Remarkable palms of Tampa Bay

[RedRabbit]

Inspired by @palmsOrl's thread for Orlando, I'm starting this thread so we can share remarkable palms in the greater Tampa Bay area. What I mean by "remarkable" is a palm that's unusual for the area it is planted. A 10' coconut in Wesley Chapel would be remarkable whereas the same palm in St. Pete Beach would not be. Just use own judgement and err on overposting.

The "greater Tampa Bay area" is somewhat ambiguous. For the purposes of this thread, let's go with a very broad definition and include all these areas:

• Hernando
• Pasco
• Hillsborough
• Pinellas
• Polk
• Manatee
• Sarasota

 

 

[SWFLchris]

Just about everything in @Mike Evans yard would classify as remarkable, you should see his Satakentia's.

[Palmaceae]

Just found these today, Howea forsteriana in St Pete. Nice to see them here in Florida doing so well, do not see that very often. Sorry for the hard to see pictures, the light was not right.

 

[SWFLchris]

Just now, Palmaceae said:

Just found these today, Howea forsteriana in St Pete. Nice to see them here in Florida doing so well, do not see that very often. Sorry for the hard to see pictures, the light was not right.

 

Howea's do well in Pinellas in the shade.

[RedRabbit]

S. Tampa - Ballast Pt area

Coconut peeking over a 2 story house:

Edited August 31, 2019 by RedRabbit

[RedRabbit]

46 minutes ago, SWFLchris said:

Just about everything in @Mike Evans yard would classify as remarkable, you should see his Satakentia's.

I agree, @Mike Evans has a fantastic garden. 

32 minutes ago, Palmaceae said:

Just found these today, Howea forsteriana in St Pete. Nice to see them here in Florida doing so well, do not see that very often. Sorry for the hard to see pictures, the light was not right.

 

Good find! I wish this palm did better here. I’ve seen some great Howeas in Europe, but they just can’t take out sun here sadly. 

[RedRabbit]

I bookmark a lot of interesting palms I find, and looking back now it's kind of sad to see how much perished in 2018. 

2 royals, gone:   https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0186194,-82.5146466,3a,75y,100.78h,92.49t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s6xdIo3e09bHXPvABKxGHWw!2e0!5s20150901T000000!7i13312!8i6656

6 veitchia that survived 2010, now down to 2:   https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0101051,-82.521053,3a,75y,8.06h,97.36t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s6q6xgWV78DwHL3CxX8YgDg!2e0!5s20150901T000000!7i13312!8i6656 

Carrollwood P elegans, gone: https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0498796,-82.5412962,3a,75y,234.74h,85.94t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKu7uC5cNxuf4h9650jYo-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

TnC P elegans, gone:   https://www.google.com/maps/@28.0167895,-82.5570904,3a,30y,79.81h,84.58t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sBr77TamO5FZeqUkDMsDEhQ!2e0!5s20150901T000000!7i13312!8i6656

 

There were a lot of survivors too though that I'll share later.

[FishEyeAquaculture]

Majesty Palm, ~13yrs old

This is at a friends house in Dade City, near Lake Iola. 

[Mike Evans]

Yes, you can grow a lot of nice tropical palms around TB.  There are a lot of nice private gardens around the area.   Here are a few from the garden.

Licuala peltata var sumawongii,  These have been remarkably cold hardy, but hate hurricane winds. 

 

A couple of Satakentia that are around the garden.

 

Copernicia's  are always a good bet for central FL, just wish I would have planted more sooner.  Here are a couple of C. macroglossa.  

 

Copernicia baileyana

 

Copernicia baileyana that consistently weeps.  I am beginning to think it is a hybrid.

Something you don't see too often, Livistona jenkinsiana.  Probably the best looking Livistona's.  Originally bought from the late and great John Demott (Redland Nursery), about 20 years ago.

 

Acrocomia crispa (Cuban belly palm), just starting to get its belly.  They are painfully slow the first 4 - 5 years then can double in size in 1 year.

 

 

[ruskinPalms]

Great thread! I’ll be on the lookout for nicely grown or interesting palms. 

[Hardypalms]

Mike Evans

 

Excellent pictures, thanks for sharing.

 

Pat

[kinzyjr]

In advance, please forgive and correct if a few of these are named incorrectly.

Dypsis decaryi: Survived 2010 + 2018 and is now actively seeding

Dypsis lasteliana (?): near City Hall

Dypsis leptocheilos (?): Near Lake Hollingsworth

[kinzyjr]

Ptychosperma elegans: Downtown near the Publix parking garage.

Coccothrinax crinita: Old Man Palm by the lake.

[PalmTreeDude]

21 hours ago, RedRabbit said:

S. Tampa - Ballast Pt area

Coconut peeking over a 2 story house:

Is that an Archontophoenix I see towards the left? 

[palmsOrl]

39 minutes ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Is that an Archontophoenix I see towards the left? 

Could be Archontophoenix alexandrae or perhaps even Dictyosperma album, though the latter would be quite tender to be that large and flawless looking there.

[bstoller]

Probably my favorite palm in the yard Copernicia Fallaensis.....

 

[bstoller]

A close second would be my Tahina Spectabilis..... 

 

 

[RedRabbit]

1 hour ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Is that an Archontophoenix I see towards the left? 

Yep, pretty sure it’s an archontophoenix. There are pretty many in S Tampa. 

[bstoller]

Purchased from Mike Harris..... Calyptronoma Rivalis

 

[RedRabbit]

15 minutes ago, bstoller said:

Purchased from Mike Harris..... Calyptronoma Rivalis

 

 I’ve honestly never heard of this palm but I really like it! Thanks for sharing! 

[Silas_Sancona]

22 minutes ago, bstoller said:

A close second would be my Tahina Spectabilis..... 

 

 

 Tough decision, lol.. i think this and the one above it would be tied for #1. Looking great regardless. Is that a Carpoxylon i spy peeking out from the left side??

[RedRabbit]

6 hours ago, Mike Evans said:

A couple of Satakentia that are around the garden.

I really like those Satakentias of yours. I might have to buy one for my property in Sarasota.

[Palmaceae]

7 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

 I’ve honestly never heard of this palm but I really like it! Thanks for sharing! 

Very nice!

[RedRabbit]

2 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Dypsis leptocheilos (?): Near Lake Hollingsworth

Glad to see some more tropicals in your area. I think D leptochellos is a good palm for warmer parts of 9b. I know of several in 9b parts of Tampa that have been around 10+ years.

Edited September 1, 2019 by RedRabbit

[Palmaceae]

30 minutes ago, bstoller said:

A close second would be my Tahina Spectabilis..... 

 

 

Beautiful, I had a small one that I lost when I transplanted it from my original house in Cape Coral to our other in Cape Coral.

[Palmaceae]

33 minutes ago, bstoller said:

Probably my favorite palm in the yard Copernicia Fallaensis.....

 

Nice to see such beautiful palms near where I live now!

[Palmaceae]

7 hours ago, Mike Evans said:

Yes, you can grow a lot of nice tropical palms around TB.  There are a lot of nice private gardens around the area.   Here are a few from the garden.

Licuala peltata var sumawongii,  These have been remarkably cold hardy, but hate hurricane winds. 

 

A couple of Satakentia that are around the garden.

 

Copernicia's  are always a good bet for central FL, just wish I would have planted more sooner.  Here are a couple of C. macroglossa.  

 

Copernicia baileyana

 

Copernicia baileyana that consistently weeps.  I am beginning to think it is a hybrid.

Something you don't see too often, Livistona jenkinsiana.  Probably the best looking Livistona's.  Originally bought from the late and great John Demott (Redland Nursery), about 20 years ago.

 

Acrocomia crispa (Cuban belly palm), just starting to get its belly.  They are painfully slow the first 4 - 5 years then can double in size in 1 year.

 

 

Beautiful garden Mike!

[kinzyjr]

2 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

Glad to see some more tropicals in your area. I think D leptochellos is a good palm for warmer parts of 9b. I know of several in 9b parts of Tampa that have been around 10+ years.

I think it has more or less been "forced" by Lethal Bronzing.  The probability of losing something in a freak freeze is now less than losing a date palm or a Washingtonia to Lethal Bronzing.  A lot of these were planted by the city, if you can believe that.  They are now experimenting with Archontophoenix cunninghamiana as a street tree on Main St. in town.

[RedRabbit]

1 minute ago, kinzyjr said:

I think it has more or less been "forced" by Lethal Bronzing.  The probability of losing something in a freak freeze is now less than losing a date palm or a Washingtonia to Lethal Bronzing.  A lot of these were planted by the city, if you can believe that.  They are now experimenting with Archontophoenix cunninghamiana as a street tree on Main St. in town.

Wow, Lakeland is seriously planting archontophoenix and d leptochellos??? I thought they were replacing Phoenix palms with livistonia. 

[bstoller]

Yes.... I have 5 Carpoxylon planted in my front yard....  here’s a grouping of 3

 

[Palmaceae]

Just now, bstoller said:

Yes.... I have 5 Carpoxylon planted in my front yard....  here’s a grouping of 3

 

Very nice, is that a foxy lady in the background? 

[kinzyjr]

33 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

Wow, Lakeland is seriously planting archontophoenix and d leptochellos??? I thought they were replacing Phoenix palms with livistonia. 

When they replaced the CIDP at the Country Club (formerly, the Yacht Club) and the interchanges with the major freeways, they used Livistona.  Obviously those are a very safe choice and probably a good starting point.

In the more upscale areas and downtown, they have been a little more adventurous.  The downtown area is similar to other downtown areas in other cities.... inordinately warm because of the heat island effect.  They have been using quite a few Pseudophoenix sargentii as well.  I didn't include these in the original post since they aren't really much of a "zone push", but here are a few examples:

Archontophoenix lining Main St.:

One of the smaller Pseudophoenix sargentii in town, but it was in flower:

Archies outside of City Hall:

[bstoller]

Yes.  Compliments of Mike Evans 

[RedRabbit]

2 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

When they replaced the CIDP at the Country Club (formerly, the Yacht Club) and the interchanges with the major freeways, they used Livistona.  Obviously those are a very safe choice and probably a good starting point.

In the more upscale areas and downtown, they have been a little more adventurous.  The downtown area is similar to other downtown areas in other cities.... inordinately warm because of the heat island effect.  They have been using quite a few Pseudophoenix sargentii as well.  I didn't include these in the original post since they aren't really much of a "zone push", but here are a few examples:

That’s awesome to see. I’ve noticed a few municipalities planting P sargentii in S Florida, but nothing this far north. It’s well worth trying in Lakeland and I’ll be interested to see how they do. 

[PalmTreeDude]

57 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

When they replaced the CIDP at the Country Club (formerly, the Yacht Club) and the interchanges with the major freeways, they used Livistona.  Obviously those are a very safe choice and probably a good starting point.

In the more upscale areas and downtown, they have been a little more adventurous.  The downtown area is similar to other downtown areas in other cities.... inordinately warm because of the heat island effect.  They have been using quite a few Pseudophoenix sargentii as well.  I didn't include these in the original post since they aren't really much of a "zone push", but here are a few examples:

Archontophoenix lining Main St.:

One of the smaller Pseudophoenix sargentii in town, but it was in flower:

Archies outside of City Hall:

Wow! Are those alexandrae? They seem to be happy where they are. 

Edited September 1, 2019 by PalmTreeDude

[kinzyjr]

3 minutes ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Wow! Are those alexandrae? They seem to be happy where they are. 

Likely cunninghamiana, but I'll be happy to be wrong.  I haven't seen many verified alexandrae.  I might be one of the few that has one.  That said, those are on the south side of the city hall building in the middle of the urban heat island.

[PalmTreeDude]

4 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

Likely cunninghamiana, but I'll be happy to be wrong.  I haven't seen many verified alexandrae.  I might be one of the few that has one.  That said, those are on the south side of the city hall building in the middle of the urban heat island.

The reason I guessed alexandrae is because the fronds look a little more upright and the crownshaft are all fully green. The base of the trunk also looks fatter. I would love to get a confirmation on what they are. Who planted these? 

Edited September 1, 2019 by PalmTreeDude

[kinzyjr]

30 minutes ago, PalmTreeDude said:

The reason I guessed alexandrae is because the fronds look a little more upright and the crownshaft are all fully green. The base of the trunk also looks fatter. I would love to get a confirmation on what it was. Who planted these? 

You may be right.  I have a hard time telling the difference between the two without getting a book out.  I'm almost positive that the city itself had them planted.  10a-ish palms have been popping up everywhere in parks and median plantings here.  Guess risk management finally decided the risk of the 1980s repeating was lower than the risk of providing more cannon fodder for Lethal Bronzing.

If you're more into palms on private property, here are a few:

40 to 50 ft. Royal - 2010 + 2018 survivor

The Palms... pretty much says it all.  This place is at the intersection of Edgewood and Cleveland Heights if you want to Google it.

[RedRabbit]

S. Tampa - Hyde Park

One of the best mansions in Tampa has some big Archontophoenix.

Also, they've got some big royals planted out front on Bayshore Blvd. They look like they're pre-80s, but I think they planted mature so I doubt they've been there that long.

 

[kinzyjr]

1 hour ago, RedRabbit said:

S. Tampa - Hyde Park

One of the best mansions in Tampa has some big Archontophoenix.

Also, they've got some big royals planted out front on Bayshore Blvd. They look like they're pre-80s, but I think they planted mature so I doubt they've been there that long.

There is a mansion at Lake Hollingsworth that has a very large Archontophoenix (40-50 feet) inside a small courtyard.  It is tall enough that you can see it's full crown above the front of the mansion from the road.  I'll have to get a picture next time I'm down that way.  If you want to be in mature, fruiting Archontophoenix heaven, Hollis Gardens has quite a few in a small 1.2 acre space.

2 minute narrated video tour: Fox 13 Hollis Gardens Tour

At the 50 second mark, you can probably make out at least one of the Dypsis decaryi if you have a real sharp eye.  The Archontophoenix were not there in 2010 unfortunately, but the Dypsis was there and has continued to thrive.