Royals and Majesties Can’t be Overwatered?

[Xerarch]

So I’ve read a few times in this forum that things like royals, majesties, and king palms can’t be overwatered. Well, I’m putting that to the test I guess. I planted a Royal, Majesty, and what was sold to me a King palm but turns out it’s probably an Alexander palm. I put them all in a low spot that is prone to gathering a lot of water during heavy rain, we got a good amount of rain today and my basin filled all the way up. These pics don’t do justice, there is a boatload of water there and the trunks are under ~6 inches of water. And of all things the alexander palm is in the deepest spot, guess I’ll find out if alexander hates flooding. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Definitely not an Archontophoenix in the photo. If it were, it would love the flooding. Ravenea and Roystonea should tolerate that saturation as well. 

[Palmarum]

Interesting experiment. I think they will be fine depending on the duration of the flooding.

The term 'overwatered' can be very vague when used in plant and care descriptions. It is not just the amount of water, but the frequency and duration versus the rate of drainage. The size of the specimens matter as well. The Royal and Majesty are having fun while the Alexander/Solitaire will be fine as long as no fungal issues develop.

I did a similar experiment over the summer with Royal (R. regia) seedlings. After they germinated and were holding their first full seedling leaf, I put a dozen of them in a 5-gal. bucket of water. They grew perfectly. No dirt, no fertilizer, just stagnant water in a bucket for months. The largest ones are about 3 ft. (1m) tall and are about half an inch (1.25cm) in diameter, complete with a mass of gleaming white roots. I think their nature and habitat requires them to be a borderline rheophyte or semi-aquatic to adapt.

Keep on experimenting.

Ryan

[Xerarch]

20 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Definitely not an Archontophoenix in the photo. If it were, it would love the flooding. Ravenea and Roystonea should tolerate that saturation as well. 

I still want to get an archontophoenix to try in that area,  not common to find in local nurseries but I’ve seen a few look good around town 

[Xerarch]

21 hours ago, Palmarum said:

The term 'overwatered' can be very vague when used in plant and care descriptions. It is not just the amount of water, but the frequency and duration versus the rate of drainage. The size of the specimens matter as well. The Royal and Majesty are having fun while the Alexander/Solitaire will be fine as long as no fungal issues develop.

Luckily this spot only floods when it really rains hard, which happens a few times a year, but it can also stay dry for months on end. I keep it watered during the dry spells but it doesn’t just stay soppy all year so hopefully the Ptychosperma (if that’s what it is) won’t get fungal issues. 

[96720]

I grow royals in pots that I call palm pots they have no drainage holes in the bottom and the first drainage hole in the side is 11/2”-2” from the bottom so they are in muck all the time and love it so your royals will be happy!!!😊😊😊

[D Palm]

If this occurs often the roots of the Royal should push up some. It’s normal, they do this anyways. It may be more pronounced due to frequency of flooding

 

[RedRabbit]

It looks ideal. I had some A myolensis in an area that flooded for weeks at a time and they never showed any stress. Recently, I purposely planted two majesties in an area that routinely floods too… I figure the extra water just helps them grow faster.

Edited September 5, 2022 by RedRabbit

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

On 9/4/2022 at 10:32 AM, Xerarch said:

I still want to get an archontophoenix to try in that area,  not common to find in local nurseries but I’ve seen a few look good around town 

Ammon, I had a Gorgeous, probably 13 ft. tall in overall height Archontophoenix maxima planted in front of my front patio that looked great just a couple of days before the Big Freeze.  I got it from a guy in Harlingen, who I think I told you about, who has a backyard nursery there.  I really miss that palm, and had another friend who told me back then if it was missing one morning, I would know who dug it up and took it home in the middle of the night, LOL!!!

John

P.S.  The maximas are the the Biggest of the Archontophoenix, and I would like another one.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

On 9/3/2022 at 1:46 PM, Xerarch said:

So I’ve read a few times in this forum that things like royals, majesties, and king palms can’t be overwatered. Well, I’m putting that to the test I guess. I planted a Royal, Majesty, and what was sold to me a King palm but turns out it’s probably an Alexander palm. I put them all in a low spot that is prone to gathering a lot of water during heavy rain, we got a good amount of rain today and my basin filled all the way up. These pics don’t do justice, there is a boatload of water there and the trunks are under ~6 inches of water. And of all things the alexander palm is in the deepest spot, guess I’ll find out if alexander hates flooding. 

Ammon, did you get your "King" Palm from Padre Palms?  If so, beware of the species, or varieties they tell you, but I think you already know that.  They didn't even know the variety of Coconut Palms that they occasionally carry until I told them-  Green Malayan Dwarfs, a basic variety of Coconut Palm, certainly not a hard to identify variety.

John