Leucothrinax morrisii

[aztropic]

First flowering of my previously named Thrinax morrisii. Much slower grower than its radiata cousin. Unfortunately,with our current 118F degree temps,no new seeds will be produced. Still ok though, as I already have a community pot of them growing from seeds I collected in habitat on New Providence island,Bahamas. 😄 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[RiverCityRichard]

58 minutes ago, aztropic said:

First flowering of my previously named Thrinax morrisii. Much slower grower than its radiata cousin. Unfortunately,with our current 118F degree temps,no new seeds will be produced. Still ok though, as I already have a community pot of them growing from seeds I collected in habitat on New Providence island,Bahamas. 😄 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

That’s a beauty! How old? Bought one as a seedling last summer and it has put out a whopping one leaf in a year. Thats it behind the sea grape

[aztropic]

Maybe about 15 years old from seed. Thrinax radiata seeds planted the same day have produced plants with about 7 times as much wood trunk. Definitely a slow grower. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[tim_brissy_13]

Such a nice palm. Seems underrated in cultivation and has a lot of desirable traits; not too large, neat habit and striking silver abaxial surfaces. I suspect slow growth put off many. 

[aztropic]

Certainly not economically viable to produce commercially! Way to slow a grower.

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Sabal Steve]

Scott, you have a great Caribbean garden over there.   

Here’s a picture of a few of mine, in group which consists of two Leucothrinax Morrisii on the right, and two Cocothrinax Argentata on the left.

They all look really similar, and can’t see too many differences at this stage.  

I need to fertilize.

[Sabal Steve]

Here’s the bigger C. Argentata

[Sabal Steve]

Here’s the bigger L. Morrisii 

 

[aztropic]

🤔 plants you are calling morrisii don't look right... Maybe just the growing conditions,but all Thrinax species have a split leaf base. Morrisii fronds are usually bluish,same with the petioles, with a definite silver underside. You may actually have all Coccothrinax species planted there. Time will tell as the plants mature more. If you didn't collect the seeds yourself and grow the plants,you really have to have a lot of faith in your grower that he is actually selling what he says he is selling. There are some brokers/middlemen that will just sell you whatever you are requesting,and it may be years before you figure out what you really have. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Looking Glass]

I planted out a couple youngsters last year….  Man these are very slow palms.  Creep along even under ideal conditions here.  Noticeably move when temps are 95f daytime and low of 80F at night.   Exist is suspended animation at lower temps.   

There are some a few blocks away with 7 feet of clear trunk.   They must be a million years old.   

The first leaf I’m 100% responsible for is slowly coming in now…

Split bases….

[Sabal Steve]

You guys may very well be right.  

I had always wondered if it needed to get to a certain size before the leaf bases started to split like that.

Thanks for your thoughts.   The plants were a great deal.  I don’t think all those were more than $100 total, a few years back.

[aztropic]

Here's a few pics from habitat in the Bahamas. The palms really stand out with the silver undersides waving in the breeze.

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[bubba]

Aztropic,

Is that a rather large Pseudophoenix vinifera in the background of the first picture? Whatever it is, it is amazing what you are doing tropically (Carribean style) in Arizona.

[aztropic]

That's actually a sargentii. I DO have a good size vinifera too. (also ekmanii and seedling  ledinianas - got 'em all ) The trunk is even fatter on vinifera.

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Johnny Palmseed]

18 hours ago, Sabal Steve said:

You guys may very well be right.  

I had always wondered if it needed to get to a certain size before the leaf bases started to split like that.

Thanks for your thoughts.   The plants were a great deal.  I don’t think all those were more than $100 total, a few years back.

Yeah unfortunately those do not look like Leucothrinax. If you want some free seeds, I could send you some in a few months. Also unfortunately, you will need to wait for a very long time to enjoy an actual palm because of the very slow growth. These volunteers are probably 1-2 years old now! I don’t know when they popped because they were covered by the lower fronds that were dragging on the ground. When I cut them off, there were the seedlings looking like blades of grass.

[aztropic]

13 hours ago, bubba said:

Aztropic,

Is that a rather large Pseudophoenix vinifera in the background of the first picture? 

Speaking of Pseudophoenix,they also grow wild on New Providence island,Bahamas. Here's 2 I ran across in dense undergrowth growing side by side. 1 has tight growth rings while the other has the navassana type rings. How do we explain this phenomenon in totally wild populations? 🤔 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[bubba]

Leucothrinax morrisii at ANSG with old label:

[bubba]

[Fusca]

On 7/13/2024 at 12:24 PM, aztropic said:

🤔 plants you are calling morrisii don't look right... Maybe just the growing conditions,but all Thrinax species have a split leaf base. Morrisii fronds are usually bluish,same with the petioles, with a definite silver underside. You may actually have all Coccothrinax species planted there. Time will tell as the plants mature more. If you didn't collect the seeds yourself and grow the plants,you really have to have a lot of faith in your grower that he is actually selling what he says he is selling. There are some brokers/middlemen that will just sell you whatever you are requesting,and it may be years before you figure out what you really have. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Looks like I will have to wait and see also.  I just bought this palm a few weeks ago as a Leucothrinax morrisii but now I'm thinking it's something else.  It's got green undersides.  Could it be a Thrinax radiata or some Coccothrinax?  Maybe it's too small to tell.

[aztropic]

1 hour ago, Fusca said:

Looks like I will have to wait and see also.  I just bought this palm a few weeks ago as a Leucothrinax morrisii but now I'm thinking it's something else.  It's got green undersides.  Could it be a Thrinax radiata or some Coccothrinax?  Maybe it's too small to tell.

This one looks correctly labeled to me. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Fusca]

47 minutes ago, aztropic said:

This one looks correctly labeled to me. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Good to hear.  The grower obtained the seeds from RPS.  I guess the silver undersides come after it ages.

[Johnny Palmseed]

4 hours ago, Fusca said:

Looks like I will have to wait and see also.  I just bought this palm a few weeks ago as a Leucothrinax morrisii but now I'm thinking it's something else.  It's got green undersides.  Could it be a Thrinax radiata or some Coccothrinax?  Maybe it's too small to tell.

Hard to tell but the leaflets don’t look quite right to me. They should be fused and wider IMO. Also it’s not Thrinax Radiata either. They would be similar to LM without the silvery undersides.

[aztropic]

Actually,I think radiata has a totally different look than morrisii.  Very lime green color,more succulent and lax fronds, compared to the bluer dark green and stiff fronds of morrisii. Here are some young radiata I grew from seed to compare. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Fusca]

2 hours ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

Hard to tell but the leaflets don’t look quite right to me. They should be fused and wider IMO. Also it’s not Thrinax Radiata either. They would be similar to LM without the silvery undersides.

That's what I was thinking too after seeing @Looking Glass's palm but I suppose it'll take awhile before it either looks more like Leucothrinax or less like it.  I trust the seller in what he bought from RPS but it's always possible that they sent him the wrong seeds.  Either way I like it!

[bubba]

After viewing the specimens posted, I have doubts if the ANSG specimen is properly identified. The Lm’s seem to be more rigid while these appear floppy. Also, the palms seem to carry a fuzzy aspect to the trunk that this palm does not have. However, Johnny’s Palm does share the split leaf habit of this palm and this palm is grown in heavy canopy, while the other palms appear to be grown in the sun.

Simply stated, I am confused. It certainly is not a T. radiata, which I will post a double juvenile. Perhaps this is a Cocothrinax that I am not familiar:

[Phoenikakias]

13 hours ago, Fusca said:

Looks like I will have to wait and see also.  I just bought this palm a few weeks ago as a Leucothrinax morrisii but now I'm thinking it's something else.  It's got green undersides.  Could it be a Thrinax radiata or some Coccothrinax?  Maybe it's too small to tell.

It may well be a morrisii

[Phoenikakias]

@aztropic what are their requirements regarding soil pH? I have the impression that they do not mind especially about it but also dislike ultra-alkaline one.

[aztropic]

6 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

@aztropic what are their requirements regarding soil pH? I have the impression that they do not mind especially about it but also dislike ultra-alkaline one.

I don't know,but I don't think they care. My native desert  soil is alkaline. In habitat,they are growing in heavy limestone and old coral mounds,so,alkaline is what they are used to.🤷‍♂️ 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Johnny Palmseed]

 

22 hours ago, aztropic said:

Actually,I think radiata has a totally different look than morrisii.  Very lime green color,more succulent and lax fronds, compared to the bluer dark green and stiff fronds of morrisii. Here are some young radiata I grew from seed to compare. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

I was referring more to the shape but yes, Radiata are typically more lime green than blue green.

These are from a juvenile Radiata.

 

[Johnny Palmseed]

Hard to get a good picture but this is Morissii grown in morning sun. The shape is similar to the Radiata with a silvery blue green underneath.

 

[Brian M]

Funny how slow they grow until that new frond opens up and.... Woah, it's almost a foot taller! 

[Phoenikakias]

That's the objective: one step higher every few years in the  staircase of development.

[Merlyn]

@Phoenikakias I have one growing here in the front yard, in a high-and-dry area.  It took about 25% burn at 27F with frost, so much hardier than nearby Coccothrinax Argentea, Argentata, and Barbadensis @ about 75% burn.  It seems okay in fairly rich acidic soil, but mine is still about half the size of Brian's.