Ivory nut palm

[Brad52]

Yesterday I saw a seedling for sale and what caught my eye was the large seed was partially exposed-it looked like a Metroxylon seed to my ignorant eye.  The sign said only Ivory Nut palm, the clerk didn’t know the Latin.  Reviewing the photos in the Palmpedia database for the genus that comes up in web searches-Phytelephas, none of the seed photos of any species there looked correct as all were lumpy bumpy (scientific terms) and not scaly.  Any ideas?  It was $40 for a small plant with attractive young leaves that were narrow fan-like and I was torn between grab this it’s uncommon and why buy an unknown palm that’s not cheap.

[WaianaeCrider]

Home Depot had a few here some months ago.  Almost bought one then found out it is a Pinanga coronata..common name Ivory Cane Palm.  Could be what you found.   OOPS just saw your reference to Fan like fronds.  Must me something different than what I found here.

[Brad52]

The fan-like aspect might be a bad lead as they were not open much.  The seed was bigger than an egg and scaly.

 

 I told my wife that my long time avoidance of smart phones now haunts me as I have one now and was standing there web searching it but I never seem to remember that I am holding a camera…

Edited October 17, 2021 by Brad52

[WaianaeCrider]

1 hour ago, Brad52 said:

The fan-like aspect might be a bad lead as they were not open much.  The seed was bigger than an egg and scaly.

 

 I told my wife that my long time avoidance of smart phones now haunts me as I have one now and was standing there web searching it but I never seem to remember that I am holding a camera…

With a seed that big it's sure not the Pananga.

 

[Rick Kelley]

Here is what Metroxylon amicarum seeds look like. These were collected at the Hilo Arboretum in August.

Once the snakeskin outer layer is removed, the seed inside is a bit bigger than a pingpong ball and covered with a brown/black layer that reveals a pure white endocarp when peeled away.  The brown seeds are often covered in fungus despite being inside a sealed outer skin.  The lower left one has begun to germinate.  Garden Exchange in downtown Hilo occasionally offers seedlings labeled as Ivory Nut Palm.  If it's really Metroxylon amicarum, then  $40 is a great deal.  Someone at GE knows the correct name.  Keep asking. Several HIPS members have purchased these, so you should be able to get some local reviews.  You need to ask for the Latin name because M. amicarum is highly sought after because it lives to great age and becomes enormous rather than dying after flowering.  Unfortunately, the seeds are difficult to germinate making seedlings hard to find.  The much more common M. vitiense has seeds that look about the same, but they germinate very easily, and so seedlings are a dime a dozen.  Although M. vitiense grows to a large size, after about 20-25 years it dies after blooming only once.  Lots of folks are turned off by this.

Here is the M amicarum seedling growing from the germinated seed shown above two months later.  It is around 6" high but grows quickly.  I had removed the snakeskin shell so only the smooth seed is visible poking out of the media.  More often you will see these being sold with the old snakeskin shell left on.

Here is a 15 month old M. vitiense desperately in need on going in the ground. At this point they are almost indistinguishable from M. amicarum, so be careful when buying. This plant is definitely NOT worth $40, although someone on Big Island Craigslist was recently offering them for $70. I wonder if there were any buyers at that price.

[Brad52]

Rick that’s where I saw it and the seed looked like yours.  But which one I sure couldn’t say, there was only one and I bet it will be gone before I get back there.

[Brad52]

Was able to confirm both that it was M amicarum and that it indeed is gone.  I think they might be trying to get me another one, I think I have room for 1 BIG palm is all.

[Brad52]

So should I plant this with the seed at the same height?

[John hovancsek]

I think I got one from the same place. It grows really fast

[Brad52]

Did you bury the seed?