Anyone growing Attalea rostrata? Some pictures from Parque Nacional Carara (Costa Rica)

[Gunnar Hillert]

Is anyone growing Attalea rostrata? Quite an impressive palm! I have been spending a few days on Costa Rica's pacific coast and went to the Parque Nacional Carara (near Jaco). Ignoring the deferred trail maintenance, it is a really neat park (maybe 8km in total trails). I found a little research paper (in Spanish) that describes the vegetation of the park: "Vegetacion del Parque Nacional Carara, Costa Rica" (from 2001)

https://epidendra.com/parquesnacionales/carara/jimenez_grayum_carara.pdf

Anyway, the dominant palm species around here appears to be Attalea rostrata.  It is a large, truly impressive palm and super abundant in the park and along the country side. It looks like this should be a super-easy palm and grows nicely in the shady forest as well as in sunny exposed positions. Strangely, though, it does not seem to be common in cultivation outside of its native range. Even Palmpedia's page is a tad anemic. Now, there is this urge to find a seed source 🙂. Anyway, I think this may qualify as a must-have if you have the space.

 

[Merlyn]

I'm currently growing Attalea Brejinhoensis, Butyracea, Cohune, and Phalerata.  The only other one I was looking for was Speciosa, but I just added Rostrata to the list!  I think I had looked at it a while back and thought it looked too much like Cohune to be interested.  But Cohune has proven to be a relative weakling for freezes and frosts, and I never looked back to Rostrata.  Apparently they survived the long duration 29F freeze at Leu Gardens with no damage and can survive upper 20s fairly well.  So now I have another giant palm to find... 

[awkonradi]

Thank you for sharing your pictures!

[Cindy Adair]

Great photos thanks!

Ox rhino beetles killed my young Attalea cohune.

One day I hope to obtain others since I still have spaces with no palms (yet).

[idontknowhatnametuse]

I was told Attalea rostrata is a synonym of Attalea butyracea, I have a butyracea but I've noticed rostrata tends to have more leaflets than butyracea and it is lightly plumose.

[tim_brissy_13]

2 hours ago, idontknowhatnametuse said:

I was told Attalea rostrata is a synonym of Attalea butyracea, I have a butyracea but I've noticed rostrata tends to have more leaflets than butyracea and it is lightly plumose.

Yes, looks like it is currently considered synonymous with A butyracea by Kew based on Henderson 2020.