Inga Hoffman cunninghamia about to flower again

[Patrick]

Hello all! My Inga Hoffman cold hardy A. cunninghamia is about to throw out another bunch of flowers. For those that never knew Inga, she ran the seed bank back in the day. She lived in Castro Valley, CA and her house and most of her garden are still there. I had the pleasure of meeting her a handful of times, and this cunninghamia I scored at one of our palm auctions several years ago. This is the offspring from the tree at her house, and she originally collected the seed herself from a place high up in Australia where kings should not have been growing. Perhaps someone else can chime in on this story to fill in the blanks.

This will be about the 3rd or 4th pod this tree has put out, but none of the other flower groups ever set seed. Hopefully this time is the charm. Any thoughts on how to improve success for this go-round? More sul-po-mag? More water? Do these guys usually have a couple duds before they get the hang of things? Thanks for your thoughts. Hoping to be posting in the seed forum with these seeds in the future if I get a bunch.

Edited August 4, 2023 by Patrick
Update information

[Darold Petty]

Patrick,.... Inge and Hans Hoffmann lived in San Leandro,   Otherwise your info is correct.     Her garden and home passed to the family that did caregiving for her toward the end.  This family has largely honored her legacy.  The cactus area was reduced for the construction of an ADU.   (accessory dwelling unit)

If your palm should make seed I would consider them quite special, and either Jungle Music or Flora Grubb should be interested.   Good luck !  

Here is an image of Inge, a few years before her passing, RIP.

[Patrick]

Thanks Darold, much like the Brentwood/ Antioch/ Oakley area where I live it all gets muddled into regions- for me at least. You mean one city but its all kind of a short drive away. I was a bit southeast in my assessment. My apologies. Sometimes I fiddle around on google maps looking for places like Hans and Inga's- they're easy to spot! Hopefully I can figure out how to get these flowers to play nice with each other haha. This thing is getting tall quick. I'm going to need a bigger ladder!

 

I can't remember which NCPS meeting I got this plant at, but I'm pretty sure you sold it to me

Edited August 5, 2023 by Patrick

[Fusca]

That's awesome Patrick!  Definitely a special palm.  Hope you get plenty of seeds soon!

[Billeb]

I was up in the Bay Area a few months ago and my brother and I drove by the Hoffman’s house as it’s within walking distance to my grandparents old property. We stopped and got out to look around when a dude walked out of the house so we started BS’ing which turned into an hour or so tour of the front and backyards. He wasn’t too up to speed on palms but knew the gravity of the property. He asked us if we knew anyone who could help tend to the garden cuz it was just too much work. He did mention a few times he was planning on removing some trees because of the Maint involved. As @Darold Petty stated, quite a few things were already gone to make room for the ADU. Super glad I got to walk around. 
 

-dale

[Patrick]

Update:

 

Flowers not open yet....

Edited August 20, 2023 by Patrick

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

Have you researched "gibberellic acid"?  I do not know if it would work for you. You will have to do your own due diligence., but check it out. Maybe just use it on a small portion of the inflorescence. The scientific data backs it up. I ordered some from a place called "Power Grown" in California. They have answered my phone calls and been quite helpful.  Too early for me to say it worked for me.

[Patrick]

13 hours ago, Jeff zone 8 N.C. said:

Have you researched "gibberellic acid"?  I do not know if it would work for you. You will have to do your own due diligence., but check it out. Maybe just use it on a small portion of the inflorescence. The scientific data backs it up. I ordered some from a place called "Power Grown" in California. They have answered my phone calls and been quite helpful.  Too early for me to say it worked for me.

I had not heard of the stuff but I just looked it up. It's interesting. Thank you for the tip.

[happypalms]

On 8/22/2023 at 4:34 AM, Patrick said:

I had not heard of the stuff but I just looked it up. It's interesting. Thank you for the tip.

Stay away from gibberelic acid it’s carsongenic 

[Patrick]

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

Stay away from gibberelic acid it’s carsongenic 

Thank you for that tip as well!

[howfam]

On 8/4/2023 at 8:21 PM, Darold Petty said:

Patrick,.... Inge and Hans Hoffmann lived in San Leandro,   Otherwise your info is correct.     Her garden and home passed to the family that did caregiving for her toward the end.  This family has largely honored her legacy.  The cactus area was reduced for the construction of an ADU.   (accessory dwelling unit)

If your palm should make seed I would consider them quite special, and either Jungle Music or Flora Grubb should be interested.   Good luck !  

Here is an image of Inge, a few years before her passing, RIP.

Darold:

Nice picture of Inge Hoffman. I've ordered and planted many seeds from her here in Jacksonville, Fl., mostly CIDP's and W.  filifera.  Do you know what huge-trunk palm that is next to her in the picture?

[Darold Petty]

Caryota  gigas/obtusa

[Patrick]

Update:

 

Flowers are finally (!) opening up. Should I get a boom box and play some Kenny G when the sun goes down and it's just mood lighting outside? 

 

I don't think the other rounds even got to this point. Everything just dried up. I guess I'll get the hose out. We all know how these like water... and Kenny G....

[Silas_Sancona]

2 hours ago, Patrick said:

Update:

 

Flowers are finally (!) opening up. Should I get a boom box and play some Kenny G when the sun goes down and it's just mood lighting outside? 

 

I don't think the other rounds even got to this point. Everything just dried up. I guess I'll get the hose out. We all know how these like water... and Kenny G....

Kenny G.....     ....  

Thanks for a good laugh...

[Patrick]

26 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Kenny G.....     ....  

Thanks for a good laugh...

I mean, come on... it's Kenny G.....

[Silas_Sancona]

1 minute ago, Patrick said:

I mean, come on... it's Kenny G.....

= The ultimate ...ahem, " buzz "  kill   ..Same with Michael Bolton, Celine Dion ..among others..



You could always play something like the Law and Order or Seinfeld theme  ..or maybe something like Baby Shark / Hanson.. 🤔😬

 

[Radicalis Arborescens]

On 9/8/2023 at 2:42 AM, Patrick said:

Update:

 

Flowers are finally (!) opening up. Should I get a boom box and play some Kenny G when the sun goes down and it's just mood lighting outside? 

 

I don't think the other rounds even got to this point. Everything just dried up. I guess I'll get the hose out. We all know how these like water... and Kenny G....

This would be an amazing achievement!

How are the inflorescence developing now?

[Patrick]

On 12/6/2023 at 3:30 PM, Radicalis Arborescens said:

This would be an amazing achievement!

How are the inflorescence developing now?

Update on the update..... on the update! These seeds are starting to turn red and there is an inflorescence right behind it that just popped out.

 

...to all the Aussies (and big island Hawaiians), etc. that consider this palm like a Washingtonia and are better versed in all things cunninghamia- a question: should I let them all ripen and wait until they pick easily, or should I just grab the freshly ripened ones as they turn red? I want to try to germinate about 20 for myself and then there are others that want viable seed that I will have to mail. Looks to be a few hundred seed....

 

There are some tree squirrels around in my yard but they seem uninterested in these seeds at this point. In fact, as I sit in my backyard I can hear one sharpening his or her teeth... over towards the Mule... the bastard. Plenty of queen and developing Brahea edulis seeds around so they are not interested in the Cunninghamia seeds, yet. These are a new species to them.