New Rhopalostylis...confirm identity?

[Foggy Paul]

Here are a couple of pics of my recently obtained Rhopie. It was sold as a Chatham Islands variant. My understanding is that the Chatham variant is an R. sapida, and that this plant has leaves that arch very little and have little rachis present at the base before leaflets start. Neither characteristic seems to apply to this plant. Does anyone think I was sold the wrong plant? TIA.

[Tyrone]

I think you’ve got a Chatham there. Those plant descriptions are for mature plants often grown in habitat not for seedlings etc. Once mature they can look different grown in deep shade or full sun. 

[BayAndroid]

Watch out for that sun, I just bought a R. Sapida "Great Barrier Island" from @PalmKeeper. He lives in the city as well and accidently burnt his when he put it out in the sun. 

[Foggy Paul]

1 hour ago, BayAndroid said:

Watch out for that sun, I just bought a R. Sapida "Great Barrier Island" from @PalmKeeper. He lives in the city as well and accidently burnt his when he put it out in the sun. 

I did keep it in shade for about four weeks before moving it to this, its eventual final location. It gets maybe three hours of sun a day most times of the year.

[Foggy Paul]

2 hours ago, Tyrone said:

I think you’ve got a Chatham there. Those plant descriptions are for mature plants often grown in habitat not for seedlings etc. Once mature they can look different grown in deep shade or full sun. 

Thanks, good to know.

[Tyrone]

6 hours ago, Foggy Paul said:

I did keep it in shade for about four weeks before moving it to this, its eventual final location. It gets maybe three hours of sun a day most times of the year.

These start out as understory plants in the NZ rainforest, but will eventually adapt to sunny locations in cooler climates. Myself I like them best in full to part shade. 

[Darold Petty]

Foggy Paul, invite yourself over for a visit sometime.  I'm retired and have quite the open schedule ! 

Here is an example of an adult R. sapida 'Chatham Island'. 

[Z4Devil]

WOW! this plant is a dream and beautiful, a goddess! 😍

[Rivera]

Good luck Paul 🤙 Don't sleep on Darold's offer!

[Billeb]

9 hours ago, Rivera said:

  Don't sleep on Darold's offer!

This. 👆👆👆

 

By the way……nice Rhopie Chris. 

-dale 

[Rivera]

1 hour ago, Billeb said:

By the way……nice Rhopie Chris. 

Thanks Dale.

[Rivera]

My question is almost the same topic, so I'm just going to piggyback on this recent thread. 

Does Rhopalostylis sapida "Great Barrier" exhibit Rhopalostylis baueri-like traits when young? I attempted to do my own research on this, but I didn't come to a definitive conclusion.

My nikau has long petioles with some color to them. I'm red/green colorblind. 🤷🏼‍♂️

There's a photo earlier in this thread 👆, but here are a couple others.

Petioles.

Wide leaflets. This palm is in half shade/half dappled sunlight. 

Purchased as R. sapida "Great Barrier." I planted it from a modest looking 5 gal. maybe a year and a half ago.

Thoughts?

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Yes it looks like the Chatham island variety 

Here is my Chatham island rhopalostylis 13 years from seed in coastal Tasmania 

[Rivera]

1 hour ago, Tassie_Troy1971 said:

Yes it looks like the Chatham island variety 

Thanks Troy 🤙 and that's a fine looking palm you're growing.

[Billeb]

2 hours ago, Tassie_Troy1971 said:

 

Hard to beat that. Looks perfect. 
 

-dale 

[PalmCode]

 

On 4/4/2023 at 5:41 AM, Rivera said:

My question is almost the same topic, so I'm just going to piggyback on this recent thread. 

Does Rhopalostylis sapida "Great Barrier" exhibit Rhopalostylis baueri-like traits when young? I attempted to do my own research on this, but I didn't come to a definitive conclusion.

My nikau has long petioles with some color to them. I'm red/green colorblind. 🤷🏼‍♂️

There's a photo earlier in this thread 👆, but here are a couple others.

 

Petioles.

 

Wide leaflets. This palm is in half shade/half dappled sunlight. 

Purchased as R. sapida "Great Barrier." I planted it from a modest looking 5 gal. maybe a year and a half ago.

Thoughts?

 I'd guess to say the great barrier nikau would resemble  the nz mainland nikau the most. with skinnier, darker green longer leaflets. some brown color on the petioles at a younger stage. 

Youre one there does show some Baueri characteristics. Interesting. Heres a photo of a small R. sapida.

And  my chatham nikaus for comparison. Look for the wider dark green leaflets that usually stay stuck together along the tips and the striking petioles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by PalmCode

[Tyrone]

On 4/4/2023 at 1:41 AM, Rivera said:

My question is almost the same topic, so I'm just going to piggyback on this recent thread. 

Does Rhopalostylis sapida "Great Barrier" exhibit Rhopalostylis baueri-like traits when young? I attempted to do my own research on this, but I didn't come to a definitive conclusion.

My nikau has long petioles with some color to them. I'm red/green colorblind. 🤷🏼‍♂️

There's a photo earlier in this thread 👆, but here are a couple others.

Petioles.

Wide leaflets. This palm is in half shade/half dappled sunlight. 

Purchased as R. sapida "Great Barrier." I planted it from a modest looking 5 gal. maybe a year and a half ago.

Thoughts?

I’m growing the Little Barrier Island version which is just over the channel from Great Barrier Island so they are likely similar or even the same thing, and they have narrow leaflets and look very similar to the mainland form especially around East Cape. I think you have a Chatham Island Nikau, which as others have said is a magnificent version especially when it gets bigger. 

[Foggy Paul]

Just thought I would chime in and say that no, I did not sleep on @Darold Petty's offer! It was a gorgeous sunny day, the kind we haven't had in many months. (Of course the fog moved in today with a vengeance.) Darold was incredibly kind and generous with his time and knowledge. We spent almost three hours reviewing his San Francisco (=small) front and rear gardens. It is literally a botanical garden devoted to palms and other tropicals, complete with ID tags, with all kinds of species crammed together, a real jungle. I saw many palms I've heard little or nothing about and almost all of them were flourishing. He also had some entertaining stories about a palm life well lived over the last fifty or so years. I saw a number of palms I'd like to try and Darold, I'll be contacting you for specifics--I don't have much of a memory for botanical names, or anything else really. Anyway, thank you again Darold. You are a credit to our worldwide community.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

I have had the pleasure of visiting Darolds Garden twice and it's a life's work and an amazing collection.

Ps Darold and I also visited Lord Howe Island in 2015

[Tyrone]

I think if I ever decided to travel to the US it would be to see Darold and his wonderful garden and Hawaii. 

[Darold Petty]

Tyrone, you are most welcome !

I'm quite busy today, readers, but I will post a second generation small R. sapida 'Chatham Island' tomorrow.  (All Rhopalostylis have petioles as juveniles.)

[Rivera]

Is it true Chatham Island only receives 30-40 in/800-1000mm of rain a year and that the Chatham Island Rhopalostylis sapida exhibits greater drought tolerance than other varieties of the species (assuming overall favorable climatic conditions)? 

My wife and I covered a fair amount of Te Waipounamu in a camper van for our honeymoon, but I am otherwise inexperienced and unknowledgeable about NZ and the surrounding islands.

[Foggy Paul]

Also, for those who didn't see it on Fakebook, here is our plant in the ground next to our four year old Hedyscepe which is almost exactly the same size. Let the race begin!

[Billeb]

5 hours ago, Foggy Paul said:

Also, for those who didn't see it on Fakebook, here is our plant in the ground next to our four year old Hedyscepe which is almost exactly the same size. Let the race begin!

Both look good but it shouldn’t be much of a race. All my Rhopalastylis’ grow better than my Hedyscepe’s do. I’ve got 3 of each and the score is 3-0. 
 

Side note: Hedyscepe is easily one of my favorite species I can grow in my zone. Hard to beat.
 

Good luck.
 

-dale  

[Foggy Paul]

16 hours ago, Billeb said:

Both look good but it shouldn’t be much of a race. All my Rhopalastylis’ grow better than my Hedyscepe’s do. I’ve got 3 of each and the score is 3-0.

That will make my wife happy. She complains that everything I choose is slow growing. (The Rhopie replaced a Prestoea montana that never grew an inch in a year and a half.)

[Darold Petty]

Here are two images of Rhopalostylis sapida 'Chatham Island',  this is a seed offspring from my adult palm.

  I am very careful to control the spadices of my three Rhopalostylis palms, so I am certain that this is a selfing.