Cyphophoenix elegans

[Jonathan Haycock]

On a recent PACSOA trip to the Sunshine Coast, SE QLD, Australia we visited a private garden that had a mature Cyphophoenix elegans full of ripe fruit. 

The owner was adamant its seeds weren’t viable, but a few of us took some anyway. Well, pleased to report quite a few are popping. 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a picture of the parent as it was so tall and sun exposure was all off. However, I’ve included some shots taken from another specimen we visited in Brisbane a couple years back. 

Such a great palm for SE QLD and takes full sun from an early age too. Currently contemplating its use as an avenue palm along my driveway, but I think Carpoxylon macrospermum would look great for that also. Heck I might end up using both, intermittently planted. 

[happypalms]

Well done good score I wish my driveway was complete shade it would be lined  with about 200 joeys my choice for your driveway carpoxylon there are so many choices one that has to be made correctly with valuable palm real estate like a driveway.

[tim_brissy_13]

Such a great palm and so tough. I’ve grown one from a tiny seedling in 2007 to trunking here in Melbourne and it kept going despite being transplanted to different properties 3 times. I now also have another more robust specimen just about to start trunking too and a batch of seedlings which have been trouble free from seed and cope with our winter fine. 

[Jonathan Haycock]

9 hours ago, happypalms said:

Well done good score I wish my driveway was complete shade it would be lined  with about 200 joeys my choice for your driveway carpoxylon there are so many choices one that has to be made correctly with valuable palm real estate like a driveway.

Imagine a driveway lined with “Joey’s on a stick”!!!

[Jonathan Haycock]

7 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Such a great palm and so tough. I’ve grown one from a tiny seedling in 2007 to trunking here in Melbourne and it kept going despite being transplanted to different properties 3 times. I now also have another more robust specimen just about to start trunking too and a batch of seedlings which have been trouble free from seed and cope with our winter fine. 

It’s quite rare for such a tough palm to also be one of the most beautiful. This species certainly falls into that bracket. 

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Haycock said:

Imagine a driveway lined with “Joey’s on a stick”!!!

Oh I got Joey on a stick unfortunately I don’t have at least 50 years to see them get that size to fully appreciate them 🤣

[Merlyn]

I wish I'd heard about Cyphophoenix about 5 years ago...    Supposedly Elegans is the hardiest of the bunch, but I am now trying out Elegans, Nucele and Alba.  Cosmetically my favorite is Nucele.  I think it's the somewhat closer-spaced leaflets.  Also it looks a bit like a somewhat recurved Rhopie, which I can't grow here in Floriduh. 

Here's my cluster with a freshly planted Alba.  All are from Floribunda, but the Nucele and Elegans have been out in full sun for about a month and are a bit sun-bleached.