Coccothrinax in Northern California

[Jim in Los Altos]

Have had a Coccothrinax miraguama in the ground from a tiny seedling for nine years and a C. borhidiana for three years and these palms have tolerated much less than ideal growing situations up here. They keep slowly chugging along however. Both are in the shade most of the year but with some direct sun in the winter. Anyone else growing Coccothrinax up here in the Bay Area or similar climate? 
 

C. miraguama

C. miraguama

C. bordidiana

C. borhidiana

 

[tim_brissy_13]

Inspirational Jim. I’m in probably even a slightly more difficult climate than you for Coccothrinax. Definitely don’t have anything photo worthy, but have seedlings of C barbadensis, C argentea and C proctorii in the ground. Winters don’t kill them but they haven’t really done much at all. Probably should try to grow them up bigger before planting or source larger ones. 

[BayAndroid]

C. miraguama looks a little like T. Martianus. I'm sure it's different once mature, but I get similar vibes from looking at it. 

Very nice looking. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

7 minutes ago, BayAndroid said:

C. miraguama looks a little like T. Martianus. I'm sure it's different once mature, but I get similar vibes from looking at it. 

Very nice looking. 

Yes. I have three trunking T. martianus that I planted out at one gallon size. The Coccothrinax leaves are cut much further to each leaf’s center than the Trachycarpus though and the trunk on the Coccothrinax is exceptionally thinner on a young T. martianus. Growth rate is an other big difference. The T. martianus are rockets by comparison. Here’s my C. miraguama in picture #1 versus Trachycarpus martianus in the other photos. 
 

[Jim in Los Altos]

1 hour ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Inspirational Jim. I’m in probably even a slightly more difficult climate than you for Coccothrinax. Definitely don’t have anything photo worthy, but have seedlings of C barbadensis, C argentea and C proctorii in the ground. Winters don’t kill them but they haven’t really done much at all. Probably should try to grow them up bigger before planting or source larger ones. 

Yes Tim, Seems your summer afternoons are cooler than ours but not by a whole lot. I think my Coccothrinax would grow faster in the sun but that’s not possible in most of my landscape so they must tolerate cooler shady positions. You need lots of patience with these unless you have lots of humid hot weather from what I’ve read.  

[bubba]

Rather amazing to see a C. borhidiana growing that large in N. Cal! This is a specimen at Ann Norton on the Intracoastal in WPB. I am certain that it is over 10 years old. These things grow very slowly:

 

[Harry’s Palms]

I have a Coccothrinax (not sure which one) in Southern California and it is very slow growing . Twenty five years to get 3-4’ tall . It is in full sun and tends to get brown spots on the fronds after the rainy season. Harry

[bubba]

Cocothrinax is a tropical Carribean genus and it is amazing that those in the mediterranean/California climate are growing these specimens, notwithstanding their extremely slow growth. I know aztropic is the main man in the Phoenix area and would really like to see his specimens, that he has given us tantalizing glimpses.

C. borhidiana is the slowest of the slow in Florida. Other Cocothrinax grow well and quickly. I will try some at Ann Norton to show:

 

 

Edited May 12, 2024 by bubba

[Jadd Correia]

Haven't gotten to that genus yet... but I am hoping to bring in some to my Oakland Garden soon. Thanks for the photos and hope they keep chugging along.

Jadd

[Phoenikakias]

I grow a double headed C miraguama-hybrid and a small crinita in the ground plus an uunidentified ( purportedly argentea but  it is very doubtful) specimen in pot inside my cold frame.I have confront the same problem as Jim, not sunny spot all day long.

[happypalms]

You got some slow growing palms there Jim Alta is about the only one in my garden that has grown with some decent growth but all species are beautiful and well worth growing your garden is pretty awesome good job you know you’re gardening well 

[Phoenikakias]

On 5/12/2024 at 11:36 PM, Phoenikakias said:

I grow a double headed C miraguama-hybrid and a small crinita in the ground plus an uunidentified ( purportedly argentea but  it is very doubtful) specimen in pot inside my cold frame.I have confront the same problem as Jim, not sunny spot all day long.

Here are mine:

First the double headed purported C miraguama

Then the tiny baby crinita

And last the purported C argentea growing still in pot in my cold frame

All pictures have been shot today, which is very instructive, because this time of the year is in my climate exactly the entry to new growth season and all induced winter damage is revealed.

[Harry’s Palms]

@Phoenikakias those are very nice . I am glad that folks appreciate these palms enough to wait for the slow growth. Mine is just opening a new frond and will speed up a bit through our summer. I used to think it was not happy because , although it was growing , didn’t seem to really accelerate like other palms once the trunk was formed. On the other hand as a slow growing palm it is always in view , you don’t have to look to the sky! Harry

[MoPalm]

Does anyone know if Coccothrinax crinita (the old man palm) can grow in 9b? We get 100+ many days in summer and have not seen tempreture less than 30 degrees in the last 10 yeas. 

[Keybmp]

Here’s a C. Crinita I just put in the ground today. I was under the assumption that they weren’t easy to come across, especially at this size (~3ft) but I found them at a local Lowes so I had to get it. Price was also much better than any that I’ve seen on FB market. 

[aztropic]

On 7/26/2024 at 11:59 PM, MoPalm said:

Does anyone know if Coccothrinax crinita (the old man palm) can grow in 9b? We get 100+ many days in summer and have not seen tempreture less than 30 degrees in the last 10 yeas. 

It most likely would be pretty happy under those conditions. Problem is finding one of any size on the west coast.🤷‍♂️

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[MoPalm]

You are right, I couldn't find them anywhere here. 

[Harry’s Palms]

I got mine at Jungle Music , from Phil , but it was small . Patience grasshopper! Harry

[MoPalm]

8 hours ago, aztropic said:

It most likely would be pretty happy under those conditions. Problem is finding one of any size on the west coast.🤷‍♂️

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

 

9 hours ago, Keybmp said:

Here’s a C. Crinita I just put in the ground today. I was under the assumption that they weren’t easy to come across, especially at this size (~3ft) but I found them at a local Lowes so I had to get it. Price was also much better than any that I’ve seen on FB market. 

How much was it at Lowes? 

[aztropic]

2 years ago,a local nursery in Phoenix, Arizona brought in eighteen (2 pallets of 9 each) 7 gallon old man palms from Florida and sold most of them within a month at $250 each. It was such an event, people drove in from as far away as San Diego,and Yuma, just to have a chance to buy them at this size. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity...

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Keybmp]

7 hours ago, MoPalm said:

 

How much was it at Lowes? 

$295 , on FB market they’re all 500+ and a few hours away 

[Harry’s Palms]

@aztropic I love the ZZTop reference in the last photo. “But I might be mistaken” …. Harry

[Darold Petty]

My future's so bright I gotta wear shades  !