What is this bulge ring on my foxtail palm

[MJSanDiego]

What is this bizarre bulge ring looking thing about 4 inches up that seemed to have formed in just a few days? And in certain lighting I am starting to see more ring like bulges forming further up the trunk spaced every 4 inches or so. I planted this about 2 months ago. Its like 8 ft tall. And how did Home Depot skin the palm near the base about 2 inches up with a nice perfectly round cut? 

[MJSanDiego]

Well I might be crazy. This might be how they grow. I looked at the other one I planted and I see the same bulge ring forming as well in almost the same spot. 🤔. I think it's bizarre nevertheless 

[MJSanDiego]

Here is the other one. Either these are really happy and that bulge ring is how they grow or something.  But still... how did Home Depots vendor make such a nice skin cut a few inches up from the base?

[MJSanDiego]

Am I crazy? As I think about it is that new bulge ring simply where it will shed the next boot? And no one cut it below? I don't understand this palm whatsoever I hope someone can help!

[aztropic]

37 minutes ago, MJSanDiego said:

Am I crazy? As I think about it is that new bulge ring simply where it will shed the next boot? And no one cut it below? I don't understand this palm whatsoever I hope someone can help!

Bingo! This is a crown shafted palm like a royal. Instead of having boots that remain attached to the tree after removing a frond,the whole visible crownshaft area to the tip end of the lowest frond will turn brown and eventually fall off on its own,leaving a nice circular 'growth ring' scar on the trunk. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[MJSanDiego]

32 minutes ago, aztropic said:

Bingo! This is a crown shafted palm like a royal. Instead of having boots that remain attached to the tree after removing a frond,the whole visible crownshaft area to the tip end of the lowest frond will turn brown and eventually fall off on its own,leaving a nice circular 'growth ring' scar on the trunk. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

Thanks. I was scratching my head trying to figure out what kind of tool would make such a nice ring cut. So each bulge is the new formed end of the next shaft? Is it similar to the King palm in terms of self cleaning? It seems different somewhat. The dstinct bulge rings forming all up the trunk on the foxtail is something I did not see on the Kings. Does that just mean it's super healthy?

[aztropic]

Yes. Same as a crownshafted king palm. You will really appreciate the self trimming feature when the palm gets taller!  

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[MJSanDiego]

Excellent. I didn't really think about it being a self cleaning palm when I acquired it.  True, the self cleaning is nice, although I dont mind fussing over palms like I do with my Washingtonia Robusta and Syragus Romanzoffiana on order to keep them stunning too! 🙂

[Harry’s Palms]

That’s a good sized trunk , it looks healthy. I would like to see the entire palm . Harry

[MJSanDiego]

Here is a pic I just took

[Fusca]

Now you can start posting here:

 

[Harry’s Palms]

That is looking good , thank you for the pic. Harry

[MJSanDiego]

@Harry’s Palms here is my other foxtail 

[Harry’s Palms]

Very nice! I am still working on the babies I have . So far , so good. Harry🤞

[MJSanDiego]

4 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Very nice! I am still working on the babies I have . So far , so good. Harry🤞

Excellent, best of luck. I've never seen such large specimens at Home Depot so I was pretty pleased and they are growing well. For some reason I have way more success with these than Kings! 😁

[Harry’s Palms]

They used to sell a lot of large ones like that up here but they don’t anymore . I think maybe they were too hard to grow for some of us. Mine was about that size when I planted it and it got nice with about 6’ of trunk and then started to fade. I gave it SulPoMag and then probably started overwatering. I was going by what my other palms liked. From what I’ve learned here and from others is that once they get large , start tapering off the water. Counterintuitive to a palm guy like me. Yours should do very well in the sun like that , plus ….its San Diego! Harry

[Tracy]

On 7/31/2024 at 12:54 PM, MJSanDiego said:

And in certain lighting I am starting to see more ring like bulges forming further up the trunk spaced every 4 inches or so.

Depending on the thickness of the crownshaft, some species show the bulge better than others where subsequent crownshafts are attached.  A sampling of Veitchia sprialis, Chrysalidocarpus basilongus, Chrysalidocarpus lanceolatus, Chrysalidocarpus onilahensis, Chamaedorea neurochlamys and Chrysalidocarpus ambositrae trunks showing the bulge for other attachment points and in some cases the bulge of a flower spathe underneath (Chrysalidocarpus onilhensis and the Veitchia spiralis).