Bulging Crownshaft on Chrysalidocarpus decipiens…Could This Mean An Inflorescence hiding beneath?

[Jim in Los Altos]

The crownshaft of my oldest Chrysalidocarpus decipiens is fattening up on one side. Does anyone have knowledge as to when these typically produce their first inflorescence or how much trunk they usually have at the time? Here’s the “expectant” palm below. (size 11 shoe for reference)
 

[BayAndroid]

Can we get a full shot of this tree, by the way? Look good! 

[flplantguy]

4 hours ago, BayAndroid said:

Can we get a full shot of this tree, by the way? Look good! 

I agree! It looks amazing from here I would like the see it all too.  I see a lot of palms in photos with the same amount of trunk (leaf scars really) that are flowering so i wouldn't be surprised.  What else could it be? Do they split above the trunk into branches (I'm sure that's not it)? If the leaves above are normal and happy it must be an inflorescence.

[Harry’s Palms]

My Chambreyonia did that last year and it was an inflorescence that never really amounted to much. It actually has done it a couple of times. Harry

[96720]

What is the little palm next to it?

[Jim in Los Altos]

4 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

My Chambreyonia did that last year and it was an inflorescence that never really amounted to much. It actually has done it a couple of times. Harry

Here’s a couple of photos from a few months ago. 
 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2024 by Jim in Los Altos

[Jim in Los Altos]

33 minutes ago, 96720 said:

What is the little palm next to it?

The palm is a triple and that’s one of its stems. 
 

Edited February 17, 2024 by Jim in Los Altos

[SeanK]

14 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

The crownshaft of my oldest Chrysalidocarpus decipiens is fattening up on one side. Does anyone have knowledge as to when these typically produce their first inflorescence or how much trunk they usually have at the time? Here’s the “expectant” palm below. (size 11 shoe for reference)
 

Start knitting booties.

[Leelanau Palms]

14 minutes ago, SeanK said:

Start knitting booties.

Love it! Hilarious. 😁

[Jim in Los Altos]

12 hours ago, BayAndroid said:

Can we get a full shot of this tree, by the way? Look good! 

[Fusca]

47 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

 

It's a beauty Jim!  But what in your garden isn't?  Hopefully you will get some seeds in the next few years!

[Billeb]

6 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

The palm is a triple and that’s one of its stems. 
 

@Jim in Los Altos Did this group start out as a Multi or did it morph into 3 stems over time? I have a 15G in the ground and I’m a little worried it’s going to split. I’ve heard there’s no rhyme or reason. 
 

There’s something about Decipiens that is super attractive for me. They are super cool. Your triple is only going to get better and better. 
 

-dale 

[Jim in Los Altos]

2 hours ago, Billeb said:

@Jim in Los Altos Did this group start out as a Multi or did it morph into 3 stems over time? I have a 15G in the ground and I’m a little worried it’s going to split. I’ve heard there’s no rhyme or reason. 
 

There’s something about Decipiens that is super attractive for me. They are super cool. Your triple is only going to get better and better. 
 

-dale 

Dale, It was a small single in a 5 gallon container. It was several years later that it split into two and then eventually into three. I wanted a single and a few years ago I cut down the two small we ones thinking it would speed growth of the main stem. Instead, the main stem stopped growing until the two smaller offshoots were restored. I’ll never do that again! Better to let this palm grow as nature intended. 

Edited February 18, 2024 by Jim in Los Altos

[richnorm]

I hope I'm wrong but seems too soon to flower.   The few that I have seen flowering had a lot more trunk.

[quaman58]

Looking beautiful Jim. Funny, I have a Chambeyronia that recently had that huge bulge under a leaf base, and I was sure there was a flower spike hiding underneath. But then….nothing. So, false alarms are certainly a possibility.! 

[Tracy]

On 2/16/2024 at 9:43 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

The crownshaft of my oldest Chrysalidocarpus decipiens is fattening up on one side. Does anyone have knowledge as to when these typically produce their first inflorescence or how much trunk they usually have at the time? Here’s the “expectant” palm below. (size 11 shoe for reference)
 

Jim we are a little down the road, have you had the reveal yet to find out if it was an inflorescence hiding underneath.  My larger specimen which is a double is still working on the first ring.  Maybe by the end of this summer or in the fall it will happen on the larger trunk.  The last boot that came off was about 2-3 inches below the soil, so I'm guessing about three more boots to come off before ringed trunk is above the soil line.

[Jim in Los Altos]

1 hour ago, Tracy said:

Jim we are a little down the road, have you had the reveal yet to find out if it was an inflorescence hiding underneath.  My larger specimen which is a double is still working on the first ring.  Maybe by the end of this summer or in the fall it will happen on the larger trunk.  The last boot that came off was about 2-3 inches below the soil, so I'm guessing about three more boots to come off before ringed trunk is above the soil line.

No, the boot is still holding on tight. I’m hoping it falls away this summer. 

[Tracy]

1 minute ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

No, the boot is still holding on tight. I’m hoping it falls away this summer. 

I have noticed that when the boot hangs on too long without the inflorescence pushing out, that if there is one hiding, it is rotted out when the boot finally comes off.  I have more luck when they push out on their own with the larger Chrysalidocarpus species.  Good luck though, we are rooting for some Northern California grown C decipiens seed!

[happypalms]

Hi Jim my chambeyronia do the same thing before flowering you might be proud dad soon!

[happypalms]

On 2/18/2024 at 2:39 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

My Chambreyonia did that last year and it was an inflorescence that never really amounted to much. It actually has done it a couple of times. Harry

Hi Harry I didn’t read your thread first before I quoted the same thing 🤣