Palm Related Activities

[Cindy Adair]

An IPS and PT member who shares time between California and Puerto Rico arrived for a week. We had several days of adventures and will share some here.

First we visited the Rio Piedras Nursery.

They are focused on native palms and no names or prices at all on anything.

Usually everywhere on the island there are no prices, but most at least have common PR names.
 

Latin names are never included.

We inadvertently arrived while all employees were on a lunch break.
 

Not sure why lunch breaks aren’t staggered.

However a very nice woman, Gabriela, was very kind to help us with prices and plant names and she is also bilingual.

No surprise that before I left I interested her in the free level of IPS membership

https://palms.org/register/ 
and gave her the link to PT too!

Before finding Gabriela I asked the name of these identical palms and was told they were Morris palms.

Confused, I asked about Latin names and another employee took their phone and popped up Coccothrinax crinita which made no sense. 

We finally got to Leucothrinax morrisii native to PR. I know not rare in many places but well grown and $6.50 each plus supporting a good cause. Now I have three in the ground.

Gabriella was pleased to learn the correct Latin name. Maybe they will sell a few more now.

 

This ornamental below was not for sale and they did not know any name for it. Any ideas?

Next up, a revisit to an amazing private collection in Puerto Rico whose owner prefers to remain nameless. 

[Cindy Adair]

Metroxylon salomonense flowering but no hint of fruit. The same species on my first farm did the same thing. I had hoped if no fruit it could live to try again, but sadly no such luck.

Stately Syagrus amara which has given seed to me resulting in progeny now planted on my forever farm.

 

Kerriodoxa reproducing very successfully!

 

Chrysalidocarpus carlsmithii with my two friends. 

 

Phytelephas aequatorialis famous one of the palms having fruit that can be carved like ivory without harming elephants. Sorry, terrain prevented a better photo but the leaflets alone were distinctive.

 

This amazing farm has five big Salacca magnificas! Just stunning! No flowers yet. 
we were given permission to try to remove an offset. 
 

These are on a steep muddy slope which they clearly love. Keep in mind the extreme armament so that a slip could result in being impaled. 
That would have made quite a story but one we worked hard to avoid. 
 

I am used to climbing around hills but sure missed the tree ferns I often get to use on my farm as non spiny arm holds. 

Carrying a pair of leather gloves, handsaw, loppers and machete (for balance on the slope). I do not use machetes for cutting for fear I might join the many here who have impressive scars.
 

The lovely pinnate palm is a Rhopaloblaste ceramica. Also gorgeous. 

My friend managed to get a division so time will tell if it survives. I worked quite awhile, but with time limitations will try again next visit.

Maybe it will have a better chance left in place a few months to recover and grow new roots anyway?

Still hoping for fruit one day too.

[Cindy Adair]

I am told that all Palm related activities (PRAs) must include food. We ended up at the restaurant overlooking what I was told was the world’s longest zip line at about 1.5 miles. Nope I just watched the users who were lying down head first. 
Yes they had helmets but seemed still not at all survivable should a line break. 

This was the view from the open air restaurant. Note the parallel cables for zip liners.

 

I am NOT normally a person who takes pictures of food, but I made an exception that day. Delicious and very reasonably priced. 

 

The place is called Toro verde (green bull).

Still no palm club in PR, but we had fun nevertheless.

I was also given various seed that day so will keep you posted on my future successes.

Come and visit Puerto Rico la isla de encanta, the island of Enchantment

or better yet move here and help start a palm club.

[Barry]

Cindy,

Thank you for sharing, looks beautiful in Puerto Rico. I have travelled thru but not spent much time there. I hope to visit in the near future and explore this island!

[peachy]

I am eating my heart out over C carlsmithii.  Mine sat in the ground and laughed at me for 7 years.  Can't even try one here in the new garden, it's only the size of a door mat. I don't know the name of the pretty flowers either but feel free to send me one for xmas. (or should that be Navidad ?)

Peachy