Dypsis decipiens. Not fast but an easy palm

[Alberto]

I have 8 Dypsis decipiens growing here at my place and 2 at my parents home. They are not fast but trouble free palms in my tableland subtropical climate. The palms growing at my parents are beginning to form a trunk. Probably they like the well draining soil and all the rain water from a roof . This are my palms:

[Alberto]

A thick healthy spear

[Alberto]

Another specimen

[Alberto]

Detail

[DoomsDave]

@Alberto, those are fine specimens!

I wish I could say they were easy, but they're easier if their specific conditions are met, which appears to be where you are!

More pictures, por favor?

[5150cycad]

2 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

@Alberto, those are fine specimens!

I wish I could say they were easy, but they're easier if their specific conditions are met, which appears to be where you are!

More pictures, por favor?

I am in the same boat Dave. I have tried seedlings up to 15 gallons and every single one of them died on me. I have lost about 5 now. 

@Alberto , I agree with Dave that those are some fine specimens. You must have a great climate along with a green thumb. Well grown palms. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Gorgeous decipiens, Alberto! They’re slow here too but trouble free and not demanding at all. Here’s one of mine. 

[Pete in Paradise Hills]

19 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

I am in the same boat Dave. I have tried seedlings up to 15 gallons and every single one of them died on me. I have lost about 5 now. 

@Alberto , I agree with Dave that those are some fine specimens. You must have a great climate along with a green thumb. Well grown palms. 

I lost mine as well. My guess was too shaded and rotted out...

[Jim in Los Altos]

2 hours ago, Pete in Paradise Hills said:

I lost mine as well. My guess was too shaded and rotted out...

This one’s in full shade and never sees any direct sun and it’s been doing fine for years. Full shade D. dicipiens tend to have longer fronds and a more open growth habit. The other one is shaded but it’s bright shade in the morning. 

Edited July 24, 2018 by Jim in Los Altos

[Palm Tree Jim]

Jim, I must say that I’m surprised that yours are doing well in mostly shade.

Mine are in full sun, and for the most part I ignore them.....and they seem to grow year round for me......but slow.

[Tyrone]

Once they get some size to them they become easier. In pots they're kind of slow. When young they can rot easily. They need to get some big roots developed and then they speed up and get some size to them. In that respect they are like a Bismarck.

[Chris Chance]

Man I love those palms. I tried several here so far but they rotted out. I want to try again soon when I find one at a nice size. 

[5150cycad]

1 hour ago, Tyrone said:

Once they get some size to them they become easier. In pots they're kind of slow. When young they can rot easily. They need to get some big roots developed and then they speed up and get some size to them. In that respect they are like a Bismarck.

Do you have any tips on planting and water requirements when young. One of my favorite dypsis species that I should be able to grow and haven’t had any luck. Its weird because I can grow onilahensis and ambositrae no problem, even with my hot and cold temperatures. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I love this species. 

 

[Josh-O]

4 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

Do you have any tips on planting and water requirements when young. One of my favorite dypsis species that I should be able to grow and haven’t had any luck. Its weird because I can grow onilahensis and ambositrae no problem, even with my hot and cold temperatures. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I love this species. 

 

have you tried mound planting?

[Jim in Los Altos]

10 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Jim, I must say that I’m surprised that yours are doing well in mostly shade.

Mine are in full sun, and for the most part I ignore them.....and they seem to grow year round for me......but slow.

At this age the ones in shade are growing faster than the my full sun ones did at the same age. They have a much different appearance though. Full sun and they grow much tighter and dense, full sun, longer fronds and a more open growth habit. 

[5150cycad]

15 hours ago, Josh-O said:

have you tried mound planting?

Yes I have. I will eventually try another one maybe in the fall. Escondido has been so hot this summer. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

22 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

At this age the ones in shade are growing faster than the my full sun ones did at the same age. They have a much different appearance though. Full sun and they grow much tighter and dense, full sun, longer fronds and a more open growth habit. 

Meant to say in the last sentence "full shade" longer more open fronds. 

[Phoenikakias]

On 25/7/2018, 7:47:56, Josh-O said:

have you tried mound planting?

How high should the mound be? 

[BS Man about Palms]

10 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

How high should the mound be? 

This is relative to how free draining your soil is and temps, cool temps and dense soil would be 6-8" above soil line. Warmer temps and free draining soil will work lower.

[Josh-O]

20 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

Yes I have. I will eventually try another one maybe in the fall. Escondido has been so hot this summer. 

its strange how this Dypsis can be bulletproof for some and finicky for others. When you were at my garden you saw a double just going nuts and another double that is dying for no dang reason just 30' apart. I have had mixed experiences with this palm. I know they want heat and fast drainage. (but some are growing in pure clay and doing great) Gary L. has multiple trunking specimens at his garden and he gets just as hot if not hotter then you. I find this one a bit harder to grow myself. I no longer think this palms is that bulletproof. I have killed many.

cheers!

[5150cycad]

I know exactly the two palms u are talking about. That one looked like it was a goner till that new spear appeared. Your other one looked flawless. I will have to try again and will make sure to mound plant this time. I don’t want to give up on this palm. Thanks for the Information josh. 

[Josh-O]

7 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

I know exactly the two palms u are talking about. That one looked like it was a goner till that new spear appeared. Your other one looked flawless. I will have to try again and will make sure to mound plant this time. I don’t want to give up on this palm. Thanks for the Information josh. 

[enigma99]

Mine has been a steady grower in ground for 2 years but slow. Now I need to wait 20 more!

Edited July 27, 2018 by enigma99

[Hilo Jason]

As mentioned here, while Dypsis Decipiens can be a tough palm in regards to taking more heat and cold than most Dypsis, it can also be a tough palm to grow. I tried many in my Fallbrook, California garden. I killed all but 2 and those 2 eventually did really well. I think this is just one of those palms that you need to plan on buying several of if you want to eventually have some do really well. 

[Alberto]

Exactly 6 years later ( july 23 2018) I' ll post pics of the same palm.  Maybe other people that showed a pic of  there D. decipiens in this thread,  can also show how thy grew at there place.

[flplantguy]

Only six years? Wow!  I will try again as soon as a source comes available and be more careful, the blue form Jeff Marcus sells is doing well for me but it's not the same i dont think.

[Alberto]

11 minutes ago, flplantguy said:

Only six years? Wow!  I will try again as soon as a source comes available and be more careful, the blue form Jeff Marcus sells is doing well for me but it's not the same i dont think.

When it finally forms a trunk it grows fast

[Jonathan Haycock]

2 hours ago, Alberto said:

Exactly 6 years later ( july 23 2018) I' ll post pics of the same palm.  Maybe other people that showed a pic of  there D. decipiens in this thread,  can also show how thy grew at there place.

Absolutely flawless Alberto!!! Clearly not slow when they are happy.

[Tyrone]

On 7/24/2024 at 6:03 AM, Alberto said:

Exactly 6 years later ( july 23 2018) I' ll post pics of the same palm.  Maybe other people that showed a pic of  there D. decipiens in this thread,  can also show how thy grew at there place.

They’re stunning specimens.

I’m glad I planted a few around here. At my old place I had one just starting to trunk in the middle of our front lawn doing well. The new owner cut it out. 😔

I should plant some more of them. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

In the past six years, the one in my front yard has formed trunk rings and is speeding up in growth. First photo is in 2018. I had to take photos in the dark tonight but you can still get an idea of growth progression. 
 

[AlligatorDave]

WOW! Incredible! But the DD thriving in SW Costa Rica where it’s very hot, wet and humid seems quite the curveball. 

[Tomas]

There were great expectations for this relatively hardy palm here in Italy and seeds were also readily available some years ago,  but I am sure, no one is alive today, maybe one. They do not tolerate the high minimum temperatures in the summer, and it is getting even worse in the recent years

[DoomsDave]

On 7/24/2018 at 12:06 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

This one’s in full shade and never sees any direct sun and it’s been doing fine for years. Full shade D. dicipiens tend to have longer fronds and a more open growth habit. The other one is shaded but it’s bright shade in the morning. 

Fast draining soil?

[Harry’s Palms]

I just visited Pauline Sullivan’s house (deceased) . Her grandson lives there now and I caught up with Terry. The Dypsis Decipiens are HUGE! I posted pics in a different thread. The soil seemed dry around the base so I think the soil they are in is fast draining . Terry told me they water frequently. The garden looked nice and well cared for. Harry

[Jim in Los Altos]

2 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Fast draining soil?

Yes Dave. I can point a garden hose, on full force, at any spot of soil in my garden and it never puddles no matter how wet it already is. The ground will just suck the water up. I get a lot of water volume out of my taps too. 

[Alberto]

On 7/25/2024 at 1:25 AM, Jim in Los Altos said:

In the past six years, the one in my front yard has formed trunk rings and is speeding up in growth. First photo is in 2018. I had to take photos in the dark tonight but you can still get an idea of growth progression. 
 

Wow , nice! Now it' s forming a trunk it will grow faster.

[SeanK]

I once read that this species was a bottom feeder, like Gunnera manicata. Seeks water at the distal end of the root zone and doesn't like water near the base of the plant. 

Could try clay at the bottom of the hole and sand near the top.

[Jim in Los Altos]

4 hours ago, SeanK said:

I once read that this species was a bottom feeder, like Gunnera manicata. Seeks water at the distal end of the root zone and doesn't like water near the base of the plant. 

Could try clay at the bottom of the hole and sand near the top.

I don’t know about other’s situations but mine gets lots of water and often. Three to four days per week it gets a soaking and has since it was a small palm. It’s fat and happy and growing faster now that it’s got some real trunk. I will say that my soil drains well despite there being lots of clay a couple of feet under the top layer of loam. 
 

[SeanK]

@Jim in Los Altos - How deep is the loam? Does it seem to dry quickly?

[Jim in Los Altos]

3 hours ago, SeanK said:

@Jim in Los Altos - How deep is the loam? Does it seem to dry quickly?

About two feet deep. It holds moisture well however.