Surprise, surprise, Mauritia flexuosa

[Palmarum]

It was the second Saturday of the Fall 'Ganza, Oct. 13th, two weeks ago. Everything is peaceful, the sale is going on as planned, the weather is perfect, a slight breeze moves through the sales area; it is an overall great day for the event. I am in the BBQ area, which borders one of the old landscaped areas of the nursery, getting my lunch. I am putting mustard on my hotdog when I look up, viewing past the overhang of the BBQ area and I see a bright green object hanging over the roof of the nearby mist house. "Huh?" I say to myself...

I leave my food unattended and move forward for a closer look and identify the object as a giant, newly emergent inflorescence, lying prone over the shadecloth...

"Where the hell did that come from?!" I said out loud, surprising the people around me. "Damn, the Mauritia is flowering."

 

- I bring my camera to bear, which I had with me (no surprise) and took this shot below while shaking, the thought of food totally gone from my mind. It wasn't just one inflorescence, it was three of them, emerging from the leaf bases in a triangular formation. This palm, planted 20-plus years ago was flowering for the first time. It was an event we had always dreamed about but figured it would never happen. This is the largest specimen around in S. Florida that we know of and thus had no real reference to know when it would mature. I always check the older palms in the area to see if any are in bloom, but this came out of nowhere. I always thought I would catch the first beginnings of the inflorescence as it was clearing the leaf bases, but this was way past that. I am usually too busy during the sale to check, unless a customer wants to look at a larger specimen in the ground before buying a smaller one. This happens with the Mauritia a lot actually, but no one had asked this Fall.

- I began firing at will. Taking photos from every angle I could get to. The palm is so massive and the area is so packed with plants it was hard to get wider shots of the entire tree. I was still freaking out a bit, I took the first photo below without a flash. It shows how dark it was under the canopy of the massive palm, and at 12:13 in the afternoon. The second shot shows one of the super thick and heavy rachises, as I am looking at it from below. I could reach this one as it was closer to the ground and I tried to swing it. I could feel the density and weight and could only imagine it bearing tons of the large scaly fruit. Total wowness.

- Of the three inflorescences, this was the only one that presented a clear view. It was facing the small open area that held the picnic benches. It seemed to be growing larger right in front of me. I had to stop taking photos now and then just to touch it. The rachillae were equally heavy and over-built and I figured they had to be to support hundreds of the large fruit.

- One of the many things that were surprising, was the seemingly abrupt angle of the penduncles as they were emerging past the leaf bases. One would think they would follow the direction or angle of the closest petiole or leaf base, but they seem to make hard right turns as they emerge. This is a common sight by the zillions in its native habitat, but the first I have seen close up. As I was shooting photos left, right, up and down, it dawned on me that Jeff didn't know...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- I kept taking photos as I was figuring out how to get Jeff over to show him without tipping him off. I was trying to back up as far as I could to get as much of the palm in frame as possible. I had a handy 2-inch (5cm) binder clip with me, so I clipped it onto the end of a rachillae to serve as scale.

- I curbed my enthusiasm to the best of my ability and went to find Jeff in the sales area. I told him I had to 'show him the Pelagodoxa' in the area behind the BBQ. He followed me in with his attention focused on the Pelagodoxa (the leaves with the silver underside) thinking that it may have flowered. He began to look the palm over intently, when I said "the Pely isn't in bloom, THAT is..." I turned him to the left and pointed him at the Mauritia, surprise inflicted. In the excitement Jeff ran around the palm looking over the inflorescences and I kept firing away.

- He decided he had to get up into the palm for photos, always a great idea, and proceeded to climb the older leaf bases. He knocked a couple loose and created clear 'trunk' as they came off, but most of the trunk is still being formed under all those leaf bases. In the first photo he got up as high as he could, holding on with one hand while pushing away the Pelagodoxa leaf with the other. I got closer for the second photo and he let the leaf go so he could hold on to one of the rachillae.

 

We can only hope as to what the inflorescences will bring in way of flowers or fruit. Even if nothing is produced, it is still an amazing point in history for the palm. I will try and get updates as time goes by. The species is common in habitat, but to see a mature tree in cultivation is a great experience. I was wired for the rest of the day. Took me forever to get back to my hotdog.

Ryan

--<

[rprimbs]

Wow, those are big palm trees!

[realarch]

Great photos and narrative of an impressive palm tree. These are truly 'monsters'. 

Oops, there goes Jeff up another palm tree. 

Thanks Ryan.

 

Tim

[PalmatierMeg]

I didn't realize this species got so large. Beautiful palm.

[John in Andalucia]

I recall 'teasing' the forum 7 years ago with a picture of some Aguaje fruits I picked up in a supermarket in Peru. Jeff was quick to comment, so I know how important this tree is to you. Congratulations, guys.

Incidentally, if it was 12' tall (approx.) back in 2011, how tall is it now?

An old topic: Mauritia flexuosa from seed

 

[Moose]

Last year someone at the sale asked me how long does it take this palm to flower, now we know

[Cindy Adair]

I love this topic! And the story.

I am sorry I missed noticing the first day of your sale!

My small seedlings struggled initially, but now seem pretty happy still in their pots.

 I too am glad to get an idea how long I might need to live to see my trio flower.

When they do will you come and climb mine with me Jeff? With Ryan as photographer of course!

We'll all still be climbing trees then right?

[CB Lisa]

Wow! This is so cool, having climbed through the other plants in that area with Missi at the Spring sale just to get a better look and pics of this palm! It is one impressive tree, and the inflorescences even more so! Great tree climbing skills, Jeff!  

[Palmarum]

3 hours ago, Cindy Adair said:

... I am sorry I missed noticing the first day of your sale! ...

Cindy, if you had ventured over to look at the palm it could have been you who discovered the new inflorescences, and it might have been you in the photos.

Ryan

[Stevetoad]

What an amazing palm! One of my top 10 for sure. 

[Missi]

On 10/21/2018, 9:38:23, CB Lisa said:

Wow! This is so cool, having climbed through the other plants in that area with Missi at the Spring sale just to get a better look and pics of this palm! It is one impressive tree, and the inflorescences even more so! Great tree climbing skills, Jeff!  

I'm pretty sure the lovins we gave it this spring helped  I do recall giving it a big hug! haha

[Mandrew968]

We must have 10 or so at Montgomery. Only one is struggling-with the right placement, this palm is a winner in South Florida-congrats Jeff!

[Fusca]

3 hours ago, Missi said:

I'm pretty sure the lovins we gave it this spring helped  I do recall giving it a big hug! haha

Missi, can you come here and give some of my palms a hug?    I've got a Butia in particular that should be flowering by now but hasn't yet.

[Cindy Adair]

Here are mine in case anyone wants to see babies.

Maybe Jeff will germinate tons of seed and have seedlings for sale!

I've read that it's "dioecious, but sometimes hermaphroditic" so who knows?

I have a 4th that is in the background of the group photo to perhaps get both sexes, but Montgomery will surely have seed sometime with 10.

[aussiearoids]

So was it a boy or a girl flower ? ... good to see they do well in Florida , as it gives my mates down in sub-tropical Brisbane  some hope.