Pseudophoenix ekmanii - faster in ground or pot when at strap leaf stage?

[Tracy]

I acquired this very young Pseudophoenix ekmanii at the Palm Society of Southern California meeting auction last weekend.   I know it is a challenge growing on the coast and extremely slow in general in California.   My question relates to the benefits of planting in ground versus pot growing at this stage.  Some slow growing palms benefit greatly by getting them into the ground so I want to do what is best for it.

I have had success with other Caribbean palms so hope I can get this to grow and look healthy albeit slowly.   Happy Thanksgiving too!!!

[aztropic]

DOH!!! Hate to be the bearer of bad news,but better now,than after babying an imposter for several years...

What you have there is DEFINITELY NOT a Pseudophoenix ekmanii. 

(looks like a Sabal?)

I have been growing this particular species over the last 20 years. 1 gallon plant pic is the latest generation grown from seed I collected myself from habitat on a 2020 trip to the Dominican Republic.

In ground planting is from a previous batch,about 10 years old grown entirely in Arizona.

This is a very distinctive looking palm from the first true leaf, and you shouldn't waste any time on a fake.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[aztropic]

Here's what they look like in habitat. Probably an unobtainable goal outside of habitat... Even in Florida, this species does poorly in the long-term. (Fairchild pics) If a palm central botanical garden can't grow them to perfection, chances are, we can't either...

Fairchild originally planted about 25 of these at 3 gallon size around their grounds and are down to half a dozen struggling survivors as of last time I visited...

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

Edited November 24, 2022 by aztropic

[Fusca]

Happy Thanksgiving @Tracy!  I think Scott is right, looks like a Sabal (no way to determine species at that size).  If you decide to plant it I'd do it now also.  Sabals seem to do better in the ground in my experience than in a container.

[JubaeaMan138]

Yep Definetly not Pseudophoenix . As far as I know pseudos don’t have a heel . Hopefully the price wasn’t to high . 

[Looking Glass]

@aztropic, I assume those in your habitat pics are growing in almost pure limestone, in full blazing sun, in dry, quick drawing areas?  

Edited November 24, 2022 by Looking Glass

[aztropic]

In habitat,these grow under full sun, dry desert conditions, in pure dog tooth limestone - no soil whatsoever.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[PalmatierMeg]

Now I hear Fairchild’s track record with this speciesI don’t feel so bad I lost my sole ekmanii to rot after Hurricane Irma. I had it 12 years from a 1g and its leaves reached waist-high to me. I won’t live long enough to grow another palm this slow.

[Tracy]

3 hours ago, aztropic said:

DOH!!! Hate to be the bearer of bad news,but better now,than after babying an imposter for several years...

What you have there is DEFINITELY NOT a Pseudophoenix ekmanii. 

(looks like a Sabal?)

I have been growing this particular species over the last 20 years. 1 gallon plant pic is the latest generation grown from seed I collected myself from habitat on a 2020 trip to the Dominican Republic.

In ground planting is from a previous batch,about 10 years old grown entirely in Arizona.

This is a very distinctive looking palm from the first true leaf, and you shouldn't waste any time on a fake.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

I guess I am not surprised it isn't Pseudophoenix ekmanii as I didn't think the strap leaves looked right for the species.  It was cheap so I will leave it in a pot to see what it grows like.  The only Sabal I have in the ground is Sabal mauritiformis and don't have space i want to allocate to any additional of the genus.  When its larger i will find a good home for it. 

I wasn't dying to try a P ekmanii but no one had bid on it so I jumped in.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Thank you for the clarification and photos of the real thing.

[Looking Glass]

5 hours ago, aztropic said:

In habitat,these grow under full sun, dry desert conditions, in pure dog tooth limestone - no soil whatsoever.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

Insanity!   That’s hard to replicate.  

[aztropic]

3 minutes ago, Looking Glass said:

Insanity!   That’s hard to replicate.  

Not really... Just mix up some cement, drill a couple holes in it when it's dry,and plant away!  It's literally what the plants down there are rooted into. I have no idea how ANYTHING is able to survive under those conditions,yet certain plants actually do thrive.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[Looking Glass]

15 hours ago, aztropic said:

Not really... Just mix up some cement, drill a couple holes in it when it's dry,and plant away!  It's literally what the plants down there are rooted into. I have no idea how ANYTHING is able to survive under those conditions,yet certain plants actually do thrive.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

I imagine the roots find their way through the pores in the limestone, and feed off the little bits of rotting vegetation that get caught up in there.  The water they get must just be “grab it as it passes by”, because it’s gone shortly after, though it might come more often during the rainy season.   The pH would hang out around 8 in there, and organic material looks sparse.  

I guess you’d need a really fast draining base of mostly sand, then dig a huge hole and fill it with crushed limestone both big and small.  Maybe add more sand and a very small amount of woody soil to fill spaces, and plant it in that, in full sun, letting it dry out between waterings….  Then count the decades as it grows….   

Seems like a tough one to grow successfully.  Other than the Miami area, south through The Keys in their limestone, perhaps a desert area that stays warm at night and through the winter might work well too.   Not for the faint of heart!  A real holy-grail palm.   Your little guy, is actually an old man who looks great.  
 

 

[aztropic]

What seems to knock these back in the desert is the cool/cold nights for 4 months out of the year. Very slow growers though,even under ideal conditions.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[JubaeaMan138]

40 minutes ago, aztropic said:

What seems to knock these back in the desert is the cool/cold nights for 4 months out of the year. Very slow growers though,even under ideal conditions.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

That seems to be most Caribbean species for me . I start stressing about late December wondering what January will be bring . Late January is about the worst for me if They make it through it I’m usually  good from that point on.