Colpothrinax wrightii

[Caribbean Palms]

A group of Colpothrinax wrightii growing near Pinar Del Rio, Cuba.

[mike in kurtistown]

Mike,

Those look cool, majestic with those huge, dark green, divided leaves. I know someone in east coastal Florida who thinks they are ugly. I'm going to send that individual a copy of this pic.

Mike M

[palmtreesforpleasure]

How much cold do these take

Have just germinated a few but am not sure of their cold tolerance

regards

colin

[waykoolplantz]

Great pic Mike

...tho i'm not sure exactly what makes a palm 'ugly' either

if i related it to the animal world....i'd say it resembles a flock of Flamingo's around a lake...a bit ungainly...but a commanding grace

[SubTropicRay]

Great photo Mike.

[Jeff Searle]

Mike,

    OHHH, so sweet! Nothing like a unique palm in habitat. Thanks!

Jeff

007

[Moose]

[PalmGuyWC]

What is the extreamly rare palm from Cuba that has a thick trunk and I think it's hairy or has fiber on the trunk? Not a Cocothrinax or Thrinax. I once had a tour with Don Carelsmith and Hal Moore at the botanical garden in Heilo. There was one growing there and Hal said it might be the only one growing outside of Cuba. It's been so long ago, I can't remember what it looked like. Ring a bell anyone?

Dick

[bubba]

Mike, That is one incredible palm. My Cocothrinax miraguama is growing and growing.Thanks

[bayside mike]

What is the extreamly rare palm from Cuba that has a thick trunk and I think it's hairy or has fiber on the trunk? Not a Cocothrinax or Thrinax. I once had a tour with Don Carelsmith and Hal Moore at the botanical garden in Heilo. There was one growing there and Hal said it might be the only one growing outside of Cuba. It's been so long ago, I can't remember what it looked like. Ring a bell anyone?

Dick

Gastrococos?

[PalmGuyWC]

It seems Colpothrinax wrightii rung a bell with me, but from the looks of many growing around the lake in Cuba, they don't seem to be that rare. Is Colpothrinax rare outside of Cuba? It's been 30 years since I saw the palm in Hilo, so my memory is a little foggy. All I remember is Hal Moore got very excited when he saw the palm growing in Hilo.

Dick

[Caribbean Palms]

What is the extreamly rare palm from Cuba that has a thick trunk and I think it's hairy or has fiber on the trunk? Not a Cocothrinax or Thrinax. I once had a tour with Don Carelsmith and Hal Moore at the botanical garden in Heilo. There was one growing there and Hal said it might be the only one growing outside of Cuba. It's been so long ago, I can't remember what it looked like. Ring a bell anyone?

Dick

Hi Dick,

Is it possible it could be a Colpothrinax?

I believe there is one in Fairchild Gardens growing next to one of the lakes that is covered with hair and has a very thick trunk. I didn't recognize untill I read the tag. All of the ones I saw in habitat had the 'hair' burned off by fires. As far as being rare... in the Pinar Del Rio area there are thousands.

Mike

[Moose]

Dick - suprisingly they are difficult in South Florida . They may not have been available when you lived here. There may be someone successfully growing some in S. Fla. but my experience is that they struggle here .

Respectfully submitted to "old school" palmaholic.

Kindest regards,

Ron.

[PalmGuyWC]

Ron and Mike, thank you for your comments.

The more I think of it, I believe the palm I saw in Hilo was Colpothrinax wrightii. The place where I saw it was more of a USDA garden than a botanical garden. I believe someone told me the place had been "rearranged" since I was there so the palm may not be there anymore.

I expect the palm was scarce outside of Cuba 30 years ago, and I'm surprised it doesn't grow well in S. Florida. One would think it would. It must be very slow growing like some of the Cocothrinax.

Dick

[Davidl]

Mike those are some nice pictures and any caribbean palm pics are great to me so if you have more please post.

[Caribbean Palms]

Ron and Mike, thank you for your comments.

The more I think of it, I believe the palm I saw in Hilo was Colpothrinax wrightii. The place where I saw it was more of a USDA garden than a botanical garden. I believe someone told me the place had been "rearranged" since I was there so the palm may not be there anymore.

I expect the palm was scarce outside of Cuba 30 years ago, and I'm surprised it doesn't grow well in S. Florida. One would think it would. It must be very slow growing like some of the Cocothrinax.

Dick

I was suprised at how slow and difficult they were. The seed I germinated struggled from the beginning and eventually all died off after a couple of years.

The area they grow was also home to huge clumps of Paurotis which love it here.

Mike

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is the one at Fairchild growing next to the lagoon. I have 3 young specimens to try out here. I think they like lots of water.

[PalmGuyWC]

Eric,

Thanks for the photo. I'm sure that was the palm I saw in Hilo. I was sure I remembered fiber on the trunk. I wonder if that palm is still there? I think maybe Garrin told me the palm had been removed for renovation of the place.

Dick

[SubTropicRay]

Eric, small plants have proven difficult for me to keep alive. I hope you have better luck.

[Ken Johnson]

BTW I think they are related to Pritchardia?

[kylecawazafla]

What is the extreamly rare palm from Cuba that has a thick trunk and I think it's hairy or has fiber on the trunk? Not a Cocothrinax or Thrinax. I once had a tour with Don Carelsmith and Hal Moore at the botanical garden in Heilo. There was one growing there and Hal said it might be the only one growing outside of Cuba. It's been so long ago, I can't remember what it looked like. Ring a bell anyone?

Dick

Maybe you have the island mixed up and you're thinking of a Coccothrinax spissa from the Dominican Republic??

I also remember seeing the Colpothrinax at Fairchild and only after I saw it there did I learn that they produce trunks like that!

[Eric in Orlando]

BTW I think they are related to Pritchardia?

an old, old synonym for it is Prichardia wrightii

[kylecawazafla]

BTW I think they are related to Pritchardia?

an old, old synonym for it is Prichardia wrightii

Eric! I went to Leu Gardens on Monday. It's now my 4th time there and I still haven't met you. It's a really nice place and I love the palm collection with all the obscure species it includes! I checked on the Rhizophora and was surprised it was still alive! Have you ever tried Avicennia as well?

[Eric in Orlando]

Oh wow, you missed me again. Let me know next time you are coming down. We were off on Mon. for the holiday.

Yes, we have a 3 native mangroves. We have a couple Rhizophora in the Garden and a specimen of all 3 natives planted in the lake below the seawall. They grow just as well in pure fresh water. They should be planted inland amongst the bald cypress in the urban lakes.

[kylecawazafla]

When I lived in a house in Gainesville, I planted a small Avicennia germinans in the pond in our backyard and it grew very well and even survived the frosts in the winter. I only saw one Rhizophora. Are they all planted close to each other? The one I saw seemed to have major competition between the colocasias.

[mike in kurtistown]

Dick,

I live near Hilo and have been to the Hilo Arboretum many times. The garden is part of a facility of the state agency Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). They still have a world palm collection that was partly supplied by Jeff Marcus. Recently, they cleaned it up nicely - it was a weedy mess for a while, but they kept all the palms. However, the state agency has become militantly hostile to exotic species of all kinds, and I wouldn't expect this part of the the garden to be enlarged.

The Colpothrinax wrightii was at the corner of the exotic palm collection. According to Jeff, it died. (Before I arrived here - I never saw it, though the stump and roots are still there.) He was unhappy about it because he used to get seeds from it.

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is one I planted out today. It was 2 years old from seed from RPS and growing in a 3 gal container, lots of healthy roots.

[Eric in Orlando]

When I lived in a house in Gainesville, I planted a small Avicennia germinans in the pond in our backyard and it grew very well and even survived the frosts in the winter. I only saw one Rhizophora. Are they all planted close to each other? The one I saw seemed to have major competition between the colocasias.

No, they aren't close together. The one below the seawall is in about 2ft of water now. The other is growing on the swampy hillside, it is black mucky soil as there is a spring that trickles out from there.