Under appreciated palms you really appreciate

[DoomsDave]

There’s palms that get little or no enthusiasm or respect either on the auction block or in the sales yards or as gifts.

But you plant them out and you come to appreciate them a lot more.

One of mine is Chrysalidocarpus plumosa FKA Dypsis plumosa.

Here’s one in my front garden. It’s about 10 feet (3.3 M) tall; crown is about six feet (2 M) across.

Share your under appreciated gems!

[iDesign]

For me, it's Schippia concolor.

Slow-growing, but always looks perfect, and requires next to zero maintenance. Curious why it fell out of favor. I personally love mine.

[SeanK]

I'll say Sabal minor. Grows in sun, shade, wet, dry, sand, clay, muck.

Maligned by growers seeking a more spectacular, trunking palm, this basic understory plant is highly versatile and will grow from z7 to z12.

 

*Photo curtesy of Gary's Nursery

[SeanK]

@iDesign - How long for the Schippia to get some serious height?

I think folks looking at tropical palms will look to something pinnate, crownshaft, or grandious like a C.bailiana. Smaller, palmate, with hairy trunks get passed over.

Do you have enough heat for yours to grow well?

[iDesign]

7 minutes ago, SeanK said:

@iDesign - How long for the Schippia to get some serious height?

Probably in my lifetime, but not sure. 🤔

For comparison, do you see that small tree in back of the Schippia? It's a Hyophorpe Indica, and this is what it looks like now (while the Schippia looks almost the same). I've had it for many years now, and it has not changed much.

I got my Schippia up from a nursery that imports them from Hawaii (Rancho Soledad). I hadn't seen them since then, but last time I went I saw some new ones that were around the size of mine (bought from them years ago). They were only $150, which was pretty good considering how many years it takes to get to this size from seedling.

[Brad52]

V joannis, the small ones in last pic were 18” less than a year ago so they grow fast, make a nice trunk and I love the form with the darker green leaves.

[Brian]

Coccothrinax crinita subsp. brevicrinis. The long hair version of Coccothrinax crinita is an excellent palm but I feel that Coccothrinax crinita subsp. brevicrinis doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

 

[Phoenikakias]

For my climate and the particular other regional factors, such as landscape,soil and water quality and pests, male plants of Phoenix dactylifera and other closely related to former Phoenix taxa (both spp and hybrids) with the big exception of male canaries, which are very susceptible to rpw. The rest are demandless regarding soil and water quality and male specimems of the caespitose spp have usually a weaker suckering habit, overall all Phoenix spp and their hybrids of the dactylifera group have a very low maintainance need except an annual removal of suckers for the mainly female individuals. They are not water hogs like Arecastrum and therefore ideal for canopy and shade, aftervl they attain some size. Especially male dactylifera can become beautiful (almost solitary) specimens.

This one provides dappled shade for two smaller Phoenix rupicola

Other create a gallery with a considerable canopy for planting in the future other more tender palms.

 

[Brian]

21 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

There’s palms that get little or no enthusiasm or respect either on the auction block or in the sales yards or as gifts.

But you plant them out and you come to appreciate them a lot more.

One of mine is Chrysalidocarpus plumosa FKA Dypsis plumosa.

Here’s one in my front garden. It’s about 10 feet (3.3 M) tall; crown is about six feet (2 M) across.

Share your under appreciated gems!

I can’t wait until mine gets that size, beautiful!

[Phoenikakias]

Gaussia maya, not very popular because of the sparse crown in local climate. I put one next to a banana clump and finely pinnate leaves combine very well with the huge leaflets of the closely growing Chambeyronia (and banana leaves too!)

[tim_brissy_13]

The first two palms that sprung to mind when I saw this thread were Schippia concolor and Gaussia maya. So tough even in my temperate climate. Glad to see they’re getting some love. 
 

Another nomination from me - Laccospadix australasica. The solitary form is right up there with any other in terms of beauty in my opinion but I still haven’t got my hands on one. The clumping form is a set-and-forget palm in my climate and nicely fills a space. Really tough and is never damaged despite being on a west facing fence receiving some afternoon sun and in a drier part of the garden. 

[yachtingone]

Dave nice topic! I too have the wispy palm Chamaedorea plumosa!

My favorite nonpopular palm is Phoenix  loureirii!  Very slow growing,  always looks nice.  Mine is just under 20 years old.

[DoomsDave]

47 minutes ago, yachtingone said:

Dave nice topic! I too have the wispy palm Chamaedorea plumosa!

My favorite nonpopular palm is Phoenix  loureirii!  Very slow growing,  always looks nice.  Mine is just under 20 years old.

Put Phoenix in the ground and it’ll grow a LOT faster.

[Harry’s Palms]

I would say , for me, Chrysalidiocarpus Lutescens. Nice coloring on the trunk and tropical look . Even though they are fairly common , they really add to a palm collection. I have one on each side of my house . Harry

[yachtingone]

4 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Put Phoenix in the ground and it’ll grow a LOT faster.

It's in the ground Dave, the sand is less than 1/2" thick.   Overall height is almost 7'.  They are just very slow. it has sped up a lot the last couple years!

[happypalms]

Iam going to have to go with the phoenixe robellenii being so underrated for obvious reasons but still an absolute winner. Second would be butia capita for being so popular in Australia no even bothers with anymore but given the right light absolutely gorgeous and the ever so  popular foxtail dime a dozen but still gets a reward for making it so big in cultivation in such a short time.  All three I don’t grow in my nursery but the stand out in a beauty of there  own.

[hbernstein]

Aren't most palms beautiful? Most common species, if rare, would be highly valued.

[idontknowhatnametuse]

Chamaedorea pochutlensis

[Brad52]

18 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

The first two palms that sprung to mind when I saw this thread were Schippia concolor and Gaussia maya. So tough even in my temperate climate. Glad to see they’re getting some love. 
 

Another nomination from me - Laccospadix australasica. The solitary form is right up there with any other in terms of beauty in my opinion but I still haven’t got my hands on one. The clumping form is a set-and-forget palm in my climate and nicely fills a space. Really tough and is never damaged despite being on a west facing fence receiving some afternoon sun and in a drier part of the garden. 

Im having trouble keeping mine alive, it’s mostly shaded but in a dry site so I assume that’s the issue?

[tim_brissy_13]

10 hours ago, Brad52 said:

Im having trouble keeping mine alive, it’s mostly shaded but in a dry site so I assume that’s the issue?

Honestly I have no idea considering you’re in Hawaii. They are pretty tough here in a much colder and generally less palm friendly climate so perhaps it’s the combination of more regular warmth/heat plus dry that it doesn’t like. Does it get natural rainfall only? What’s your annual rainfall?

[JLM]

A palm that is disliked by many on this forum, i have a tendency to appreciate. These palms have always managed to pull through the conditions that can occur in my climate, albeit with a little bit of help. It is the Queen palm. I appreciate queens quite a lot, and the below pics are why:

This picture was from March 11th, 2024. Both of my queens were completely defoliated *again* this last winter.



This picture was from October 7th, 2024. The amount of growth this thing has put out this year has been phenomenal, I couldn't honestly ask for a better recovery.

[Brad52]

32 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Honestly I have no idea considering you’re in Hawaii. They are pretty tough here in a much colder and generally less palm friendly climate so perhaps it’s the combination of more regular warmth/heat plus dry that it doesn’t like. Does it get natural rainfall only? What’s your annual rainfall?

I'm on solid lava so there is no ground moisture, maps say we get 100" rain here but not been my observation, the ground gets and stays very dry despite almost nightly passing showers.  Looked at him today and a new leaf is emerging and all other leaves dead.  I'd say the ground is quite dry there but it's next to heliconia, ginger, bamboo, monstera and they are fine.

[RFun]

I like Needle Palms.  Something to be said for the bushier palms.  And Needle Palms are a unique version of the palm family.

[tim_brissy_13]

13 hours ago, Brad52 said:

I'm on solid lava so there is no ground moisture, maps say we get 100" rain here but not been my observation, the ground gets and stays very dry despite almost nightly passing showers.  Looked at him today and a new leaf is emerging and all other leaves dead.  I'd say the ground is quite dry there but it's next to heliconia, ginger, bamboo, monstera and they are fine.

I’d say drying out in isolation is really unlikely to be the issue based on the plants doing well around it and your rainfall. That being said there would be many factors that I couldn’t comment on as I’m mostly unfamiliar with the challenges you’d have there. Climate shouldn’t be an issue, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen other Laccospadix in Hawaii posted on here. 

[Jack Lord]

On 10/12/2024 at 9:23 PM, SeanK said:

I'll say Sabal minor. Grows in sun, shade, wet, dry, sand, clay, muck.

Maligned by growers seeking a more spectacular, trunking palm, this basic understory plant is highly versatile and will grow from z7 to z12.

 

*Photo curtesy of Gary's Nursery

Hear hear!

 

I love Sabal Minors. Even if I lived in Hawaii, I would make room for one.

[Brad52]

21 minutes ago, Jack Lord said:

Hear hear!

 

I love Sabal Minors. Even if I lived in Hawaii, I would make room for one.

Jack Lord did live in Hawai’i and you sir are my childhood hero!

Seriously tho, I’m trying Sabal minor and it’s all but dead, can’t get mine going here.