OK in SOCAL maybe this one will too. I should know more after next winter but if this one doesn't grow too large over the summer I may protect it if we get a particularly strong arctic front during its first year in the ground. At least it is planted on the south side of the house and not subject to direct north winds.

[Matt in OC]

Looking at yours more, Meg it looks a lot like what I bought as an F2 Foxy Lady. I'll see if I can snap some pics again tonight.

[Matt in OC]

Foxy Lady F2: droopier, wider leaflets. 

[PalmatierMeg]

Matt, that Foxy Lady F2 does resemble my new one.

[Mostapha]

Hi, I recently germinated 35 out of 36 foxtail palm seeds that were sent to me by a friend in Florida.  So far of the ones that I have potted up, 10 of them are showing a different frond than the standard foxtail. I know there are Vetchia on the same property nearby the foxtails. I'm just wondering if these 10 maybe foxy ladies. 

I have other foxtails at my house, so I'm sure I will be able to maintain them and keep them growing and healthy.  Even though I reside in upstate N.Y. I have been able to grow many palms indoors during the winter that others in much more suitable climates seem to have problems with. Must be doing something right, obviously not to dark and dry as some would suggest.

Back to these seedlings, I'm not sure if they are foxy ladies or a different hybrid, I know there are no Adonidias, as my friend has just acquired and germinated seeds A.merrilii. I still have more of these to pot up that are getting ready for their 3rd frond, which is where I noticed the difference. As I had said so far there are about 10 that are showing this characteristic, a few others are obviously foxtails.

Here are a couple of pics I took today, one showing a seedlings and the other showing it's seed. They all looked alike when I received and cleaned them.  Find these palms to be rather interesting.I had been hoping to possibly find a foxy lady, never imagined it could have happened just by chance. So maybe, maybe not.  Hopefully someone might have an idea.Thanks Mark

[PalmatierMeg]

It may be too early to tell, at least for me, whether that little seedling is a Foxy Lady or pure Wodyetia.

[Mostapha]

Hi, that's why I said I'm not sure either,was just hoping that someone might have an educated idea. I do know that these 10 seedlings are showing a different characteristic then the other foxtails, and as I had said I have others to pot up that are just preparing to put out their 3rd frond which is where the difference seems to show. The others look like other foxtails that I had germinated last year, which I currently have 3 left that are about 2.5-3 ft tall, the rest I have given away to friends and neighbors that I know would take care of them. 

As there is no nursery here where the palms are available, I find it rewarding to germinate different palm seeds and watch them grow out and share them, even though they do remain potted here.  With 12-14 ft ceilings it is quite sometime before they outgrow their space here, when they do I give them to a friend with a greenhouse, where they continue to flourish. 

So it is only out of couriosity that I'm wondering about these palms, if they are foxy ladies, any other hybrid, or just foxtails I'm sure they will grow and become beautiful palms. If by chance they are foxy ladies, I guess that would make them that much more interesting.

Even the twins have found germinating the palms interesting and rewarding, of course they are as unique as the palms that they grow. One leans more toward the art of bonsai while the other likes the solitary trunk palms. It's interesting to listen to them talk to each other about the different palms, plants and classical piano, so I guess the "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree". Of course there are the conversations of video games and girls as well. Boys will be boys.

Thanks, Mark

[Rickybobby]

18 hours ago, Mostapha said:

Hi, I recently germinated 35 out of 36 foxtail palm seeds that were sent to me by a friend in Florida.  So far of the ones that I have potted up, 10 of them are showing a different frond than the standard foxtail. I know there are Vetchia on the same property nearby the foxtails. I'm just wondering if these 10 maybe foxy ladies. 

I have other foxtails at my house, so I'm sure I will be able to maintain them and keep them growing and healthy.  Even though I reside in upstate N.Y. I have been able to grow many palms indoors during the winter that others in much more suitable climates seem to have problems with. Must be doing something right, obviously not to dark and dry as some would suggest.

Back to these seedlings, I'm not sure if they are foxy ladies or a different hybrid, I know there are no Adonidias, as my friend has just acquired and germinated seeds A.merrilii. I still have more of these to pot up that are getting ready for their 3rd frond, which is where I noticed the difference. As I had said so far there are about 10 that are showing this characteristic, a few others are obviously foxtails.

Here are a couple of pics I took today, one showing a seedlings and the other showing it's seed. They all looked alike when I received and cleaned them.  Find these palms to be rather interesting.I had been hoping to possibly find a foxy lady, never imagined it could have happened just by chance. So maybe, maybe not.  Hopefully someone might have an idea.Thanks Mark

How did the foxtail cram into that little cup? Usually the main root goes down deep

[Mostapha]

Hi, once they started showing germination I put them into the cups. I have alot of palms seedlings growing in the same cups. For me they make good starters, then when I bump them up they already have a good root system. Others in the same cups are Howeas, Lantanias, Livistonas,Edulis...etc. like I said they work good for me as starters, then if I send any to friends I can keep them potted and not have to bare root anything. USPS priority boxes are great, standard price for sizes regardless of the weight. Mark