Cyphophoenix alba

[The Gerg]

I’m thinking about getting this Cyphophoenix alba into the ground. Is anyone successfully growing this in California? Could this one handle some midday sun? I’m thinking of putting it in the planter bed shown in the pictures. I welcome advice. Also I would love to see your pics of yours (no matter where you are located). Please post you Cyphophoenix alba pics for encouragement.

[realarch]

Greg, I’d take the chance and plant it. I know here in Hawaii they do much better in ground. I had two in pots and they started to look funky after awhile, so I gave one to Hilo Jason and planted the other one out. They are doing much, much better. Maybe Jason will post an update and I’ll snap a photo later on today. They seem to hold their least sheaths for a long, long time and here in Hilo the trunk is covered in moss and algae. 

Tim

[WaianaeCrider]

Again here in Hawai`i it's doing great.  Made it thru one winter and one summer under shade cloth.  Then came the rainy season and the scrub trees provided shade.  Looking so good last year that I began cutting some of them back.  Wonder what this dry season and more sun will do to it.  Here are three photos:

Planted Nov. 2020

July 2021

April 2022

 

 

[LJG]

This palm comes up in talks a lot in SoCal palm grower circles. I’ve killed 5 in the ground. It is a painful palm to grow. Even though widely available, there is a reason you don’t see many larger ones in the ground. I am stubborn and will keep trying because it’s a real beauty. My best grew to about the base size of a fist and was looking awesome for years. Died this winter. And when they die, they die fast. 

[The Gerg]

52 minutes ago, LJG said:

This palm comes up in talks a lot in SoCal palm grower circles. I’ve killed 5 in the ground. It is a painful palm to grow. Even though widely available, there is a reason you don’t see many larger ones in the ground. I am stubborn and will keep trying because it’s a real beauty. My best grew to about the base size of a fist and was looking awesome for years. Died this winter. And when they die, they die fast. 

So if I am being a realist, this palm isn’t likely going to make it for the long haul for me. 
Such a bummer, but I will likely try anyways. I don’t need another potted palm. I’ve got more than enough of those.

[realarch]

Here are a few photos taken today. This is not a small palm, BTW, even though it’s fairly young. The length of the leaves and the crown spread give this palm a presence.

Tim

[James B]

4 hours ago, The Gerg said:

So if I am being a realist, this palm isn’t likely going to make it for the long haul for me. 
Such a bummer, but I will likely try anyways. I don’t need another potted palm. I’ve got more than enough of those.

Nothing wrong with trying Greg. I’ve got some crazy stuff growing that I knew had little chance but I had to try: Cocos, Carpoxylon, Bentinckia, Clinostigma, and potentially Pinanga Speciosa if I’m crazy enough to plant it.

[LJG]

9 hours ago, The Gerg said:

So if I am being a realist, this palm isn’t likely going to make it for the long haul for me. 
Such a bummer, but I will likely try anyways. I don’t need another potted palm. I’ve got more than enough of those.

Plant it! Just don’t get your hopes up. Makes it even that much better if it grows well for you

[GottmitAlex]

10 hours ago, LJG said:

This palm comes up in talks a lot in SoCal palm grower circles. I’ve killed 5 in the ground. It is a painful palm to grow. Even though widely available, there is a reason you don’t see many larger ones in the ground. I am stubborn and will keep trying because it’s a real beauty. My best grew to about the base size of a fist and was looking awesome for years. Died this winter. And when they die, they die fast. 

Hear, hear. I've "killed" four coconuts in my (as @DoomsDavewould say) "death camps", however, it's worth a try.

 

[Hilo Jason]

15 hours ago, realarch said:

Greg, I’d take the chance and plant it. I know here in Hawaii they do much better in ground. I had two in pots and they started to look funky after awhile, so I gave one to Hilo Jason and planted the other one out. They are doing much, much better. Maybe Jason will post an update and I’ll snap a photo later on today. They seem to hold their least sheaths for a long, long time and here in Hilo the trunk is covered in moss and algae. 

Tim

Here’s the plant that Tim gave me. Hard to get a good photo with a lot of other plants around it. These are an easy grow here. I killed a couple in California as well, but I would keep trying to find the right spot. 
 

[ellidro]

23 hours ago, The Gerg said:

I’m thinking about getting this Cyphophoenix alba into the ground. Is anyone successfully growing this in California? Could this one handle some midday sun? I’m thinking of putting it in the planter bed shown in the pictures. I welcome advice. Also I would love to see your pics of yours (no matter where you are located). Please post you Cyphophoenix alba pics for encouragement.

The good news is you are starting off with a good sized plant that looks very healthy!

Here is a plant I’ve had in the ground since 2014. Yes over 8 yrs in the ground and still only this to show for it. That said It had a serious bout of some sort of fungus that I treated with a systemic fungicide that set it way back. It’s just now starting to churn out leaves at a respectable rate and finally starting to look like something. Weird part is  I have a 15g plant that is much younger but already bigger than this plant that’s in the ground.

[LJG]

1 hour ago, ellidro said:

The good news is you are starting off with a good sized plant that looks very healthy!

Here is a plant I’ve had in the ground since 2014. Yes over 8 yrs in the ground and still only this to show for it. That said It had a serious bout of some sort of fungus that I treated with a systemic fungicide that set it way back. It’s just now starting to churn out leaves at a respectable rate and finally starting to look like something. Weird part is  I have a 15g plant that is much younger but already bigger than this plant that’s in the ground.

15 you say? You should sell. No need for 2 :)))

nice work on the one in the ground. Need to visit. 

[The Gerg]

1 hour ago, ellidro said:

The good news is you are starting off with a good sized plant that looks very healthy!

Here is a plant I’ve had in the ground since 2014. Yes over 8 yrs in the ground and still only this to show for it. That said It had a serious bout of some sort of fungus that I treated with a systemic fungicide that set it way back. It’s just now starting to churn out leaves at a respectable rate and finally starting to look like something. Weird part is  I have a 15g plant that is much younger but already bigger than this plant that’s in the ground.

Wow. That looks nice and healthy now, but yes, very small still for being in the ground for 8 years. Looks like it might be in a spot where it is partially protected from sun by your other palms? The spot I had planned to plant it would get a fair amount of sun, but not too much. I am second guessing the location simply because how slow it is. I think I want something a little quicker in that spot. Decisions. Decisions.

[ellidro]

12 minutes ago, LJG said:

15 you say? You should sell. No need for 2 :)))

nice work on the one in the ground. Need to visit. 

Come on over! Been way too long. I need to swing by your place too. I think I'm going to keep the 15g since these can be fickle but I have a 7g as well. About same size as the one in the first pic of this thread. Potted up last summer so still growing into the pot.

[deezpalms]

 One has been growing well for me in the ground in filtered light all day.

[ellidro]

9 minutes ago, The Gerg said:

Wow. That looks nice and healthy now, but yes, very small still for being in the ground for 8 years. Looks like it might be in a spot where it is partially protected from sun by your other palms? The spot I had planned to plant it would get a fair amount of sun, but not too much. I am second guessing the location simply because how slow it is. I think I want something a little quicker in that spot. Decisions. Decisions.

It's in about as bright of a spot as it could be without having any direct sunlight. I think these could handle morning sun but more than that I think you would be pushing it.

[TomJ]

I have two planted out.

This first one was planted straight out from an FB one gallon in June 2016.

Straight into 100% clay with filtered light all day.

Grows so slow that it was actually in more sun before everything around it over took it.

Never seen a greenhouse or potting soil.

Constantly moist/wet feet.

Pushes one leaf a year, on a good year.

Last year a middle leaf turned brown and I thought it was gone but...

[Kim]

As you can see in these photos, even in East Hawaii with clouds 60% of the time (feels like 95% lately) the fronds frizzle over time with sun exposure. One in the back, well-shaded, doesn’t frizzle. 

[LJG]

5 hours ago, ellidro said:

Come on over! Been way too long. I need to swing by your place too. I think I'm going to keep the 15g since these can be fickle but I have a 7g as well. About same size as the one in the first pic of this thread. Potted up last summer so still growing into the pot.

I was joking about the plant. You have to have backups for this species.,

[realarch]

Greg, Tom, Nick, those SoCal palms look pretty darn good. I’m always amazed of the species available and their survival in Ca.

When I lived there a long time ago, the choices seemed pretty limited.

Jason, what a transformation from the Frankenstein I gifted you.

Kim, nice palms, nicer shovel. I might consider an upgrade. 

Tim

[The Gerg]

Well I got it in the ground. Not where I was originally planning on putting it, but this is a better protected location. Now I will just wait, watch and enjoy it while I have it. Hopefully that will be awhile.

[WaianaeCrider]

On 4/24/2022 at 9:02 AM, Kim said:

As you can see in these photos, even in East Hawaii with clouds 60% of the time (feels like 95% lately) the fronds frizzle over time with sun exposure. One in the back, well-shaded, doesn’t frizzle. 

No chance of 60% shade here on the west side.  It will get direct noon sun in a year or two when I cut back the scrubby haole koa.  Afternoon much of the year it will get shade from a HUGE Keawe tree.  If B. alfredii grows faster it will give it some protection in time.  Both planted in Nov. of 2020.  Hope I have a photo of both on file.  Will work on it tomorrow for sure.  This was at planting 1 1/2 years ago from 1 gallon pots.  That shade cloth has been down for at least a year.

[WaianaeCrider]

23 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

 

OK got a photo today.  1 1/2 years growth.

 

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

So, I bought a 4 inch er from floribnuda about 5 years ago. I crammed it into a spot next to my fat BECCARIOPHOENIX ALFREDII  expepecting it to croak like so many tropical palms do here in NorCal. Low and behold it not only didnt freeze, it thrives and is getting close to trunking.

Of course, your mileage may vary

Jeff

[The Gerg]

25 minutes ago, JEFF IN MODESTO said:

So, I bought a 4 inch er from floribnuda about 5 years ago. I crammed it into a spot next to my fat BECCARIOPHOENIX ALFREDII  expepecting it to croak like so many tropical palms do here in NorCal. Low and behold it not only didnt freeze, it thrives and is getting close to trunking.

Of course, your mileage may vary

Jeff

Pics please.