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PALM PRICES OR CYCAD PRICES SPECIALS AND SALES
Specials below apply to drop in visits or mail orders. Photos are representative.
All specials have a termination date and always expire when the current thread expires
Ten Day Specials  expire ten days after date of posting and are marked in red color.
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MONDAY, 29 APRIL, 2024

POTTING UP A NEW PALM SEEDLING
PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING TECHNIQUE -
VEITCHIA SEEDLINGS

If you follow the techniques given in the article above, you will end up having seedlings that will need repotting into a growing container. Shown here are some vigorous Veitchia seedlings that were germinated in a flat. Flats are not our favorite for germinating (are not deep containers) but, for conservation of space, was what we used for these seeds. You can see in the first two photos that these are well developed with about two or three leaves. We prefer to have several leaves before we repot seedlings.

Photographs three to five show the seedlings after they've been removed from the germinating flat. Note the compact and nice roots on the seedlings. You must be careful when removing each seedling to protect the roots. Cutting or damaging the roots can lead to damping off after removal.

The last photo shows the seedling after being repotted into a one gallon. Sometimes we put seedlings into our band containers ( 3 x 3 x 9 inches), but Veitchias typically are large, strong seedlings and respond better in a larger pot. Of course, after potting up seedlings, water immediately and put them into filtered light. Over time, you can give them more sun exposure.

I hope this helps you have successful growing of your small new palms.

PHOTOS OF ASSORTED CYCADS AROUND THE NURSERY

LOTS OF SPECIES
LOTS OF SIZES - SMALL TO BIG
ALMOST ALL SHIPPABLE
LARGEST CAN BE DELIVERED

The purpose of this post is to show the diversity of species and sizes of cycads we offer at Jungle Music. Recently we've taken an assortment of photos of plants in stock. We offer about 175 species or varieties of cycads for sale. And, these are in sizes from seedlings to massive fifty to one hundred year old plants. We literally over ten thousand cycads to choose from.

All can be shipped or delivered to anywhere within the U.S. Included are small mature species as well as species that get very large over time. And, species both for sun or shade. Some will even tolerate a good amount of cold weather. We can guide you on your selection. But, trust that we have the plants that can add these rare and endangered cycads to your garden or collection. We've been told we have one of the most complete and diverse offering of rare cycads anywhere in the United States.

BRAHEA DECUMBENS
DWARF, BLUE, SUCKERING SUN FAN PALM
VERY LIMITED SUPPLY OF THIS NEAR-IMPOSSBLE TO FIND SPECIES

TEN DAY SPECIAL – JUST IN – TWO 15 GALLON PLANTS

This easy to grow Mexican fan palm hardly ever gets over five feet tall. In the sun, it gets super blue, suckers and doesn't have a large footprint in the garden. Surprisingly, when young, plants are green in color. But, outdoors in the sun, I guarantee that they'll turn blue. Leaves are small compared to other Braheas. It is rare and, unfortunately, very slow growing. I am showing here two well grown and old 15 gallon plants which we just got in. We’ve been out of these for several months. They are quite old for their containers. This species will take sun in all areas and does not like shade. It does well in desert areas. Cold tolerance is about 17 to 18 degrees. These plants are at least 8 or more year old. We’re putting them on Special. Be aware that this is a very slow growing special. These two palms are suitable to put right into your garden as they’ve been largely acclimated to our sun. Shipping is possible on these two plants.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLDER 15 GALLON $275
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15 GALLON PLANTS $245

CYPHOPHOENIX ELEGANS
THE ELEGANT PALM

MEDIUM SIZE – THIN TRUNK – CROWN SHAFTED
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This species is from New Caledonia in the northern part of the island. It is of similar height to C. nucele and has the same trunk diameter. The crown shaft on C. elegans is slightly more swollen than that of C. nucele. The crown shaft is also more of a green color, but can show silver. The leaflets are thinner and, as you can see, the leaves curve downward as opposed to the stiff, upright leaves of nucele. Another important difference between the two is that the leaves of C. elegans are keeled whereas the leaves of nucele are more flat. Of note, on both species the bare petiole (stem with no leaves) is very short. This helps you identify this genus.

Shown here are our 15 gallon sized plants that I photographed recently. Also shown are lots of photos of mature plants. This species should be started in filtered light and be allowed to grow into some sun if you live along the coast. Inland full sun is too harsh for this species. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $265
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $235

Remember to mention this Special to get this price. Limited numbers available. The 2g size is shown in the first five photos.

LIVISTONA LANUGINOSA
THE CAPE RIVER LIVISTONA – THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

TALL FAN PALM WITH THIN TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This Australian fan palm is a very interesting species and also known as the "Wooly Livistona". It is apparently threatened in habitat. In the northeastern part of Australia it lives at an altitude of 200 meters. It reaches a height of over fifty feet with a trunk that’s about a foot thick. Leaves are bluish or blue-green, stiff and waxy. Leaf stems have barbs and leaves extend out six to eight feet. It is most similar to Livistona marie but, by report, has larger purple fruit. It is one of the most rare species of this genus. It enjoys full hot sun. Exact cold tolerance is unclear but probably into the mid-twenties F. We have a limited number of 15g which we’re putting on special. The habitat photo is by John Dowe of AU.

REGULAR PRICE 15G SIZE $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE $215

TRACHYCARPUS LATISECTUS
THE WINDAMERE PALM

GREEN LEAVES WITH WIDE SEGMENTS – SILVER UNDERSIDE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This very rare species of Windmill Palm is from high elevation areas in India and is most known for the fact that it’s leaf segments are wider than other species. There are two varieties. It is a tall species, up to forty feet, with a narrow trunk of six to eight inches. Its leaves are green with a bit of glaucous color beneath. For this genus, the leaves are wide, sometimes up to five feet with wide segments that are divided about half way into the leaf. The petioles are about three feet long and the leaf shape is semicircular or near totally circular. There is a hope that this species tolerates more heat. Cold tolerance is yet to be determined but at our Nursery it's seen 28 degrees F. We’re suspicious it is not as cold tolerant as other Trachycarpus species. It is extremely rare in cultivation with few photos available of the native population. Both photographs below are of domestic plants, the first showing Martin Gibbons in the U.K. We only have one or two available.

REGULAR PRICE THIS RARE 15 GALLON SIZE $285
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $245

CHAMAEDOREA RADICALIS
TRUE TRUNK-LESS, DWARF FORM

NEVER GETS OVER SIX FEET TALL
SHADE PALM - QUITE COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 GALLON SIZE

Previously I discussed the trunking form of this species. What I'm showing today is the true dwarf form that never forms a trunk and never gets over six feet tall. It is native to Mexico. It grows in filtered light but can tolerate some sun along the coast. Compared to the trunking form, you'll note the leaflets are darker green and wider. Blossoms often protrude above the leaves when it's in flower. Cold hardiness is the upper teens F. It grows great in cooler areas like the SF Bay area. We have only a few 7 gallon plants (shown first five photos below) which we're putting on sale. These can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 7 GALLON $175
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE $145

PRESTOEA MONTANA
AKA PRESTOEA ACUMINATA VAR. MONTANA

RARE PINNATE PALM FROM PUERTO RICO
TEN DAY SPECIAL GOOD SIZE 5 GALLON

Prestoea is a genus that is very closely related to another palm genus, Euterpe. It is found in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Essentially all Euterpe are crown shafted palms. Many of the Prestoea are not. There are also distinctions between the flowers of these two genera. Also, many of the Prestoea are suckering. But, there is one that is single trunk. This is Prestoea montana, native to mountainous areas of Puerto Rico. I've always known of this species as not having a crown shaft. But, I've seen photos (including ones from native habitats) where a crown shaft is seen.

The hallmarks of this species are its wide and very shiny green leaves, its somewhat slender trunk and its overall beautiful appearance. Plant heights can reach forty feet or more. This species should be grown in part day sun or filtered light. It likes rich soil and ample moisture. I'd estimate its cold tolerance is down to about a freeze or a bit less. It is not a species for a beginner to try. We're putting the 5g plants on special. Note that this species has historically been known as "Prestoea montana" but in more recent years has been considered a variety of P. acuminata. We have limited numbers available.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE $115

Remember: Mention this Special for this price! Mail order possible.

SABAL BLACKBURNIANA
LARGE AND TALL FAN PALM

NICE BAND SIZED PLANTS AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species of thick trunked fan palm is native to Dominican Republic and Haiti. It can get to over 60 feet tall with a massive 2 foot thick brown trunk. Leaves are larger than the similar but smaller Sabal palmetto. Growth rate is quick. It is also very cold hard and likes full hot sun. It can go down to the mid-teens F. The 5 gallon size shown below is about 5 years old.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $110

Just remember to mention this Special. Last photo by friend Justen Dobbs.

RAVENEA RIVULARIS
THE MAJESTY PALM

LARGE PALM WITH A THICK CLEAN TRUNK
FAST GROWING - LIKES WATER AND FERTILIZER
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Well grown, the Majesty Palm is a very attractive and fast growing palm from Madagascar. It got a bad rap initially because people didn't water them enough and rarely fed them. This resulted in bleached out leaf color and anemic appearing palms. But, given adequate water and a balanced fertilizer with mircroelements, they are easy to grow. Mature height is over 40 feet. The trunk is clean and tapers as you look up the trunk. Leaf color is green and leaves are un-armed. Cold tolerance is into the twenties F. Full sun along the coast is preferred. They can be used as an interior palm. I have one in my garden with about 30 feet of trun.

We're putting our 5 gallons on sale. These were grown locally from seeds.
Remember to mention this Blog Only Special if you chose to get this species.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

ARCHONTOPHOENIX "TERACARPA"
THE BEST KING PALM EVER!

SO, WHAT IS IT?
ARE THEY EVER ON SALE?
YES, 10 DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE - SINGLES OR MULTIPLES

Archontophoenix teracarpa is a fictitious name given to an unknown species/type of King Palm that I have in my garden and no one can identify. I've been collecting seeds from it for quite a few years and offering it for sale. Everyone who gets one agrees - "It's the best King Palm ever!" It got the name from the Latin "Large body", which it has. After trying to identify the species over many years and with no success, we coined the name "Archontophoenix teracarpa". The closest species to it would be A. maxima but it's not the same. So, what are the differences that makes teracarpa more ideal?

It is faster growing
It gets taller than the regular King Palm
It tolerates full sun better
It doesn't brown tip in full sun along the coast
It has a blueish crown shaft
It has a super thick trunk

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE PRICE 5 GALLON $115

Remember: mention this Special to get your discount when you purchase! This size can be mail ordered.

JUBAEA CHILENSIS
THE CHILEAN WINE PALM - A TRUCK STAND ALONE SPECIMEN PALM

FATTEST TRUNK OF ANY PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON PLANTS

This species is known at the Chilean Wine Palm. It can have trunk diameters up to four feet. To get a large trunking tree from a small plant can take several decades. Ultimate height can reach at least forty feet. Leaves are green and sometimes a blue-green color. The trunk is smooth and the fruit is yellow with a large brown seed inside. This palm requires full sun and can be grow in far inland areas. They are also growing them in cooler areas like Northern California. Cold tolerance is down to about 16 degrees F. The leaf stems are unarmed. It's a sun species, even in the desert. On Special are five gallon sized plants that are ready to ship or plant. You’d start them off in a little sun and over time move them into full sun. Limited numbers.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $115

But, mention this Special to get your discount. The 5 gallon size is shown in the first six photos below.

TASMANIAN TREE FERN
DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA

SLOW GROWING TREE FERN
WILL GET TO A MEDIUM HEIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species of Tree Fern is native to various localities in Eastern Australia. It doesn't get as tall as the Australian Tree Fern above and is much slower growing. Trunk diameter is a bit smaller as well. Mature height domestically is usually 10 to 15 feet although specimens in the wild are much taller. Leaves are green, four to six feet long and the trunk has old attached and furry leaf bases that gradually fall off. This species like strong filtered light of part day sun. It enjoys ample water and is cold hardy into the 20's F. We're putting nice 5 gallon plants on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON SIZE $85
SALES PRICE THIS SIZE $70

Remember to mention this Blog Special to get this price when you purchase.

ASSORTED PHILODENDRON SPECIES
A VARIETY OF "SPECIES" AVAILABLE - MOST CLIMB, SOME DON'T
MOST LIKE FILTERED LIGHT
MULTIPLE SPECIES TO CHOOSE FROM

TEN DAY SPECIAL ON ALL IN STOCK PHILODENDRON 5 GALLON SIZE

Aroid collectors have been visiting our nursery frequently, many looking for unusual types or species of Philodendron. Most of our plants have come from unknown species obtained with trades from botanical or private gardens. Most are un-named species, often wild collected. Most of our Philodendron com from a cutting of the mother plant. We grow them until they form a nice, sellable plant. Most are climbing species (go up a trunk, fencepost or structure) although some are rosette type of plants. Most like filtered light although a few tolerate full coastal sun. We're putting all of our 5 gallon Philodendron on a Ten Day Special. Most are just called "species" as we don't know the botanical names. These can be mail ordered but it can get expensive because of the leaf size. For such orders, consider smaller plants which we also sell. Below I'm showing you an assortment (but not all) of the 5g we presently have.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON PHILODENDRON $110
TEN DAY SPECIAL PHILODENDRON 5 GALLON SIZE $85

RABITTS FOOT FERN
DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

DWARF FERN - ABOUT 18 INCHES TALL
CREEPS ON GROUND WITH FURRY FEET
ALSO - MAKES A GREAT BASKET FERN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This popular fern is known for its furry rhizomes which make new plants and can form near sphere of leaves when grown in a basket. Or, you can grow it in the garden where it'll crawl the garden floor. It is native to Fiji. Leaves come off the rhizomes and are about 12 to 16 inches long. Their color is green. They are easy to propagate by cutting and rooting one of the rhizomes with a few leaves. They prefer filtered light and are cold hardy into the twenties F. Many people grow this fern indoors. We're offering full 5 gallons on special. The 7th & 8th photos show this fern being grown in a basket - where it does quite well..

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $65

This size easy to mail order.

ASIAN GUAVA
FRUIT TREE GIVING LARGE FRUITS

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE TREE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

The Asian Guava Tree - Psideium guajava - is a medium sized tree with green leaves and green edible fruit with pink centers. The fruit produced is quite large - known to weigh up to 2 pounds per fruit. So, one must prune the tree years so fruit is produced on stronger, more proximal branches. Expect a mature tree of about 15 feet at most. Asian Guava produce an amazing quantity of fruit. They'd like full sun and tolerate temperatures below a freeze. This is the first time I have offered these trees. Photo of the fruit is c/o Wikipedia.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE $75

ALOCASIA LOW RIDER
TRUE DWARF GREEN HYBRID

NEVER OVER 2 FEET TALL - FAIRLY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This dwarf Alocasia is a hybrid of Alocasia portora - which is much taller and larger than this hybrid. Mature height of this plant is typically 18 inches. Leaf stems are striped as you can see on the photo. Leaf color is green. This plant tolerates partial or perhaps full sun along the coast or limited sun / strong filtered light in interior areas. It is fairly cold hardy and winters over in zone 7B and above. We're putting one gallon on sale - shown in the first four photos below. Following are our 5 gallon size. Sorry, but I have no photos of mature garden plants.

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $45
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $35

CANNA LILY AMBASSAOR
SUMMER BLOOMER – DARK RED FLOWERS
CLUSTERING TROPICAL COMPANION PLANT

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

Canna Lilies are a tropical or semi-tropical perennial plant. They are not a true Lily but called a Lily. They are probably most closely related to Gingers. I've found the foliage is a bit less appealing in winter. Then, in summer when it's warm, they do their thing with rapid growth of pretty foliage as shown here and a prolonged display of colorful blossoms. They can take our coastal sun or part sun. On special today is a difficult variety to obtain – Ambassador. It has dark red flowers in abundance. They are just going out of blossom but will come back strong in late spring.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE $45

Remember: Mention this Blog Special for your discount

FRIDAY, 26 APRIL, 2024

ROYSTONEA REGIA
THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

BEING GROWN BY MANY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
PICTURES SHOWING THIS SPECIES

This pinnate New World species is another favorite of mine. When I started with palms about forty years ago, enthusiasts frowned when I mentioned this species and said "unfortunately, Phil, you can't grow the Royal Palm here". Well, I didn't buy that and instead had optimism over it's possibly doing well here. And, exactly the latter has proven to be the case. If you can grow a King Palm, there's a good chance you can grow a Royal Palm. In our coastal locality it's almost as slam-dunk to grow. But, in Northern California it might be riskier.

There are multiple species of Roystonea. The most common and sought after species is the Cuban Royal, Roystonea regia. Natives to Florida are chagrined with the fact that "Roystonea elata" was determined not be a unique Royal Palm native to Florida but rather at most a variety of Roystonea regia. Compared to the South American Royal Palm, Roystonea regia's leaves hang down past (lower than) the midway point of the crown. Roystonea oleracea's leaves stop at the "half moon" point and don't hang down near the trunk.

Royal Palms love heat and sun. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. They are fast growers. We have a pretty good supply available. I hope you like the photos I'm showing here. Note how the base of the Royal Palm is quite swollen and fat. On up the trunk there is variable swelling present. One picture here shows a really massive base on the Royal.

Of note, we always have an assortment of sizes available. Through an associate we can offer large trunked out specimens up to 20 feet tall.

CORDYLINE FRUITICOSA
THE HAWAIIAN TI PLANT

GREAT COLORFUL COMPANION PLANT
SOME LIKE COASTAL SUN - OTHERS MINIMAL SUN

Cordylline fruiticosa, the "Ti Plant", are vibrantly colorful plants that are single stem, don't sucker (but can branch), tend to be under six to eight feet tall mature and have a compact crown of wide leaflets. They are often grown in small colonies of two to five individual plants per pot. This gives a fuller appearance and a lot more color. Along the coast, the red, orange and purple solid color forms usually tolerate full or near full coastal sun. On the other hand, varieties with multicolored leaves - especially with pastel colors - like a bit of sun or strong filtered light. I feel that the color is even better after a year or two in sun. They'll go through transitional stress but almost always come around and look great.

At any given time, we usually have six to eight different types of Ti's. They take average watering and are cold hardy to a bit below a freeze. Sever cold will kill them. Below are photos of Cordylines being used in an assortment of landscape applications. Be aware, these sell out very quickly so availability on some species changes.

DYPSIS LANCEOLATA
NATIVE TO COMORO ISLANDS
USUALLY A SUCKERING PALM

DESIRABLE PALM FROM THE COMOROS
TEN DAY SPECIAL FULL 15 GALLON SIZE

This suckering palm species from the Comoro Islands near Madagascar is ideal for filtered light. It produces stems about three inches in diameter and typically gets to a height of about fifteen feet in many years. It usually does sucker but, in my experience, has a limited number of trunks. Sometimes plants remain single trunk. The crown shaft areas of large plants often shown an assortment of colors including silver, brown and green. Leaflets are wide and leaves are a bit keeled. It has prominent rings on the trunk. Shown here are 15 gallon plants on special. We do have other sizes not on sale. Figure cold tolerance is into the mid to upper 20's F. These plants can be mail ordered in a large box and there are very limited numbers available.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

ARENGA MICRANTHA
LARGE SUCKERING PINNATE PALM FROM INDIA THAT TOLERATES SIGNIFICANT COLD

GREEN LEAVES WITH SILVER BACKS
NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON THE FEW 15 GALLON WE HAVE LEFT

This morning I'm showing you an impossible to find suckering palm from northern India, Tibet and surrounding areas. Quite remarkably, its native habitat is at elevations of 5000 to 7500 feet. As you'd suspect, it tolerates temperatures way below freezing, probably into the upper teens F. I don't really know for sure as of yet. But, it's felt to be the most cold hardy of the genus Arenga. It's not a small Arenga. It can get up to 20 feet with trunks about 8 inches (mature) in diameter. Like other species of the genus, the trunks are hairy and a bit shaggy. Leaves are large and silver colored on their underside. It is a part day sun or filtered light species.

Shown here is a 15 gallon nursery plant. These were grown from seeds that we got over ten years ago. Yes, they are slow growing. A habitat photo by T. Spanner is also shown. For those of you in colder areas, this is a great palm. We only have a few left for sale and they are very large (bigger than shown below) for their pots. Mail order possible in a large box.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LASRGE 15 GALLON $400
TEN DAY SPECIAL OUR LAST FEW PLANTS $325

SABAL CAUSIARUM
LARGE TRUNKED TROPICAL FAN PALM

SMOOTH AND LIGHT COLORED TRUNK
SUPER COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This is one of my favorite Sabal species. It's native to various Caribbean Islands including Puerto Rico and Cuba. It can get to height of at least 35 feet and has a trunk that is smooth and a light tan to gray color. Trunks are thick, up to about 30 inches. Leaf color is blue-green. Growth rate is good and it likes sun. Cold tolerance is into the mid-teens F. The 15g size shown below are nice. We’re putting this size on sale. I’m showing some mature plants below as well.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL $210

TRACHYCARPUS FORTUNEI
THE WINDMILL PALM

MEDIUM HEIGHT GREEN FAN PALM
ONE OF THE MOST COLD HARDY PALMS
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 15 GALLON SIZE

Trachyarpus fortunei is the most commonly available and commonly grown of the Windmill Palms. It is of Chinese origin . It is referred to as the Chinese Windmill Palm, the Windmill Palm, or the Chusan Palm. Note how the term "Windmill Palm" can refer to this particular species or to the genus as a whole. It is not uncommon to see it growing in colder areas of the United States, southern Europe, the Mediterranean and southern portions of Australia and Africa. Cold tolerance is between five and ten degrees F.

Most specimens in many decades get to a height of 25 to 35 feet. The actual trunk diameter is typically six to ten inches. The leaves are typically about three feet in diameter and have variable division of the segments. Leaves are green on the upper side and below, but it is not uncommon for one can see a bit of blue discoloration to the underside of the leaf. Distal leaf segments can flex downward toward the ground. Shown here is our 15 gallon size on Special (first six photos).

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $175
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $150

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS
A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

IDEAL FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT - A REAL "WINNER" PALM FOR SO CAL
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

I've discussed this great New Caledonian species before because it is such a good species for those of us in Southern California. It comes from high elevation in its native New Caledonia habitat, is a good growing palm and can tolerate full sun easily along the coastal strip. Its cold hardiness is down to about 23 degrees, better than the King Palm or Kentia Palm. It has an average trunk diameter of eight to ten inches and a mature height of usually about thirty feet. It can also be grown in part day sun or strong filtered light. Shown here is the 5 gallon size we’re putting on special Growth rate on this species is good. This species is highly recommended and a great species for those in our locality.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE $125

The 5 gallon size is shown in the first 5 photos. The garden trees are growing in San Diego County.

SYAGRUS (LYTOCARYUM) WEDDELLIANUM
DWARF SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

RARELY AVAILABLE - FIRST TIME OFFERED IN FIVE YEARS!
SEEMS TO THRIVE ON NEGLECT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Locality:	Brazil
Cold Hardiness:	25-26s, F.
Trunk type:	This palm has a slender trunk, 4-6 inches. The crown is brown and fibrous.
Leaf type:	Plumose (fluffy appearance), pinnate (feather shape) leaves. The individual leaflets are very slender with a white underside.
Suckering/Solitary:	Solitary (single trunk).
Maintenance:	Easy
Speed of growth:	Slow to moderate.
Height:	8-10 feet.
Soil requirements:	Normal.
Sun Requirements:	Shade or partial sun.
General Description:	This is a very nice slender palm. It does well in darker areas and has dark green leaflets. It can be grown in more sun along the coast, but leaves tend to turn yellow.
Other Notes:	This interesting dwarf palm, through my own experience, seems to thrive on neglect. If you water it too much, give it a lot of fertilizer or pamper it, it will not do well. I found just plant it and check it from time to time and you'll get the best results.
Further Data:	Near impossible to find in nurseries. Mail order possible.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $135

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA
SINGLE TRUNK MOUNTAIN FORM

BEST GROWING SPECIES OF THE GENUS
RESEMBLES THE KENTIA PALM
TEN TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

When one considers the species Laccospadix australasica, he has to realize that there are different forms depending on native habitats and localities. There are also single trunk and suckering forms. The one for sale here is the single trunk mountain form. I feel it's the best subspecies one can purchase. It doesn't throw the new red leaf although occasionally you see a bit of bronze in the new leaf (as shown below). This variety of the L. australasica is fairly easy to grow in our area. I can’t predict if your plant will sucker or not. The seeds for these plants today came from a local flowering tree here in Encinitas. This variety has thinner leaves that are dull green in color, trunks about six inches thick and reaches a height of 20 feet or a bit more. It sort of looks like a Kentia Palm. I'd recommend morning sun, strong filtered light or perhaps several hours of daily sun. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties F. As shown below, sometimes we’ll plant more than one to a pot.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $110

We have extremely limited numbers but hopefully more will become available over time. Mention this Special for your discount.

CHAMAEDOREA FRONDOSA
SUPER RARE UNDERSTORY DWARF PALM

SINGLE STEM - BIFID COMPLETE LEAVES
A TRULY UNUSUAL COLLECTOR PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON PLANTS

This is a rare and almost never available single trunk dwarf palm with a mature height of two feet. Its trunk is very narrow and leaves are plicated (ridged) as shown below. It is an understory palm and wants filtered light. It is native to mountain cloud forests in Honduras. It has a cold tolerance in the mid to upper twenties F. and has been successfully grown by enthusiasts in So California. We may be one of the only nurseries around offering this species. You want to give it ample water and to not let it go dry. It is a dioecious species so you'll need several to get both sexes if you want to produce seeds. We're offering one gallon on sale and have very limited numbers. It can be mail ordered. Our 1 gallon are shown in the first seven photos followed ay older 5 gallon plants. Because of it's rarity, I don't have any garden photos that are better than our 5 gallon photos. Mail order should be easy, weather permitting.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE SUPER RARE ONE GALLON SIZE $80

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA
THE NIKAU PALM

NEW ZEALAND PALM - BULGING CROWN SHAFT
A FAVORITE OF ALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE BAND SIZE

Native stands of Rhopalostylis sapida are found in temperate parts of New Zealand and also on coastal areas of Chatham and South Islands. In these localities it is found in shaded forests and in the more moist bottoms of mountainous gullies. One does not see it at high elevation where severe cold may be seen. Rather it's in the coastal and warmer regions. Being a slow growing species, it is reported that it takes ten to fifteen years in habitat before one begins to see a formed trunk. One report done by the New Zealand government reported that it took forty years to show trunk and that ten meter trees were 200 years old. The point here is that, as a species, the Nikau Palm is slow growing in its natural habitat. Soil in the area is good draining and rainfall is ample

This is a single trunk palm that has green, upright leaves. The hallmarks of this plant are the upright pointing leaves and the swollen crown shaft. Almost always, the crown shaft is prominently larger in diameter than the trunk. The trunk has rings from old leaf attachments. Overall height after many decades is 25 to 35 feet or, on old specimens, even more. Trunk diameter is eight to twelve inches. Leaves are usually eight to twelve feet long. Growth rate is slow. Of note, we’re putting 3 to 4 leaf seedlings on sale in bands on a Ten Day Special. .

REGULAR PRICE BAND $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND $50

Mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase for this discounted price. This size is a piece of cake to ship.

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS X ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
INTERESTING HYBRID OF TWO BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCADS

SHOULD BE A MEDIUM SIZED BLUE LEAF MATURE CYCAD
TEN DAY SPECIAL GOOD SIZED 1 GALLON JUVENILE PLANTS

Both parents of this hybrid are South African cycad species. E.lehmannii is always super blue. E. longifolius is a blue to green species that gets larger than E. lehmannii. We predict that this will be a blue cycad mature and is already showing blue at this stage. Leaves are minimally armed. Leaf length should be four to five feet and mature it'll probably will develop three to five feet of trunk in several decades. It will want full sun except in the desert and should be cold hardy down to about 22 degrees F. This batchof these hybrids are presently in one gallon pots and have approximately caudexes 1.5 inches. All are holding about five or maybe six leaves. They can be easily shipped. The first garden photo is the longifolius follow by two photos of E. lehmannii.

REGULAR PRICE THESE ONE GALLON HYBRIDS WITH A 1.5 INCH CAUDEX $225
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE ONE GALLON HYBRIDS $165

ENCEPHALARTOS TRISPINOSUS
BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

SOUGHT AFTER - SPINY LEAFLETS
LOVES SUN AND PRETTY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE WITH CAUDEX 5-6 INCHES

Shown below is our band size plants of the desirable blue South African cycad, Encephalartos trispinosus. Most people find it's very similar to E. horridus. It is a small to medium sized mature blue cycad with leaflets that typically have prominent lobes. But, be aware that this species is quite variable and has many forms. There is even a spineless leaflet form. With this said, most specimens you see will have prominently prickly and lobed leaflets. These will want full sun along the coast and are cold hardy to about 22 degrees F. We asre putting on speciasl a 15 gallon plant with a caudex size on these is about 5-6 inches. Its leaflets are spiny but not as much as one typically sees. So, if you don't like prickles, this might be the right plant for you. After acclimation, one can plant it directly into the ground in full coastal sun. This plant can be mail ordered directly to your door.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 15 GALLON WITH CAUDEX OF 5 TO 6 INCHES $825
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD AS DESCRIBED $700

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS
LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

GREEN LEAVES - QUICK GROWING
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON GOOD SIZED 15 GALLON PLANT

Shown here below is a good sized plant of a green South African cycad that, in the ground, makes a large and magnificent plant. Encephalartos transvenosus gets enormous with trunks over 20 feet tall. Leaves are six to eight feet long and leaflets are shiny, dark green with some glaucous faint hairs on the leaflets. So, it makes a big show. The cycad on sale is in a 15 gallon container and has a caudex width of 6.5 - 7 inches. It is a full plant with lots of leaves and really beautiful. It could be mail ordered in a large box. This is a full sun species along the coast with a cold tolerance is 22 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $800
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $665

ENCEPHALARTOS EUGENE-MARAISII
EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE BLUE TRANSVAAL CYCAD

NATIVE TO SOUTH AFRICA – EXTREMELY RARE
TEN DAY SPECIAL THREE VERY NICE 15 GALLON PLANTS

This desirable species of Encephalartos comes from the Transvaal region of the northern Republic of South Africa. This area is also home to other sought-after species like E. dolomiticus, dolomiticus, and nubimontanus. \Encephalartos eugene-maraisii is a medium to large species with trunk height up to almost ten feet. It will sucker from the base. Leaf color is blue or blue-green. The leaves are sharply keeled giving a "V-shape" in cross section. Leaf length is two to five feet. Leaflets are 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide and have a sharp terminal tip. Encephalartos middleburgensis is a closely related species and was originally felt to be a subspecies of eugene-maraisii. This is a full sun cycad. In the wild it commonly sees freezing temperatures. In culture it is know to tolerate mid to low 20's F.

We are currently putting three very beautiful and well grown 15 gallon plants of this species on special. The caudex sizes are all 4 inches. Realize that this is a super rare and slow growing species and it’s taken seven or eight years to reach this size. And, finding such plants for sale is not easy. These plants can be mail ordered - and if you order quckly, you'll get your pick of the litter. Or, buy all three and have a good chance of getting both a male and female plant that, when mature, may be able to set viable seeds.

REGULAR PRICE THESE RARE 15 GALLON CYCADS WITH 4 INCH CAUDEXES $1200 EACH
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS GROUP OF 15 GALLONS AS DESCRIBED $900 EACH

PHILODENDRON RED CONGO
AKA "CONGO ROJO"

ATTRACTIVE COMPANION PLANT FOR FILTERED LIGHT
DARK LEAVES, RED STEMS / RED BACKS OF LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 3 GALLON SIZE

This popular hybrid Philodendron never gets very large. It doesn't climb much. It's more of a rosette form of companion plant. It might crawl along the ground a little. People prefer this hybrid because, in shade, it has dark green leaves with a red tint to the back of the leaves and prominent red stems. It is a filtered light companion plant. It is not for full sun. Cold hardiness is down to about a freeze or a bit colder. We are offering very nicely sized (large & older) 3 gallon on Special. But, there are limited numbers. These can be used as a houseplant and can be mail ordered but take a big box for shipping.

REGULAR PRICE 3 GALLON $115
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 3 GALLON $85

Just mention this Blog Only Special for your discount at the time of purchase.

ALOCASIA MAYAN MASK
GREEN EXOTIC WITH UPRIGHT GREEN LEAVES
PURPLE ON THE UNDERSIDES

MEDIUM HEIGHT MATURE - TAKES COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This hybrid variety of Alocasia is known for its large upright leaves that are green on the upper dorsal side with purple undersides. Both sides show prominent yellow veins. It is easy to grow but does best if you are in a freeze-free area. It likes good draining soil, average water. But, you back off on water during winter's cold. Mature height is six to eight feet. Leaves can easily get three feet long. On the coast it tolerates full sun or part sun. Far inland areas (frost free) would be bright filtered light or a small amount of sun. On sale are our 15 gallon size as shown n the first seven photos. The last photo is c/o the National Gardening Association where this species is being used as a patio plant.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $175

AUSTRALIAN TREE FERN
CYATHEA COOPERI

FAST GROWING, CAN GET TALLER
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

The Australian Tree Fern in native to several areas on the eastern side of Australia. It is a faster growing tree fern that can get to a height of over forty feet. The two photos from my garden in San Diego show potential height. I have several with twenty-five feet of trunk. I'm about 8 miles from the ocean and they take my sun fairly well. Trunks can get up to twelve inches thick although most are more thin. This species is a bigger alternative to the Tasmanian Tree Fern and has a thicker trunk and longer leaves. This species tolerates coastal sun or part day sun. It is cold hardy into the upper twenties or lower. We're putting nice 15 gallon on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G $175

HAWAIIAN TI PLANTS
GREAT COLOR FOR THE GARDEN
ASSORTMENT OF NEW VARIETIES AT NURSERY

AVAILABILITY CHANGES WEEKLY
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON THESE GORGEOUS PLANTS

Cordyline Hawaiian Ti plants are a great way to add color to the garden. They easily acclimate to filtered light growing conditions in our area but can be solely acclimated to coastal sun. Most don't get much over six feet tall. They have thin trunks and can take a freeze with some damage. Severe cold will kill them. Leaf color varies from pastels to reds to green and black. Shown here four different varieties of different Hawaiian Ti plants. All are different and there's one that is predominantly pastel colors. Remember, availability of each, so what we show here today might be gone next week.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 3 GALLON VARIETIES OF HAWAIIAN TI $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 3 GALLON TI'S $47.50

WEDNESDAY, 24 APRIL, 2024

PHOTOS OF ASSORTED TROPICAL PLANTS
FAIRCHILD TROPICAL GARDEN - MIAMI, FL

INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL SPECIES

Several years ago my wife and I visited Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami, Florida. This is a large and public tropical garden that contains literally thousands of exotic and rare plants. It specializes in palm trees but also has a vast assortment of cycads, tropical plants, Aroids, tropical trees and countless delights for the plant enthusiast. It's as must if you ever visit the area. Presented in random order below are some photos of what we saw. All are labeled according to their identification by FTG. I hope you enjoy this presentation.

Exotic Anthurium species	Livistona concinna	Pseudophoenix sargentii
Monstera deliciosa	Astrocaryum mexicana	Coccorthrinax crinita leaf
Ceratoz.europohyllidia leaf	Bismarckia nobilis	Pentagonia macrophylla
Licuala grandis leaf	Microcycas calocoma	Satakentia liukiensis
Coccothrinax species	Coccothrinax crinita trunk	Cryosophila williamsonii
Hyphanae dichotoma	Roystonea species	Kerriodoxa elegans
Licuala grandis	Delonix floribunda	Phoenix loureiroi var. loureiroi
Alcantarea imperialis	Cycas ophiolitica	Cycas thouarsii
Livistona marie	Heliconia blossom	Base of Pandanus species
Fruit of Pandanus species	Pachypodium lameri	Leaf Imprint in Concrete Step

LEPIDOZAMIA HOPEI
EASY TO GROW - ABSOLUTES NO SPINES ANYWHERE
IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, THE TALLEST CYCAD IN THE WORLD

There might be a bit of argument over which cycad species has the tallest trunk. But, most would agree that it would be Lepidozamia hopei. There are specimens with trunks over 60 feet tall! This is taller than most palm trees! Such plants may be a few millennia old, but they do exist. In a lifetime, one might expect a plant with ten feet of trunk in our locality. This, like Lepidozamia peroffskyanna, the other species of this genus, is a cycad without spines or thorns on the petioles or leaves. One can brush leaves across the face without any scratches or pain.

The main differences between these two species of Lepidozamia are:
1. L. hopei has wider leaflets, Peroffskyanna leaflets are half the width of hopei.
2. L. hopei gets a taller trunk. Peroffskyanna trunks are rarely over twenty feet.
3. L. hopei comes from a more tropical location in northern Queensland. L. peroffskyanna habitat extends south all the way to New South Whales in Australia. Thus, L. peroffskyanna may be somewhat more cold hardy.

I am discussing this species because of its many attributes. It does gret in the garden and can take coastal sun. Cold tolerance is into the mid to low 20's F. Nursery plants are shown as well as a few garden specimens. I've also included a photo of a female cone. We have a fairly good supply of this species presently. But, be aware that in the near future this species may not be available as availability of seeds has been restricted and plants are scarce. For most localities, part day sun or filtered light is recommended.

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DARK GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

What good fortune is it that New Caledonia can claim to be the home of all Chambeyronia. Included is this species, C. macrocarpa. It is a slow growing, pinnate, crown shafted palm that gets to a height of about 30 feet. It has a dark green to green-black crown shaft. Compare this to C. hookeri above with it's yellow crown shaft. Leaves are wide, thick and leathery to the touch. With good culture, maybe you can get three new leaves a year. About one in twenty plants fail to throw a new red leaf - rather, it remains green. This is just bad luck and there's no way to predict which will do this. Shown here are 15 gallon plants we're putting on sale. We do have larger and smaller sizes available. Coastal sun is tolerated although strong filtered light is ok for most areas. This is a great garden palm.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

Just mention this special when you buy. I thank TS at RPS for usage of his photo below.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX PURPUREA
THE PURPLE CROWN SHAFT KING PALM

VERY BEAUTIFUL - GOOD GROWER
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON MULTIPLES

The native home of Archontophoenix purpurea is the Mt. Lewis mountain range in Queensland, Australia. This species is known for the purple color to the crown shaft. It is found at an elevation up to 4000 feet. Mature height is quoted to be over fifty feet, but in habitat and culture I didn't see one this tall. Cold hardiness is about 25 degrees F. It takes full coastal sun. The degree of purple in the crown shaft is variable but never "lollipop" purple. The underside of the leaves is silver and there is ramenta hairs only on this side. On younger plants the leaf bases and leaf stem tend to have a yellow color.

I'm showing our 15 gallon multiples which we're putting on sale (first 6 photos below). These are very good sized palms for their containers. Shown is a double but we also should have some tripples (three plants per container). Also available are large 5g and 1g sizes.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON MULTIPLES $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON MULTIPLES $220

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special when you purchase to get this discount. The first garden photo is of a double. The last garden photo shows the crown shaft color quite well.

BRAHEA NITIDA
NEAR COMPLETELY CIRCULAR FLAT GREEN LEAF
NATIVE TO MEXICO

CAN TOLERATE LESS THAN FULL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G PLANTS

This interesting fan palm is native to Mexico, where it lives in the western portion of the country in mountainous areas. Its distribution extends down into Guatemala. It attains a height of thirty feet with a stout trunk of one foot diameter. The most attractive thing about this palm are its circular leaves, with only partial division of the segments. This is particularly apparent when it is grown in filtered light. In sun, the leaves are less flat and more divided. When grown in shade, sometimes this species reminds me of a "Licuala-looking" palm in its leaf appearance.

Cold hardiness is at least into the mid-twenties F. It may in fact be more cold hardy. The leaves are a shiny green with a white discoloration on the underside of the leaves. The petioles are essentially un-armed. From time to time we have this species available. Shown here are nice 15g which I'm putting on sale. At the nursery, this plant was in part sun only. Note the 360 degrees presence of the leaflets and the dark green color when grown in filtered light. There is no armor on the leaf stems. Also notice that there is not as lot of division of the leaflets giving an almost solid fan leaf appearance. The plant in the garden below shows more circular, flat near entire leaves. Compare this to the habitat photo, which was taken by a friend of mine, Justen Dobbs, in habitat and in full sun. The leaves in full sun are more divided and not as tropical appearing. Be aware we are almost sold out of this species.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G $230

PHOENIX RUPICOLA
THE CLIFF DATE PALM

MEDIUM SIZE -THINNER TRUNK THAN CANARY
FAIRLY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

I don't know if you've looked for this species, but the Cliff Date Palm is not so easy to find. It is native to India and is about half the size of the Canary Island Palm in terms of trunk diameter and mature height. Also, the crown is much smaller. It is an armed species and has other characteristics of Phoenix like the induplicate leaflets (water held "in" - V shaped ). But, many think this is the prettiest of all the Date Palms. It typically gets fifteen to twenty-five feet tall. The leaves are very pretty and green. The crown is not overly large. Leaves curve downwards. Growth rate is medium, it tolerates full sun and is cold hardy into the mid-twenties or lower. Shown here are our fairly large 15 gallon size which we are putting on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $220

Remember to mention this Special for this discount. The isolated palm in the last row is from Balboa Park, San Diego.

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA
FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

SILVER CROWN SHAFT - SILVER TRUNK
UMBRELLA SHAPED CROWN OF LEAVES
ONE OF PRETTIEST PALM TREES AROUND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

We have available some nice 15g plants of Hedyscepe canterburyana. This single trunk palm has a silver crown shaft, silver trunk (in shade) with prominent rings. It is native to medium elevations in the mountains of Lord Howea Island (home of the Kentia Palm). It is single trunk. Mature height is about 20 feet. They fruit here and seeds are large and red in color. Along our coast here it takes full sun but also does well in part day sun or strong filtered light. Trunks are beefier in sun. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees. When folks see this plant in person, most agree it is one of the most desirable palms around. We are putting our 15g size on special - shown in first six photos. This size is about seven years old. Yes, they are slow growing! We only have a few left this size.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

Remember: Mention this Special for this discount.

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA
FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

SILVER CROWN SHAFT - SILVER TRUNK
UMBRELLA SHAPED CROWN OF LEAVES
ONE OF PRETTIEST PALM TREES AROUND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

FOR DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $120

The 5 gallon size is shown in the first six photos. The 7th photo is a 15g.

DYPSIS SAINTELUCEI
SINGLE TRUNK - WHITE CROWN SHAFT
NATIVE TO MADAGASCAR

HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER - MEDIUM SIZE MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON FIVE GALLON WITH MULTIPLE PLANTS

This single trunk palm in native to forest regions in southern Madagascar. It is known for its powdery white crown shaft. Mature it is a medium sized palm with a rather thin trunk and height of about twenty feet. It is being grown well in Southern California. I’ve heard from some that it's one of the better Dypsis to grow here. Leaves are arranged in a tristichous pattern and are plumose (fluffy). It tolerates sun or part sun. The exact cold hardiness is not well established but probably about 25 degrees F. Mature height is 15 to 20 feet. The five gallon size is on Special. These would be easy to ship.

REGULAR PRICE FIVE GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE FIVE GALLON MULTIPLES $120

You must mention this Internet-only special when purchasing to get this price. Limited supplies available. The 7th photo is by Jeff White, AU. The 8^th photo is by John Dransfield, RBG in England.

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA
THE SHAVING BRUSH OR FEATHER DUSTER PALM

ROBUST GROWER - SWOLLEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

The Shaving Brush Palm is super popular here in Southern California and is native to New Zealand. It is fairly rare and sometimes difficult to find. This is surprising as it's so beautiful and can be grown by many. It is cold hardy down to the low 20's F. and perhaps even into the upper teens F. Along the coast it can tolerate full sun or part sun. Inland areas should give it a few hours of sun - best is morning sun. The trunk is medium sized and mature height is about 25 feet. Leaves are green and upright. The crown shaft is green or lime green and swollen. Shown below in he first five photos are our 5 gallon size followed by a 15 gallon. We have an assortment of sizes available.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Remember: Mention this Special when purchasing.

RAVENEA SAMBIRANENSIS
RARE SINGLE TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

WHEN MATURE, LANDSCAPE SIZED SPECIMEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON PLANTS

This species of Ravenea is from both the west and eastern sides of the Island of Madagascar. It was named after a river on the island. It is a large and elegant pinnate palm with heights reportedly up to one hundred feet. Trunk diameter is one foot. It grows at elevations from sea level to six thousand feet in both dry and moist native habitats. When younger, this species has flat erect leaves that go straight upwards. However, with age, this species produces leaves that are keeled and curve downwards at the ends. When mature the overall crown is hemispherical with the leaves in the upper portion of the circle. Because of its large size, this plant should be considered a major landscape item and not a companion plant. Photos below show how large this palm is when mature.

I have a limited number of five gallon plants on sale. They should be grown in an area where they can work their way from strong filtered light into full sun. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F. They like moisture but need good draining soil. My thanks to TS at RPS for the photos below.

REGULAR PRICE FIVE GALLON $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G $135

CYPHOPHOENIX ELEGANS
THE ELEGANT PALM
SINGLE TRUNK MEDIUM SIZED PALM FROM NEW CALEDONIA

ARCHING GREEN LEAVES WITH SILVER-GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species is from New Caledonia in the northern part of the island. It is of similar height to C. nucele and has the same trunk diameter. The crown shaft on C. elegans is slightly more swollen than that of C. nucele. The crown shaft is also more of a green color, but can show silver. The leaflets are thinner and, as you can see, the leaves curve downward as opposed to the stiff, upright leaves of nucele. Another important difference between the two is that the leaves of C. elegans are keeled whereas the leaves of nucele are more flat. Of note, on both species the bare petiole (stem with no leaves) is very short. This helps you identify this genus.

Shown here are our 5 gallon sized plants that I photographed recently. Also shown are lots of photos of mature plants. This species should be started in filtered light and be allowed to grow into some sun if you live along the coast. Inland full sun is too harsh for this species. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

CYPHOPHOENIX ELEGANS
THE ELEGANT PALM

VERY BEAUTIFUL AND "ELEGANT" NEW CALEDONIA PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $72.50

Remember to mention this Special to get this price. Limited numbers available. The 2g size is shown in the first five photos. The last photo is of a 5 gallon plant which we also have available. For garden photo, see above.

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

GREAT PATIO OR INTERIOR PALM - OR IN THE GARDEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON MULTIPLES

Howea forsteriana, the popular Kentia Palm, is native to Lord Howe Island. There it lives at lower elevations. At higher elevations up the mountains one sees Howea belmoreana and Hedyscepe. The Kentia does great here in So California. It is a single trunk species that is often grown as a "multiple" with several plants in the same pot. It does NOT sucker. Along the coast it takes full sun or part day sun. Far inland, filtered light is needed. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. Mature height in sun is usually about thirty feet in 30 years. We’re putting very nice one gallon plants on special -these are all multiples. We’re sold out of one gallon singles. If you prefer a single, we do have them in 5 gallon size. Both sizes can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON SINGLES $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE SINGLES $57.50

ARENGA AUSTRALASICA
THE AUSTRALIAN ARENGA PALM

CAN TOLERATE SOME COLD
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This is a suckering pinnate palm that is native to various areas in Queensland, AU. It gets to a height of ten to twelve feet, have fibrous trucks, suckers and has leaves six feet long with green dorsal sides and silver underneath. It does form a clump. It prefers filtered light or some sun. It can tolerate a freeze but not temperatures into the mid-twenties F. At our nursery outdoors they've done fine. We have limited number of one gallon plants that we’re putting on Sale. These would be simple to mail order

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $62.50

BURRETIOKENTIA HAPALA
AN EXOTIC NEW CALEDONIAN PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON SIZE

In the mid-1980's I began to grow some of the very cool palms from new Caledonia. By 1995 I was totally into it and this led to my arranging the fantastic International Palm Society Biennial trip to New Caledonia that happened during my tenure as President in the year 2000. I just didn't know of a better place for a bunch of palm enthusiasts to go and see some of the best palms in the world. This species, Burretiokential hapala, is one of those palms.

It is a crown shafted, single trun pinnate palm with a rather thin trunk of about eight inches that gets to a height of approximately 25 to 30 feet. It has an intriguing brown color to the stems and crown shaft area. It does not have the stripes you'd see with the Burretiokentia vieilllardii. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F, or perhaps a bit lower. So, it's comparable to a King Palm. If you can grow a King, you can grow this species. One of the keys to culture is not letting the ground it's in go dry. This species, like Chambeyronia, responds to water.

Shown here are the one gallon size I'm putting on special. I'd recommend morning sun, a few hours of mid day sun, or bright filtered light. It's a great species to grow.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON SIZE $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE $60

Note that we have two other sizes of this species below

DYPSIS PEMBANA
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING
NATIVE TO PEMBA ISLAND

TAKES FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SEEDLINGS

There are both single trunk and suckering forms of this species. Nowadays, most of the plants available of this species are the suckering form. Both get to a height of 25 feet, have an attractive green trunk and a light colored crown shaft. Leaves have a graceful arch and the leaflet color is green. It's a great alternative for the garden. Note how the trunks are beefy but not overly large. The plants on special are already suckering. Along our coast it will take part day sun but I'd recommend filtered or morning sun inland. The plants on special are in band size and are seedlings. Easy to ship. We may have larger plants available.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $50

Remember to mention this Blog Special at the time of purchase. The garden specimen photos are c/o a late friend Al Bredeson. I'm also showing a prior Nursery stock 25 gallon.

JUBAEA CHILENSIS
THE CHILEAN WINE PALM
FAT TRUNK - BUT SLOW GROWING

TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED PLANTS

The sought after species, Jubaea chilensis, gets the fattest trunk of all palms (up to 4 feet wide), gets to a typical mature height of over 30 feet, wants full sun and is slow growing. Cold tolerance is about 16 degrees F. The band size on sale are about three years old. They have three to four juvenile leaves. This species is very slow growing and puts on trunk girth before getting taller. We do have larger sizes for sale. These would be easy and affordable to ship. Our band size is shown in the first four photos.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $50

But, mention this Blog Special for this discount

DIOON EDULE
BLUE QUERETERO VARIETY

RARE FORM - SUN LOVING BLUE CYCAD
COLD HARDY INTO THE UPPER TEENS F.
GETS BLUE COLOR IN HOT SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER BAND SIZED PLANTS

In other posts I’ve discussed Dioon edule, a typically small to medium sized sun-loving cycad from Mexico. There are known to be about six different varieties of this species - all from different localities. The variety on sale here is from the Mexican state of Queretaro. Leaves are typically blue in full bright sun. Leaves are about 4 feet long and leaflets are thin, coming to a pointed end. Mature height after a few decades may be six feet with an trunk height of 18 inches. Cold tolerance is excellent, being able to take cold weather into the teens F. The band size on sale are not new seedlings but rather established older (five year old) plants with an average caudex of 1 to 1.5 inches. The bands are shown in the first five photos below. These are hard to find and easy to mail order. Last photo by MARK MASON.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLDER BAND SIZE $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE OLDER BAND SIZE $75

Remember to mention this Special for your discount when you purchase. Availability limited. BTW, if these don't sell out, all will be repotted into 5g pots shortly.

CYCAS PANZHIHUAENSIS
RARE GREEN CHINESE CYCAD
EXCELLENT COLD HARDINESS

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT AS SHOWN

This is a rare green cycad from China. It is different than the Sago Palm - smaller and, to me, more attractive. Leaf color is green to blue green. It tolerates coastal sun and is cold hardy into the upper teens F. Some feel it's one of the most cold hardy cycads in the world - even better than the Sago Palm. Mature height should be about eight feet. They can sucker, but much less than the Sago. They also take up less garden space than the Sago Palm. Leaflets are narrow without armor except on the tips (pointed).

The citrus pot shown in the first five photos has a caudex of 3.5 inches. We also have larger and smaller plants for sale. We are putting plants of this size (3 to 4 inches) on special. These can be easily mail ordered. The first to purchase of course will get the larger plants.

REGULAR PRICE PLANTS WITH THIS SIZE CAUDEX $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $295

This size can be shipped or delivered. Remember, mention this Special when you purchase. The sixth photo shows our 15 gallon size of larger plants.

ENCEPHALARTOS WHITELOCKII
LARGER CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD
LONG UPRIGHT LEAVES
DIFFICULT TO FIND FOR SALE

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SPECIES - ANY SIZE PLANT WE HAVE!

This unique and larger cycad is native to Uganda. In fact, at one point it was called the "Uganda Giant Cycad". This is because it has leaves that extend almost straight up toward the sky and can be twelve feet long or more. Leaflets are narrow and armed with small spines. The caudex is a light color and in the wild can be up to ten feet tall. Historically, as this species is similar to E. laurentianus, it was called also "Encephalartos laurentianus Lake George", referring to its specific habitat. The nursery plants I'm showing today are locally grown 15g plants. We have other sizes as well, both larger and smaller. The last photo shows one of our boxed specimens. Note the appearance of these plants with their long leaves with narrow leaflets. Enthusiasts love this species because it's a good growing cycad. Right on the coast I'd give it half day sun. It's not quite a sun-tolerant as many of the South African species. Cold tolerance is into the low 20's F.

SPECIAL - 15% OFF REGULAR PRICE ANY SIZE THIS SPECIES FOR TEN DAYS

DIOON SPECIES "RIO VERDE"
MEXICAN CYCAD WITH LONG LEAVES

FULL SUN SPECIES – NEVER SUPER LARGE
FOR A CYCAD, FAIRLY COLD HARDY CYCAD
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZED PLANTS

This surprisingly cold hardy Mexican cycad is known for its longer leaves. Compared to an ordinary Dioon edule, it has much longer leaves. These leaves have a somewhat yellow petiole and leaf color is green or blue-green. And, there's an extra treat: new leaves flush an interesting pink-green color. This is a slow growing species. Trunks rarely get to two feet. They cluster freely.

It is a sun species that is cold tolerant into the upper teens F. It tolerates heat and full hot sun. Shown here are our citrus pot sized sized plants that are about 8-9 years old. Caudexes are about three inches. The first seven photos below show these plants. I'm also showing a few other nursery plants to demonstrate leaf color.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE CITRUS POT PLANTS $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZED CITRUS POT PLANTS $295

You must mention this Blog Only Special to get this price when purchasing.

ALOCASIA BLACK STEM AKA DARK STEM
VERY DARK STEMS AND LEAF VEINS

JUVENILE ONE GALLON PLANTS AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE

This attractive tropical Alocasia has near black stems and veins. Leaves are green. Mature plants are four to five feet tall and want bright conditions. They should get at least a few hours of sun or very bright filtered light conditions. This is felt to be a variant of A. macrorhriza. It has upright leaves. It can be grown in zone 9B and warmer. It likes good draining soil and adequate water. We're offering juvine plants in one gallon size on Special. Easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $45
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $35

MUSA ZEBRINA
AKA MUSA ACUMINATA ZERBRINA
A NON-FRUITING ORNAMENTAL BANANA

TOP OF LEAF - RED BLOTCHES ON GREEN
BOTTOM OF LEAF - MAROON
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON PLANTS

The plants I'm showing here are a non-edible fruiting type of ornamental Banana known as Musa zebrina in the Musa acuminata group. The name “sumatrana” is sometimes used as a reference. Like most Bananas, it does sucker. This species is used for its ornamental value – either in the garden (where it gets six to eight feet tall) or in a container (where it gets to 3 to 5 feet tall). It has light green leaves with attractive purple splotches and maroon underside. See photos below. It does produce purple fruit but these are not edible because of fiber or seeds. It'd want full sun outdoors (along the coast) and should be cold tolerant well into the mid-twenties F. Some are also growing it as an indoor plant. We're putting our five gallon plants on sale. See photos below.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $75

These can be mail ordered. The first six photos show our 5 gallon size.

BILBERGIA CLUSTERS WITH CASCADING PINK BLOSSOMS
IN BLOSSOM RIGHT NOW

GREEN LEAVES - SUN TOLERANT
LARGE CLUSTERS ON TEN DAY SPECIAL

This bromeliad genus is known for it's dependent and large pink blossoms. The leaves on this species are green forming a tubular plant. The blossoms are 18 inches long, cascading and pink in color with blue flower parts showing below. They are very durable and easy to grow. They want at least some sun but can be grown in the sun. They want overhead watering. These clusters each have five to ten individual plants in their 8 inch pots.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 8 INCH CLUSTER PLANTS $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE LARGE CLUSTERS IN 8 INCH POTS $75

ENSETE VENTICOSUM "MAURELII"
THE RED BANANA

LARGE SINGLE TRUNK TROPICAL PLANT
RED COLOR TO FOLIAGE
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE AND FIFTEEN GALLON GALLON SIZES

On sale are nice one gallon plants of the Red Banana, Ensete ventricosum mauerlii. This is a quick growing tropical plant that can get to ten to fifteen feet tall and grows in full coastal sun. Leaves are green with prominent red to both the dorsal and ventral sides. Trunks are at least 18 inches thick and leaves are fleshy and soft - typical of bananas and Ensete. It does not be edible fruit. Cold hardiness is down to about a freeze. Colder weather damages the leaves in winter. This is a fast growing plant but typically only lives for 5 to 7 years before flowering and dying. The garden photos are first by container crazy CT website followed by Linda Cochran. We're putting our nice 15g on Special as well as juvenile 1 gallon (first and second row of photos). The 1 gallon should be easy to mail order as well as the 5g size which we also have. You'll note that the larger 15g plants show the red leaves a lot more.

REGULAR PRICE FIFTEEN GALLON $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $175

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $50
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $40

PAVONIA MULTIFLORA
BRAZILIAN CANDLES
RED BLOSSOMS IN SHADE!

AND, BLOSSOMS ALL YEAR LONG!
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

In the past I introduced you to this interesting and super rare plant from Brazil. This species in unique because it grows in the shade, never gets over about eight feet tall, blossoms in the shade and never stops blossoming. Yes, in the dead of winter you'll see red blossoms. And, these trees are prolific. When mature, these trees will have twenty to thirty blossoms year-round. This species is an open appearing plant with foliage and blossoms at the ends of its small trunks. Blossom size is two to three inches in length. Pictures here show them quite well. This species is also very difficult to find. The plants on sale are starter plants. But, grow them on. It’s well worth it.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $55
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $40

Just mention this Blog Only Special for your discount when you purchase. Of note, small plants should blossom by spring but it’ll take five years or more to get an overhead wide tree. Previous larger plants at the nursery shown below as well.

MONDAY, 21 APRIL, 2024

RAVENEA GLAUCA
A GREAT MEDIUM SIZED PALM SO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT

DIFFICULT TO FIND BUT WE HAVE AVAILABLE SMALL JUVENILE PLANTS

This is a medium sized palm that I would consider to be among the "top twenty" palm species for Southern California. About two decades ago, Ravenea rivularis, the Majesty Palm, was introduced as the future "best palm" for Southern California. Because of its large size, failure to always look good, immense appetite for fertilizer and water and often yellowing tendency, the Majesty has since fallen out of favor. This much smaller version of the Majesty, Ravenea glauca, is now the hot plant to get. And, it lives up to its reputation. It gets to a height of twenty, perhaps twenty-five feet, has a thin trunk of typically four inches and doesn't seem subject to the maladies of the common Majesty. Along the coast it loves full sun. And, if given normal doses of fertilizer, it doesn't yellow. Few customers complain about this species. Of note, there is another dwarf Ravenea, R. hildebrandtii, but the Ravenea glauca is much easier to grow.

Shown here are several nursery plants and some domestic and habitat specimens. We have limited supplies available that change over time. This is because of lack of seed availability. Cold tolerance is into the mid to low 20's F., sun tolerance is full along the coast. Hot, inland areas would require part sun or strong filtered light. Growth rate is quick and this species is easy to grow. Shown below is a 15 gallon Nursery plant which we no longer have available. But we do have a limited number of one gallon planats available for sale.


Photo from Palmpedia		Photo from Archive Website

ASTROCARYUM MEXICANUM
SINGLE TRUNK SPINY PALM

VERY RARE PALM TO FIND
SPINES ON TRUNKS AND STEMS

Astrocaryum is a genus of spiny palms that are native to areas extending from Mexico, down through Central America and into some Caribbean Islands. Some are single trunk while others sucker. Astrocaryum mexicanum is remarkable because it doesn't get too tall and is probably the only species of the genus that can be grown in Southern California. Trunks, leaf stalks, flower stalks and even the seed clusters can be spiny. Leaves are green with some silver color to their undersides. The last row of pictures here shows how leaves are silver underneath and the entire plant can appear a silver-green. It is very attractive and tropical appearing and almost impossible to find at a nursery. When you get one, I'd recommend growing it in filtered light. Mature height is typically under ten feet. The first specimen shown has about ten feet of spiny trunk and would be considered very large for a garden. The second plant is the last tow is more typical of what you might see in a garden. We occasionally have small plants for sale when we can get seeds to germinate. But, they sell quickly and availability is sporadic. Cold tolerance is probably just below a freeze.

RHAPIS EXCELSA
THE REGULAR LADY PALM

ONE OF THE BEST INTERIOR PALMS
ALSO GREAT UNDERSTORY GARDEN PLANT
SPECIAL TWENTY YEAR OLD 25G SIZE

We have an assortment of Lady Palms which are near perfect - almost as nice as the expensive ones we bring in out of Hawaii. But, they are locally grown and better priced. And, we are offering them on special. Have you ever wondered why you hardly ever see Rhapis on sale? It's because they are super slow growing. The plants shown here are eight, maybe twenty years old. Therefore, growers have little motivation to sell them cheap. The plants shown here are nice enough for a bank or hotel lobby, a professional office or even your living room.

Rhapis excelsa is native to Asia and typically doesn't get much over 8 feet tall in a pot. They do great in shady locations of the garden or inside the home. They are a very nice patio plant. Cold hardiness is about 20 degrees F. They want low dose fertilizer. Too much fertilizer will burn them. The plant size below are in 25 gallon pots and have been at the nursery for about 20 years. This size can have 20 to 30 canes in each pot. We have only a few this size - and also have the even more rare Rhapis humilis in good sizes.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLD 25G PLANTS $795
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $695

Important: Mention this Blog Only Offering for this price when you purchase. Note, limited supply available.

CHAMAEDOREA COSTARICANA
ONE OF THE BEST BAMBOO PALMS

EASY TO GROW - A GREAT INTERIOR PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL BOTH 15 & 25 GALLON SIZE

This suckering palm species is native to Mexico and Central America. It is one of about four types of "Bamboo Palms" and is probably either the best or in a stiff competition with Chamaedorea hooperiana. This species gets to a mature height of twelve to sixteen feet, has strong 1 inch to 1.5 inch trunks which are green in color with prominent rings, and about three to four foot long leaves. It is an upright grower and does clump. It doesn't run. It takes filtered light or morning sun along the coast. I've even heard of some growing it in full sun although I'd not recommend it. It is a good growing species. Cold hardiness is into the mid to lower 20's F.

Below I'm showing in the first five photos the 15g size followed by the 25g size in the following five photos. These are followed by mature garden plants. If you are interested in mail order, select a 5 gallon plant (not shown) which is easier to ship. BTW, this species is fairly difficult to find. BTW, we are very limited on our 25 gallon size - shown in photos below #6 - #10.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $265
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE 15 GALLON $245

REGULAR PRICE HUGE 25 GALLON $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE PRICE 25 GALLON $650

PARAJUBAEA TORALLYI
THE SOUTH AMERICAN "COCONUT PALM"
PRESENTLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AVAILABLE

TALL SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM FROM SOUTH AMERICA
SPECIMEN TYPE PALM WITH PRETTY GOOD COLD TOLERANCE
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICELY SIZED 15 GALLON SIZE

This morning I thought I'd talk about this South American palm and include a fair amount of information. I'm doing this because I've found there is often confusion with the genus "Parajubaea". I included the common name of "South American Coconut" for this genus because the new palm enthusiast will most likely forget these long winded scientific names. I particularly want to emphasize P. torallyi because I think it's such a great plant and easy to grow. It has two forms.

Parajubaeas are all from South America. About twenty years ago the genus was:"reborn" with the importation of seeds of various species from habitat. Enthusiasts had to learn more because they had "new plants" in front of them. Also, this gave palm people the opportunity to grow all of the species. There are three species and one sub-variety. These are Parajubaea cocoides, sunkha, and torallyi.  Parajubaea torallyi has a sub-variety named P. torallyi variety microcarpa.  P. cocoides has historically been the species that people have grown for the longest period. This species is a bit different appearing than all the others with greener leaves and slower growth. The other three types of Parajubaeas began their notoriety when seeds began being imported. The seeds are very large (hence the term "Coconut"), shaped like a Coconut seed in a way, and some have the most peculiar wings or flanges at the end. Of these three other species, all are easier to grow and faster than P. cocoides. Long term survival has also been better in California. All are from high elevation in the Andes in Bolivia.  P. torallyi comes from elevations of up to ten thousand feet and has been reported to be the "highest elevation palm tree in the world". Cold tolerance of these three later species is excellent, with some surviving into the upper teens F. All have a somewhat silver-green leaf and leaflets. All have a husky trunk. To compare these palms, here's a synopsis.

Parajubaea torallyi: Tallest of the three, up to fifty feet. Husky trunk averaging 18 inches. Largest seed of the group. Fast growing in the ground.
Parajubaea torallyi variety microcarpa: Smaller than regular torallyi, trunk height to 30 perhaps 40 feet, thinner trunk, smaller seed, equal growth habit
Parajubaea sunkha:  Originally thought to be variety of torallyi, now known to be a species. Smallest of these three species with trunk height 25 feet. In habitat, grows at lower elevation, 6000 feet.
Parajubaea cocoides:  Natural habitat not known, may actually be a variety of P. torallyi, less cold hardy than others above, less silver in the leaves. Not as good a grower as any of the three above.

This is a full sun genus of palms. It is best to start them in strong filtered light. Germination of seeds is difficult. This is the first time I've offered this species in years because of the lack of any seeds for years. On the garden photos, the first is from a garden in Encinitas, CA. The second from Balboa Park, San Diego.   The last c/o the European Palm Society in Bolivia.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $300

I have limited numbers presently but anticipate a few more later this week. These are fairly large for their pots.

BURRETIOKENTIA KOGHIENSIS
RARE SINGLE TRUNK PALM FROM NEW CALEDONIA

WHITE TO BROWN-GREEN CROWN SHAFT
MEDIUM TO TALL HEIGHT MATURE

TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE 15 GALLON

This is good sized, crown shafted pinnate palm from New Caledonia. It comes from Mt.
Koghi in the central area of the island. Mature trees obtain a height eventually of 40 feet or more. The leaves tend to be upright in the crown and the crown shaft has a white color. It is more difficult to find than other species of Burretiokentia. An interesting thing about this species is that younger plants have a triangular shape in the crown shaft area below the leaves. The blossoms are also quite furry and unusual appearing. It appears to be cold tolerant into the mid to upper twenties F. and tolerates full or part coastal sun. Shown here is a 15g plant as well as mature specimens from the wild. Our 15 gallon plants are really a 24 inch box size. They are too tall for mail order but we should have smaller, shippable sizes available. The 8th & 9th photos are from habitat from a trip that my son, Jesse, and I took in the year 2000.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HUGE 15 GALLON PLANTS $275
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15 GALLON $245

DYPSIS DECARYI
THE TRIANGLE PALM

MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT
THREE SIDED CROWN SHAFT – LOVES HOT SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZED PLANTS

This Madagascar palm is known as the "Triangle Palm" because the crown shaft has three flat sides. It gets to a mature height of about 22 feet in 3 decades. It loves heat and sun. Leaves are a gray-green color and there is prominent speckling in the inner crown with dark colors. It is slow growing. It has a cold tolerance of about 24 degrees F. Be aware that this palm doesn’t do well in shade and doesn’t want to be shaded out by overhead trees. The 15 gallon size on Special are being grown in sun and ready for planting. Mail order possible with a very tall box.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $205

Mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase. We also have other sizes available.

CHAMAEDOREA KLOTZSCHIANA
SINGLE TRUNK MEXICAN CHAMAEDOREA

THIN TRUNKED, GROUPED LEAFLETS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON MULTIPLES

This single trunk, shade loving palm is from the Veracruz area of Mexico and named after a German botanist, Johann Klotzsch. The plant shown here has reached its mature height of twelve feet. It has a prominently ringed but narrow green trunk. The most remarkable characteristic of this species is the grouping of leaflets along the rachis. These groups are irregularly spaced. Also note how they leaflets are held at different angles from the rachis. Leaflets are a dark green, small to medium in length, wide and a bit puffy. It's this grouping of leaflets that allows you to ID this species. Another surprising this is how hard it is to find this species. When I started my nursery 42 years ago, I had lots of these and seeds were available. Nowadays you can't find seeds to save your soul. This is a shade loving species and cold hardy into the mid-twenties F. At best perhaps it'd take down to about 25 degrees. These plants should probably work fine as a house plant and are shippable in a good sized box.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON MULTIPLES $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON MULTIPLES $125

SYAGRUS OLERACEA
THIN TRUNK & TALL SOLITARY PALM - ALTERNATIVE TO QUEEN PALM

PLUMOSE LEAVES - NOT AS TALL AS A QUEEN PALM
AND A MUCH THINNER TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 5 GALLON SIZE

This species of single trunk pinnate palm is native to Brazil and can get to heights of fifty to sixty feet. It can be grown in Southern California and is a smaller version of the Queen Palm with a thinner trunk. Leaves are green and plumose. It wants full sun and is cold hardy into the mid to upper 20's F. One special are nice 5 gallon plants, still with their juvenile foliage. This species should grow fairly fast and fill have classic pinnate leaves in the next one or two leaf throws. The 8th photo is by the late John DeMott and that last photo by TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

SYAGRUS SANCONA
THE SOUTH AMERICAN FOXTAIL PALM

VERY PLUMOSE LEAVES
HARD TO FIND BUT GOOD SIZED 5 GALLON OFFERED
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON PLANTS

This is one of the prettiest Syagrus you can buy. It gets its common name from the fact that the leaves are very plumose (multi-ranked or fluffy), resembling the Foxtail Palm. As the photographs show, the trunk is thin for the height of this palm. And it is prominently ringed. Mature height can be 50 feet or more. It is native to about six countries in the northern part of South America. It prefers full sun once acclimated and is cold tolerant down to the mid-twenties F. We are offering good sized 5 gallon on sale. But, we don't have too many.

REGULAR PRICE FIVE GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Remember: Mention this Blog Special to get this price. This species is almost sold out. Last photo is c/o TS at RPS.

LIVISTONA SPECIES
THESE ARE FAN PALMS - MANY WITH GOOD COLD TOLERANCE

UNKNOW SPECIES BEING OFFERED
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Livstona is a genus of fan palms with a broad distribution of many species. Of the approximate 25 species, endemic locations spread from Africa to Asia, Australia and some South Pacific Islands. The majority of species have green leaves, medium to tall stature and armed leaf stems. Recently we got some plants that were identified by the grower as Livistona lanuginosa. But, we are not sure this is the true species from our experience. Therefore, we are just calling them "Livistona species". We have several for sale in the 5 gallon size. They have deeply divided green leaves with orange-brown spines on the petiole. Leaflets are have one inch wide segments at this time as shown below. Seeds came from a mother tree which is about 20 feet tall. The mother tree has survived temperatures to the low 20's F. As the palms for sale are, as of yet, without a definite identification, I'm showing several mature Livistona below to give the reader an idea of what these palms may look like in the future. The 7th photo, by Darrell Occonor is of L. laniginosa in the wild. The last photo is Livistona nitida by Mike Crisp.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE AS SHOWN $100

DYPSIS PRESTONIANA
VERY RARE SINGLE TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

PLUMOSA LEAVES – COLORFUL CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE

This highly sought-after, single trunk species from Madagascar is very beautiful. It falls into the category of a “must have ” species. This species comes from mid-elevation in southern Madagascar and is proving to be a great species for Southern California. It has a height of over 30 feet, a thick trunk that is about 12 to sixteen inches thick with prominent rings, plumose upright leaves and a colored crown shaft. The crown shaft has white silver, orange and black colors. Cold tolerance appears to be into the mid-twenties but is not yet worked out. Mature trees tolerate full sun along the coast. The mature photos are by TS at RPS. One photo is c/o John Dransfield, Kew Botanical Garden in London. We’re putting 2 gallon plants on Special.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON SIZE $80
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $70

Remember to mention this Special. These can be mail ordered.

COPERNICIA PRUNIFERA
THE CARNUBA WAX PALM

WATER CONSERVING - LOVES HEAT AND SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL TWO GALLON SIZE

This species is native to Brazil and is a single trunk fan palm with a not too large crown of leaves that are green in color. Sometimes they'll be blue-green. Overall height can get over fifty feet. Old leaf bases can be adherent to the trunk making rough as shown in the last photo. Economically, the leaves of this species produce a wax that makes carnuba wax. The latter is marketed for various usages including car and shoe wax. This palm wants heat and sun and is cold hardy to at least the lower 20's F. We are offering our 2g plants on sale. Easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON $80

Remember, mention this Special!

CHAMBEYRONIA HOOKERI
THE BLONDE FLAME THROWER PALM

GORGEOUS PALM FROM NEW CALEDONIA
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE ONE GALLON SIZE

The palm shown in the first two rows is a 5 gallon size of Chambeyronia hookeri with its blonde colored crown shaft. This species is hard to find. It is different in appearance from the dark green crown shafted form, Chambeyronia macrocarpa. Here's some facts about this species:

• Growth habit and care about the same as macrocarpa
• Along the coast will tolerate full sun if you're are not too far inland
• Crown shaft is yellow-tan colored and quite prominent
• Cold tolerance is about 23 degrees
• Growth rate on this species like macrocarpa is slow to medium but improves once planted in the ground.
• Trunk diameter is about 8 inches typically and overall height of mature plants is about 25 feet
• Leaflets are shiny green, thick and sturdy, and quite wide as shown
• Like macrocarpa, about 95% of the time throws newly emerging red leaf as shown here. Rarely a plant will not throw new red leaves and there's no way of predicting this.
• Also makes a great interior palm inside the home

We’re putting large one gallon on Special but also have 5 and 15g sizes available.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $65

This size is simple to ship weather permitting. You'll love this species. Some photos below by TS RPS & DL

SABAL LOUISIANA
THE LOUISIANA PALMETTO PALM

SUPER SMALL, SUPER COLD HARDY FAN PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICELY SIZED BAND PLANTS

This dwarf fan palm is touted as being the smallest variety of Sabal. It is a variety of Sabal minor that has been found in the wild in Louisiana and adjacent states on either side. It has blue-green leaves with a mature height of six feet. It is also super cold hardy with reports of it going a bit below zero F. As it is an understory palm in habitat, one would anticipate it'd do well in strong filtered light or perhaps half day sun. In the 5th photo it is the band palm in the staff's right hand. On the left is the Sabal etonia. Both are nicely sized. The last photo is c/o TS at RPS. This is a difficult species to find.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $55

DYPSIS LASTELLIANA
THE RED NECK PALM

NATIVE TO MADAGASCAR
TEN DAY SPECIAL SEEDLING SIZE

This species of single trunk Madagascar palm is often mixed up with Dypsis leptocheilos, an ideal palm species for Southern California. Dypsis lastelliana, which is a near identical species, is a bigger single trunk species with a very similar red, fuzzy crown shaft. But, it is harder to grow because it is less cold tolerant. It gets to a height of about 25 feet and has a thicker trunk with upright longer green leaves. It would do best in the sun and is cold hardy down to perhaps a freeze. It is also slower growing than the Teddy Bear Palm. For the best locations in So Cal, it can be grown. There's one at the Catamaran Hotel in Pacific Beach in San Diego that's been alive for years.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE BAND SIZE $55

Just mention this Special at the time of purchase.

ROYSTONEA OLERACEA
THE SOUTH AMERICAN ROYAL PALM

TALL PINNATE PALM WITH LUSH GREEN FOLIAGE
LONG PROMINENT CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL SEEDLINGS IN BANDS

This species of Royal Palm is native to the lower Caribbean Islands and northern South America. References say it can reach heights of sixty feet but I've personally seen a grove of 100 year old trees in New Caledonia that surpass 100 feet. They are fast growing, have green leaves, a prominent crown shaft and hold their leaves typically in the upper half of the leaf-crown sphere. They want sun and are cold hardy to about 25 degrees F. On sale are one year old band sized seedlings.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $55

Easy to mail order.

BUTIA PARAGUAYENSIS
BLUE-GREEN BUTIA FROM SOUTH AMERICA

ARCHING LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE SEEDLING SIZE

This species is interesting because, in the wild, it is known as a dwarf species that forms minimal trunk. But, when it is grown domestically, it forms a trunk about the size of Butia capitata. It, as you'd guess, comes from Paraguay, with habitat extending into Brazil and northern Argentina. The color is a blue-green, not as silver as Butia capitata. The leaves are strongly arched as shown. It is a full sun plant with cold hardiness into the teens F. We haven’t had them available for a few years. We are now offering band size seedlings. Culture includes full sun and good draining soil. Cold hardiness is into the teens F. The bands on sale are way oversized and ready for a 5 gallon pot. They are 4 to 5 year old. I am also showing a photo of a 15g plant from the nursery that is no longer available. The habitat photo is by TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE SEEDLINGS $55

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS
LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

GREEN LEAVES - QUICK GROWING
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

Shown here below is a good sized plant of a green South African cycad that, in the ground, makes a large and magnificent plant. Encephalartos transvenosus gets enormous with trunks over 20 feet tall. Leaves are six to eight feet long and leaflets are shiny, dark green with some glaucous faint hairs on the leaflets. So, it makes a big show. The plants on special below are 3 to 4 year old band size. They can be easily shipped within the U.S. See first four photos. The fifth photo shows how large they get (background plant). The last photo is a larger plant at the nursery. This is a full sun species along the coast with a cold tolerance is 22 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE THIS BAND SIZE $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $60

But, mention this special to get this price when purchasing.

DIOON EDULE VARIETY TAMAULIPAS
GLAUCOUS GREEN THIN LEAF MEXICAN CYCAD

ONE OF VARIOUS VARIETIES OF DIOON EDULE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Dioon edule is a very durable species of cycad that is found in Mexico. Enthusiasts have found that in different native localities that the plants of each region are different. This has led to what we call "varieties" of Dioon edule. In the Tamaulipas area of Mexico such a variety is found. This is also the locality of the recognized species Dioon angustiolium. The Dioon edule variety tamaulipas is a glaucous green species with flat leaves and narrow leaflets. The leaflets re minimally spined if at all. Leaflets are spaced with a narrow gap between individual leaflets. Leaf color is green to a blue-green. Mature plants are dwarf and rarely over 6 feet tall overall in the garden. It prefers full sun and is cold hardy into the upper teens F. It likes good draining soil. We are offering 5 gallon plants with a 3 inch caudex on this hard to find variety. These can be mail ordered. Unfortunately, I have no garden photos of this variety.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 3 INCH 5 GALLON $375
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS BATCH 5 GALLON 3 INCH CAUDEX $295

ENCEPHALARTOS CERINUS
DWARF SOUTH AFRICAN SPECIES

VERY SMALL CYCAD
GRAY-GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON YOUNGER 5 GALLON SIZE

This rare dwarf species of South African cycad is quite petite and never gets over four feet tall. Leaves are gray-green to sea foam green and about three feet long. A mature caudex is six to eight inches. This species likes sun and is cold hardy to the low 20's F. This is a rare and sought out species and never inexpensive. We are putting our 5 gallon on sale. The plant shown has a 1 to 1.5 inch inch caudex. We do have an assortment of other sizes available. Our 5g are easy to mail order. We do have shippable plants this species with somewhat larger caudexes.

REGULAR PRICE THIS BATCH OF 5 GALLON $225
SALE PRICE THESE 5 GALLON PLANTS THIS SIZE $185

This size is easy to mail order, weather permitting.

ENCEPHALARTOS CERINUS
DWARF SOUTH AFRICAN SPECIES

VERY SMALL CYCAD - GRAY-GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL TWO GARDEN READY BOTH 15 GALLON SIZE

FOR SPECIES DESCRIIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON CAUDEX SIZE 5 INCHES $925
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL PLANT $800

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON CAUDEX SIZE 3.5 INCHES $675
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL PLANT $595

Just remember to mention this Blog Special for your discount when you purchase.

ENCEPHALARTOS MUNCHII
A RARE CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

BLUE – GREEN SPINY LEAFLETS
SUPER DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON PLANT

Native to Mozambique, this small to medium sized cycad grows in scrub forest among rocks and boulders. It is distinguished by its blue to blue-green color and by having leaflets that are prominently spiny. In my experience, leaf color is sometimes very blue, other times blue-green. You'll sometimes hear the description as "soapy green" to describe the leaves. Overall, the leaf color is variable. Trunk size is usually under three feet. Upright leaves are about four feet long or less. Leaves are keeled and leaflets are lanceolate and spiny. This species likes full sun and is cold tolerant into the low 20's F. The first six pictures show a 15 gallon plant with a three inch caudex. We're putting this actual plant on sale. I suspect outdoors in sun (greenhouse grown so far) it'll show more of the blue color as the parents were blue.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $525
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $465

PLATYCERIUM BIFURCATUM
THE STAGHORN FERN

EPIPHYTIC FERN FOR GROWING ON TREE TRUNKS, WALLS OR POSTS
OVER MANY YEARS FORMS A LARGE CLUSTER OF PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL WOOD MOUNTED GOOD SIZED PLANTS

This species is different than the Moosehorn Fern shown on our last post. It is native to Australia. The leaves tend to be protruding out from the shield and branch or bifurcate. They are green in color and form spores on the underside of the leaves. Like the Moosehorn, you have to not let them go dry. Make sure you water them as if it was rain – from above so the water goes behind the shield. The plant shown is about five years old and has two growth points. I.e., it’s developing multiple areas where the antler-like leaves will appear. It is mounted on wood. This sized has a hook on the back for hanging. Or, they can be attached to a tree trunk or branch as shown below. Also, give them some soluble fertilizer from time to time. I've even heard they like old bananas. They'd be hard to ship but it can be done. This species likes filtered light or a little sun. It's cold hardy probably into the upper twenties F. The garden photos show plants on trees or a fence with a few shots of larger specimens we've had the the Nursery.

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE STAGHORN $100

EDIBLE BANANA THAT MANY OF YOU CAN GROW!
MUSA GRAN NAIN

VARIETY THAT CHIQUITA UTILIZES FOR MARKET FRUIT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 15 GALLON PLANTS

This banana cultivar is popular worldwide and is the variety of choice for Chiquita Banana Company. It is a cultivar of Musa acuminata. It produces a huge amount of bananas if well grown. It is common for one plant to produce over 40 pounds of fruit. The fruit is medium sized, firm and sweet. Plants get to about 9 feet height, sucker when a fruit stem has finished and require half sun or full sun if possible. They benefit from large amounts of compost or soil amendments and do require fertilization to make good fruit. Leaves are typically solid green. They are a quick growing species. They do best in frost free areas but can recover from a freeze. Of note, remove the fruit when it's still a bit green and wait for it to ripen off the tree. We are offering 15g plants on Special. They are nicely sized and most are overhead in their pots. The photo of the fruit is by A-S.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON THIS SIZE $200
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15 GALLON $175

BLECHNUM GIBBUM FERN
"MINIATURE TREE FERN"

NICE 5G PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G PLANTS

This species never makes a large plant. But, it does resemble the classic "Tree Fern". It has a short, small trunk 3 to 4 inches in diameter, an overall height typically of under six feet and crown width of four feet. It prefers filtered light and will tolerate temperatures into the 20's F. People in the San Francisco area are growing this species. Be aware that this species, like all ferns, needs water.

Note that there are other types of "Blechnum Ferns". But, the variety shown is one of my favorites and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it in your garden.

REGULAR PRICE 5G THIS SPECIES $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G $75

Just mention this blog only special when purchasing to get this price. Note that the last photo is a 15 gallon plant from the nursery. Note that we also have 15 gallon plants available as well.

KAHILI GINGER
HEDYCHIUM GARDNERIANUM

MEDIUM SIZED - GREEN LEAVES
SUPER FRAGRANT BLOSSOM
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE

This suckering green Ginger is quick and easy to grow. It can take full coastal sun or part sun. Leaves are green and, unlike Shell Ginger, the blossoms are super fragrant - and have a very nice smell. Plants typically don't get over over 7 feet tall and have a tropical look. These 15g plants are good size with multiple tubers and near blossoming age. You can see the health of these plants here. The garden photo is c/o the Queensland Govt. website.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G $175

Just mention this Special for your discount when you purchase.

LIGULARIA TUSSILANGINEA
LILY-LIKE, FLAT GREEN LEAVES

YELLOW BLOSSOMS IN FALL
TAKES SUN - LIKES WATER
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE FIVE GALLON

This is an interesting plant we propagate ourselves from seeds of existing plants. They form small clusters of shiny green leaf plants that don't get over 18 inches. Flowers come in the fall are yellow, daisy-like and medium sized. This species enjoys water and will droop over with too little water. Then, when given water, they bounce right back. It's a good "indicator plant" for how well you are watering the garden. They'll take sun in many areas or part day sun. In full sun, give them plenty of water. These plants do sucker and are easy to propagate from divisions. This is a great "filler plant" to put in areas where you want something but don't know what to use. Shown below are our 5 gallon – which we are putting on Special. We also have one gallon size.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $65

Remember: mention this Special for your discount when you purchase. Flowering photo by RT.

MANGO CARABOA
A SUPER DESIRABLE PHILIPPINE MANGO

SWEET YELLOW FRUIT
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS HARD TO FIND MANGO IN 5 GALLON SIZE

Mango caraboa is a sought after variety of Mango known for its sweet fruit with a hint of honey and lemon flavor. Trees get to about 20 feet tall and produce good volumes of fruit. These trees want ample sun and can be grown in Southern California. Also of interest, it is reported that you can grow more trees from the fruit's seed. Worldwide, this is one of the more sought after Mango varieties and is as good grower. We have a very limited number of 5 gallon plants that we're putting on special. The fruit photo below is a generic picture of Mango fruits.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE $85

FRIDAY, 19 APRIL, 2024

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS
A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

I've discussed this great New Caledonian species before because it is such a good species for those of us in Southern California. It comes from high elevation in its native habitat, is a good growing palm and can tolerate full sun easily along the coastal strip. Its cold hardiness is down to about 23 degrees, better than the King Palm or Kentia Palm. It has an average trunk diameter of eight to ten inches and a mature height of usually about thirty feet. It can also be grown in part day sun or strong filtered light.

Shown here is a nice 25g plant along with other sizes. You'll notice that the leaf color in the sun is blue-green in a way. It is certainly not a lime green color. Also, some new leaves may emerge with a hint of red color. Growth rate is good. We have a reasonable assortment of all sizes although our larger plants are almost sold out. This species is highly recommended.

CYCADS IN LARGER SIZES

FOR THOSE WHO JUST CAN'T WAIT
SOME PLANTS SHOWN BELOW ARE OVER 50 YEAR OLD

Cycads, in general, have always been recognized as rare, slow growing plants. On many species, the trunk or caudex never gets over three feet in height. The leaves emerge from the top of the caudex and go upwards a distance of three to eight feet in most cases. Remember that cycads begin as a very small plant. From a seedling in most species, to get a caudex of about six inches can take from five to seven years. Only when the caudex has reached near its genetically determined full trunk width will one start to see vertical growth of the stem. Full diameter stem width can take as long as ten to fifteen years. And, vertical height is usually at the rate of approximately a half of inch a year.

With this in mind, you can see how a cycad may take twenty five years or longer to get a one foot vertical height of caudex. Certainly, some species are faster than others. The common Sago Palm is one of the faster species. But, even with the common Sago, to achieve a three foot tall trunk may take twenty years or more. This slow growth rate and smaller overall vertical size is quite appealing to many people. It creates a very manageable, easy-to-grow plant for the garden that doesn't overwhelm space and typically doesn't obstruct a view. With the wide variety of leaf shapes, appearance and colors along with the colorful cycad cones, cycads are sought after for botanical gardens and upscale private gardens. I am showing these plants because some people want to start with the largest rare cycads they can find.

Today I thought I'd show you some plants we either have presently or have had at the nursery in recent times and that show some age. We have many hundreds of plants of these sizes. In the industry, these rare species would be considered "large plants". Most I have been growing for twenty years or more. On some, like Encephalartos horridus, one rarely sees a caudex over two feet tall. The large Dioon merolaes shown are almost a century old. I'll show a wide variety of plants below without names. Trust that we have many more huge cycads than shown here. These will all be containerized plants without garden shots in this thread. Jungle Music has one of the best selections of rare, large cycads of any nursery in the United States. So, please consider us if you like these magnificent upscale plants.

BECCARIOPHOENIX ALFREDII
THE MADAGASCAR PLATEAU COCONUT PALM

MEDIUM SIZED TRUNK
VERY SOUGHT AFTER - FOR FULL SUN ALONG THE COAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 15 GALLON PLANTS

This species of exotic palm is from the island of Madagascar. It is the third of three Beccariophoenix species described from this palm-loaded country. It is so sought after because some feel that it's the prettiest species of the three. And, because it may possess the best cold hardiness. I've documented other Beccariophoenix species tolerating temperatures below 25 degrees at our nursery. So, this species may survive in areas like San Francisco, Phoenix and Houston. It grows to a height of about thirty feet and does not have a crown shaft. Leaves are long and minimally curved. The crown of leaves are densely placed - so it offers privacy and screening of neighbors. Growth rate is medium in most areas and along the coast it likes sun. This species is hard to find. We are offering 15 gallon plants on a ten day Special. This size is shown in the first six photos below. We also have 5 gallon available (see below) and much larger sizes.

REGULAR PRICE15 GALLON SIZE $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

Limited supplies available. The habitat photo is by TS at RPS.

BECCARIOPHOENIX ALFREDII
THE MADAGASCAR PLATEAU COCONUT PALM

MEDIUM SIZED TRUNK
VERY SOUGHT AFTER - FOR FULL SUN ALONG THE COAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 25 GALLON DOUBLE

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 25 GALLON SIZE DOUBLE $525
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON DOUBLE $450

We only have a couple of these available.

BRAHEA CLARA
BLUE SINGLE TRUNK FAN PALM FROM SONORA, MEXICO

LOVES SUN AND HEAT - SUPER COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 20 OR 25 GALLON SIZE

This palm is quite similar to the more common Brahea armata. ItIt is felt by some to be a natural hybrid between Brahea armata and Brahea brandegeei. It’s considered a “costo-palmate” palm. It loves sun, takes cold to 15 degrees and is blue in color. It gets to a height of no more than 20 feet. Compared to the common Mexican Blue Fan Palm (Brahea armata), it has longer petioles and is faster growing. Another curious difference we've discovered is the stem armor. Rather than simple, uniform curved spines, the armor is more like a bad set of shark's teeth. The plants on special are in limited numbers and quite large for their container with heights of 8 to 10 feet in their pots. They are way to big for standard mail order.

REGULAR PRICE 20 / 25 GALLON $595
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $495

BLUE BUTIA CAPITATA
THE BLUE PINDO PALM
MEDIUM SIZED PINNATE PALM WITH BLUE OR BLUE-GREEN LEAVES

LOVES SUN AND HEAT - EXTREMELY COLD TOLERANT!
SHOWING THREE DIFFERENT 25 GALLON PLANTS BELOW
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 25 GALLON PLANTS

For about a decade we’ve been offering this very desirable and sought after variety of Butia capitata that has a nice blue color. Otherwise, it’s quite similar to the regular gray-green Pindo Palm. Some of the "blue" Pindos are super blue. Others are a more muted blue color. It's quite variable. The problem is we always run out of them. To satisfy our customer demand, we are presently offering a handful of this palm in 25 gallon pots. But, there are very limited numbers. We are putting this size on special. This palm loves full hot sun and can take down to 15 degrees F. So, almost all of you can grow this palm. I am showing three different palms in 25 gallon pots. All are very husky with fat trunks. All shown some blue color. All the mature palms in the last row of photos were taken in the U.S. The next to last photo is by friend Paul Craft from FL. These palms are too big for standard mail order. And, I'm sorry, but we're sold out of the shippable 15 gallon right now.

REGULAR PRICE 25 GALLON $500
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON $395

BISMARCKIA SPECIES MAYOTTE ISLAND
THE RARE GREEN BISMARCKIA
YOU NEVER SEE THEM AVAILABLE

A BISMARCKIA BUT WITHOUT THE BLUE COLOR
VERY ATTRACTIVE, LARGER FLAT GREEN FAN PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLD AND LARGE 15G SIZED PLANTS

One of the favorite characteristics of Bismarckia is the blue color to the leaves. But, there is a green variety on the island of Madagascar. At another location, there is an endemic green Bismarckia known as the "Mayotte Island" form. There is very little published about these green forms of the Bismarck Palm. It likes sun and is probably cold hardy into the low 20's F. Most feel it's not quite as cold hardy as the blue form. On these green Bismarckias, often you'll see red in the leaf stem or a hint of it on the leaves. Of course, this is a full sun palm. This is a very rare palm to find as everyone seeks out the blue type. But, we have this more rare green form and have found they are showing nice cold hardiness to the low 20's F. The plant shown below is about twelve years old. We have a handful of them. The 11th photo below is by TS at RPS and the last three photos below are by M.F. with two plants in the San Diego area.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $295
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE PRICE 15G $255

Note: Of course, we also carry a good assortment of the classic blue Bismarcia!

VEITCHIA MERRILLII HYBRID
POTENTIAL TO GROW SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE GROWN HERE

VERY EXCITING – NOT PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 15 GALLON SIZE

There is an interesting story behind the plants I'm showing you here. About four years ago, we got some seeds from a botanical garden that were labeled as Veitchia merrillii (aka Adonidia merrillii). This palm resembles a miniature Royal Palm, so it is a popular choice by enthusiasts who see it in tropical areas. Rarely does it get over twenty feet tall and many people like this smaller size. But, native to the Philippines, you might expect it'd be too tropical and cold sensitive to grow here. Well, that is the case and I don't know of one mature tree in Southern California.

The seeds we got were thought to be pure Veitchia merrillii. The seeds looked to be the right size for merrillii - the anticipated small size as you see with this species. Seeds of other Veitchia species are much larger. Of the fifty or so seeds that germinated, about half died off quickly in our greenhouses the first winter. We figured - that makes sense - cold sensitive. But, to our surprise, the other half grew quite well. As they got bigger, it was apparent that they looked nothing like a true species Veitchia merrillii we have grown in the past. The prominent speckling and dark color to the leaf stems was not expected - merrillii is plain green usually. And, there is a diversity of appearance of the various plants we were now growing.

We figure these are a hybrid of a Veitchia merrillii crossed with something else. Most likely it's with another species of Veitchia that are more cold tolerant. Our suspicion is it as cross with V. arecina. This is to our customer's benefit as this means perhaps they can grow these and end up with a smaller palm that resembles V. merrillii. We have a limited number of these plants left. They’ve gotten bigger and all have survived a freeze at our nursery. So, maybe here’s your chance to grow a “Veitchia merrillii hybrid” . I'm showin photos of both of the probable parents below. Mature height should be about 15 - 18 feet on these hybrids.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON THIS HYBRID $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $230

Remember: Mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase. Obviously, I have no mature garden plants to show you as this is such a rare hybrid. Also, don't dally as we'll be out of this hybrid soon!



Veitchia merrillii	Veitchia arecina

JUBAEA X BUTIA HYBRID
VERY COLD HARY HYBRID PALM THAT LOVES SUN AND HEAT

LIMITED SUPPLY OF LARGE 15 GALLON AVAILABLE
TEN DAY PECIAL LARGE 15 GALLON PLANTS

We are pleased to post that we have just acquired some huge 15 gallon size of this sought after hybrid. This is a cold hardy hybrid that thrives in sun and heat. Cold tolerance is well into the teens F. See chart below for descriptiion. On the garden 7th and 8th photos below, my thanks to TS at RPS and unknown contributor on Palm talk for their photos. Incidentally, these can be shipped but it'd be expensive.

Locality:	Hybrid
Cold Hardiness:	Probably 16 - 18 F.
Trunk type:	Fat trunk with retained leaf bases. Not as fat as Jubaea, but much fatter than a Butia.
Leaf type:	Pinnate with silver/green color, leaves tend to curve down a bit.
Suckering/Solitary:	Solitary.
Maintenance:	Easy.
Speed of growth:	Slow to moderate.
Height:	Uncertain- probably 30+ feet.
Soil requirements:	Average.
Sun Requirements:	Full.
General Description:	This is a thick trunked palm that look just like one would expect from this hybrid.
Other Notes:	Gives on a faster growing Jubaea-looking palm that can be of size without waiting decades. The Butia blood should give it good cold hardiness.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HUGE 15 GALLON HYBRIDS $450
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS 15GALLON SIZE $350

BISMARCKIA NOBILIS
BLUE SINGLE TRUNK FAN PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

A DEFINITE STATEMENT PALM
THIS SPECIES WANTS SUN AND HEAT!
TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY NICE 5G PLANTS

For several decades we've been growing this stunning blue fan palm from Madagascar. These are the blue form. This palm species loves sun, heat and is cold hardy to the low 20’s F. It doesn’t like the grower to fool with or cut its roots. These cannot be transplanted once established in the garden. They get a husky trunk and probably about 40 feet tall in many decades. This is a very attractive palm and should be given room in the garden to show it off. Many people in desert locations have found they can grow it. Shown below are our 5 gallon sized plants that we’re putting on special. They are a good size to plant. This size can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $100

Remember: Mention this Special for this price. Of note we also carry the "Green Bismarckia" but the one on sale today is the prominent blue variety.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX TUCKERI
RARE AUSTRALIAN TYPE OF KING PALM

PURE GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 GALLON SIZE

Common Name(s):  Archontophoenix Peach River (Creek)
Native Locality:  Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Overall Height:  Maximum sixty to seventy feet
Trunk Diameter:  Ten inches
Leaf Length:  Nine to ten feet, moderately twisted
Leaflets:  Silver underneath, somewhat pendulous or drooping.
Crown Shaft Color:   Green
Presence of Ramenta:  Absent
Flower Color:  White or cream colored

This is a fairly rare and seldom available species of King Palm from Australia. It is a good growing species that gets tall with a thin trunk. We’re putting large 5 gallon plants on Special. These can be mail ordered but would take a large box. The great 7th photo is c/o Luke Nancarrow, AU

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

TRITHRINAX ACANTHACOMA
AKA TRITHIRNAX BRASILIENSIS
SPINY TRUNK - MEDIUM HEIGHT FAN PALM

EASILY TOLERATES INTO THE TEENS F.
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

This single trunk tropical fan palm is noted mostly for its spiny trunk. The spines are long, randomly directed and almost needle sized. It is native to South America and gets to a height of about twenty feet. It likes full sun and is cold hardy into the mid-teens F. Unlike Trithrinax campestris, the leaflet tips on this species are not sharp nor pointed. It is a medium rate grower. These plants are easy to ship.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $115

Remember: Mention this Special when you purchase. The 5 gallon on sale are shown in the first four pictures below.

DYPSIS ARENARUM
THE SAND PALM

SIMILAR TO DYPSIS LUTESCENS
BUT WHITE CROWN SHAFT
TEN DASY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This thin trunked suckering palm is native to Madagascar where, in the northeastern area, it lives close to the sandy beaches. Thus the common name. It has green curved leaves with small leaflets. The tubular crown shaft is white and the thin trunk is ringed. It is distinguished from the Areca Palm by it's reddish petioles and blue-green leaflets. It typically forms a clump of four to five individual plants. It tolerates coastal sun and is cold hardy in the mid to upper 20's F. It is a very rare species. We rarely have it for sale. We are putting our 5 gallon plants on sale as shown below. The mature plant photo is c/o TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

GREAT PATIO OR INTERIOR PALM - OR IN THE GARDEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SINGLES

Howea forsteriana, the popular Kentia Palm, is native to Lord Howe Island. There it lives at lower elevations. At higher elevations up the mountains one sees Howea belmoreana and Hedyscepe. The Kentia does great here in So California. It is a single trunk species that is often grown as a "multiple" with several plants in the same pot. It does NOT sucker. Along the coast it takes full sun or part day sun. Far inland, filtered light is needed. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. Mature height in sun is usually about thirty feet in 30 years. We’re putting very nice 5 gallon plants on special. These plants are singles - not multiples. These can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $125

Remember to mention this Blog Special at the time of purchase for this discounted price.

PRITCHARDIA HILLEBRANDII
A HAWAIIAN LOULU FAN PALM

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE - NICE SEMI-FLAT GREEN LEAVES
WHITE TOMENTUM ON LEAF STEMS AND INNER CROWN
TEN DAY SPECIAL THREE OR FIVE GALLON SIZE

If you like fan palms, then you have to try some Pritchardia palms. There are about 25 species of Pritchardia. All the best ones come from the Hawaiian Islands. The species from the South Pacific are to be avoided as they don't do well here. This species is from Hawaii and reaches a medium height of 25 feet. Leaves are green. They have white tomentum (hairs) on the leaf stem and trunk. I’d estimate the trunk diameter at about eight inches by my experience. It becomes clean as old leaf bases fall off. Growth rate is medium. This is a very attractive palm. I have one in my garden that gets partial sun and is at least 20 feet tall. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties F. Mail order easy.

REGULAR PRICE GOOD SIZE THREE OR FIVE GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THREE GALLON $115

DYPSIS SPECIES BEF
SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

THIN TRUNK, ARCHING LEAVES, WHITE CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

For quite a few years, palm enthusiasts have been familiar with this rare species from Madagascar. It has been called "Dypsis species bef". But, to this day, it has no accepted botanical name. It has a rather narrow ringed trunk with arching and keeled green leaves. The crown shaft is white. It is medium sized with a height of about 20 feet. The garden specimen is c/o Steve S., PalmPedia. As a nursery plant it has soft green relaxed leaves with hanging leaflets. But, when older, it is firmly keeled. The first six photos show the plants on special.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $55

This size is easy to ship. This species will take coastal sun. Cold tolerance is unknown although I’d guess it’s in the mid-twenties F.

CARYOTA URENS
THE GIANT MOUNTAIN FISHTAIL

FAST GROWING - SUPER TALL
REASONABLY COLD HARDY TALL BIPINNAT PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

Yes, this species of Fishtail is super fast growing. And, it's not unusual for one to get above 70 feet tall. Some people love the grandeur of these palms. And, for some, they want it "right now". Well, this is an opportunity to satisfy that need. Planted out, once established, this is a super fast growing palm. It would not be unusual to go from a seedling to a height of 30 feet in six or seven years. This species is native to northern Thailand and surrounding countries. The trunk is about 16 inches or so thick and light tan in color. The leaves are compound – bipinnate. This means the main stem branches off into secondary leaf stems. Leaflets are jagged at their ends. Also, this is a monoecious palm that dies about three years after flowering It wants full coastal sun. It is taller than Caryota gigas and has shorter leaves and a thinner trunk. We’re putting young two-leaf seedlings on sale. Easy to mail order. BTW, these seedlings have probably thrown another leaf since these photos below were taken.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE BAND SEEDLINGS $55

Easy to mail order. Limited numbers available.

CHAMAEDOREA ERNESTI-AUGUSTI
VERY ATTRACTIVE DWARF SHADE PALM

TYPICALLY NOT OVER 3 FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

Over our 40 year existence, I'd estimate that the nursery has sold several thousand of this very popular dwarf palm. Typically we recommend putting in a small colony of them. They look great like this and will get staggered heights. Most garden plants are not over 3 to 4 feet tall. The first two rows of photos show our one gallon size on sale. The last row shows older photos of either five gallon size or one of a 30 year clumps that are mature and flowering. We've found this species to look best when planted as a small colony of three to five plants. A name sometimes used for this species is the "Whale Tail Palm". This species likes shade and has simple, non-divided leaves as shown. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. For some reason, no seeds have been available lately, so it's a difficult plant to find. These bands are small but all that's around right now.

REGULAR PRICE SMALL BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $55

These are easy to ship and four in one box is no problem.

DYPSIS PEMBANA
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING
NATIVE TO PEMBA ISLAND

TAKES FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL FULL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

There are both single trunk and suckering forms of this species. Nowadays, most of the plants available of this species are the suckering form. Both get to a height of 25 feet, have an attractive green trunk and a light colored crown shaft. Leaves have a graceful arch and the leaflet color is green. It's a great alternative for the garden. Note how the trunks are beefy but not overly large. Along our coast it will take part day sun but I'd recommend filtered or morning sun inland. The plants on special have four to five leaves and are 3 -4 year old seedlings in band containers. We do larger sizes available. I cannot tell you whether the plants we have (from seed) are the single or suckering type.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $50

Remember to mention this Blog Special at the time of purchase. The 8th & 9th photos of a garden plant is c/o late friend Al Bredeson.

DYPSIS LASTELLIANA
THE RED NECK PALM

NATIVE TO MADAGASCAR
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SEEDLING SIZE

This species of single trunk Madagascar palm is often mixed up with Dypsis leptocheilos, an ideal palm species for Southern California. Dypsis lastelliana, which is a near identical species, is a bigger single trunk species with a very similar red, fuzzy crown shaft. But, it is harder to grow because it is less cold tolerant. It gets to a height of about 25 feet and has a thicker trunk with upright longer green leaves. It would do best in the sun and is cold hardy down to perhaps a freeze. It is also slower growing than the Teddy Bear Palm. For the best locations in So Cal, it can be grown. There's one at the Catamaran Hotel in Pacific Beach in San Diego that's been alive for years.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $50

Just mention this Special at the time of purchase.

DIOON MEROLAE
SLOW GROWING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

GRAY-GREEN LEAFLETS
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER BAND SIZED PLANTS

This is a slow growing New World cycad species that comes from Mexico. It is very attractive. One of the things that is particularly nice about this species is that the crown size is compact and not that large. For this reason, it fits into a small sunny location in the garden where no other plant would work. Its leaves are a silver-green in color (can be just green) and it holds many leaves. An extremely old plant might have a foot or two of trunk. In the wild there are specimens that are possibly a thousand years old with many meters of trunk, often leaning over toward the ground. But, from a practical point of view, it is a small plant. If you grow this species, you'll probably find that it will take fifty years or more to get three feet of trunk.

Cold hardiness is into the low 20's F. and it prefers full sun except for harsh desert climates. We offer many sizes of this species from seedlings up to trunked plants that are many decades old. For mail orders, the band size is easy to ship. These are not newly germinated seedlings but rather plants with an inch or more of caudex. Most germinated five years ago. If you want larger, we do have citrus pot, 15g and boxed sized plants. I hope that you like this cycad; it's one of my favorites. For upscale landscaping, nothing beats it.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLDER BAND SIZE JUVENILE PLANTS $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THESE OLDER BAND SIZED PLANTS $105

BTW, if these don't sell out, all will be repotted into 5g pots shortly.

ENCEPHALARTOS EUGENE-MARAISII
EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE BLUE TRANSVAAL CYCAD

NATIVE TO SOUTH AFRICA – EXTREMELY RARE

TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALL WITH 1.5 INCH CAUDEX

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON THIS SIZE $250
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON AS DESCRIBED $175

ENCEPHALARTOS PAUCIDENTATUS
MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

UPRIGHT GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL TWO GALLON JUVENILES WITH 1.5 IN CAUDEX

This cycad is native to Swaziland, northern South Africa. It is known as one of the most attractive of all the green cycads. It does great in Southern California but is rare and hard to find. New leaves tend to be upright. Most pronounced is the "frost" appearance of leaves as shown below. This is from small hairs on the leaflets. It makes a medium to large mature specimen. Mature size can be over fifteen feet with 6 to 10 foot green leaves. Leaflets are armed. Along the coast it’ll take full sun. Far inland I’d recommend limited sun. Cold tolerance is down to the low 20’s F. We’re offer 2 gallon juvenile plants on species. Their caudexes are about 1.5 inches.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON WITH 1.5 INCH CADUEX $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON AS DESCRIBED $120

ENCEPHALARTOS TRISPINOSUS
BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

SOUGHT AFTER - SPINY LEAFLETS
LOVES SUN AND PRETTY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE WITH CAUDEX 2-3 INCHES

Shown below is our band size plants of the desirable blue South African cycad, Encephalartos trispinosus. Most people find it's very similar to E. horridus. It is a small to medium sized mature blue cycad with leaflets that have prominent lobes. But, be aware that this species is quite variable and has many forms. There is even a spineless leaflet form. It is anticipated that these plants, like their parents, with have prominently prickly and lobed leaflets. These will want full sun along the coast and are cold hardy to about 22 degrees F. These 5 gallon plants can be shipped. Caudex size on these is about 2-3 inches. After acclimation, one can plant them directly into the ground in spring to summer, or wait another year when they are larger. This size is easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON WITH ABOUT 2 - 3 INCH CAUDEX $375
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5G PLANTS WITH 2-3 INCH CAUDEXES $275

ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
RARE BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD FOR FULL COASTAL SUN

A FAVORITE AMONG CYCAD ENTHUSIASTS
GOOD STARTER SIZE FOR CYCAD ENTHUSIAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON WITH CAUDEX SIZE 4.5 TO 5 INCHES

This is a popular blue cycad from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa. I say “popular” because some people don't like spines and prickles. The leaflets of this species are narrow with only a point at the end. They are nothing as gnarly as E. horridus. The leaves and crown are very neat and uniform. The nearest species to this one is Encephalartos princeps. Trunks of E. lehmannii can get to five feet, but one with two to three feet of trunk is very old. Leaves average about four feet long and are strongly curled. Sometimes they'll almost do a 180 or more degree re-curve. Leaf color is intensely blue like E. horridus. But, you'll only see this color with full, hot sun. In shade or inside a greenhouse they are often green because they are not getting full sun and have lots of humidity. Cold hardiness is about 21 to 22 degrees F. In the desert only give it a few hours sun.

Shown below are E. lehmannii in 15 gallon pots with caudex size of 4.5 to 5 inches. They have brilliantly blue leaves. We are acclimating them to sun presently. They can be mail ordered in a large box.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON CAUDEX AS DESCRIBED $675
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON WITH CAUDEX 4.5 TO 5 INCHES $565

ENCEPHALARTOS PRINCEPS
FABLOUS SUPER BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

LOVES HEAT AND FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAYSPECIAL 15 GALLON PLANTS WITH CAUDEX SIZE 4.5 - 5 INCHES

Encephalartos princeps is from the Great Kei River, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This cycad is also sometimes called the "Kei" cycad, which is derived from it's locality. In habitat, this species grows primarily in dolerite rock outcroppings and cliffs. The climate is arid and plants are found in full sun exposures. The mature leaf length on this species is a meter or less. Stem heights in cultivation rarely exceed one to one and a half meters. Though, plants in the wild can reach heights of five meters after many centuries. One of the most striking characteristics of this plant is its lovely color (which can vary from a powdery silver to a turquoise blue). This plant can be confused with E. lehmannii, but has a few differences. The cones, stem size and angle of attachment are all different between these two species. You can use these traits to help identify the difference. This plant is it is an excellent grower, and is mostly unarmed. The Female cones on this species are green and the male cones are a greenish/yellow and brown. In coastal and inland areas, this species wants to be grown in sun. For desert areas, I recommend partial sun or filtered light. E. princeps needs a soil that is quick draining and does not like to stay excessively wet.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 15 GALLON PLANT WITH CAUDEX SIZE 4.5 TO 5 INCHES $800
TEN DAY SPECIES 15 GALLON AS DESCRIBED $695

ARAUCARIA HETEROPHYLLA
THE NORFOLK ISLAND PINE OR STAR PINE

LARGE AND TALL STURDY GREEN LEAFED TREE
TOLERATES OUR LOCAL WINTER COLD - WANTS SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

There are about twenty different species of Araucaria worldwide. This includes multiple species from New Caledonia. The Norfolk Island Pine is one of these species. It is native, of course, to the Norfolk Island. All Araucaria tend to make good sized trees. The Norfolk Pine in the wild can get to heights well over one hundred feet with a forty or more foot spread of the crown. It developes a thick trunk and has prickly green leaflets. Because of the latter, you cannot walk below it bare footed. It is a full sun tree in most areas and is only marginally cold hardy - at best into the mid to upper 30's F. Also, it doesn't like extremely hot weather. With this said, there are a fair number of mature trees in the coastal San Diego area. It is difficult to find any Araucaria for sale. We rarely have them available.

TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE 15 GALLON $155

FICUS UMBELLATA
INTERIOR / EXTERIOR PLANT WITH LARGE ROUND LEAVES

DWARF MATURE SIZE - STRIKING AND UNUSUAL APPEARANCE
NEWLY SPECIES FOR ENTHUSIASTS - BUT DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE - ONLY A FEW LEFT

Until about 3 months ago, I had never heard of this species. There's essentially no scientific articles on it on the Internet. I've read that it is native to South Africa. It's mentioned as a smaller replacement for the popular Fiddle Leaf Fig. It differs from the latter in that it's leaves are very soft and pliable. It is also much smaller tree mature. The Fiddle Leaf Fig in my yard is over 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide with a thick trunk. This new species is supposed to be a real dwarf, not getting over 4 to 6 feet tall. Leaves are a foot wide, prominently veined and round. Inside, it's said to want very bright light - next to a bright window. Cold hardiness is unknown. We'll know more by next spring after we winter them over at our nursery. I have no data growing it outdoors. We're offering some nicely sized 15 gallon that are 7 to 8 feet tall in their pots. I only have a couple. They are apparently near mature height. BTW, this is only the second time we've offered this tree for sale. We know it does well as an interior plant but data on growing outside is limited. We have only one or two 15g and a few 5g which, obviously, are les expensive. Grab one as I doubt we'll have them again.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $325

Sorry, but no photos of mature trees are available.

THE TRAVELER PALM
RAVENALA MADAGASCARENSIS
BANANA APPEARING TREE IN ONE PLANE

CAN BE GROWN IN SOUTHERN CA
NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND LATELY
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE

For about a year folks have called us to obtain smaller sized Traveler Palms. But, we didn't have any. In fact, the industry is totally sold out of this species. We can now announce that we have available a small number of fairly nice 5 gallon plants. They are about 3 to 4 feet tall in their pots. We have about ten for sale. This is a quick growing plant and these should do well for most of you that don't freeze. These are fast growing. They like sun in most areas but do not take a freeze - which will melt them overnight. Also be aware that they do sucker. We recommend removing the suckers as they look better as a single trunk plant. Remember, this species puts out banana type leaves in one plane. We’re putting our 5 gallon on sale but only have a handful available in this size – and they’ll sell out quickly. There are just too many people seeking this interesting plant. BTW, we aslso have 15 gallon size available.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE PRICE 5 GALLON $135

To read more on the Traveler Palm, click here:
TRAVELER PALM ARTICLE

TWO VARIEGATED HIBISCUS
ONE WITH RED FLOWERS, ONE WITH YELLOW

FORM SMALL BUSHES OR TREES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE & FIVE GALLON PLANTS

Below I am showing you two different variegated Hibiscus.

1. Variegated Hibiscus cooperi - first five photos - red flower
2. Variegated Hibiscus tileaceus hamoe - photos 6 through 8 - yellow flower

All of our Hibiscus have been propagated from cuttings off a mother tree. Some have several plants per pot. As most of you know, Hibiscus make a bush or small tree. Plants are being grown from temperate to tropical localities. Leaves are typically green with finely serrated edges. The two plants on sale are more rare variegated forms but still have the colorful blossoms. All need adequate sunlight. They do not like severe cold weather. Cold makes the flower buds drop off. Keep them damp but not soggy. We have very limited numbers of both types and mail sell out soon.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON, EITHER TYPE $40
TEN DAY SPECIAL 3 OR 5 GALLON, EITHER TYPE $85

These can be mail ordered but are sort of fragile for traveling and no guarantees can be for perfect condition arrival.

WEDNESDAY, 17 APRIL, 2024

CARYOTA GIGAS
"THAI MOUNTAIN GIANT", "KING KONG PALM", "BLACK STEM FISHTAIL"

COMPARISON WITH CARYOTA URENS

Yes, this beautiful large palm from northern Thailand has been given a lot of common names. I'm showing you today some boxed size plants of this species. We also have 15g for sale. But, I thought I'd make a few points about this plant that you may not know and make some comparisons to Caryota urens:

•It has an extremely thick fat trunk that can get up to three feet wide (see last photo). This is much thicker than C. urens.
•Trunk height in Southern California is hardly ever over 35 feet, less than most of us expected. C. urens can get over 60 feet with ease.
• It appears to tolerate full sun better than C. urens. By this I mean it has less brown tipping on the leaflets
• It appears to have a shorter life span than expected, often blossoming in less than 15 years. This is less than C. urens.
• It has very wide and long leaves, up to fifteen feet in length and provides good shade underneath. Caryota urens' leaves are smaller but still quite large.
• It is not as cold hardy as C. urens and will burn in the low 20's F. But, most plants will survive and return from temperatures of 20 degrees f.
• It is quick growing but does not put on vertical height as fast as Caryota urens.
• If your plant doesn't look good, it's probably from your lack of giving it adequate water (if there's no cold burn)
• It is the most popular Fishtail Palm presently. In the past, before this species introduction, C. urens was the most popular. I think people really like the leaves and leaflet shape..

Presently we have a limited supply of smaller plants of this species. Occasionally we get in 25 gallon or boxed sizes. Nursery & garden photos shown here are only of Caryota gigas.

CERATOZAMIA MIQUELIANA
AN EXTREMELY RARE MEXICAN CYCAD

WIDER GREEN TO BLUE-GREEN LEAFLETS
SMALL TO MEDIUM MATURE SIZE
SPECTACULAR FILTERED LIGHT GARDEN CYCAD

We are pleased to show you a great example of this species. Shown below is a recently acquired 20 gallon specimen that is a female in cone. It has a classical appearance (described below) and came from a private collection. The plant I’m showing has already sold. But, I thought you’d like to see it. Ceratozamia miquelianana is a small to medium sized cycad species from the Veracruz area of Mexico. It is best known for its wide leaflets and attractive, tropical appearance. Also, newly emerging leaves are a powder blue-green color. The caudex is usually not more than 8 inches across; height can be up to three feet but is typically much shorter. Leaves are three to five feet long, Leaflets are wide for the genus, sometimes over 2.5 inches wide but more typically a bit less than this. This is a filtered light species and usually gets yellow-green in full sun. Thus, it is best to grow it in filtered light. Cold tolerance is into the mid to low 20's F. This species is difficult to find, especially with any size. We sold this plant the same day it arrived.

SYAGRUS PICROPHYLLA HYBRID
SUPER RARE SYAGRUS HYBRID

A SHORTER ALTERNATIVE TO THE QUEEN PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 25 GALLON SIZE

I have only two of these extremely rare hybrids of Syagrus picrophylla. The seeds were produced by the same hybridizer that created the Coconut Queen Palm. I do not know what they are hybridized with and probably can't find out. The hybridizer is in his mid eighties and a bit forgetful. Plants are in 25 gallon containers, have been outdoor grown in sun. They should prove to be a very interesting hybrid palm. They are twelve feet tall and too tall for typical shipping or mail order. The last photo is of the pure Syagrus picrophylla by G.M from PACSOA.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 25 GALLON $775
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 25G $675

CHAMAEDOREA RADICALIS
TRUNKING FORM

THIN TALL GREEN TRUNKS – TOLERATES FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS HUGE & MATURE 25 GALLON SPECIMEN

Sometime with this blog I may have talked about this variety of Chamadorea radicalis. The latter is a very cold hardy dwarf, single trunk species that is quite easy to grow. But, there is also a trunking species that is not a dwarf. It gets to about 10 to 14 feet tall and is also cold hardy into the lower 20's F, maybe even into the upper teens. It is able to take coastal sun like the dwarf. This variety is hard to find on the market. Shown here below is about an 8 to 10 year old 25 gallon that is easily about 12 feet tall. It is a triple and one stem is a female with red fruit. You can see there is no question that this is not a dwarf and has formed nice trunk. On this form, we may also have 5 gallon and 15 gallon available. I only have this one specimen this large. It is way too big for mail order. Note the thin leaflets and stem. This specimen is for sale.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 25 GALLON SPECIMEN $795
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SPECIMEN $675

ROYSTONEA REGIA
THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

TALL, SINGLE TRUNK SPECIES
ELEGANT WITH LONG CROWN SHAFT
SINGLE PLANTS AND MULTIPLES
TEN DAY 15 GALLON SIZE

This super popular palm is native to south Florida and Cuba. It gets a very tall trunk with a height of forty feet or more. The crown shaft is long and a prominent green. The base of the trunk is swollen just above the ground. Often, you'll also see bulging in the mid-trunk. It is a full sun plant and some are growing it in desert areas with success - in full sun. Cold tolerance is like a King Palm, about 25 degrees F. The 15 gallon shown here is a double. In this size we also have single trunk plants in addition to multiples. Many in Southern California are growing this species quite well. The 8th photo below was at the home of the late Luis Hooper in La Brea, CA. There's a shortage of this species on the California market. This species is also very quick growing. With our 15g you will probably have leaves over the house in 3 to 4 years. We have singles and multiples. BTW, the 15 gallon shown below is over ten feet tall in its pot. If this one sells, others are quite tall as well.

REGULAR PRICE LARGE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL OUR LARGE 15 GALLON ROYALS $225

Mention this Special for your discount.

BURRETIOKENTIA KOGHIENSIS
RARE SINGLE TRUNK PALM FROM NEW CALEDONIA

WHITE TO BROWN-GREEN CROWN SHAFT
MEDIUM TO TALL HEIGHT MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICELY SIZED 15 GALLON

This is fairly tall, crown shafted pinnate palm from New Caledonia. It comes from Mt.
Koghi in the central area of the island. Mature trees obtain a height eventually of 40 feet or more. The leaves tend to be upright in the crown and the crown shaft has a white color. It is more difficult to find than other species of Burretiokentia. An interesting thing about this species is that younger plants have a triangular shape in the crown shaft area below the leaves. The blossoms are also quite furry and unusual appearing. It appears to be cold tolerant into the mid to upper twenties F. and tolerates full or part coastal sun. Shown below is a 15g plant as well as a mature specimens from the wild. Our 15 gallon plants are really oversized for their pots. They are too tall for mail order but we should have smaller, shippable sizes available. The 8th photo is from habitat from a trip that my son, Jesse, and I took in the year 2000.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HUGE 15 GALLON PLANTS $275
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $245

VEITCHIA ARECINA
EXOTIC MEDIUM TO TALL PINNATE SUN PALM

CAN BE GROWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
RARE SPECIES - SELDOM SEE FOR SALE
TEN DAY SPECIAL TRIPLE 15G SIZE

We have a limited number of triples of this species - three plants in one pot. This is like you so often see with King Palms. Inherently, this is a single trunk, crown shafted pinnate palm native to Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga. In the wild, plants get to over 75 feet tall. In So California it is more typical to see one to 30 to 40 feet. They have a light colored crown shaft, speckled dark or black color near the inner crown area and sometimes on the leaf stems. Leaves are six to eight feet long and leaflet tips are pointed or slightly blunted. The trunk is narrow for a tall palm.

Shown here are triple 15g plants which we're putting on special. There are quite a few people who are growing this species in the coastal strip in our area. This size is shown in the first six photos below. The 7th photo is as 25 gallon size which we also have.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G $225

Please mention this Blog Only Special prior to purchase.

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE
SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM THAT GETS TALL
SHADE-LOVING - DARK GREEN RINGED TRUNK

OFTEN GROWN AS A "MULTIPLE"
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON MULTIPLES

This single trunk pinnate palm is native to areas extending from southern Mexico down to Columbia. They are often grown for food as the male blossoms are cooked and eaten as a delicacy. This species doesn't take sun here - it'll burn. But, in shade it thrives in temperatures down to the mid-twenties F. It is quick growing and has a rather thick, prominently ringed dark green trunk. Flowers are quite prominent and, if you have several plants closely situated, the chances are you'll obtain fruit without even trying. The last photo shows a flower with green fruit. This species can also be grown inside the home as long as the air is not too hot and dry. I personally like the looks of a collection of several plants grown together. Over time, as they age and get overhead, there will be some "stair-stepping" of the crowns and this is quite attractive. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties F. It needs shade or filtered light, even when tall. We have singles of this species if you only want a single plant. The seventh photo below is c/o TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON MULTIPLES $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15 GALLON MULTIPLES $225

PRESTOEA MONTANA
AKA PRESTOEA ACUMINATA VAR. MONTANA

RARE PINNATE PALM FROM PUERTO RICO
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE

Prestoea is a genus that is very closely related to another palm genus, Euterpe. It is found in the Caribbean, Central and South America. Essentially all Euterpe are crown shafted palms. Many of the Prestoea are not. There are also distinctions between the flowers of these two genera. Also, many of the Prestoea are suckering. But, there is one that is single trunk. This is Prestoea montana, native to mountainous areas of Puerto Rico. I've always known of this species as not having a crown shaft. But, I've seen photos (including ones from native habitats) where a crown shaft is seen.

The hallmarks of this species are its wide and very shiny green leaves, its somewhat slender trunk and its overall beautiful appearance. Plant heights can reach forty feet or more. This species should be grown in part day sun or filtered light. It likes rich soil and ample moisture. I'd estimate its cold tolerance is down to about a freeze or a bit less. It is not a species for a beginner to try. We're putting the 15g plants on special. Note that this species has historically been known as "Prestoea montana" but in more recent years has been considered a variety of P. acuminata.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THIS SIZE $220

Remember: Mention this Special for this price!

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DARK GREEN CROWN SHAFT
SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

What good fortune is it that New Caledonia can claim to be the home of all Chambeyronia. Included is this species, C. macrocarpa. It is a slow growing, pinnate, crown shafted palm that gets to a height of about 30 feet. It has a dark green to green-black crown shaft. Compare this to C. hookeri above with it's yellow crown shaft. Leaves are wide, thick and leathery to the touch. With good culture, maybe you can get three new leaves a year. About one in twenty plants fail to throw a new red leaf - rather, it remains green. This is just bad luck and there's no way to predict which will do this. Shown here are 5 gallon plants we're putting on sale. We do have larger and smaller sizes available. Coastal sun is tolerated although strong filtered light is ok for most areas. This is a great garden palm.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Just mention this special when you buy. I thank TS at RPS for usage of his photo below.

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DARK GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 & 15 GALLON SIZE
SEE SPECIES DESCRIPTION ABOVE

We have a limited number of 7 and 15g plants that are also on Special. See photos below.

REGULAR PRICE 7 & 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE SIZES $215

RHOPALOSTYLIS CHEESEMANII
BEAUTIFUL GREEN CROWN SHAFTED PALM

TOLERATES A FAIR AMOUNT OF COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Rhopalostylis cheesemanii is from Roul Island in the Kermadecs. It reportedly has darker brown tomentum on the crown shaft and petioles compared to R. baueri and the fruits are larger in size. But, the most remarkable thing is that some enthusiasts have noticed is that it is a more aggressive grower in Southern California. It is a green leafed, single trunk pinnate palm with a crown shaft. Opposed to R. baueri, it has been known to do quite well in full sun right along the coast. One of our staff, Rusty, swears by this species and thinks it's far superior to other Rhopalostylis. In his yard it has grown at a phenomenal rate. The pictures here show the darker petioles compared to R. sapida. I have limited photos of larger garden plants. Be aware that many people feel this should be considered a sub-variety of Rhopalostylis baueri. Growth rate of this species is medium at best. It is a stunning palm when mature. The 5 gallon size can be shipped.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

The 8th photo below is by Cloudforest.com website.

LIVISTONA LANGINOSA
THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

TALL, THINNER TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 G SIZE

This single trunk fan palm is native to northeastern Australia. It has previously been referred to as the Cape River Livistona. Formal description was first done by John Dowe in 1998 - followed by other revisions. It gets to heights above thirty feet with a trunk diameter of 10 to 18 inches. In habitat it tolerates hot and arid conditions. It is a full sun species with cold hardiness to at least the low 20's F.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

Just mention this Blog Special for your discount. The first habitat photo is c/o Darrel Oconnor Palmpedia and the second by John Dowe c/o Palm Specialist Group

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS
A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

IDEAL FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

I've discussed this great New Caledonian species before because it is such a good species for those of us in Southern California. It comes from high elevation in its native habitat, is a good growing palm and can tolerate full sun easily along the coastal strip. Its cold hardiness is down to about 23 degrees, better than the King Palm or Kentia Palm. It has an average trunk diameter of eight to ten inches and a mature height of usually about thirty feet. It can also be grown in part day sun or strong filtered light.

Shown here is a nice 25g plant along with other sizes. You'll notice that the leaf color in the sun is blue-green in a way. It is certainly not a lime green color. Also, some new leaves may emerge with a hint of red color. Growth rate is good. We have a reasonable assortment of all sizes although our larger plants are almost sold out. This species is highly recommended.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $125

The 5 gallon size is shown in the first six photos.

SERENOA REPENS
GREEN TO BLUE GREEN LEAVES

SUCKERING, SEMI-DWARF FAN PALM
VERY COLD HARDY, SUN LOVING
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER 2 GALLON SIZE

This suckering fan palm is native to the southeastern gulf states of the U.S. and some adjacent island areas. Native habitats even extend up into the Carolinas. It gets to a mature height of six to eight feet. It loves sun and heat. Leaf color varies from blue to green or somewhere in-between. The plants on sale today are in 2 gallon pots and nicely sized. We do have larger sizes as well. It is a slow growing species and has smaller sized leaves. It forms a clump over time. The plants on special are about four years old. Of note, young plants never show blue - but in the sun outdoors, blue may appear. Cold hardiness is into the upper teens F. The last row of photos show plants in gardens or habitat. BTW, these 2 gallon plants can be easily shipped within the U.S.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON THIS SIZE $70

ARCHONTOPHOENIX PURPUREA
THE PURPLE CROWN SHAFT KING PALM

VERY BEAUTIFUL - GOOD GROWER
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 1 GALLON SIZE

The native home of Archontophoenix purpurea is the Mt. Lewis mountain range in Queensland, Australia. This species is known for the purple color to the crown shaft. It is found at an elevation up to 4000 feet. Mature height is quoted to be over fifty feet, but in habitat and culture I didn't see one this tall. Cold hardiness is about 25 degrees F. It takes full coastal sun. The degree of purple in the crown shaft is variable but never "lollipop" purple. The underside of the leaves is silver and there is ramenta hairs only on this side. On younger plants the leaf bases and leaf stem tend to have a yellow color. I'm showing our 5g size (first 4 photos below) which we're putting on a Ten Day Special. These are nicely sized for their pots and either single or multiple (more than one per pot). We also have other sizes. These one gallons are about two feet tall in their pots and can be male ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $60

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special when you purchase to get this discount.

LICUALA ELEGANS
EXOTIC FLAT CIRCULAR LEAF FAN PALM
FILTERED LIGHT IN MOST AREAS

AKA LICUALA SUMAWONGENSIS
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE QUART / ONE GALLON SIZE

Presently we are offering this sought after single trunk exotic fan palm on a Ten Day Special. People seek this plant out because it's the only solid, large, flat leaf Licuala that does well here in Southern California. Leaves are flat, pleated and green in color. Leaf size can be up to five feet across. Trunks are thin, petioles are armed and mature height can get to about 15 feet. It wants filtered light and maybe a glimpse of sun here and there. Cold hardiness is into at best the low 30's F. The plants on special are in one quart or one gallon containers and are essentially seedlings. This species is very slow growing, so you have to be patient to get a nice on in your garden. With this said, they are near impossible to find for sale. So, if you want one you usually have to start small. These would be easy to mail order. We have very limited numbers available.

REGULAR PRICE THESE ONE QUART OR GALLON SIZE $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $65

Yes, this species is expensive but so difficult to find.

PTYCHOSPERMA ELEGANS
THE SOLITAIRE PALM - NATIVE TO AUSTRALIA

ELEGANT SINGLE TRUNK SPECIES
CROWN SHAFT - THIN TRUNK - MEDIUM HEIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This single trunk palm species is native to the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia. It has a rather thin trunk that typically is six to eight inches thick. Leaves are about six feet long. The crown shaft is silver green in color and the leaves are green. Mature height is about 25 feet on average. It tolerates temperatures into the 20's F. I've been growing one in my garden for about 40 years. It's still gorgeous. Some plant them as small colonies, two or three together. We're putting our one gallon size on special. It's been a while since we've offered this species or size.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE $60

Remember to mention this Special. These can be mail ordered

COCCOTHRINAX BARBADENSIS
MEDIUM SIZED, NARROW TRUNK
VERY "CUTE PALM" WITH GREEN OR SILVER GREEN LEAVES

TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY LARGE BAND SIZED PLANTS

We at the nursery are very proud that we offer a good selection of these interesting New World fan palms - Coccothrinax. This species is native to the Caribbean region and gets to heights of about 30 feet in many decades. Leaf color is green to silver-green and trunks are typically six inches thick or a bit more. This species loves full hot sun and is cold tolerant into the mid-twenties F. Many are growing it with good success. In pots, all Coccothrinax are painfully slow. It's taken us about four years to produce the band sized seedlings you see here. Yes, from seed, Coccothrinax are very slow growing. We do have other sizes for sale and multiple other species of this genus. In the ground this genus are much faster.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $60

Remember: Mention this Special when you purchase to get this discount. These plants would be easy to ship.

LEPIDOZAMIA PEROFFSKYANA
A "USER FRIENDLY" LARGE CYCAD

GREEN LEAVES – NO SPINES
MEDIUM SIZED MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE AS SHOWN

I enjoy talking about this species because it is one of my favorites. It is a large species over time. I say 'user friendly" because this is one of the few species that has absolutely no spines; none of the leaflets, none one the stems. A leaf brushing across your face feels no more intense than brushing past a Maiden Hair Fern. We have a huge selection of this species. I am going to show you an assortment of plants. Below are a few of the main characteristics of this species:

*Large species with trunks slowly getting to over ten feet
*Leaf length typically six to eight feet, sometimes bigger.
*Trunk diameter to 18 inches
*Smooth petiole with no spines
*Great for strong filtered light or full sun along the coast
*Large interesting cones
*Leaflets soft and glossy green in color
*New leaves emerge upward, older leaves lay more horizontal
*Easy to grow

I've found that even customers who say "I only like palms, not cycads" tend to love this species.
The plant size on special are our band sized seedlings. Most have about three leaves presently, bigger than shown below. These bands can be shipped. I am also showing some garden specimens.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $65

CYCAS PANZHIHUAENSIS X CYCAS DEBOAENSIS
HYBRID OF TWO EXOTIC & ATTRACTIVE CYCADS

SHOULD BE GREAT GROWING PLANT FOR PART SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON PLANTS

This hybrid cycad was made by applying Cycas debaoensis pollen to the female cone of Cycas panzhihuaensis. Both parents are native to China. C. debaoensis is very sought after as it has multipinnate leaves. You'll see on the third photo below the splitting of the simple leaflets. So far, it's been an easy plant to grow. Anticipate giving it some coastal sun. It might even take full coastal sun. Far inland, I'd recommend a few hours of sun - morning or late day. In the ground, I suspect you'll find it easy to grow. Just don't overwater it. Good draining soil would be ideal. These cycads are in one gallon pots with caudexes of 1 to 2 inches. Mail order would be easy. In the third row of photos, the panzhihuaensis is the 7th photo and the 8th and 9th are the debaoensis.

REGULAR PRICE THESE ONE GALLON WITH 1-2 INCH CAUDEX $200
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE ONE GALLON $155

LEPIDOZAMIA HOPEI
LEPIDOZAMIA SPECIES WITH WIDER LEAFLETS

MAKES A TALL TREE CYCAD OVER A CENTURY
RARE AND HARD TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON GOOD SIZED GARDEN READY 15 GALLON

This species of cycad gets enormous! I mean really tall. There are specimens with heights to almost 60 feet – but these plants are hundreds of years old. Leaves are six to ten feet long. Leaflets are soft and without spines or armor. For this reason, it is felt to be a very user-friendly cycad. But, you must give it adequate room to grow. Compared to the Lepidozamia peroffskyana, the hopei leaflets are wider. It's quite noticeable when you compare the two side by side. This is the best way to tell them apart when they are young. Culturally, it is quite similar to L. peroffskyana, preferring some sun but not full sun in most areas. Far inland it may do better with filtered light. In terms of rarity, you don't see this species for sale that often. Cold hardiness is into the mid to lower 20's F. We're putting an older 15 gallon on sale. It has a caudex that is 6.5 inches wide and 8 inches tall. We estimate age at 12-15 years. It could be mail ordered in a large box.

REGULAR PRICE THIS OLDER 15 GALLON SPECIMEN $1210
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THIS ACTUAL SPECIMEN $1050

ENCEPHALARTOS ARENARIUS – THE GREEN VARIETY
RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - LIKES COASTAL SUN
STUNNING SPINY LEAVES - GREEN WITH POSSIBLE HINTS OF BLUE
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 15 GALLON PLANT

Encephalartos arenarius is from the coastal dunes and forest close to Alexandria in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This species is medium in mature size. Leaf length can range from one to two meters (i.e. three to six feet approximately) depending on cultivar and exposure to sun. With an older mature specimen you'll often find three to five feet of trunk and and overall height of six to ten feet. Like many of the Encephalartos from the Eastern Cape, this species is variable in color, size and leaf type. E. arenarius can range in color from a dull green to a powdery white color (bearing a likeness to E. horridus). The plants of this species are both blue and green forms, but this plant below most likely the green variety. In sun, it may show some blue color. It prefers a well draining soil. Speed of growth of this cycad is good. The plant shown here is in a 15 gallon container. Caudex size is 3.5 inches. This plant can be mail ordered if needed. If this plant sells, we do have other 15g of similar size at the same End of Summer Sale discount.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE 15 GALLON $575
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL PLANT $525

VARIEGATED SHELL GINGER
NICE 5G SIZE READY FOR THE GARDEN

HANGING WHITE FLOWERS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This is a super popular variety of ginger that blossoms in the summer. Blossoms are white with yellow and red throats. Mature height of these plants is six to seven feet. The leaves are prominently variegated with lighter green and yellow. Blossoms are long lived but not fragrant. Blossoms occur during the summer. I think they do best in part day sun although right on the coast folks grow them in full sun. Cold tolerance is one of the better for ginger, probably the mid-twenties F. The last photo shows our 15g size of the green form of this species which is not on sale right now.

REGULAR PRICE 5G SIZE $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $75

Just mention this Blog Special to get your discount.

YUCCA ROSTRATA SAPHIRE
BLUE SUCCULENT WITH AMAZING COLD HARDINESS

SEMI-DWARF SIZE MATURE
BEING GROWN IN NEW YORK IN THE SNOW!
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE

This small to medium sized, drought tolerant plant is native to the southern U.S. border and down into Mexico. It is usually a single trunk mature plant but can fork above the ground. Most notable is the silver-blue foliage as shown here. It is very slow growing. Over time it forms a trunk about eight or ten inches thick. Foliage is about 2 feet long and not "pokey" or sharp. Mature height six to ten feet. Leaf color blue to blue-green. It demands full sun and is cold hardy at least into the single digits F. I had a customer call me from New York City recently to tell me that a plant bought from us about three years ago was thriving in his yard. Gardeners like this species because it's not very big and gives nice color to a sunny garden. The size we’re putting on sale are five year old 2 gallon with lots of thin leaves. This is a good starter size but will take time to make a nice garden plant. These would be easy to mail order. Of note, we occasionally have larger and smaller sizes for sale. Note, photos below taken on a cold and cloudy day so blue doesn't show well.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE $65
Garden photos are by it.dreamstime.org and USF.ed

BRACHYCHITON RUPESTRIS
INTERESTING THICK TRUNK TROPICAL TREE

SNAKESKIN TEXTURED TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL TALL 25 GALLON TREE

About four decades ago I visited Seaborne Nursery up in the Lake Hodges area of San Diego County. It has long since vanished as a nursery. A fellow who ran this nursery, Bill Seaborne (now deceased) convinced me to try a few of this interesting species. I planted them and within about five to ten years found they have the most peculiar, large and swollen trunks. The leaflets are quite fine; but the trunk is massive. It has a green snake skin type of texture and is a fast growing tree. The plant I’m showing here is a 25 gallon we’ve been growing for years. It’s about 15 feet tall and begging for a home. I am also showing you pictures of mature trees in Australia, the native home of this species. This species is not known for flowers, but rather for it's peculiar swollen trunk. It can get to fifty feet tall, likes sun, and has a cold tolerance that is probably into the low 20's F. It's quite tall - maybe ever too tall to easily transport in a pickup. Garden photos by australiagarden website and anbg.gov. If this plant is too big for you, we also should have a few 5 and 15g plants.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 25 GALLON $485
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS TREE $400

EPIDENDRON ORCHID
PINK BLOSSOM

REEDSTEM TYPE TERRESTRIAL ORCHID
HARD TO FIND PINK-PURPLE COLOR
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE

The family of Epidendron Orchids are loaded with species/varieties of lots of different colors. These include pink, purple, orange, red, white and yellow. We have an assortment of blossom colors in one to five gallon pots. Shown is a 5 gallon with pink flowers. All sizes and colors are on sale. All are easy to grow. These plants have reed-like stems, most of which will blossom in summer. Leaves are thick and small and plants can be divided in the future to easily add to other areas of the garden. They'll take coastal full sun or strong filtered light. Some sun is needed for flowering. You can plant these right in the soil. They are cold tolerant into the mid-twenties F. BTW, other than the orange blossoming type, call the other colors are difficult to find. You’ll love them in your garden or in a pot. Once again, we'd give a discount on any size or color of these. Shown is a 5 gallon pink. Trust that they are a definite pink although the photos show an orange-pink.

REGULAR PRICE THESE FIVE GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $125

The pink 5g are in the first two rows of photos. The last row is of smaller purple.

NEORGELIA MEDUSA
INNER LEAVES PROMINENTLY RED
FILTERED LIGHT SPECIES

TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE, FULL 6 INCH PLANTS

This species is a hybrid that has its origins in Brazil. It is a low profile cluster Bromeliad with a mature height of about 12 inches. Inner leaves are pronounced with their red and dark colors with older leaves being purple or green. Like other Bromeliads, it likes water in its cup. This is not a full sun plant and can be grown indoors with adequate indirect light.

REGULAR PRICE 6 INCH $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE 6 INCH $50

MONDAY, 15 APRIL, 2024

COCCOTHRINAX MIRAGUAMA
VERY POPULAR FAN PALM

CUTE MEDIUM SIZED SUN PALM

This is a rather thin trunked fan palm native to Cuba. It attains a height of typically twenty to thirty feet, rarely taller. Below the crown of leaves is an attractive pattern of meshed and woven fibers. The middle and base of the trunk are usually woody. You will note the the leaves are prominently divided into thin, long leaf segments. These leaves are held by a prominent petiole. The dorsal color of the leaves is typically green with a blue-green or sometimes silver color below. This species likes sun and heat. Cold tolerance is into the upper twenties F.

In general, all Coccothrinax are slow growing plants. This is especially true in container grown plants. In the ground they are quicker growing. Shown here is a one gallon Coccothirnax miraguama. Of note, there are several varieties of C. miraguama, but I won't get into this here. Shown are C. miraguama in domestic plantings. For the garden, Coccothrinax are nice species to grow because they take sun and heat and don't take up too much room. As you can see, the crowns of leaves are not large. And, they are strikingly different than anything else you'd be growing. We have various species of this genus for sale and do, on occasion, have this species miraguama as well.

AECHMEA BLANCHETIANA
LARGER TYPE OF COLORFUL BROMELIAD

TOLERATES FULL SUN - FAIRLY COLD HARDY
DIFFICULT TO LOCATE - READ BELOW FOR SALE PRICE THIS SPECIES
MULTIPLE LEAF COLORS - RED, ORANGE, YELLOW & GREEN

This is a great Bromeliad for Southern California - or for many areas in the country where severe cold is not seen. Native to eastern Brazil, they get heights of three to four feet and tolerate full sun easily here along our coast. Cold hardiness is into the mid to upper twenties F. There are varieties that show yellow, orange, red and several other colors. I prefer the colorful forms although straight green is also seen. The problem is that they are hard to find. These are a fantastic full sun companion plant. Shown below are plants that we have at the nursery along with a couple of garden pictures of this species. Most are yellow but there's a few "orangeade" types shown. They came from a yellow-orange mom as offsets. They should grow in sun to show nice color. Presently we do have a pretty good selection of this species. Below in this Blog are nice specimens of this species on Sale.

VEITCHIA ARECINA
EXOTIC MEDIUM TO TALL PINNATE SUN PALM

CAN BE GROWN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
RARE SPECIES - SELDOM SEE FOR SALE
END OF SUMMER SALE SINGLE 25 GALLON SIZE

We have only a few of single 25 gallon plants of this species. They are starting to put on good height. Inherently, this is a single trunk, crown shafted pinnate palm native to Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga. In the wild, plants get to over 75 feet tall. In So California it is more typical to see one to 30 to 40 feet. They have a light colored crown shaft, speckled dark or black color near the inner crown area and sometimes on the leaf stems. Leaves are six to eight feet long and leaflet tips are pointed or slightly blunted. The trunk is narrow for a tall palm. Shown here is the 25 gallon singles that we’re putting on sale. There are quite a few people who are growing this species in the coastal strip in our area.

REGULAR PRICE 25 GALLON SINGLE $545
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON SIZE SINGLES $455

BURRETIOKENTIA KOGHIENSIS
RARE NEW CALEDONIAN PALM

NARROW TRUNK & WHITE CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 25G PLANTS

Back in the year 2000, I was the President of the International Palm Society. I set up the 1998 Biennial in Thailand at Nong Nook Gardens. I arranged with the Palm Society of New Caledonia to have to 2000 Biennial in their country. The palms of New Caledonia are some of the most exciting and prettiest palms of the world. This gave my son Jesse and I a great opportunity to see the New Caledonian palms in the wild.

About 45 minutes out of Noumea (the capitol) is Mount Koghi. This is the home habitat for Burretiokentia koghiensis. It has a thin to medium trunk, a white crown shaft and gets to about 25 feet tall. It's very beautiful and does great in Southern California. Most grow it in part day sun. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties F. (sort of like a King Palm with tolerance of cold). Shown here are plants that we germinated about 10 years ago. They are finally really nice, old 25g plants. You'll not see locally grown plants of this species and size around at all. And, never on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 25G $650
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25G $575

We only have a few of these, so don't dally. It's a fabulous addition to any garden. Mention this Special.

WALLICHIA DISTICHA
FISHTAIL APPEARING SINGLE TRUNK PALM THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND

ALL LEAVES IN ONE PLANE
A VERY INTERESTING AND PECULIAR PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL LIMITED NUMBER 15 GALLON

This unusual palm that has all of its leaves in a single plane. That is to say from the front, it is a fairly large, "Caryota-appearing" palm tree. But, looking from the side, it is narrow and you can hardly see it. The dictionary definition of "distichous" is: "Arranged in two vertical rows on opposite sides of an axis: distichous leaves. " In this case, the trunk of the palm is the axis.

This species is native to the Himalaya Mountains in Asia, spreading from northern India across to northern Thailand. There it grows at altitudes of up to 4000 feet. Because of it's heritage and as you might guess, it does have some cold hardiness and can easily be grown in many areas of Southern California. It tolerates temperatures down to about the mid to upper twenties F. It prefers full sun. Mature height is about 30 feet. Usually this species is single trunk, but in the wild suckering specimens are found. This is not to confuse it with another suckering species, Wallichia densiflora, which is always a clustering species.

Wallichia could be confused with Arenga and Caryota, both of which are also from the same part of the world. All have leaflets that have jagged or toothed apical ends as shown here. All also go through a flowering process that begins at the upper trunk and works its way down the trunk over time. And, all have stems that die after suckering. When there is only one stem (as with this species), the tree will die after it flowers. Seeds of Wallichia disticha are very small as shown here. The back sides of Wallichia and Arenga leaflets are silver whereas Caryotas are green on the back side. This helps in identifying the genus. Trunks of Wallichia disticha are also covered with dense brown fibers as shown here.

We have very limited numbers of this species for sale. I'm showing below as 5 gallon and 15 gallon plant as well as seeds (very small) of this species. For someone who likes different species, this one is for you. And, we do still have a few available. As mentioned, these are near impossible to find for sale.

TEN DAY SPECIAL OUR FEW 15 GALLON SIZE $265

KING PALM
ARCHONTOPHOENIX CUNNINGHAMIANA

MEDIUM TO TALL, FULL OR PART DAY SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SINGLES, DOUBLES OR TRIPLES – SUN GROWN

The popular King Palm is also known as the Piccabeen Palm or Bangalow palm. It is native to several areas in Australia. It can in habitat get to sixty feet tall, but in Southern California is usually not over 40 feet tall. It is crown shafted with a gray trunk. The crown shaft is green with some brown speckled areas. Leaf length is 8 to 10 feet. It is not particularly rare. Other species of King Palms are. (we grow them all). Ramenta is present on the back of the leaflets, a hallmark of this species. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. The plants below on Special are fairly tall triple 15 gallon plants. These plants have seen some coastal sun and should be ready to plant in most areas. We have a limited number available.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON TRIPLES $185
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE 15 GALLON $160

Mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase for this discounted price. We do have other sizes for sale.

RHOPALOSTYLIS BAUERI
NORFOLK ISLAND PALM

SINGLE TRUNK - CROWN SHAFTED
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

Rhopalostylis baueri, the Norfolk Island Palm, is native to two locations. Norfolk Island (an Australian island) is the home of the classic Rhopalostylis baueri but there is also a population in Kermadec Islands, a New Zealand territory. The population of Rhopalostylis baueri on Norfolk Island is near the elevated center of the island, rare elsewhere. In this locality, it is threatened by rodents that eat the seeds and young seedlings. In the Kermadec location, this species is found on Raoul Island. It is more plentiful there because there have been efforts to eliminate the rat population. In my experience, this species does best in less than full sun along the coast. Half day morning sun is about perfect. It has a cold tolerance into the low 20's F. and is being grown in the SF Bay area. Anticipate a height typically of about 25 feet mature. Shown below are our 15 gallon plants but we should have small as well. The 8th photo is c/o Wikipedia.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $220

CHAMAEDOREA WOODSONIANA
TALL, THICK TRUNK, BEAUTIFUL GREEN PINNATE PALM

DOES BEST IN SHADE – STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 15 GALLON SIZE

This is a very large, single trunk species that is native to a long range, spanning from Mexico into the northern parts of South America. It is very sought after by enthusiasts and is known as one of the tallest of all Chamaedoreas - reaching heights of possibly over forty feet. The trunk has a prominent crownshaft and is four inches thick or more. It's leaves are four to five feet long with a prominent petiole. Leaf color is a deep green and, in cross section, the leaves are slightly keeled. In Southern California, this species prefers shade or a bit of sun. It has been said that this species cannot take a freeze. More recent reports suggest this species can tolerate temperatures into the upper 20's F. It is known to be growing in the San Francisco Bay area. It is a quick grower and sometimes the base of the trunk is swollen. Shown is our 15g size on sale. We have limited numbers available.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $275
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $240

Note: We only have a few available and they’ll be gone soon.

CHAMAEDOREA PLUMOSA
THE BABY QUEEN PALM

SEVERAL PLANTS PER POT
LOOK BEST IN GROUPS OF TWO OR THREE PLANT TOGETHER
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 15 AND 5 GALLON MULTIPLES

For anyone who's looked for this species lately, you realize it's in very short supply. This is because of a several year shortage of seeds the past few years. We are pleased to presently three different sizes, all on sale. I'm showing photos of our 5 and 15 gallon here. All are multiples with at least 3 plants per pot. This species gets up to about 14 feet height with a green, ringed trunk about 1.5 inches in diameter. The leaves are plumose or fluffy. They are quick growing and perfect for narrow planter areas. It will take full coastal sun. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F. It can also be used as a houseplant in a bright area. We’re putting on sale popular sizes of 5 and 15g plants. But, we also have one gallon size available as well. The 5g and 1g sizes are shippable for mail order. In the first two rows of photos you'll see our 15g followed by a row showing our 5 gallon size. If we run out of plumosa, we do have similar sizes of Chamaedorea glaucifolia, which is almost a twin-species to the plumosa.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $210

REGULAR PRICE 5G $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G $110

Mention this Blog Special for your discount at the time of purchase. NOTE: The last two photos are c/o Palmpedia and TS at RPS. Also, be aware, we have limited numbers on some sizes.

DYPSIS PLUMOSA
THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

FLUFFY LEAVES – SILVER CROWN SHAFT
TOLERATES SUN ALONG TH COAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 GALLON PLANTS

This single trunk, crown shafted pinnate palm comes from Madagascar. It is a medium size palm with a narrow trunk and plumose leaves. Trunk diameter is four to six inches. The trunk color is silver-green and it has prominent rings. Leaflets are narrow and green in color. The ends of the leaves curve downwards. We have been growing this species for over two decades and found it to be a reliable grower. When young the trunk is much thinner but fattens up with age. It is quite cold tolerant, down into the mid to low 20's F. It's growth rate is good. It likes full sun in most areas. We are offering very tall 5 gallon plants on sale. These 5g plants are about six feet tall. So, for mail order, they’d take a very tall box. The last photo is c/o TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON $125

BRAHEA DECUMBENS
DWARF, BLUE, SUCKERING SUN FAN PALM
VERY LIMITED SUPPLY OF THIS NEAR-IMPOSSBLE TO FIND SPECIES

TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE FEW 5 GALLON PLANTS

This easy to grow Mexican fan palm hardly ever gets over five feet tall. In the sun, it gets super blue, suckers and doesn't have a large footprint in the garden. Surprisingly, when young, plants are green in color. But, outdoors in the sun, I guarantee that they'll turn blue. Leaves are small compared to other Braheas. It is rare and, unfortunately, very slow growing. I am showing here several well grown and old 5 gallon plants which we just got in. We’ve been out of these for several months. They are quite old for their containers and one is already suckering. This species will take sun in all areas and does not like shade. It does well in desert areas. Cold tolerance is about 17 to 18 degrees. We're offering our 5 gallon on Special which just became available. These 5 gallon plants are five to six years old - yes, they are veryslow growing. This size is suitable to put right into your garden after a little acclimation. These would be easy to ship.

Note: When sold out, it'll be a long time before we offer them again. We only have a handful left.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLDER 5 GALLON $165
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON PLANTS $140

CHAMAEDOREA COSTARICANA
ONE OF THE BEST BAMBOO PALMS

EASY TO GROW - A GREAT INTERIOR PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This suckering palm species is native to Mexico and Central America. It is one of about four types of "Bamboo Palms" and is probably either the best or in a stiff competition with Chamaedorea hooperiana. This species gets to a mature height of twelve to sixteen feet, has strong 1 inch to 1.5 inch trunks which are green in color with prominent rings, and about three to four foot long leaves. It is an upright grower and does clump. It doesn't run. It takes filtered light or morning sun along the coast. I've even heard of some growing it in full sun although I'd not recommend it. It is a good growing species. Cold hardiness is into the mid to lower 20's F.

Below I'm showing in the first six photos the 5g size which we’re putting on sale. This size can be mail ordered no problem.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Remember: Mention this Special for this Blog Only discounted price.

DYPSIS ONILAHENSIS HYBRID
COULD END UP BEING SINGLE TRUNK OR A SUCKERING PALM

SHOULD TOLERATE COASTAL SUN WITH MEDIUM MAATURE HEIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This pure species is a suckering palm from Madagascar but can also be found as a single trunk specimen. The crown shaft is often white or silver. The plants on sale here are a hybrid of the Dypsis onilahensis. Unfortunately, we do know know what it’s hybridized with. So, it’ll be a surprise if you figure it out. It may have either flat or droopy leaves/leaflets and white to silver crown shafts. Overall height should be about twenty feet as a guess. We can’t be sure as it’s a hybrid. It should like coastal part day sun, perhaps more, and should be cold tolerant to the mid-twenties F. The plants on sale are the 5g size with an age of about 5 years from seed.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $125

BRAHEA ARMATA
THE MEXICAN BLUE FAN PALM
BLUE HESPER PALM

VERY BLUE COLORED LEAVES – VERY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON STARTER PLANTS

This species of blue fan palm is not only known for its intense blue color but also for the fact that it is extremely cold hardy. It goes down to about 16 degrees. It is native to Mexico, specifically to Baja Mexico. It prefers dry heat and is a challenge to grow in humid areas. Mature plants take 30 years or more to reach a height of 20 to 25 feet. The trunks are stout but clean. This species is also very drought tolerant. The plants we’re putting on special should turn blue with age and full sun. This size on sale is shown in the first six photos, are about 2 perhaps 3 years old with three or four strap leaves. Within a few more leaves they'll become a classic palmate leaf. These would be easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $55

Just mention this Blog Special to get this nice discount. On the mature trees below, note the prominent blue color of the leaves. This is the hallmark of this species.

CHAMAEROPS CERIFERA
NATIVE TO MOROCCO
THE SEMI-DWARF "BLUE MED FAN"

FULL HOT SUN - EXTREMELY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON PLANTS

This interesting palm is a suckering blue fan palm is native to Morocco. It's actually quite amazing that it took a long time for taxonomists to realize that it was a species and had it's own unique characteristics. It's definitely a deep blue color but also it never gets as large as Chamaereops humilus. The problem was that there were also native short clones of the later. Chamaerops cerifera is one of the most cold hardy species for those of you in super cold areas. I've had reports of it going down to 13 degrees F. Mature height is about six feet or so. Color is blue in hot sun. This species does sucker. Most importantly, with age and full sun, they will have blue leaves (see garden photos). The plants on special here are nicely sized one gallon plants. They can be shipped for mail order customers. We also have other sizes available. These one gallons are easy to ship. The eighth photo below is by TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $60

Remember: Mention this Special for your discount.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX "TERACARPA"
THE BEST KING PALM EVER!

BIGGER, FASTER GROWING, NO BROWNING OF LEAFLETS
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE BAND SIZE PLANTS

Archontophoenix teracarpa is a fictitious name given to an unknown species/type of King Palm that I have in my garden and no one can identify. I've been collecting seeds from it for quite a few years and offering it for sale. Everyone who gets one agrees - "It's the best King Palm ever!" It got the name from the Latin "Large body", which it has. After trying to identify the species over many years and with no success, we coined the name "Archontophoenix teracarpa". The closest species to it would be A. maxima but it's not the same. So, what are the differences that makes teracarpa more ideal?

It is faster growing
It gets taller than the regular King Palm
It tolerates full sun better
It doesn't brown tip in full sun
It has a blue crown shaft
It has a super thick trunk

The band size plants are about 3-4 years old and huge – about 2 feet tall and need to be planted or repotted into 5g pots.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HUGE BANDS $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE HUGE BANDS $55

Remember: mention this Special to get your discount when you purchase!

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DARK GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

What good fortune is it that New Caledonia can claim to be the home of all Chambeyronia. Included is this species, C. macrocarpa. It is a slow growing, pinnate, crown shafted palm that gets to a height of about 30 feet. It has a dark green to green-black crown shaft. Compare this to C. hookeri above with it's yellow crown shaft. Leaves are wide, thick and leathery to the touch. With good culture, maybe you can get three new leaves a year. About one in twenty plants fail to throw a new red leaf - rather, it remains green. This is just bad luck and there's no way to predict which will do this. Shown here are 5 gallon plants we're putting on sale. We do have larger and smaller sizes available. Coastal sun is tolerated although strong filtered light is ok for most areas. This is a great garden palm. The 7th and 9th photos by HJD and TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $57.50

Just mention this special when you buy. I thank TS at RPS for usage of his photo below.

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS X ENCEPHALARTOS PRINCEPS
INTERESTING HYBRID OF TWO BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCADS

SHOULD BE A MEDIUM SIZED BLUE LEAF MATURE CYCAD
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON NICE STARTER SIZE

Both parents of this hybrid are South African cycad species. E. princeps is always super blue. E. longifolius is a blue to green species that gets larger than E. princeps. We predict that this will be a blue cycad mature and is already showning blue at this stage. Leaves are minimally armed. Leaf lenth should be four to five feet and mature it'll probably will develop three to five feet of trunk in several decades. It will want full sun except in the desert and should be cold hardy down to about 22 degrees F. This plant is in a 2 gallon pot and has a caudex 1.5 inches. We have two plants of this hybrid. They can be easily shipped. The first garden photo is the longifolius follow by two photos of princeps.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 2 GALLON HYBRID WITH A 1.5 INCH CAUDEX $250
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS 2 GALLON HYBRID $200

ENCEPHALARTOS NUBIMONTANUS
SUPER RARE BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - TOLERATES COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON PLANT WITH 2 INCH CAUDEX

This extemely rare blue cycad is endemic to the Limpopo province, South Africa. The species is almost gone in the wild, populations are small and scattered. It is among the species located in the Transvaal region of South Africa, and is highly sought after. This is a small to medium sized species. Leaf length can range between one to two meters, and stems can reach a height of two and a half to three meters with ancient plants. Leaf color is blue to blue-grey. The leaflets and petioles are mildly armed and can be almost completely unarmed in some cases. Compared to the similar E. lehmannii, the princeps leaflets face into the central leaf crown whereas lehmannii face upwards toward the sky. This cycad is a small to medium sized species. Leaf length can range between one to two meters, and stems can reach a height of two and a half to three meters with ancient plants. In coastal and inland areas, this plant prefers full sun, but can tolerate partial sun. For desert areas, I could recommend partial sun or filtered light. We are offering two plants, each on Speciasl in 5 gallon pots with a 2 inch caudex. The last row of photos shows mature plants of this species. The first garden photo is by an unknown author at Flykr. These plants can easily be shipped.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON WITH 2 INCH CAUDEX $600
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 5 GALLON $475

CYCAS GUIZHOUENSIS
RARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CHINESE CYCAD

GREEN UPRIGHT LEAVES - A GOOD GROWING CYCAD
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON OVERSIZED 1.5 GALLON SIZED PLANTS

This small to medium sized exotic cycad is from southwestern China. Only in the past 20 years has this species been available in the U.S. It has green upright leaves and can develop a trunk about three feet tall. Leaves are green and leaflets narrow and shiny. Sometimes you’ll see the leaflets twisted on their axis. It comes from elevations of 1000 to 1500 feet or more and has potential to have reasonable cold hardiness, at least into the mid and possibly low 20’s F. The crown width is about eight feet across with leaf lengths of three to five feet. At the nursery it seems to grow quite well. We’re putting nice one & one/half gallon plants on special. Caudex size is about 3.5 inches. The 7^th photo, by George Yao at PACSOA, shows a plant in full sun although growers may get away with part day sun as well. This size is easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 1.5 GALLON OVERSIZED CYCADS $275
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 1.5 GALLON CYCADS $225

ASSORTED MATURE CONING SIZED CYCADS
MANY SHOWN BELOW CAN TOLERATE SOME SHADE

SALE ON THESE FILTERED LIGHT SPECIES - NAME & CAUDEX SIZE
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON ALL PLANTS SHOWN BELOW

About two weeks ago we took photographs of an assortment of older cycads. Those shown below are all different species and are from assorted genera. All are older plants, near mature and coning sized plant with ages of 20 to 30 years or more. All plants shown are for sale but could be sold by the time you read this. Finally, most of the plants below can tolerate filtered light, partial shade or maybe even full shade. And, we're offering a Ten Day Special on these cycads as shown below. If any plant interests you, just call us for pricing.

TEN DAY SPECIAL ANY LARGE CYCAD SHOWN BELOW - 15% OFF REGULAR PRICE

Ceratozamia mexicana 24 in box, caudex 9 x 20 inches	Ceratozamia mirande 24 in box caudex 7 x 9 inches with 3 pups
Ceratozamia species 24 inch box caudex 10 x 16 inches	Cycas debaoensis 15 gallon mature female caudex 7 inches
Cycas thouarsii 25g caudex 8 x 32 inches	Dioon mejiae 35g caudex 13 x 26 in
Dioon rzedowskii 24 in box caudex 24 in x 22 in	Dioon spinulosum 24 in box caudex 11 x 20
Encephalartos ferox 25 gallon caudex 17 x 16 in	Encephalartos gratus 24 in box caudex 13 x 17 inches
Encephalartos sclavoi 24 in box caudex 16 x 18 inches	Encephalartos villosus 24 in box caudex 13 x 15 inches
Encephalartos whitlockii 25g caudex 17 inch	Encephalartos senticosus 35g caudex 21 x 38 inches

ALOCASIA CAL-ODORA
THE MINIATURE ELEPHANT EAR
NEVER OVER ABOUT THREE FEET TALL

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Customers often shy away from the regular Elephant Ear Alocasia because of it's potential size of up to eight feet with huge leaves. There is even one species that gets super tall and almost takes over the garden. But, what I'm showing you here (Alocasia Cal-Odora) is a true dwarf with plants that never get much above your knees. The leaves are a foot wide and color is green. They are an ideal plant where you want a low profile companion plant to cover the garden floor.

This species can take full coastal sun or part day sun and filtered light in all areas. They do like and respond to water. We sell a ton of these but do have limited supplies of five and fifteen gallon plants. We often put them on sale for reduced prices. When people see how they perform they often come back for more. In the firsts six photos below I’m showing the 5 gallon on sale. I’m showing a photo of a larger 15 gallon which is also available. Also, we offer super unusual and different types of Alocasia, so if you are a tropical plant freak, come and see us. I’d say right now we have about ten different species or hybrids of Alocasia.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $75

ALOCASIA KUCHING MASK
LUSH TROPICAL GREEN COMPANION PLANT WITH UPRIGHT LEAVES

TOLERATES FILTERED LIGHT OR PART DAY SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species of Alocasia in native to Borneo and has green upright leaves. Mature height is about eight feet. The dorsal sides of the leaves are green while the underside is purple. This, like most Alocasia, does sucker and expand its size somewhat over time. It wants strong filtered light or some sun. Cold tolerance is down to about about a freeze. The last photo is c/o AG2. We’re putting good sized 5 gallon on Special.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $75

COLORFUL RED AND GREEN CLUSTERING BROMELIADS
NEOROGELIA SPECIES
GOOD FOR FILTERED LIGHT OR SUN ALONG THE COAST

LOW PROFILE COLOR FOR THE GARDEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 8 INCH POTS

This is a desirable and colorful Bromeliad that does well in the garden. It forms a nice cluster of colorful plants. They don't get ba get very tall - about 18 inches. Color is as red and green. Like all Bromeliads, after it flowers it produces pups and, in a couple of years, you have a good sized clump. You can removed pups and plant them elsewhere in the garden. They do need overhead water - so just drip is not good for all bromeliads. In coastal areas, it'll take some sun. If you are further inland, figure strong filtered light will work. We're putting plants as shown on Sale.

REGULAR PRICE 8 INCH POT $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $65

RED SPECKLED LEAF BROMELIADS
NEOROGELIA SPECIES
GOOD FOR FILTERED LIGHT OR SUN ALONG THE COAST

LOW PROFILE COLOR FOR THE GARDEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 8 INCH POTS

This species is a little bit taller and larger than the Bromeliads shown above but has similar growth habits and requirements. Leaflets are a bit longer and wider with red speckles on green leaves. They are beginning to cluster.

REGULAR PRICE 8 INCH POT $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $65

AECHMEA BLANCHETIANA
LARGER TYPE OF COLORFUL BROMELIAD

TOLERATES FULL SUN - FAIRLY COLD HARDY
DIFFICULT TO LOCATE - LEAF COLOR YELLOW, GREEN, RED OR ORANGE
SPECIAL ON RED & ORANGE ADE COLORED 5 GALLON SIZE

This is a great Bromeliad for Southern California - or for many areas in the country where severe cold is not seen. Native to eastern Brazil, they get heights of three to four feet and tolerate full sun easily here along our coast. Cold hardiness is into the mid to upper twenties F. I prefer the colorful forms although green is also seen. The problem is that they are hard to find. All the ones we sell come from private gardens. As they sucker and multiply, garden enthusiasts sometimes find they are getting too large. So, we buy them from these folks. They are rarely if ever available through commercial lines. The ones on Special are the yellow and a lighter red variety. In the sun the yellow pick up some orange color and are called “orange ade”. These are a fantastic full sun companion plant. The 5 gallon are good size and we’re putting both colors on sale. Remember that this species of large Bromeliad are never cheap. The last two garden photos are of the "orange ade" variety.

REGULAR PRICE NICE SIZE 5 GALLON $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL BOTH COLORS 5 GALLON $95

                                       FRIDAY, 12 APRIL, 2024

GASTROCOCOS CRISPA
AKA ACROCOMIA CRISPA
THE CUBAN BELLY PALM

SPINY PINNATE PALM
CENTRAL TRUNK SWOLLEN

Native to various areas of Cuba, this single trunk spiny palm is most known for the prominent bulge in the central trunk as shown here. The spines on the trunk are variable. Some older plants seem to lose their spines whereas others keep them. See the photos below. I've shown some photos that definitely show the bulge in the trunk.

Heights can get to over thirty feet, crowns are full, leaves are plumose and overall appearance of the trees are very interesting. This is a full sun species that can be grown in frost free areas of Southern California. We probably have some smaller sizes available presently. BTW, I am old fashioned and really like the old name of Gastrococos crispa.

THE TRAVELER PALM
RAVENALA MADAGASCARENSIS
BANANA APPEARING TREE IN ONE PLANE

CAN BE GROWN IN SOUTHERN CA
CURRENTLY 5 AND 15 GALLON AVAILABLE|
THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO FIND

For about a year folks have called us to obtain smaller sized Traveler Palms. But, we didn't have any. We can now announce that we just got in some fairly nice 5g. We have about ten for sale. They are about three feet tall. This is a quick growing plant and these should do well for most of you that don't freeze. These are fast growing. They like sun in most areas but do not take a freeze - which will melt them overnight. So people can take advantage, we're putting them on special. Remember, this species puts out banana type leaves in one plane. Mature plant height is about 20 feet in our locality. I've got quite a few customers in Southern CA who have such trees in their garden. For people who want something cool looking and rare, this is the right "tree" for you. We presently have 5g and 15g sizes available.

To read more on the Traveler Palm, click here: TRAVELER PALM ARTICLE

CYCAS RUMPHII
FAIRLY RARE, MEDIUM SIZED GREEN CYCAD
REASONABLY COLD HARDY

This species of Cycas is most likely a complex of somewhat different appearing plants depending on where the native habitat is located. Its distribution spreads through the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea. This is also a tall species with trunks over thirty feet tall. Trunks are thin, under a foot, and can branch above the ground. Leaves are up to eight feet long and wooly when emergent. Petioles are armed and leaf color is green when mature. Leaves are also flat in cross section.

Characteristic of this species are the wide and glossy green leaflets and rather wide leaves. Shown here is a nice 15g plant demonstrating the appearance of this species. Also shown are garden specimens and lastly a smaller nursery plant. This species likes filtered light and perhaps full sun along the coast. It is a good grower with cold tolerance in the mid to low 20's F. range. Our nursery plants appear untouched by a freeze. Shown in an older 15 gallon plant with trunk.

BISMARCKIA NOBILIS
BLUE SINGLE TRUNK FAN PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

A DEFINITE STATEMENT PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 20 GALLON SIZE

For several decades we've been growing this stunning blue fan palm from Madagascar. These are the blue form. This palm species loves sun, heat and is cold hardy to the low 20’s F. It doesn’t like the grower to fool with or cut its roots. These cannot be transplanted once established in the garden. They get a husky trunk and probably about 35 - 40 feet tall in many decades. The fan leaf is intensely blue, especially with full hot sun. This is a very attractive palm and should be given room in the garden to show it off. Many people in desert locations have found they can grow it. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. Shown below is our 20 gallon size. This size is followed by our 15 gallon size in the next post - and they are also on sale. This species is a real “show-stopper”. Literally people driving by will stop to look at one in your front yard and ask: “Hey Man, what is that blue palm tree?”

REGULAR PRICE 25 GALLON SIZE $595
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON SIZE $495
Remember: Mention this Special for this price.

VARIEGATED RHAPIS EXCELSA
EXOTIC - TEND TO BE SMALL, MINIATURE PALMS

DON'T LIKE TOO MUCH NITROGEN
LIMITED SUPPLIES AVAILABLE - NEVER INEXPENSIVE
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON ANY VARIEGATED RHAPIS WE HAVE

This is another post to remind readers that we still offer a good supply of the highly coveted variegated Rhapis excelsa. Known as the "Gems of the Orient", these striking plants typically have yellow or white variegation on green leaves. Most plants at mature size are three to six feet. There are many exotic varieties - most popular in Japan where affluent collectors compete to obtain the most striking plants. Propagation is by divisions only. So, one must mother plants for divisions so you'd have a plant to sell.

The plant leaflet photos below are an assortment of our Nursery plants. The variegation consists of very narrow bands of yellow on green. They are sort of hard to see here. On any given leaflets there are lots of these narrow, subtle stripes. Sizes available are 5 & 15 gallon and maybe a few larger.

Contact us if you are interested in getting one. BTW, these are never inexpensive plants. And, they are all different. The variegation seems to be different from leaf to leaf on all varieties. Prices on our 5g start at about $150 and the 15g at $450 or more. IMPORTANT: These variegated Rhapis essentially want no fertilizer. Fertilizer tends to drown out the variegation with nitrogen. As we have an injector system on all our plants, it’s very difficult to “starve” these plants. You’ll probably be better at growing them than us as you can easily avoid giving them fertilizer.

A 15 gallon plant is shown in the first six photos with close-ups of the variegation on some leaves. Following are photographs of plants we still have at the Nursery or have sold from the Nursery.

TEN DAY SPECIAL: 15% OFF REGULAR PRICE ON ANY VARIEGATED RHAPIS THAT'S FOR SALE AND IN STOCK

CHAMAEDOREA BENZIEI
RARE SINGLE TRUNK CHAMAEDOREA
LIKE C. RADICALIS ON STEROIDS!

NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
15 GALLON SIZE NOW AVAILABLE AND ON 10 DAY SPECIAL

I have not shown this species that often because it's rarely available and very difficult to find - either plants or seeds. It is native to Mexico at high elevations near Chiapas. It is a single trunk, understory palm that has sort of a thick trunk up to 1.5 or 2 inches. The flowers are reminiscent of Chamaedorea radicalis as they shoot high into the foliage. Its overall appearance is also similar to the trunking radicalis but with bigger leaves, wider leaflets and a thicker trunk. It gets up to about 10 to 15 feet. It grows in filtered light and seems to be cold hardy into the mid-twenties at least. Right on the coastline, some have grown it in full sun. We have a limited number of 15 gallons available (first six photos) that we're putting on Special. These can be mail ordered but would require a large box to ship. Please appreciate that this is a super rare species and is seldom offered for sale.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G $225

Remember: Mention this Special for your discount.

CHAMAEDOREA CATARACTARUM
THE CAT PALM

A SEMI-DWARF CLUSTERING PALM
SEMI-DWARF TO SIX FEET
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This species of palm has been sold under the name "Cat Palm", which is an abbreviation for "cataractarum". For Chamaedoreas and in the past, it was fairly easy to find. Nowadays it's very difficult to find, especially with mature size as shown here. It is a clustering palm that gets six feet tall. It really doesn't form any trunk. It likes water as it has a native habitat near river beds. It is cold hardy into the mid 20's F. and I'd recommend, at most, a few hours of sun or filtered light. It is native to the southern areas of Mexico and possibly into areas of Central America. With less than adequate water it tends to look scrappy. At the nursery, we offer mostly large plants, either 10 or 15 gallon size. They typically are suckering with a near mature height.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $220

Remember to mention this Blog Special for your discount.

BURRETIOKENTIA HAPALA
AN EXOTIC NEW CALEDONIAN PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

In the mid-1980's I began to grow some of the very cool palms from new Caledonia. By 1995 I was totally into it and this led to my arranging the fantastic International Palm Society Biennial trip to New Caledonia that happened during my tenure as President in the year 2000. I just didn't know of a better place for a bunch of palm enthusiasts to go and see some of the best palms in the world. This species, Burretiokential hapala, is one of those palms.

It is a crown shafted, single trun pinnate palm with a rather thin trunk of about eight inches that gets to a height of approximately 25 to 30 feet. It has an intriguing brown color to the stems and crown shaft area. It does not have the stripes you'd see with the Burretiokentia vieilllardii. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F, or perhaps a bit lower. So, it's comparable to a King Palm. If you can grow a King, you can grow this species. One of the keys to culture is not letting the ground it's in go dry. This species, like Chambeyronia, responds to water.

Shown here are the band size I'm putting on special. I'd recommend morning sun, a few hours of mid day sun, or bright filtered light. It's a great species to grow.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON SIZE $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE $230

Note that we have two other sizes of this species below.

BURRETIOKENTIA HAPALA
AN EXOTIC NEW CALEDONIAN PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON SIZE $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE $75

BURRETIOKENTIA HAPALA
AN EXOTIC NEW CALEDONIAN PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL $55

DYPSIS PEMBANA
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING
NATIVE TO PEMBA ISLAND

TAKES FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZED PLANTS

There are both single trunk and suckering forms of this species. Nowadays, most of the plants available of this species are the suckering form. Both get to a height of 25 feet, have an attractive green trunk and a light colored crown shaft. Leaves have a graceful arch and the leaflet color is green. It's a great alternative for the garden. Note how the trunks are beefy but not overly large. The plants on special are already suckering. Along our coast it will take part day sun but I'd recommend filtered or morning sun inland. The plants on special are in 15 gallon pots and are ready to acclimate to your garden. We do have smaller sizes available. may have larger plants available. I cannot tell you whether the plants we have (from seed) are the single or suckering type.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $215

Remember to mention this Blog Special at the time of purchase. The 8^th photo of a garden plant is c/o late friend Al Bredeson. The last photo is by tranquilometro.

PRITCHARDIA SPECIES
OLD AND HUGE 15G PLANTS

UNKNOWN SPECIES FROM PRIVATE COLLECTION
HAWAIIAN SPECIES ONLY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE

Pritchardia are single trunk fan palms. They grow in Hawaii and some tropical islands, but we only grow the Hawaiian species as they grow much better in Southern California. We offer about 15 species. Most species are short to medium mature heights but there are a few that get up to fifty feet or more. Leaves are green with some having dusty colors on the bottom of the leaves. Trunk widths are thin to medium in size. The Pritchardia shown here are representative of most of the 15 gallon that we have. They are super large and the size of a typical 25 gallon plant. Note the formed trunk at the base and overall size. A representative 15g (not the largest of the group for sure) is shown in the first two rows of photos. A 25 gallon is shown in the third row of photos.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 15 GALLON HUGE PALMS $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS BATCH OF VERY LARGE 15 GALLON $295

Just mention this Blog Only Special at time of purchase to get your discount.

CHAMAEDOREA ARENBERGIANA
SINGLE TRUNK UNDERSTORY PALM WITH WIDE LEAFLETS

MEDIUM HEIGHT MATURE - PROMINENT TRUNK RINGS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This single trunk species is from Mexico and Central America. It is pinnate like other Chamaedoreas with a trunk diameter of an inch or a bit more. The leaves a five feet long with wide leaflets and prominent drip tips. You can see how wide the leaflets are from the photos. It is a very tropical and exotic understory palm. It prefers moist but good draining soil. The trunks are dark green and prominent trunk rings are present. Mature height is about 12 feet. You'd want to make sure this palm doesn't exceed your canopy to expose it to full sun. Low temperatures tolerated are about to a freeze and this species likes filtered light. Below I've shown you photos of our 5 gallon size which we are putting on Special. We also have 15 gallon size available. The last row of photos have pictures by palmpedia and RPS. The last photo shows mature seeds and the trunk.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 5 GALLON $125

ROYSTONEA REGIA
THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

TALL, SINGLE TRUNK SPECIES
ELEGANT WITH LONG CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This super popular palm is native to south Florida and Cuba. It gets a very tall trunk with a height of forty feet or more. The crown shaft is long and a prominent green. The base of the trunk is swollen just above the ground. Often, you'll also see bulging in the mid-trunk. It is a full sun plant and some are growing it in desert areas with success - in full sun. Cold tolerance is like a King Palm, about 25 degrees F. The 5 gallon we have are about four feet tall height in their pots. Basal diameter is about 2 inches. We also have 15g and bands. We are hoping to offer larger sizes than shown here shortly. There's a shortage of this species on the California market. The Royal in the 8th photo was taken in San Diego.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON $115

Mention this Special for your discount.

READ MORE ABOUT ROYAL PALMS

HOWEA BELMOREANA
THE SENTRY OR UMBRELLA PALM

ANOTHER PALM FROM LORD HOW ISLAND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

There is a second endemic species of Howea on Lord Howe Island. This is Howea belmoreana. Common names used to describe this species include the Sentry Palm, the Belmore Palm, the "Kentia Palm", and even the Umbrella Palm. However, the name "Kentia Palm" is usually used to refer to the H. forsteriana. Howea belmoreana comes from a higher elevation in its natural habitat compared to the H. forsteriana. And, given this fact, one might expect that this species is a little more cold tolerant. Most growers have found this to be true, tolerating temperatures to about 25 degrees F.

The main difference between this palm and the standard Kentia is that the crown of leaves are quite curved pointing downwards toward the grown. This gives the crown an overall umbrella appearance. Like the H. forsteriana, the Belmore Palm doesn't like full sun if away from the Coast and is rather slow growing. Most find it to be slower than the regular Kentia Palm. Culture is similar and there is little data on the transplant of this species, but I suspect it will perform about the same as the standard Kentia.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Please mention this Special at the time of purchase.

DYPSIS BARONII
IDEAL RARE SUCKERING MADAGASCAR PALM

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE – TOLERATES SOME COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 3 OR 5 GALLON PLANTS

Over the years and having grown between fifty and one hundred different species of Dypsis, I can say that Dypsis baronii is one of the best species of Dypsis for Southern California. It is a reliably performing plant and quite beautiful. Palm enthusiasts get real excited about the variety of color seen in the stem, crown shaft and new petioles. The color in these plant parts varies from red to yellow to powder white. Eventually, most plants give a silver green trunk with a light colored crown shaft as shown here. Trunks are several inches thick, leaves are about five to six feet long and overall heights peak out under twenty feet. Right on the coast this species can be grown in full sun although strong filtered light or part day sun is ok too. Cold tolerance is into the mid and perhaps low 20's F. Growth rate is slow to medium.

Availability on this species is variable. Right now we have 3 5 gallon sizes available. They are already suckering and the size as shown. These can be mail ordered if needed. Limited supply. The garden photos were taken in the San Diego area.

REGULAR PRICE 3 or 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 3 or 5 GALLON $115

COPERNICIA PRUNIFERA
THE CARNAUBA WAX PALM

WATER CONSERVING - COLD HARDY - LOVES HEAT AND SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species is native to Brazil and is a single trunk fan palm with a not too large crown of leaves that are green in color. Sometimes they'll be blue-green. Overall height can get over fifty feet but it’s more common to see them shorter. Old leaf bases can be adherent to the trunk as a petticoat as shown in a photo below. Economically, the leaves of this species produce a wax that makes carnauba wax. The latter is marketed for various usages including car and shoe wax. This palm wants heat and sun and is cold hardy to at least the lower 20's F. We are offering our 5g plants on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $110

Remember, mention this Special!

CHAMAEDOREA TENELLA
DWARF SINGLE TRUNK

UNDERSTORY SUPER RARE MINIATURE PALM
SIMPLE LEAVES - NEVER OVER A FEW FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

This dwarf understory palm species has entire, small leaves, a very thin trunk the size of a pencil and a mature height never over two to three feet. It comes from high elevation mountainous areas of Mexico. It's extremely rare and hard to find. The seedlings we're offering this year came from domestic plants in San Diego County. They are about a year old. We got these in last year and about ten sold out quickly. I rarely have them for sale. They need a filtered light environment and should be cold hardy at least into the mid-twenties F. I can mail order these. Limited numbers available!

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $65

Remember: Mention this Blog Only Special when you purchase. These can be mail ordered - weather permitting.

LICUALA SPINOSA
SUCKERING FILTERED LIGHT FAN PALM

EXOTIC WHEN WELL GROWN
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

FACTS ABOUT LICUALA SPINOSA

Common Names:	Spiny Licuala palm, Mangrove Fan Palm
ID:	2181
Locality:	Southeast Asia
Cold Hardiness:	26Âº F.
Trunk Type:	This palm has slender trunks (about an inch); crown is brown and fibrous.
Leaf Type:	Fan leaf, the petiole (leafstalk) is heavily armed with spines.
Suckering/Solitary:	Suckering (multiple trunks).
Maintenance:	Is a great palm for those who have some experience growing palms. Normal watering needs.
Speed of growth:	Slow
Height:	Approximately 8 feet
Soil requirements:	Rich soil with good drainage.
Sun requirements:	Shade or filtered light.
General Description:	This is a very nice palm for a true enthusiast. It can be a bit fickle but it is worth a try if you live in a warmer area.
Further Data:	If you like this palm see Rhapis excelsa, Licuala ramsayi, Licuala radula, Licuala elegans and Sabal mauritiiformis.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $55
(Note: these are a simply ship for mail order)

DYPSIS PRESTONIANA
SINGLE TRUNK, BEAUTIFUL
A REAL WINNER!

SUPER RARE MADAGASCAR PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

Discovered by John Dransfield and named after a U.K. executive of Macdonald's Hamburgers (who funded the expedition to Madagascar), this single trunk palm is new to the market, super rare and quite attractive. It has orange-brown leaf bases at the point of trunk attachment, plumose leaves and gets to a height of about 25 to 30 feet. It is single trunked with a medium thickness and prominent rings. It takes full sun in coastal areas and, once established, is a good growing palm. Shown here are our band sized seedlings. On occasion we have larger sizes for sale. These are easy to ship. Growers tell us that this species takes temperatures into the mid-20's F. I know of several enthusiasts who live in cool areas and now have fruiting specimens of this species. It is an excellent grower.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $55

Remember: Mention this Blog Special for this price. Easy to mail order. Habitat photo c/o TS at RPS.

DIOON EDULE
BLUE QUERETERO VARIETY

RARE FORM - SUN LOVING BLUE CYCAD
COLD HARDY INTO THE UPPER TEENS F.
GETS BLUE COLOR IN HOT SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER BAND SIZED PLANTS

In other posts I’ve discussed Dioon edule, a typically small to medium sized sun-loving cycad from Mexico. There are known to be about six different varieties of this species - all from different localities. The variety on sale here is from the Mexican state of Queretaro. Leaves are typically blue in full bright sun. Leaves are about 4 feet long and leaflets are thin, coming to a pointed end. Mature height after a few decades may be six feet with an trunk height of 18 inches. Cold tolerance is excellent, being able to take cold weather into the teens F. The band size on sale are not new seedlings but rather established older (five year old) plants with an average caudex of 1.5 to 2 inches. The bands are shown in the first five photos below. These are hard to find and easy to mail order. Last photo by MARK MASON.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLDER BAND SIZE $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE OLDER BAND SIZE $80

Remember to mention this Special for your discount when you purchase. Availability limited. BTW, if these don't sell out, all will be repotted into 5g pots shortly.

MACROZAMIA MOOREI
LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

A CYCAD THAT EVENTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A PALM TREE
TEN DAY SPECIAL TWO 50 YEAR OLD SPECIMENS SHOWN BELOW

This larger cycad is native to Queensland, Australia. Over many decades, it establishes a thick trunk and can get ten to twenty feet tall. At this size the truly resemble a palm tree, both in crown size and trunk size. It is recognizable because of its long, curved and keeled leaves (V shaped in cross section). Other species like M. johnsoni and communis have much flatter leaves. It is very cold hardy for a cycad and can easily grow outdoors in many areas of the SF Bay Area. Some report that it tolerates low temperatures into the upper teens F.

The 24 inch boxed specimens shown below were imported into the U.S. about 25 years ago by a private individual - all legally with CITES permits. They were about 25 years old back then. Caudexes are fat and some have stem heights of two feet. Of note, this species is slow to put on trunk height. This species wants full sun. The two specimens shown below are larger than anything on the market and have a Regular Price of $3400.

TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE ON EITHER OF THESE TWO SPECIMEN CYCADS $2900 EACH

The large specimen photo is by: people.hws.edu by Mitchel. Each individual plant is shown by three photos in the first and second row of photos below.

DIOON ANGUSTIFOLIUM
THIN LEAFLET GREENT TO BLUE-GREEN CYCAD
LIKE SUN AND HEAT

QUITE COLD HARDY - TO UPER TEENS F.
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS CONING SIZED MATURE CYCAD

This cycad species is from Mexico and is known for its very thin leaflets. You will see this cycad as a single trunk plant or as a cluster with multiple stems. The overall crown size is not large, typically with a spread of four feet. A plant with a caudex of 12 to 18 inches is a very old plant. Cold tolerance is definitely into the low 20’s F. and perhaps it’ll take into the upper teens F. It likes full, hot sun. This would be a good sun species of cycads for those who live in a colder climate. It is closely related to Dioon edule. This species is also ideal where an enthusiast needs a plant that will not get tall and needs to fit into a smaller area. The plant on Special is in a 24 inch box and has a mature caudex 9 inches wide and 14 inches tall with a four inch pup. Estimated age is at least 25 years. It’ll not get much bigger after planting.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 24 INCH MATURE SPECIMEN $2000
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD AS DESCIBED $1700

PHLEBODIUM SPECIES
FURRY RHIZOMES THAT CRAWL

NORMALLY AN EPIPHYTIC PLANT IN THE WILD
TOLERATE COASTAL SUN OR FILTERED LIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 10 GALLON SIZE

Phlebodium is a small genus of epiphytic ferns that are native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. They, in the wild, live in trees. But, they can be grown in the ground or in containers. Most tolerate near total full sun along the coast and also filtered light. On the species we’re dealing with here, it gets to heights of about two to three feet and is rhizomatous in nature. Furry small feet crawl the ground and every foot or so launch an upright green leaf. It is not a difficult plant to contain in the garden. It easily tolerates temperatures into the mid-twenties F. Leaf color is green with a hint of blue, but not as prominent as the Blue Star Fern. It can be used as a ground cover.

REGULAR PRICE 10 GALLON $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE PRICE THESE HUGE 10 GALLON $105

BIRDSNEST FERN - ASPLENIUM NIDUS
EXOTIC UNDERSTORY FERN

LONG SHINY GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

It's been a while since I've presented this customer favorite - the Birdsnest Fern, Asplenium nidus. They are an ideal understory plant for the garden floor but can also be grown inside the home or in a patio area. Leaves are green and shiny. They want filtered light and ample water. Like most ferns, you don't want them to go dry. A large specimen plant could have a crown spread of six or seven feet. You have to keep snails away from them. The plants on special are nice 5 gallon plants. These can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 5 GALLON PLANTS $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $70

Remember to mention this Blog Special for this discount when you purchase. The very nice photos below are by mysarawak Travelogue and HawaiianForest.com

ALOCASIA SUMO
HYBRID ALOCASIA - EXOTIC WITH SOME COLD HARDINESS

MEDIUM SIZED, LUSH TROPICAL COMPANION PLANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE ONE GALLON SIZE

Alocasia sumo is a hybrid species - a cross between A. portora and "purple cloak". The cold hardiness comes from the portora parentage. This is a medium sized hybrid with 3 to 4 foot long leaves that are diamond shaped with a purple hue to the underside of the leaves. Leaves are a lesser purple-green and point upwards. There are prominent veins on the leaves. Plant height should be about 6 to 8 feet. It is reported that this species is a "7b" zone species which means it should tolerate a freeze. Obviously, it'd look best in summer. We'd recommend filtered light or limited sun although some are having good results with full sun near the beach. The juvenile plants on sale are in one gallon pots. They are being grown in an un-heated greenhouse. They are ready to be repotted into a 5 gallon pot. Mail order possible, weather permitting.

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $45
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $37.50

Note, that if you want larger, we have nice 5 gallons and large 15g. The 15tg size are shown below in the last two photos. I’d offer a special price on these sizes as well.

RABITTS FOOT FERN
DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

DWARF FERN - ABOUT 18 INCHES TALL
CREEPS ON GROUND WITH FURRY FEET
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This popular fern is known for its furry rhizomes which make new plants and can form near sphere of leaves when grown in a basket. Or, you can grow it in the garden where it'll crawl the garden floor. It is native to Fiji. Leaves come off the rhizomes and are about 12 to 16 inches long. Their color is green. They are easy to propagate by cutting and rooting one of the rhizomes with a few leaves. They prefer filtered light and are cold hardy into the twenties F. Many people grow this fern indoors. We're offering full 5 gallons on special.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $60

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase.

PINSTRIPE GINGER
DWARF GINGER WITH WHITE ON GREEN STRIPED LEAVES

NEVER OVER ABOUT FOUR FEET TALL
PARTIAL SUN OR FILTERED LIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This attractive companion plant has become very popular with our customers. This is because it has striking variegation on the leaves and never gets too tall. And, it does quite well in filtered light where other thing gingers can struggle. Mature height is about four feet. Cold tolerance is into the upper twenties. If it suffers from winter burn, the following spring it usually bounces back. Blossoms are yellow and white (see photo) and not overly large. We are putting the 15g on sale. Remember to mention this Special when you purchase.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $175

WEDNESDAY, 10 APRIL, 2024

ASSORTED PRITCHARDIA SPECIES
THE HAWAIIAN PALM

OLD AND NICE SPECIMENS IN LARGER POTS
MULTIPLE SPECIES AVAILABLE

Pritchardia are a tropical fan palm. Most do not get overly large and many are under fifteen feet tall. Along the coast they tolerate full sun. There are about 25 species with habitats ranging from Hawaii to some South Pacific islands. We only grow the Hawaiian varieties as they do the best in Southern California where most will take coastal full sun. Or, grow them in part day sun. Cold tolerance is in the mid-twenties or a bit lower.

I'm showing you three different species that are representative of this genus. all are between ten and fifteen years old and in 25 gallon pots or 24 inch boxes. All have some degree of trunk. On pair are over 14 feet tall in their pots. We have a pretty good supply of such large specimen Pritchardiuas. Almost all are outdoor grown in sun. Leaves on some species are totally flat. Others have a wave to the leaf. Some are colored on the undersides. There's a perfect Hawaiian Palm for anyone. These are way too big and tall for mail order but can be trucked. We have about eight different species of Pritchardia in these sizes.

ENCEPHALARTOS CONES
MANY COLORS, MALES AND FEMALES

PHOTOS FROM NURSERY & GARDEN SPECIMENS

Most of the photos here were taken from Encephalartos plants at the nursery. All photos here show Encephalartos, a type of cycad native to Africa. Both males and females cones are shown. As most of you know, cycads are dioecious plants with both male and female reproductive parts. In cycads they are called "cones". Female cones look somewhat like a pineapple. Male cones tend to look like a corn cob where the kernels have been eaten. Pollen must make its way from the male cone to the receptive female. This is usually accomplished by insects in the wild. Domestically here in the U.S. it must be transferred manually.

When successful and the timing is right, viable seeds result. Seeds are often quite a bright color, often red (see last photo). Cones come in a variety of colors including green, tan, brown, yellow and even red. Tan and brown are the most common. E. ferox is striking because of it's red or orange cones.

All cones are very attractive. They last for about six months on the plant and then brown out and fall off the plant with age. When pollinated, as they grow, one can see the colorful and often red seeds developing inside the cone (see photos below). One must remember to wear gloves and a mask when handling cycad pollen.

Encephalarto altensteinii male cone
Encephalartos ferox female cone
Encephalartos ferox male cone

Encephalartos villosus female cone
Encephalartos lehmannii male cone
Encephalartos kisambo female cone

E. arenarius x lebomboensis male cone
Encephalartos ferox female cone
Encephalartos villosus female cone

Encephalartos villosus cone with fruit
Encephalartos horridus female cone
Encephalartos villosus male

Encephalartos lebomboensis female cone
Encephalartos trispinosus female cone
Encephalartos ferox male cones

Encephalartos arenarius male cone, older
Encephalartos natalensis
Encephalartos kisambo female cone

RECYCLE YOUR USED PLASTIC CONTAINERS

AND OLD CARDBOARD BOXES / NEWSPAPERS

ECOLOGICAL AND HELPS OUR NURSERY
DISCOUNT ON PURCHASES OR NURSERY CREDIT ON CONTAINERS

I'd like to remind plant enthusiasts to recycle their plastic containers. We will take them and give you a credit toward any purchase at the nursery - when you drop them off or issue a credit toward a future purchase. Or, if you just don't know what to do with them and are conservative minded, drop them off at our nursery location. We'll put them to good use. We've been doing this for decades and think it's the right thing to do for the environment. We are especially looking for larger pots, 5g and bigger. We accept any pot sizes, bands to large containers or boxes. We especially seek the larger containers.

So, don't give them to the garbage man for your local landfill. Nursery pots are "forever" and don't dissolve in the landfills. So, recycle them! The fourth photo below shows all containers from a band to a 24 inch box, left to right. If we are closed, just leave them in front of our gates with your name and phone number.

And, if they are sitting around waiting to go in the trash, drop off you used and soon to be discarded cardboard boxes and newspapers. We load customer purchases into them and thus they are recycled from a usage standpoint. We also recycle old newspapers. Donating these means we purchase less new paper for packing plant and this is conservational.

Thank you for doing this. It's the right thimg to do.

5 gallon	15 gallon	25 gallon
All containers in a row

WODYETIA BIFURCATA
THE FOXTAIL PALM

THIN TRUNK, FLUFFY GREEN LEAVES
MEDIUM SIZED MATURE PALM
SPECIAL 25 GALLON SIZE

The Foxtail Palm, Wodyetia bifuracata, is native to Queensland, Australia and is a single trunk palm. It gets to about twenty-five feet height, has fluffy green plumose leaves, is crown shafted as shown below and is single trunk. It has a thin trunk, usually mature about six to eight inches. It is a great species for more inland areas that see a fair amount of heat. It does love heat and sun. Although some like to plant this species in colonies of two or three plants, it looks great as a stand-alone single palm. Because it wants sun, it should not be put in a shady area. Cold hardiness is about 23 to 25 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE 25 GALLON $675
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25G $575

SYNECANTHUS FIBROSA
THE JELLYBEAN PALM

A FEW 20 YEAR OLD PLANTS FOR SALE
YOU WON'T FIND THESE ELSEWHERE
TEN DAY DISCOUNT ON A FEW 15 GALLON PLANTS

This single trunk pinnate palm is native to various areas of Central America. It has a thin ringed trunk with leaves that are about five feet long. Leaflets are wide with irregular leaflets width and spacing. Color is green. Flowers protrude away from the stem with attractive yellow seeds. It is a filtered light species. There is another suckering species in this genus, S. warscewiczianus. Cold tolerance is down to about a freeze or a bit less. Mature height is about twelve to fifteen feet. The plants we have on sale are super old (20 to 25 years) and are shown below in the first six photos. I can pretty much guarantee you that you'll not find comparable plants anywhere in the western U.S. I don’t normally have these for sale (wanted to keep them) so they are not listed in my availability list and I’m now selling the last ones on a Ten Day Special price. The plants on sale are shown in the first two rows of photos. The third row of photos is of palms now sold but were flowering size. The last photo is a fruting mature palm c/o Palmpedia.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON THIS SIZE THIS SPECIES $295

SYAGRUS SCHIZOPHYLLA
MEDIUM HEIGHT GREEN SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

A SEED PRODUCING PARENT OF THE BEAUTIFUL COCONUT QUEEN!
SPECIAL 15 GALLON PLANTS

This single trunk species is from Brazil and never gets very tall. Usually they are never over twenty feet in height. A most prominent feature of this species are the retained leaf bases as shown below. It is super slow growing and, when mature, makes sherbet orange fruits of good size. It is unusual for a Syagrus because it has modified small spines (more like saw edge prominences) of the leaf stem. If you cross this plant with pollen from a Queen Palm you’ll get one of the best looking palms ever - The Coconut Queen Palm. This latter hybrid never gets very tall and really resembles a Coconut Palm. We’re putting 15 gallon size of S. schizophylla on sale. We only have a few. Want to be the next palm hybridizer? You better get one of these.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $265
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $235

CHAMAEDOREA SEIFRITZII
THE MOST CLASSIC OF THE BAMBOO PALMS

MATURE, FLOWERING SIZE 15G
FILTERED LIKE, SHORTER PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIFTEEN YEAR OLD 15 GALLON PLANTS

This New World suckering shade palm has pinnate leaves and never gets much above 8 to 9 feet. This is the reason it's so popular. It is sought out as one of the most popular interior palms. This has been the case for about 100 years. A good thing is that it does fit inside the home of the average house without hitting the ceiling. Outdoors, it wants filtered light and is cold hard into the mid, perhaps lower 20's F. The 15g on sale here are about ten or more years old and locally grown. They shouldn't get any taller and have about as many canes as a 15g pot will support. And, they are much more sturdy and hardy than imported plants. They've seen all of our cold weather.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLD AND MATURE 15G $375
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $325

Just mention this Special at the time of purchase for your discount. Although a tall box is needed, these can be shipped anywhere within the U.S.

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE
SINGLE TRUNK, TALL
SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

DARK GREEN RINGED TRUNK
OFTEN GROWN AS A "MULTIPLE"
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 5 GALLON SIZE

This single trunk pinnate palm is native to areas extending from southern Mexico down to Columbia. They are often grown for food as the male blossoms are cooked and eaten as a delicacy. This species doesn't take sun here - it'll burn. But, in shade it thrives in temperatures down to the mid-twenties F. It is quick growing and has a rather thick, prominently ringed dark green trunk. Flowers are quite prominent and, if you have several plants closely situated, the chances are you'll obtain fruit without even trying. The last photo shows a flower with green fruit. This species can also be grown inside the home as long as the air is not too hot and dry. I personally like the looks of a collection of several plants grown together. Over time, as they age and get overhead, there will be some "stair-stepping" of the crowns and this is quite attractive. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties F. It needs filtered light, even when tall. We have singles and some multiples of our 5g that are on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $135

The last photo below is c/o TS at RPS.

TRITHRINAX ACANTHACOMA
AKA TRITHIRNAX BRASILIENSIS
SPINY TRUNK - MEDIUM HEIGHT FAN PALM

EASILY TOLERATES TEMPERATURES INTO THE TEENS F.
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

This single trunk tropical fan palm is noted mostly for its spiny trunk. The spines are long, randomly directed and almost needle sized. It is native to South America and gets to a height of about twenty feet. It likes full sun and is cold hardy into the mid-teens F. Unlike Trithrinax campestris, the leaflet tips on this species are not sharp nor pointed. It is a medium rate grower. These plants are easy to ship.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $110

Remember: Mention this Special when you purchase. The 5 gallon on sale are shown in the first four pictures below.

TRACHYCARPUS FORTUNEI
THE WINDMILL PALM
ONE OF THE MOST COLD HARDY PALMS

5 GALLON ON TEN DAY SPECIAL

Trachyarpus fortunei is the most commonly available and commonly grown of the Windmill Palms. It is of Chinese origin . It is referred to as the Chinese Windmill Palm, the Windmill Palm, or the Chusan Palm. Note how the term "Windmill Palm" can refer to this particular species or to the genus as a whole. It is not uncommon to see it growing in colder areas of the United States, southern Europe, the Mediterranean and southern portions of Australia and Africa. Cold tolerance is between five and ten degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON $75

Remember to mention this Special when you purchase. Note – Easy to mail order.

CHAMAEDOREA KLOTZSCHIANA
RARE UNDERSTORY PALM - GROUPED LEAFLETS

SINGLE STEM, THIN TRUNK, MEDIUM HEIGHT MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY TALL 5 GALLON SINGLES

This is a single trunk species from Mexico that is most known for having grouped leaflets along the rachis. It has a thin trunk about an inch in diameter and a somewhat open crown. The leaflets are attached to the rachis at irregular angles so that the leaflets look as if they were a group of bow ties attached to the leaf stem. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F. It likes filtered light or perhaps a little bit of sun. Some like to plant this species as a grouping or colony of multiple plants. Mature height is from ten to fifteen feet. I've shown two close-ups of the leaflets as this is the most charming characteristic of this species. The plants on sale just arrived and are very tall 5 gallon singles – most overhead with their tall leaves. The photos don't show it well, but these leaves are above Brandon's head and he's six foot six inches. These are really too tall for mail order but would be easy to fit into most cars if you visit..

REGULAR PRICE THESE TALL FIVE GALLON SINGLES $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $120

CHAMAEROPS HUMILIS - GREEN FORM
LOVES SUN AND HEAT - VERY COLD HARDY

SUCKERING FAN PALM WITH MEDIUM SIZED MATURE SIZE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Historically Chamaerops humilis has been considered a monotypic genus although in recent times a very blue version (Chamaerops cerifera) has been discovered in northern Africa and this may be eventually named as the second species in the genus. This green species is very durable and can live on limited water. It tolerates hot full sun, even in desert environments. Although there are variations in mature heights (different clones of the same species), it tends not to be overly tall. It does sucker and leaf stems are armed with sharp barbs. Most mature specimens are between ten and twenty feet tall. The 5 gallon plants on special are the green form of this species. Notably, all C. humilis can be green or have strong hints of blue in the leaves and stems. This species demands full sun and loves heat. In the shade, it performs poorly. Cold tolerance is about 15 degrees F. This size can easily be shipped for mail orders.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $100
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $75

RHAPIS EXCELSA
THE LADY PALM

ONE OF THE BEST INTERIOR PALMS
ALSO GREAT UNDERSTORY GARDEN PLANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 GALLON SIZE
THIS SIZE CAN BE MAIL ORDERED

We have an assortment of Lady Palms which are near perfect - almost as nice as the expensive ones we bring in out of Hawaii. But, they are locally grown and better priced. And, we are offering them on special – five gallon size. They are about 5-6 years old. Rhapis excelsa is native to Asia and typically doesn't get much over 8 feet tall in a pot or in the ground. Each leaf is composed mature of six to ten leaflets that have jagged ends and are green in color. They do great in shady locations of the garden or inside the home. They are a very nice patio plant. Cold hardiness is about 20 degrees F. They want low dose fertilizer. Too much fertilizer will burn them. The 5 gallon size can be easily shipped' It's slow growing and a dwarf species.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 5G $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

DYPSIS "MAHAJANGA"
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING

FLUFFY PLUMOSE LEAF
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This is a species of plant from Madagascar. The name is a “locational” name – where the plant is from. I am unaware of an exact species name at this time. The seeds of this "species" first came out about twenty-five years ago. From seeds, some of these plants ended up being single trunk, others suckering. Seeds came from as private grower in El Cajon, CA. His tree has three trunks, see photo below. He said it was an easy grow in his full sun. I have a limited number of one gallon plants which I’m putting on sale. Leaves are quite plumose or “fluffy” in appearance. They seem to be reasonably cold hardy and should mature at heights under twenty feet. I'd give part day sun. The most similar species to these plants is Dypsis madagascarensis. The mature palm below was photographed by Al Bredison. It's suckering with two trunks, possibly three. This species is recommended.

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $65

Mention this Special to get this price at the time of purchase. This size would be easy to mail order.

CHAMAEROPS CERIFERA
NATIVE TO MOROCCO
THE SEMI-DWARF "BLUE MED FAN"

FULL HOT SUN - EXTREMELY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON JUVENILE PLANTS

This interesting palm is a suckering blue fan palm is native to Morocco. It's actually quite amazing that it took a long time for taxonomists to realize that it was a species and had it's own unique characteristics. It's definitely a deep blue color but also it never gets as large as Chamaereops humilus. The problem was that there were also native short clones of the later. Chamaerops cerifera is one of the most cold hardy species for those of you in super cold areas. I've had reports of it going down to 13 degrees F. Mature height is about six feet or so. Color is blue in hot sun. This species does sucker. Most importantly, with age and full sun, they will have blue leaves. The plants on special here are one gallon plants. They'd be easy to ship for mail order customers. On occasion we do offer larger sizes.

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $60

Remember: Mention this Special for your discount.

TRITHRINAX CAMPESTRIS
BLUE, SUCKERING FAN PALM
VERY COLD HARDY

LIMITED NUMBER OLD SUCKERING 5G
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This South American suckering fan palm comes from Argentina and Uruguay. From these locations, you might suspect it could have quite a bit of cold hardiness, and this is the case with not only this species of Trithrinax, but of the genus as a whole. Availability of seeds of this species has been sparse to nonexistent. And, as a young plant, it is quite slow growing. Consequently, to get a good sized container plant can take a decade or more. We are fortunate to offer some one gallon juvenile plants as shown below. I'd estimate their age at 4 years. They will need acclimation to full hot sun and leaves will be intensely blue. This is a perfect selection for someone who lives in an interior area with lots of heat.

Overall height of this species is up to twenty feet. Multiple stems are produced, but usually the number is just several. Leaves are small, typically about two feet wide. The segments of the leaves are pointed and sharp. Trunks retain old leaf bases but, like Washingtonia, eventually fall off. This is a drought tolerant species and can take temperatures well into the 100's F. and cold tolerance is into the teens. Of note, most specimens I've seen are blue.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $60

But, remember to mention this special when purchasing to get this price.

RHOPALOSTYLIS CHEESEMANII
MORE RARE SPECIES OF THIS GENUS

GORGEOUS CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE BAND SIZE

Of the Shaving Brush Palm family, this is the hardest one to find. And, many think it's the prettiest and most desirable species. Some consider it to be a variety of R. baueri. We like to consider it a species. Native to Raoul Island, an island well off the eastern side of New Zealand, this species has a medium sized trunk and reaches a height of twenty five feet. The crown shaft is gorgeous but not as swollen as R. sapida. I have some customers who report the crown shaft being a purple color. On younger plants, the leaf stems are red colored as shown here. Cold tolerance is the low 20's F. It will take coastal sun or consider morning sun or strong filtered light inland. The band size are four to five years old and absolutey huge for their pots - needing repotting or putting into the garden.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HUGE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE BAND SIZE $55

Just mention this Blog special for this discount. These can be mail ordered. We also have 5g (shown beloww) and 15g sizes available. The 8th photo is c/o cloudforest.com website.

5g size

SABAL BRAZORIENSIS
DWARF FAN PALM NATIVE TO TEXAS
NATURAL HYBRID BETWEEN TWO SABAL SPECIES

VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

Sabal brazoriensis is a naturally occurring dwarf hybrid fan palm that was discovered in Brazoria County, Texas. It is a cross between Sabal minor (a small dwarf species) and Sabal palmetto. Identifying this hybrid puzzled taxonomists until genetic studies found that (in the long ago past) these two species hybridized. It's location presently is known only to occur in Brazoria County. Leaves are green and very large for its height. Mature heights range from ten to twenty feet. It is extremely slow growing - so it'll be short for quite a while. Leaves are very costopalmate - as opposed to other species. Trunks are thick. We germinated and are growing some of this sought after species. It is touted to be super cold hardy although I cannot give an accurate number for you. Some say it'll take close to zero degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE THESE RARE BAND SIZED PLANTS $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $60

The photo of the garden specimen is by Brian F. Austin at PalmTalk.

ENCEPHALARTOS MUNCHII
A RARE CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

BLUE – GREEN SPINY LEAFLETS
SUPER DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE PLANTS

Native to Mozambique, this small to medium sized cycad grows in scrub forest among rocks and boulders. It is distinguished by its blue to blue-green color and by having leaflets that are prominently spiny. In my experience, leaf color is sometimes very blue, other times blue-green. You'll sometimes hear the description as "soapy green" to describe the leaves. Overall, the leaf color is variable. Trunk size is usually under three feet. Upright leaves are about four feet long or less. Leaves are keeled and leaflets are lanceolate and spiny. This species likes full sun and is cold tolerant into the low 20's F. We are putting band sized seedlings on sale. They are supposed to be the blue form (from blue parents) but need age and sun to show the blue. These are easy to mail order, weather permitting.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $72.50

ENCEPHALARTOS CERINUS
DWARF SOUTH AFRICAN SPECIES

VERY SMALL CYCAD
GRAY-GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL YOUNGER 5 GALLON SIZE

This rare dwarf species of South African cycad is quite petite and never gets over four feet tall. Leaves are gray-green to sea foam green and about three feet long. A mature caudex is six to eight inches. This species likes sun and is cold hardy to the low 20's F. This is a rare and sought out species and never inexpensive. We are putting our 5 gallon on sale. The plant shown has a caudex of about 1.5 inches. We do have an assortment of other sizes available. Our 5g are easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON THIS SIZE SIZE $165
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON THIS SIZE $145

Just remember to mention this Blog Special for your discount when you purchase.

MALE IN CONE - 15 GALLON ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CYCADS WE SELL
LOVES COASTAL SUN AND HEAT

KNOWN MATURE MALE CYCAD – READY FOR THE GARDEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD

This is a popular blue cycad from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa. I say “popular” because some people don't like spines and prickles. The leaflets of this species are narrow with only a point at the end. They are nothing as gnarly as E. horridus. The leaves and crown are very neat and uniform. The nearest species to this one is Encephalartos princeps. Trunks of E. lehmannii can get to five feet, but one with two to three feet of trunk is very old. Leaves average about four feet long and are strongly curled. Sometimes they'll almost do a 180 or more degree re-curve. Leaf color is intensely blue like E. horridus. But, you'll only see this color with full, hot sun. In shade or inside a greenhouse they are often green. Cold hardiness is about 21 to 22 degrees F. In the desert only give it a few hours sun. Next to Encephalartos horridus, this is the second most popular cycad we grow.

Shown below is a nice specimen of this species that has thrown a male cone. It’s in a 15 gallon container with a caudex of 9 inches. We have other 15g with larger and smaller stem sizes. The sale price of this actual plant is given below.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 G WITH A CAUDEX OF 9 INCHES $1350
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON AS DESCRIBED $1125

This plant can be mail ordered, weather permitting.

ENCEPHALARTOS MIDDELBURGENSIS
VERY SOUGHT AFTER BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM TO LARGE CYCAD THAT TOLERATES FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON WITH TWO CAUDEXES

Encephalartos middelburgenis is endemic to the Witbank and Middelburg districts of South Africa. They occur in fragmented populations, and their habitat is rocky soil and outcroppings in grasslands and valleys. The climate is hot and dry. Winter months can be cold and experience periodic freezes. This is a medium sized species. Leaves are approximately a meter and a half to almost two meters. Stems (trunks) can reach an excess of ten meters over the centuries and have the tendency to sucker moderately.

This is a beautiful blue Encephalartos species. In shade, like many of the blue Encephalartos, this species will not appear nearly as blue. Leaves are armed with prickles, but depending on cultivar the degree can vary. Larger, older specimens tend to bear less spines than younger juvenile plants. This is another species from the Transvaal region of South Africa. This is noteworthy are some of the rarest and most beautiful species of Encephalartos hail from this region. E. middelburgensis is a moderate grower, and tends to flush annually. The female cones on this species are a yellow, green with fine brown tomentum, where male cones are much darker in appearance covered in a dark brown tomentum. In coastal and inland areas this plant needs to be in the sun. For desert areas, partial sun or filtered light is adequate. Excessively wet soil will lead to rot problems with this species.

The plant on Special is in a 15 gallon contain and has two caudex – each one 5 inches. It can be shipped within the U.S., weather permitting.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 15 GALLON WITH TWO 5 INCH CAUDEXES $3000
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD AS DESCRIBED $2200

ALOCASIA SUMO
HYBRID ALOCASIA - EXOTIC WITH SOME COLD HARDINESS

MEDIUM SIZED, LUSH TROPICAL COMPANION PLANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

Alocasia sumo is a hybrid species - a cross between A. portora and "purple cloak". The cold hardiness comes from the portora parentage. This is a medium sized hybrid with 3 to 4 foot long leaves that are diamond shaped with a purple hue to the underside of the leaves. Leaves are a lesser purple-green and point upwards. There are prominent veins on the leaves. Plant height should be about 6 to 8 feet. It is reported that this species is a "7b" zone species which means it should tolerate a freeze. Obviously, it'd look best in summer. We'd recommend filtered light or limited sun although some are having good results with full sun near the beach. The juvenile plants on sale are in one gallon pots. They are being grown in an un-heated greenhouse. They are ready to be repotted into a 5 gallon pot. Mail order possible, weather permitting.

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $45
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $35

Note, that if you want larger, we have nice 5 gallons and large 15g. The 15tg size are shown below in the last two photos. I’d offer a special price on these sizes as well.

BRAZILIAN RED CLOAK
MEGASKEPASMA ERYTHROCHLAMYS

MEDIUM SIZED BUSH / TREE WITH PROMINENT RED BLOSSOMS
NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND FOR SALE
ONLY A HANDFUL AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 & 1.5 GALLON SIZE

The Brazilian Red Cloak is super rare and hard to find. This is probably because most propagation is by cuttings only. And, you have to have a mother plant to do this. We obtained two mother plants about eight years ago and have established them here in Encinitas. We began propagating about a year or two ago. This is considered a "bush" but can reach heights of eight feet or more. It blooms red when the weather is more cool - November to April. The terminal leaves turn red and hide the small white blossoms within (thus the "cloak" in the name). The red colored photos are of our mother plants. These can be mail ordered but you have to be in at least a 9A environment to grow it. Cold tolerance is down to about a freeze. We only have a few for sale.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 & 1.5 GALLON $50

Note: Our one gallon size is on the right of the first two photos. The larger 5 gallon size has sold out. The last photo is c/o Gumtree.com website. The boxed tree is our Nursery tree which we use for propagation of this impossible to find species.

ACANTHUS MOLLIS
BEAR'S BREECHES PLANT

ABOUT FIVE FEET TALL, UPRIGHT BLOSSOMS
HARD TO FIND NOWADAYS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G PLANTS

This herbaceous perennial is from southern Europe and northern Africa. It is fairly easy to grow and prefers sun. It has big, wavy green leaves. It is somewhat reminiscent of the Snowflake Aralia which occasionally we have available. Mature plant height is about three to four feet. The blossoms are spectacular as shown - up to 30 inches long. They go vertically above the foliage and are lavender colored. Plants in shade will not blossom. A hard freeze can damage the leaves but plants usually come out of it. This is a suckering plant. Shown below is our 15 gallon size which I'm putting on special - but we have limited numbers. We also sometimes have 5 gallon plants available.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $175
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G $145

Remember: Mention this Blog Special for this price when you purchase. And, like all big leafy tropical plants, prevent snail invasions which can eat holes in the leaves. The garden photos are c/o weedbuster website in NZ and Sunset Website.

CRINUM AMABILE - PURPLE LEAF
LARGE CRINUM TYPE LILY - AKA "QUEEN EMMA LILY"

OVERHEAD PURPLE-GREEN LEAVES
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DASY SPECIAL 7 GALLON PLANTS

This Lily is native to all sorts of locations throughout the world including southern Asia, Australia, and Africa. It is known for it's spiraling display of long, heavy substance leaves that are upright and four to six feet long. Their color is green and dark purple. Flowers are white with purple centers and markings. It grows like other Lilies by making offset tubers that make new plants. Expect a mature height of six to seven feet, definitely overhead. As mentioned, they clump and form a great display of foliage. They will not "run" or take over an area. In recent times these have been near impossible to find. But, we have a limited number of 7 gallon that we’re putting on sale. The size on special shown below. This is a perfect size to plant in the garden. Anticipate a mature clump at about six to seven feet tall. I’m also showing a blossom and some older plants. We only have a handful left for sale

REGULAR PRICE THESE HARD TO FIND 7 GALLON $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $165

HELICONIA PSITTACORUM ANDROMEDA
A RARE DWARF HELICONIA WITH ORANGE BLOSSOMS

NEVER OVER FOUR TO FIVE FEE TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL LIMITED SUPPLY 2 GALLON PLANTS

This exciting new arrival to our nursery offers gardeners a chance to have a Heliconia that doesn't get to tall or spread too much. Plant heights are typically 3 to 4 feet with blossoms extended above for a foot to 18 inches.l Blossoms are orange with yellow hints. It tolerates coastal sun or part sun. It does need some sun to blossom. Cold tolerance so far is unknown but we suspect it'll take down to at least a freeze. We just got these in and only have about ten available. We've found they survive in coastal areas although may get some leaf burn. This species wouldn't be recommended if you are in a colder interior area.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON THIS SPECIES $75

The garden photos are both care of Flikr, the first by an unknown author and the second by Jnzl's photos.

TRITONIA SPECIES
IRIS APPEARING SUCKERING PLANT WITH UPRIGHT ORANGE BLOSSOMS

TOLERATES FULL SUN ALONG THE COAST
SMALLER COLORFUL COMPANION PLANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

There are many species of the genus Tritonia. I believe it's also known as Crocosmia. I don't know the species name for the variety we're offering. Tritonia are native to Southern Africa, especial in the Cape area. Plants have "iris-like" flat leaves. They do sucker making a small clump. Mature plant height is 2 to 3 feet with upright flowering stalks above the foliage and with many orange flowers. This species tolerates coastal full sun or part sun. It can be grown in part day sun. Cold tolerance is estimated to be in the mid-twenties F. I don't have photos presently of garden specimens. We're putting nice 5 gallon plants on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $65

These can be shipped. Limited numbers available.

MONDAY, 8 APRIL, 2024

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA
THE STAR PALM

MEDIUM SIZE, WHITE UNDERSIDE TO LEAVES
A VERY COOL PALM - PRETTY COLD HARDY

This single trunk fan palm is native to regions stretching from Mexico through Central America. In the genus, there are multiple species. All have prominent white powder on the underside of the leaflets as shown here. Trunks are narrow. Often you'll see what look like "spines" on the trunk. But, these are a different structure - they are modified root spines. They are quite interesting looking. Right on the coast, this species can take full or part day sun. Most would grow it in bright filtered light. Expect heights ranging from ten feet to well over twenty feet. Cold hardiness is into the upper twenties F. Shown here are photos of the 15g size at the nursery. Notice the white backs to the leaflets. Also shown are photographs of a Cryosophila unknown species to show the typical appearance and trunk covered with "spines". We usually have an assortment of sizes available.

ZAMIA VAZQUEZII
AKA ZAMIA FISCHERI

VERY CUTE UNDERSTORY DWARF CYCAD

This petite cycad seldom gets very tall and is native to Mexico. It has a small caudex, often subterranean, typically holds five to eight leaves, has serrated leaf margins and an overall height usually under three feet. It is rare to see an old plant with a cuadex more than twelve inches long. This species is an ideal choice for a small, filtered light area in the garden. Along the coast they can tolerate full sun. And, surprisingly, they make a wonderful house plant. They, like all cycads, like good draining soil. I've found that, on a cold winter, leaves may brown and the plant becomes deciduous. But, the following season, a new crop of leaves appear. They also make a very nice potted cycad. This species will sucker, so small colonies can develop in the garden. Shown here is a female plant in a citrus pot. Note the cone in the third picture. The fifth picture is a very old specimen in a pot. I'm showing an old picture (last photo) to show that you can get a full throw of leaves, even in a pot. We have a great supply of these for sale and can ship them anywhere within the U.S. I'd estimate cold tolerance to be in the mid-twenties F.

CYPHOPHOENIX ELEGANS
THE ELEGANT PALM

MEDIUM SIZE – THIN TRUNK – CROWN SHAFTED
NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IN LARGE SIZE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON SIZE

This species is from New Caledonia in the northern part of the island. It is of similar height to C. nucele and has the same trunk diameter. The crown shaft on C. elegans is slightly more swollen than that of C. nucele. The crown shaft is also more of a green color, but can show silver. The leaflets are thinner and, as you can see, the leaves curve downward as opposed to the stiff, upright leaves of nucele. Another important difference between the two is that the leaves of C. elegans are keeled whereas the leaves of nucele are more flat. Of note, on both species the bare petiole (stem with no leaves) is very short. This helps you identify this genus.

Shown here is a good sized 25 gallon plant. Also shown are photos of mature plants. It's easy to appreciate how beautiful and not overly large it is. This species should be started in filtered light and be allowed to grow into some sun if you live along the coast. Inland full sun is too harsh for this species. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F. Note that we only have one or two this size.

REGULAR PRICE LARGE SIZED 25 GALLON $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 25 GALLON $650

Remember to mention this Special to get this price. Limited numbers available.

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DARK GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 & 15 GALLON SIZE

What good fortune is it that New Caledonia can claim to be the home of all Chambeyronia. Included is this species, C. macrocarpa. It is a slow growing, pinnate, crown shafted palm that gets to a height of about 30 feet. It has a dark green to green-black crown shaft. Compare this to C. hookeri above with it's yellow crown shaft. Leaves are wide, thick and leathery to the touch. With good culture, maybe you can get three new leaves a year. About one in twenty plants fail to throw a new red leaf - rather, it remains green. This is just bad luck and there's no way to predict which will do this. Shown here are 7 & 15 gallon plants we're putting on sale. We do have larger and smaller sizes available. Coastal sun is tolerated although strong filtered light is ok for most areas. This is a great garden palm.

REGULAR PRICE 7 & 15 GALLON $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 & 15 GALLON $225

Just mention this special when you buy. I thank TS at RPS for usage of his photo below.

DYPSIS BARONII
RARE MADAGASCAR PALM

SUCKERING PINNATE PALM WITH THIN TRUNKS
MEDIUM HIEGHT MATURE
PART SUN OR GOOD FILTERED LIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

Dypsis baronii is a super attractive, suckering palm from Madagascar. It gets to a height of about 15 feet. It prefers filtered light or a bit of sun - but not full sun. Colder tolerance is into the mid-twenties F. Trunk diameters are about two to three inches. This species, especial when young, is known for having red-toned colors on the leaf stems and trunk. The plants on special are in 15 gallon pots and looking nice. We also have smaller plants for sale.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

ROYSTONEA OLERACEA
THE SOUTH AMERICAN ROYAL PALM

TALL PINNATE PALM WITH LUSH GREEN FOLIAGE
LONG PROMINENT CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species of Royal Palm is native to the lower Caribbean Islands and northern South America. References say it can reach heights of sixty feet but I've personally seen a grove of 100 year old trees in New Caledonia that surpass 100 feet. (8th photo below). They are fast growing, have green leaves, a prominent crown shaft and hold their leaves typically in the upper half of the leaf-crown sphere. They want sun and are cold hardy to about 25 degrees F. On sale are our 5 gallon size. They are putting on some height but are still shippable by mail order. We also have band size available.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $115

COCCOTHRINAX BARBADENSIS
MEDIUM SIZED, NARROW TRUNK
VERY "CUTE PALM" WITH GREEN OR SILVER GREEN LEAVES

TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 5 GALLON SIZE

We at the nursery are very proud that we offer a good selection of these interesting New World fan palms - Coccothrinax. This species is native to the Caribbean region and gets to heights of about 30 feet in many decades. Leaf color is green to silver-green and trunks are typically six inches thick or a bit more. This species loves full hot sun and is cold tolerant into the mid-twenties F. Many are growing it with good success. In pots, all Coccothrinax are painfully slow. It's taken us about six years to produce the 5g plants you see here. We do have other sizes for sale and multiple other species of this genus. In the ground they are much faster.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE $125

Remember: Mention this Special when you purchase to get this discount.

BUTIA PARAGUAYENSIS
BLUE-GREEN BUTIA FROM SOUTH AMERICA

ARCHING LEAVES – MEDIUM HEIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 5 GALLON SIZE

This species is interesting because, in the wild, it is known as a dwarf species that forms minimal trunk. But, when it is grown domestically, it forms a trunk about the size of Butia capitata. It, as you'd guess, comes from Paraguay, with habitat extending into Brazil and northern Argentina. The color is a blue-green, not as silver as Butia capitata. The leaves are strongly arched as shown. It is a full sun plant with cold hardiness into the teens F. We haven’t had them available for a few years. We are now offering 5 gallon plants on sale that are about 5 years old. They are getting chunky and nicely sized. These can be mail ordered. Culture includes full sun and good draining soil. Cold hardiness is into the teens F. I am also showing a photo of a 15g plant from the nursery that is no longer available. The habitat photo is by TS at RPS

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA
FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

SILVER CROWN SHAFT - SILVER TRUNK
UMBRELLA SHAPED CROWN OF LEAVES
ONE OF PRETTIEST PALM TREES AROUND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

We have available some nice 15g plants of Hedyscepe canterburyana. This single trunk palm has a silver crown shaft, silver trunk (in shade) with prominent rings. It is native to medium elevations in the mountains of Lord Howea Island (home of the Kentia Palm). It is single trunk. Mature height is about 20 feet. They fruit here and seeds are large and red in color. Along our coast here it takes full sun but also does well in part day sun or strong filtered light. Trunks are beefier in sun. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees. When folks see this plant in person, most agree it is one of the most desirable palms around. We are putting our 5g size on special - shown in first six photos. This size is about five to six years old. Yes, they are slow growing! We only have a few left this size.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Remember: Mention this Special for this discount.

VEITCHIA WININ
NATIVE ONLY TO VANUATU

SINGLE TRUNK, CROWN SHAFTED
TALL PALM WHEN MATURE
SUPER RARE, HARD TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE

This single trunk pinnate palm is native to the Vanuatu Islands. It can attain a mature height of over fifty feet. Leaves are green, about eight feet long with somewhat drooping leaflets. The trunk is gray in color and medium thickness. This species makes bright red seeds. It can tolerate full coastal sun and has been grown well by some in Southern California. But, because of it's tropical nature, should only be tried by those in good climates. We're offering our 5 gallon size on sale. They've done well with our temperatures down to about 32 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $115

Remember to mention this Special when purchasing so you get this discounted price. Mail order this size quite easy.

ARENGA PINNATA
THE SUGAR PALM

SINGLE TRUNK, FIBROUS TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE

As many of you know, Arengas are usually suckering palms. But, there are several single trunk species. Arenga pinnata is one of these. It is felt to be native to Indonesia and is a large palm. It is a pinnate palm with a fibrous trunk made from woven fibers. Overall height is forty to fifty feet and the trunk gets to a diameter of two feet. The leaves are held upright and can be over twenty feet long. The leaflets, like all Arenga, has jagged terminal ends.

This is a monocarpic species and will die when the plant flowers. Other suckering Arenga has new trunks to replace dying flowering trunks. But, since this species has only one trunk, like a Caryota it will be gone a few years after the flowers appear. The Sugar Palm is a full sun species with cold tolerance into the mid-twenties F. Shown here is a 15g nursery plant and photos of mature specimens. We also have 5g for sale. Note the woven material on the trunk. It is very interesting to see in person. We are putting nice 2 gallon starter plants on sale.

REGULAR PRICE 2G $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2G $65

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase for your discount.

COPERNICIA HOSPITA
THE BLUE CUBAN WAX PALM

EXTREMELY RARE SINGLE TRUNK FAN PALM
STUNNING BLUE SPECIES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This difficult to find and beautiful blue fan palm is native to Cuba. Mature trees carry a large number of blue, circular and pleated and flat leaves. The trunk holds on to old leaf bases for a while but eventually is smooth with about a 12 inch diameter. Many feel that this, along with other Copernicia, are some of the most beautiful of all fan palms. Expect a mature height of 20 to 25 feet. It wants full sun and is cold tolerant to at least a freeze. We're putting our one gallon plants on special. Their age is approaching 3 years. I’d highly recommend getting one as they are near impossible to find. Easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $80
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $70

RHAPIS EXCELSA
THE LADY PALM

ONE OF THE BEST INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR PALMS
SIZE ON SALE EASY TO SHIP
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE ONE GALLON PLANTS

Rhapis excelsa is native to Asia and typically doesn't get much over 6 to 8 feet tall in a pot. They do great in shady locations of the garden or inside the home. They are a very nice patio plant. Cold hardiness is about 20 degrees F. They want low dose fertilizer. Too much fertilizer will burn them. The plants on special here are 3 to 4 year old one gallon plants. This is a very easy size to ship. Of course, we have many other larger sizes available and variegated forms as well.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 1G $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $65

Important: Mention this Blog Only Offering for this price when you purchase. One gallon shown in first 4 photos.

SABAL PALMETTO
THE PALMETTO PALM

MEDIUM SIZED COLD HARDY GREEN FAN PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE BAND SIZED PLANTS

This medium to large fan palm is native to the United States and an assortment of Caribbean islands including Cuba. It's native habitat extends as far north as North Carolina. It is amazingly salt tolerant. In Florida you can see it right up into the coastal dunes. I've seen plants just a few feet from the bay at Tampa Bay and thriving. It is green in color and has a trunk that is of variable heights, ranging from ten feet to up to eighty feet – but it’s rare to see them over about 30 feet. This is a durable, hardy palm with obvious salt tolerance. It's cold hardiness is into the mid teens F. and it prefers full sun for optimal growth. However, it does tolerate partial shade. Also, it can tolerate desert conditions if given adequate water. Trunks have a "criss-cross" pattern of attached leaf bases. Later the palm sheds these to show a fairly smooth appearing trunk. With my comments above, you'd think there are lots of these available in CA. This is not the case; they are hard to find. The bands on sale are very nicely sized. Finally, for those of you displaced from South Carolina, you can bring a little of your state to your present location by growing this palm. Sabal palmetto is your state tree. We can ship one right to your displaced location. These are easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $52.50

BRAHEA BRANDEGEEI
A TALL, QUICK GROWING BRAHEA

GREEN LEAVES, SORT OF WISPY THIN TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

Rarely do I have this hard to find palm and even more rarely do I put it on special. It's one of the hardest of the Braheas to locate. It can reach heights of over 80 feet and is native to Baja California, Mexico. Trunks are thin. Crowns of leaves are open. Leaf color is typically green as shown here. One of the best places to see this species is in Balboa Park, San Diego, less than a half mile from where I live. It wants full sun, tolerates wind and dry conditions and is a good growing species. Despite its beauty, its a solid grower and a fine addition to any garden. I’m offering band sized seedlings on sale - see first four photos. The fifth & Sixth photo are of a 15g plant.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $52.50

It'd be piece of cake to mail order. BTW, the plants are about one leaf larger than shown here from these older photos. Remember, mention this Special!

ZAMIA AMBLYPHYLLIDIA
DWARF GREEN CYCAD

GOOD LOW PROFILE CYCAD
AGES OVER 10 YEARS - MANY CONING!
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE PLANTS

This dwarf species of Zamia is from Puerto Rico and surrounding Caribbean areas. It is a small cycad with a caudex of six inches. It suckers, forming clumps. Its leaves are about 3 feet long, arching downwards and the leaflets are small. The petioles are unarmed. It likes filtered light and tolerates temperatures into the upper twenties F. It prefers partial sun or strong filtered light. But, it can be grown in sun along our coastal areas here. It is an ideal cycad species where one wants plants to stay small. It's perfect for planting next to a walkway. We’re putting our citrus pot plant on Special. Caudex sizes are 3 to 5 inches. Most are clustering plants with cones. Easy to mail order. Remember to mention this Special. Citrus pot shown first 6 photos.

TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT THIS SIZE $295

ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
RARE BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD FOR FULL COASTAL SUN
OFFERING OF SIXTY YEAR OLD SPECIMEN CYCAD

A FAVORITE AMONG CYCAD ENTHUSIASTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL SIXTY YEAR OLD PLANT IN 25 GALLON CONTAINER

This is a popular blue cycad from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa. I say “popular” because some people don't like spines and prickles. The leaflets of this species are narrow with only a point at the end. They are nothing as gnarly as E. horridus. The leaves and crown are very neat and uniform. The nearest species to this one is Encephalartos princeps. Trunks of E. lehmannii can get to five feet, but one with two to three feet of trunk is very old. Leaves average about four feet long and are strongly curled. Sometimes they'll almost do a 180 or more degree re-curve. Leaf color is intensely blue like E. horridus. But, you'll only see this color with full, hot sun. In shade or inside a greenhouse they are often green because they are not getting full sun and have lots of humidity. Cold hardiness is about 21 to 22 degrees F. In the desert only give it a few hours sun.

Shown below is an approximately sixty year old E. lehmannii of unknown sex. It came from a private older cycad collection. It's in a 25 gallon container and was dug two years ago. It didn't miss a beat after being dug and has thrown at least two new sets of leaves. The caudex is 16 inches wide and 29 to 30 inches tall. This is probably the largest of this species for sale in the Western U.S. This plant is so big and heavy that it would need professional delivery. I only have one of this size. It is shown in the first seven photos below. The last habitat photot is by M.R.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIX YEAR OLD SPECIMEN $5900
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD SPECIMEN $5000

ENCEPHALARTOS WHITELOCKII
LARGER CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD WITH LONG UPRIGHT LEAVES

FAST GROWING - EXTREMELY POPULAR AND SOUGHT AFTER CYCAD
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

This unique and larger cycad is native to Uganda. In fact, at one point it was called the "Uganda Giant Cycad". This is because it has leaves that extend almost straight up toward the sky and can be twelve feet long or more. Leaflets are narrow and armed with small spines. The caudex is a light color and in the wild can be up to ten feet tall. Historically, as this species is similar to E. laurentianus, it was called also "Encephalartos laurentianus Lake George", referring to its specific habitat. The nursery plants I'm showing today are 5 gallon size with caudexes of about 4 inches. If a given plant is more or less than 4 inch caudex size, sale price would be adjusted. We have other sizes as well, both larger and possibly smaller. The third row of photos shows garden plants and the last row shows other Nursery specimens. Note the appearance of these plants with their long leaves with narrow leaflets. Enthusiasts love this species because it's a good growing cycad. Right on the coast I'd give it half day sun. It's not quite as sun-tolerant as many of the South African species. Cold tolerance is into the low 20's F.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON WITH 4 INCH CAUDEX $700
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON WITH 4 INCH CAUDEX $600

DIOON EDULE
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED MEXICAN CYCAD

FOR A CYCAD, VERY COLD HARDY
TOLERATES DESERT SUN - ONE OF BEST FOR THIS
TEN DAY SPECIAL BIG 15 GALLON PLANTS

Dioon edule is a typically small to medium sized sun-loving cycad from Mexico. There are known to be about six different varieties of this species - all from different localities. Leaves are typically green to blue-green. Leaflets at pointed at the end and otherwise un-armed. Dioon edule is one of the few cycads that tolerates hot direct desert sun. The Sago Palm can't claim this ability. Cold tolerance is excellent, being able to take cold weather into the teens F. We recently got in a handful of great 15 gallon plants with caudexes of about 6 inches. They are gorgeous.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 15 GALLON PLANTS $700
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS GROUP OF CYCADS $550

This is a great buy. But, remember to mention this Special for your discount when you purchase. Mail order possible.

CYCAS REVOLUTA - THE SAGO PALM
MOST POPULAR CYCAD IN THE WORLD

MEDIUM THICK TRUNK - GREEN LEAVES
EASY TO GROW IN MOST AREAS - TOLERATES FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLD AND LARGE 15 GALLON PLANTS
QUITE A FEW TO SELECT FROM

Cycas revoluta, the common "Sago Palm", is native to areas of Japan and China. It is an extremely easy to grow cycad that requires little maintenance. It is also slow growing with fifty year old specimens attaining a trunk height of five feet or a bit more. Leaves are green as shown below, typically five feet long on older plants and have barbs on the stems. Leaflets are "revolute" - cupped on the underside. Stems can be twelve to sixteen feet thick in decades. Male and female cones are quite different, as with all species of this genus. Male cones look like a corn cob without the kernels. Females are a scrambled clump of "tan leaflets" without any emerging structure. You need both sexes to get viable seeds. I'd estimate that there are well over a million plants of this species in gardens worldwide. It tolerates full sun in coastal areas but not in desert climates (where it needs sun protection). Cold tolerance is perhaps as low as 16 degrees F - certainly into the high teens. It can also be grown as a houseplant when smaller and is ideal for a patio plant.

We have a reasonable assortment of 15gallon sized plants that came from a private garden. We were told that they were at least 20 years old. Some are larger than others. The 15g plant shown below has a caudex that is about 12 inches tall or so. The height of the trunk shows you these ages. These are sun grown outdoors. We're putting this size on Ten Day Special. These plants were dug and potted up over two years ago. All are sturdy and healthy cycads.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON SAGOS AS SHOWN $695
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE PRICE THIS SIZE $500 (ALMOST 30% OFF)

FARFUGIUM JAPONICUM "SHISHI BOTAN"
THE RUFFLED LIGULARIA

RUFFLED, FRILLY LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON PLANTS

Most of you are familiar with the regular Ligularia that we offer at this Blog. This rare variety on special today has ruffled, frilly leaves and is quite attractive. It gets to a height of 18 inches, takes sun or shade and has yellow daisy-like flowers in the late Fall. They are also an "indicator" plant and tell you when the garden is going dry. Watering these immediately corrects this. Compared to the standard Ligularia, the leaves are quite different with curly and frill leaf edges. These are easy to grow and easy to ship.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $35

Note that we also have 5 gallon size available.

PLATYCERIUM BIFURCATUM
THE STAGHORN FERN

EPIPHYTIC FERN FOR GROWING ON TREE TRUNKS, WALLS OR POSTS
OVER MANY YEARS FORMS A LARGE CLUSTER OF PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL WOOD MOUNTED GOOD SIZED PLANTS

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE STAGHORN $100

BIRDS NEST ANTHURIUM
ANTHURIUM HOOKERI

THE PERFECT COMPANION PLANT

NEVER OVER ABOUT SIX FEET TALL
LEATHERY, DARK GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 5 GALLON PLANTS

Enthusiast are always looking for attractive companion plants that don't get too big. Shown here is what's called the "Birds Nest" Anthurium. Most of these plants are felt to either be the species Anthurium hookeri or a hybrid of it. They are good for filtered light situations and rarely get over six feet tall. The leaves are long, wide and very thick to the touch. Their leaf surface is wavy. We’re offering our 5 gallon size on a Ten Day Special. This is the size most people buy. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F. Flowers are red, as are the tiny seeds. These plants are real winners. These can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 5G THIS SPECIES $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $80

Remember: Mention this Blog Only Special to get this price when you buy! The last photo is c/o Wikipedia.

BILBERGIA HALLELUHAY
SPOTTED SUN TOLERANT BROMELIAD

PINK HANGING BLOSSOMS - SPOTTED LEAVES
SPECIAL 5G CLUSTERS

Bilbergia are an easy to grow type of Bromeliad and many will tolerate coastal sun. This variety has red leaves with a scattering of white spots. They grow in as tubular fashion and freely suckering. Thus, you get quite a good sized clump in a few years. Mature height of the plant is typically about 2 feet. Blossoms are pink and hand down from the individual plants.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON CLUMPS $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $70

FRIDAY, 5 APRIL, 2024

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

TWO SMALLER SIZES AVAILABLE - ONE AND TWO GALLON
BOTH EASY TO SHIP
GREAT PATIO, INTERIOR OR IN THE GARDEN PALM

Howea forsteriana, the popular Kentia Palm, is native to Lord Howe Island. There it lives at lower elevations. At higher elevations up the mountains one sees Howea belmoreana and Hedyscepe. The Kentia does great here in So California. It is a single trunk species that is often grown as a "multiple" with several plants in the same pot. It does NOT sucker. Along the coast it takes full sun or part day sun. Far inland, filtered light is needed. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. Mature height in sun is usually about thirty feet in 30 years. Shown here are two sizes that are well established and good size. Both can be easily shipped for folks who are looking for an interior plant or one for the patio.

FIRST ROW PHOTOS: These are 2 gallon, multiples, about three feet tall in pots
SECOND ROW PHOTOS: These are singles in one gallon, about 2 feet tall in pots
THIRD & FOURTH ROW PHOTOS: Other sizes we offer with a few garden pictures

Click here for an article on this species from our website

BECCARIOPHOENIX ALFREDII
THE MADAGASCAR PLATEAU COCONUT PALM

MEDIUM SIZED SINGLE TRUNK
HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER - FULL SUN
AMAZING HUGE SPECIMENS IN 36 INCH BOX SIZE

TEN DAY SPECIAL ON HUGE CONTAINERIZED SPECIMENS

This species of exotic palm is from the island of Madagascar. It is the third of three Beccariophoenix species described from this palm-loaded country. It is so sought after because some feel that it's the prettiest species of the three. And, because it may possess the best cold hardiness. I've documented other Beccariophoenix species tolerating temperatures below 25 degrees at our nursery. So, this species may survive in areas like San Francisco, Phoenix and Houston. It grows to a height of about thirty feet and does not have a crown shaft. Leaves are long and minimally curved. The crown of leaves are densely placed - so it offers privacy and screening of neighbors. Growth rate is medium in most areas and along the coast it likes sun. This species is hard to find. We're putting on sale the largest plants we've ever had for sale - in 36 inch boxes or 35 gallon bags. Heights in the containers is about twelve feet. Limited supplies.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LARGE SPECIMENS $895
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 36 INCH BOX SIZE $795

You must mention this Internet-only special when purchasing to get this price. Limited supplies available. Two habitat photos by TS at RPS. We only have one or two left.

BUTIA CAPITATA BLUE VARIETY
EASY TO GROW, NOT TOO TALL
BLUE VARIETY - COLD HARDY

FULL SUN AND MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON SIZE

For about a decade we've been offering this very desirable and sought after variety of Butia that has a nice blue color. Otherwise, it's quite similar to the regular gray-green Pindo Palm. The intensity of the blue color varies from plant to plant. But, the palm shown here came from a nice blue parent. Outdoors in hot sun, the color blue will intensify. Mature height is about fifteen feet or a bit more. Trunk diameter averages 12 to 16 inches. This palm loves full hot sun and can take down to 15 degrees F. So, almost all of you can grow this palm. This plant also does well in desert climates. We're putting our 25g size on sale. Be aware, its a dark, cloudy day such that the blue color of the leaves doesn't show well.

REGULAR PRICE 25 GALLON $550
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON $475

Just remember: Mention this Blog Special for your discount. The 8th photo is by friend, Paul Craft - the 9th is a prior 25g plant at the Nursery.

CARYOTA GIGAS
"THAI MOUNTAIN GIANT", "KING KONG PALM", "BLACK STEM FISHTAIL"

LARGE BIPINNATE SINGLE TRUNK PALM
GORGEOUS BUT NEEDS ROOM TO GROW
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON SIZED PLANTS

This beautiful large palm from northern Thailand has been given a lot of common names. Its leaves are green with chopped leaflets. Leaf length is about 14 feet with a width of 10 to 12 feet or more. It is the most sought-out species of Fishtail Palm. It has an extremely thick fat trunk that can get up to three feet wide at the base with a trunk height in Southern California that is hardly ever over 35 feet. It tolerates full sun and is cold hardy into the low 20’s F. It is as monocarpic species (blossoms and then dies) and one could expect a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. It will produce shade underneath. It is quick growing but does not put on vertical height as fast as Caryota urens. If your plant doesn't look good, it's probably from your lack of giving it adequate water (if there's no cold burn). Presently we are putting our 25 gallon size on sale. Be aware, we also have band sized seedlings available..

REGULAR PRICE 25 GALLON $650
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON $565

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA
FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

SILVER CROWN SHAFT - SILVER TRUNK
UMBRELLA SHAPED CROWN OF LEAVES
ONE OF PRETTIEST PALM TREES AROUND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

We have available some nice 15g plants of Hedyscepe canterburyana. This single trunk palm has a silver crown shaft, silver trunk (in shade) with prominent rings. It is native to medium elevations in the mountains of Lord Howea Island (home of the Kentia Palm). It is single trunk. Mature height is about 20 feet. They fruit here and seeds are large and red in color. Along our coast here it takes full sun but also does well in part day sun or strong filtered light. Trunks are beefier in sun. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees. When folks see this plant in person, most agree it is one of the most desirable palms around. We are putting our 15g size on special - shown in first six photos. This size is about six years old. The last photo shows the blue-silver trunk on a specimen in my own garden. Important - they are slow growing!

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $250
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $220

The 15 gallon size is shown in the first six photos. Of note, we do have smaller sizes available.

GAUSSIA MAYA
A VERY DIFFERENT PALM FOR SO. CALIFORNIA

CAN SEE SWOLLEN BASE WHEN YOUNG
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE AND OLD 15 GALLON

In the "old days", this species was known as Opsiandra maya. It is a single trunk pinnate palm that can be grown in Southern CA. It has the interesting habit of getting a very swollen base, especially when planted in the ground from a smaller plant. Interestingly enough, this swollen base to the trunk abruptly disappears with age. You'll note this bulge in the photos below. This species tends to hold a limited number of leaves, about five to seven usually. Along the coast it takes full sun. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties F. The trunk diameter is about six to perhaps maximum eight inches. I've grown it in part day sun, which it loved. However, the trunk will often curve to seek more sun (see photo bottom row). Some grow it in full sun with success. The plants on special are very nice 15g with fat bases.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LARGE 5G $250
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $225

This size cannot be mail ordered - way to big. Remember to mention this Blog Only Special for your discount. The second garden photo is by J.V. PACSOA. I'm also showing a large boxed specimen below that's grown through its swollen base.

CHAMAEDOREA GLAUCIFOLIA
SUPER SIMILAR TO C. PLUMOSA

TAKES A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUN – SINGLE STEM, THIN TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON MULTIPLES

From time to time I discuss this interesting single trunk Chamaedorea. It is very similar to Chamaedorea plumosa - except: The plumosa has a more plumose leaf and takes a little more sun. But, the glaucifolia has the silver powder on the leaf stems and crown shaft as shown here. This is quite attractive and typically very prominent. Otherwise, you would mistake the two. And, it too, can tolerate near full coastal sun. They are fast growing and get to a mature height of about 14 feet. They look their best when planted in colonies of three to five plants. The 15 gallon on special are multiples, usually three per pot, and ready for the garden. It is a durable species and seem exempt from fungal problems that can plague C. plumosa. For this reason, they are more reliable than C. plumosa. Cold hardiness is about 25 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON MULTIPLES $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15 GALLON $225

Mention this Special for your discount when you purchase.

CHAMBEYRONIA HOOKERI
THE BLONDE FLAME THROWER PALM

GORGEOUS PALM FROM NEW CALEDONIA
TEN DAY SPECIAL SEVEN & FIFTEEN GALLON SIZE

The palm shown in the first two rows is a 5 gallon size of Chambeyronia hookeri with its blonde colored crown shaft. This species is hard to find. It is different in appearance from the dark green crown shafted form, Chambeyronia macrocarpa. Here's some facts about this species:

• Growth habit and care about the same as macrocarpa
• Along the coast will tolerate full sun if you're are not too far inland
• Crown shaft is yellow-tan colored and quite prominent
• Cold tolerance is about 23 degrees
• Growth rate on this species like macrocarpa is slow to medium but improves once planted in the ground.
• Trunk diameter is about 8 inches typically and overall height of mature plants is about 25 feet
• Leaflets are shiny green, thick and sturdy, and quite wide as shown
• Like macrocarpa, about 95% of the time throws newly emerging red leaf as shown here. Rarely a plant will not throw new red leaves and there's no way of predicting this.
• Also makes a great interior palm inside the home

We’re putting nice fifteen gallon on Special but also have one and five gallon sizes available.

REGULAR PRICE SEVEN & FIFTEEN GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL SEVEN & FIFTEEN GALLON $225

This size is can be mail ordered but would take a very large box to ship. You'll love this species. The sixth and seventh photos below by TS RPS & DL

CHAMBEYRONIA HOOKERI
THE BLONDE FLAME THROWER PALM

GORGEOUS PALM FROM NEW CALEDONIA
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 5 GALLON PLANTS

FOR DESCRIPTI0N, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON SIZE $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE $115

We have very limited numbers available of this species and only several in this 5 gallon size. Mention this Special at the time of purchase for this discounted price. The crown shaft photo below is by TS at RPS

PHOENIX RUPICOLA
THE CLIFF DATE PALM

MEDIUM SIZE -THINNER TRUNK THAN CANARY
FAIRLY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE PLANTS

I don't know if you've looked for this species, but the Cliff Date Palm is not so easy to find. It is native to India and is about half the size of the Canary Island Palm in terms of trunk diameter and mature height. Also, the crown is much smaller. It is an armed species and has other characteristics of Phoenix like the induplicate leaflets (water held "in" - V shaped ). But, many think this is the prettiest of all the Date Palms. It typically gets fifteen to twenty-five feet tall. The leaves are very pretty and green. The crown is not overly large. Leaves curve downwards. Growth rate is medium, it tolerates full sun and is cold hardy into the mid-twenties or lower. Shown below are our 5g plants, mostly singles with a few doubles. We’re putting them on special. These are shippable.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $115

Remember to mention this Special for this discount.

NANNORRHOPS RITCHIANA – THE MAZARI PALM
BLUE SUCKERING SEMI-DWARF FAN PALM

LOVES SUN AND HEAT - VERY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL LIMITED NUMBER 5 GALLON PLANTS

This species is a suckering fan palm from the Middle East. This includes the countries of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Leaf size is about four feet, height typically eight to twelve feet and width about ten feet. Taller very old specimens do exist. Trunks are about four to six inches thick. The upper stem in the area of the leaf attachments are covered with a wooly, tan material. (see photo). The presence of this material is a good way to identify this species. The main thing I wanted to talk about this morning with Nannorrhops is the color of the leaves. In sun they get a prominent silver blue color. And, they don’t take up too much room in the garden. We just got in a few older 5 gallon plants. These will sell quickly. Especially recently, they are near impossible to find. They want full hot sun and are cold hardy into the upper teens F. They’d be easy to ship.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 5 GALLON PLANTS $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON PLANTS $135

GAUSSIA GOMEZ-POMPAE
BIGGER AND TALLER THAN GAUSSIA MAYA

PINNATE LEAVES, NO CROWN SHAFT
VERY RARE - NEW TO CULTIVATION
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZED PLANTS

This is a fairly recently described single trunk pinnate palm is from southern Mexico. There it lives among rugged outcroppings in mountainous areas. Little is known about its domestic culture. It gets to heights of over 30 feet with an 8 to 10 inch thick trunk. It has a clean trunk and no crown shaft. Leaves are green and fairly straight. The mature photos below were taken in Miami, Florida where it seems to be doing fine. I would anticipate that it wont' take temperatures much below a freeze. But, if you can grow G. maya, I'd suspect you can grow this species. These plants are a first for the market and the first batch of this species we've ever offered.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $110

CHAMAEDOREA WOODSONIANA
TALL, THICK TRUNK, BEAUTIFUL GREEN PINNATE PALM

DOES BEST IN SHADE – STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This is a very large, single trunk species that is native to a long range, spanning from Mexico into the northern parts of South America. It is very sought after by enthusiasts and is known as one of the tallest of all Chamaedoreas - reaching heights of possibly over forty feet. The trunk has a prominent crownshaft and is four inches thick or more. It's leaves are four to five feet long with a prominent petiole. Leaf color is a deep green and, in cross section, the leaves are slightly keeled. In Southern California, this species prefers shade or a bit of sun. It has been said that this species cannot take a freeze. More recent reports suggest this species can tolerate temperatures into the upper 20's F. It is known to be growing in the San Francisco Bay area. It is a quick grower and sometimes the base of the trunk is swollen. Shown in the first six photos are our 5g size which are quite tall and need to go into the garden or be repotted. Most are 5 feet tall or more in their pots. We have limited numbers available. The 7th photo shows the trunk of a 15 gallon plant

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $155
DAY SPECIAL THESE LARGE 5 GALLON $135

Note: We only have a few available and they’ll be gone soon.

CHAMAEROPS HUMILIS VULCANO
SUPER RARE & HARD TO FIND DWARF & COLD HARDY FAN PALM

USUALLY UNDER SIX FEET TALL MATURE - BLUE TO GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON PLANTS

Chamaerops humilis is not, by iteself, a rare palm species. But, the super small variety is hard to find and tends to cost much more than the standard form. The main items that make Vulcano different are it's very small palmate leaves, the absence of significant spines on the leaf stems and its small mature size. For decades I've been aware of the diversity in appearance of Chamaerops humilis. There have always been plants in gardens that are quite tall - up to twenty feet. In contrast, there have always been super dwarf forms around. And, leaf color has been variably seen as green, blue or something in-between. By report in Northern Africa, there are indigenous varieties that are very small. About a decade ago we started to see offerings of this "vulcano" variety. Interestingly, if you Google this species, almost all websites found on this species belong to people that wish to sell the plants to you. This makes you wonder if it's more of a promotional broadcast to sell plants as opposed to a "new species". But, most growers do call the super small variety "Chamaedrops humilis variety vulcano". Enough said. This variety is super cold hardy to about 15 degrees or colder. It wants full sun. We're putting compact five gallon on sale. .

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $120

The mature plant photos are c/o MG at the PalmCentre in the UK and nl.pinterest.com unknown author.

PTYCHOSPERMA SALOMONENSE
QUICK GROWING, CROWN SHAFTED

SIMILAR TO PTYCHOSPERMA ELEGANS
BUT FASTER GROWING
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE - SINGLES & MULTIPLES

This rare pinnate, crown shafted and thin trunked palm tree is from the Solomon Islands. Most growers comment that this species is very similar appearing to Ptychosperma elegans . It gets a height of up to thirty feet with a four inch thick trunk. Leaves are about five feet long. Leaf color is green. The crown shaft is silver-green. Compared to Ptychosperma elegans, this species is:

faster growing
taller
has wider leaflets
has larger leaves

It is a part day sun species and has a cold tolerance into the mid to upper twenties F. Perhaps one could grow it in full sun right on the coast. It is rarely available. I'm offering nice one gallon sized plants on special for ten days.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $60

You must mention this Blog Only Special when ordering to get this discount. These plants should be easy to mail order. Limited availability. Both singles & multiples available. Garden photos c/o Palmpedia, one by Pete in AU.

CHAMAEDOREA ADSCENDENS
SUPER RARE UNDER-STORY PALM WITH SATIN SHEEN TO LEAVES

DWARF SPECIES - SUPER DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL FEW REMAINING BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

This is a solitary trunk dwarf species from Guatemala and Belize. It was only introduced into the trade in the past two decades. Stems are thin and a white-tan color. Leaves are blue green with an iridescent sheen. Leaves are pinnate and sometimes simple, especially when young. Height of this palm is usually under three feet, but plants in the wild have been reported to be five to six feet. It is cold hardy to about a freeze and prefers filtered light. Planting in small colonies is very attractive. This species is almost impossible to find. We got our seeds from a famous botanist, so I know they are correctly produced without hybridization. The seedlings on sale have four leaves and are two years old. They can easily be mail ordered. They’d make a great interior or patio plant as well.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $65 - ONLY A FEW REMAIN

Limited supplies are available. Don’t miss out on this great species. The last row of photos shows a mature Nursery specimen in fruit. Note the glaucous color and sheen to the leaflets.

SABAL ETONIA
SMALL FAN PALM NATIVE TO FLORIDA

GETS SIX TO EIGHT FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

This small fan palm is native to almost all areas of Florida. It is different than Sabal palmetto in that it is smaller. Although not quite as small as the Sabal louisiana below, it rarely gets to a height of about eight feet. Leaves are green and the trunk is a bit stout. It tolerates full sun or part day sun. It is difficult to find. In the fifth photo, it is the band plant that the staff is holding in his left hand (right hand is Sabal louisiana, an even smaller species). Cold hardiness is at least 15 degrees F. or a bit lower. Mature palm photo by TS - RPS.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $50

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

GREAT PATIO OR INTERIOR PALM - OR IN THE GARDEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

Howea forsteriana, the popular Kentia Palm, is native to Lord Howe Island. There it lives at lower elevations. At higher elevations up the mountains one sees Howea belmoreana and Hedyscepe. The Kentia does great here in So California. It is a single trunk species that is often grown as a "multiple" with several plants in the same pot. It does NOT sucker. Along the coast it takes full sun or part day sun. Far inland, filtered light is needed. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. Mature height in sun is usually about thirty feet in 30 years. Also important is that the Kentia Palm is a favorite house plant and do quite well inside the home. We’re putting very nice band sized seedlings on special. These plants are singles - not multiples. These can be mail ordered. Of note, this species is slow growing. The bands shown here are three years old and a great starter size for those on a budget.

REGULAR PRICE SMALL BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL SMALL BAND SIZE $50

Remember to mention this Blog Special at the time of purchase for this discounted price.

ENCEPHALARTOS ALTENSTEINII
LARGER GREEN CYCAD FROM SO AFRICA

FULL CROWN OF LEAVES - HUSKY TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE SEEDLINGS

This is a medium to large green cycad from the Eastern Cape region of the Republic of South Africa. It was named after a Prussian statesman and is listed a a threatened cycad species. Mature height after many decades can reach up to over sixteen feet. Leaf length is six feet with trunk diameter of up to 18 to 24 inches. Leaflets have spines, especially when young. The base of the leaf stems are usually devoid of prickles or spines. Leaf color is a shiny green. Along the coast this species tolerates full sun or part day sun. It easily withstands a freeze and has an absolute cold tolerance down to about 22 degrees F. It can easily be grown on the patio if given adequate light. Desert areas should consider only a few hours of direct desert sun. It is best to give this species plenty of room in the garden. It makes a spectacular specimen plant. We are offering seedlings in the band size on special. These are easy to ship within the U.S.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THESE BAND SIZED SEEDLING $55

ENCEPHALARTOS AEMULANS
GREEN, RARE CYCAD FROM SOUTH AFRICA

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED IN THE WILD
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species of green South African cycad is a medium sized mature plant with trunks up to about five feet. They are un-branched and have green leaves that are about five feet long. The leaves are straight and leaflets point toward the end of the leaf. In the wild stands in the Natal area of RSA, there are only about a hundred plants remaining. Shown here in the first two rows of photos is our 5 gallon size we're putting on Special. These plants have caudexes of 2 to 3 inches. The third row of photos show a huge boxed specimen at our nursery. The last row shows domestic plants and a close up of the leaflets. This size can be mail ordered. In our area, this is a full sun plant with a cold hardiness into the low 20's F.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON THIS SIZE $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON THIS SIZE $160

Remember, mention this Special when you order. We, of course, have other sizes of this species for sale.

DIOON PURPUSII

EXTREMELY RARE & RARELY AVAILABLE CYCAD FROM MEXICO
KEELED LEAVES WITH SPINY LEAFLETS
TEN DAY SPECIAL CIT POT PLANT READY FOR THE GARDEN

This is a very nice and hard to find species from Oaxaca, Mexico. It is known as the fish bone cycad because of how its leaves look (spaced leaflets which have a similar took to a fish’s skeleton). This beautiful cycad has green leaflets which have a fine silvery/white tomentum. It is hardy to sun, though it can tolerate a partial sun exposure. This species is slow growing, but can get to heights several meters tall. This would not be typical in cultivation though. D. purpusii is quite rare in cultivation and is a real treat to see in person. It is hardy down to the mid 20’s. Availability of this species is always very limited. We rarely blog this species. The actual plants shown below is in a citrus pot container and has a caudex of 3 inches. It can be easily mail ordered anywhere within the U.S. Last habitat photos by M. M and L.R. Mail order possible within the U.S.

REGULAR PRICE CITRUS POT WITH 3 INCH CAUDEX $600
TEN DAY SALE PRICE THIS ACTUAL CITRUS POT WITH CAUDEX 3 INCHES $510

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS
LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

GREEN LEAVES - QUICK GROWING
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON GOOD SIZE 15 GALLON PLANT

Shown here below is a good sized plant of a green South African cycad that, in the ground, makes a large and magnificent plant. Encephalartos transvenosus gets enormous with trunks over 20 feet tall. Leaves are six to eight feet long and leaflets are shiny, dark green with some glaucous faint hairs on the leaflets. So, it makes a big show. The cycad on sale is in a 15 gallon container and has a caudex width of 7 inches. It is a full plant with lots of leaves and really beautiful. It could be mail ordered in a large box. This is a full sun species along the coast with a cold tolerance is 22 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $875
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $765

MONSTERA DELICIOSA
“SWISS CHEESE PHILODENDRON”

LARGE GREEN LEAVES WITH HOLES IN THE LEAVES
CLIMBING SPECIES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 GALLON SIZE

Monstera deliciosa is a climbing tropical plant native to areas from southern Mexico down through Latin America. It climbs up tree trunks and can get up to 100 feet into the canopy. It has green leaves with horizontal splits/openings. A particular form of this plant doesn’t just have splits but rather holes/openings in the leaves. The plants on sale are this latter type. The trunks attached to whatever is near (tree trunks, fences, posts, etc) and are about an inch thick. Trunks put out attaching roots for support. Leaves can be much larger than shown here when mature. They can easily reach two to three feet in width. It is super easy to grow. Just plant it next to almost anything. We’re putting our limited numbers of 15 gallon and 7 gallon on sale. The first six photos shown the 15 gallon size. In terms of plant size, both containers have the same size plants.

REGULAR PRICE 7 GALLON $180
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 GALLON $140

The photos below are of the split leaf Philodendron, not the "Swiss Cheese" variety.

ALTERNATHEA PARTYTIME
DWARF COLORFUL SPECIES

RED AND GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER ONE GALLON

This hybrid ornamental plant appeals to those who like color in the garden. It only gets to about 2 feet tall and two feet wide and can tolerate good filtered light or sun. The leaves are green with prominent pink-red mixed color as shown below. They can be pruned to make a fuller plant and are not that difficult to grow. They tolerate a freeze. The one gallon on special are older plants and ready for planting.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $40
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE PRICE ONE GALLON $32.50

YUCCA ROSTRATA
BLUE SUCCULENT WITH AMAZING COLD HARDINESS

SEMI-DWARF SIZE MATURE
BEING GROWN IN NEW YORK IN THE SNOW!
JUVENILE 4 INCH POTS ON SALE

This small to medium sized, drought tolerant plant is native to the southern U.S. border and down into Mexico. It is usually a single trunk mature plant but can fork above the ground. Most notable is the silver-blue foliage as shown here. It is very slow growing. Over time it forms a trunk about eight or ten inches thick. Foliage is about 2 feet long and not "pokey" or sharp. It demands full sun and is cold hardy at least into the single digits F. I had a customer call me from New York City recently to tell me that a plant bought from us about three years ago was thriving in his yard. Gardeners like this species because it's not very big and gives nice color to a sunny garden. The size we’re putting on sale are juvenile 4 inch pot size and have four to six leaves. This is a good starter size but will take time to make a nice garden plant. These would be easy to mail order. Of note, we also have 3 gallon for sale. Garden photos are by it.dreamstime.org and USF.ed

REGULAR PRICE 4 INCH $40
TEN DAY SPECIAL 4 INCH $35

ENSETE VENTRICOSUM "MAURELII"
THE RED BANANA

LARGE SINGLE TRUNK TROPICAL PLANT
RED COLOR TO FOLIAGE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

On sale are nice five gallon plants of the Red Banana, Ensete ventricosum mauerlii. This is a quick growing tropical plant that can get to ten to fifteen feet tall and grows in full coastal sun. Leaves are green with prominent red to both the dorsal and ventral sides. Trunks are at least 18 inches thick and leaves are fleshy and soft - typical of bananas and Ensete. It does not be edible fruit. Cold hardiness is down to about a freeze. Colder weather damages the leaves in winter. This is a fast growing plant but typically only lives for 5 to 7 years before flowering and dying. We're putting our oversized 5 gallon on Special. This size can be mail ordered. I don’t have experience with interior growing but many have bought this size as a “house plant” with no complaints yet. But, if you do this, give it lots of light. Garden photo below by Container Crazy CT Website.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $95

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $80

Ensete maurellii Red Banana photo by container crazy CT website

WEDNESDAY, 3 APRIL, 2024

ROYSTONEA BORINQUENA
PERHAPS A MORE COLD HARDY ROYAL PALM

PHOTOGRAPHS OF MATURE PALMS

During the winter of 2007 when we had a severe cold spell, I came to find that this species or Royal Palm seemed to posses more cold hardiness than Roystonea regia and others that are more commonly seen. Our area got down to about 25 degrees F. An enthusiast about a mile from the nursery said his R. regias were totally burned but the Roystonea borninquena went untouched. Because of this I pursued seeds and grew more. We've sold a lot of this beautiful palm since then. It is native to Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and a few other islands. You'll note the absence of the super swollen base often seen with other species. It likes full sun, enjoys ample water and can get to heights over forty feet. More recently, availability has been less plentiful but we plan to carry them as much as we can. Shown here are mature specimens of this species. In recent times we've had no seeds available, but did get in some last year. So, we can currently offer seedlings for sale.

ENCEPHALARTOS MANIKENSIS
CENTRAL AFRICAN GREEN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE - FAST GROWING
ASSORTMENT OF SIZES AVAILABLE AT NURSERY

This species from Zimbabwe, Africa, has always been a bit of a confusion because this area has several similar species and identifying them taxonomically was difficult. For this reason, a few decades ago, plants were considered to be in the "Manikensis Complex". Other put into this group later became species such as E. gratus, E. chimanimaniensis, concinus, bandula, etc. Encephalartos manikensis is a medium sized cycad. Trunks can get up to three or even five feet tall. Clustering does occur. Leaves are about six feet long, leaflets one inch wide. Leaves are held upright at about a 45 degree angle.

As it is a Central African cycad, one will find that it does better with humidity than some of the South African species and is not quite as cold hardy. For this reason, it does quite well in the SE areas of the U.S. where cold is not an issue. It will tolerate a freeze and can usually take temperatures down into the mid-twenties. At our nursery, plants has easily withstood temperatures of 25 degrees F. without any problems. Sun exposure is another issue that you must consider. Along the coast, full sun is tolerated well. In inland locations, consider part day sun. In desert areas, filtered light would be best. I'm showing here a whole assortment of plants, from boxed specimens to seedlings. Also shown is a garden specimen. We have a good supply of this species in all sizes for sale.

RHAPIS HUMILIS
RARE TYPE OF LADY PALM
FOUR LARGE SPECIMEN PLANTS AVAILABLE

LARGEST SPECIMENS YOU'LL SEE FOR SALE
GET TO OVER 20 FEET AND TAKE COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL SEVERAL MATURE TALL PLANTS!

Rhapis humilis is a tall, suckering and thin trunked fan palm. It is a type of "Lady Palm" and this species is one of the most sought after. This is because it's a great growing species, has strong canes that don't bend over and gets significantly tall for the genus - tallest of the Rhapis genus. It does sucker and produces canes averaging one inch or a bit bigger in diameter. Leaves hold up to twenty leaflets that are narrow, a bit droopy, dark green and come to a point at their ends. The more common Rhapis excelsa leaflets come to a blunt tip at the end of the leaflets. The amazing thing about this species is that it attains such tall heights. I've seen specimens that have reached twenty-four feet! Compare this to the average height of a R. excelsa at six to eight. Finally, the Rhapis humilis is known to tolerate full sun along the coast.

Plants like we're showing here are near impossible to find. We have several plants which are each about fifteen feet tall in their pots. These plants are shown in the four rows of photos below. Be aware that, in California, there are only large garden specimens growing in full sun and with heights of over 20 feet. These are called the “California Rhapis humilis” and all plants sold come from divisions of existing plants. This is a dioecious species and there’s only known to be male plants. So, if someone tells you they grew them from seeds, you know they are not this true Rhapis humilis – more likely R. multifida (shown below in today's Blog) which doesn’t take sun well and only gets to heights under ten feet. These 25 gallon specimens shown below would be perfect for an upscale garden or interior usage application. All, of course, are from divisions from a mature established plant. Most have three to five canes coming but will fill in over time. We presently have no smaller plants for sale. The garden photo is by FM at the LAA.

TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE RARE 25 GALLON $1200 - $1600 - (DEPENDING ON NUMBER OF CANES)

ARCHONTOPHOENIX BEATRICAE
RARE VARIETY OF THE KING PALM

SILVER UNDERSIDES TO LEAFLETS
GREEN CROWN SHAFT
SINGLES AND MULTIPLES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE

Archontophoenix Alexandrae is native to Australia. It has green leaves that have silver discoloration to the underside of the leaflets as shown below. Leaves tend to stay flat without the twist on their axis as seen with the more common King Palm, Archotophoenix cunninghamiana. Although they are a tad less cold hardy than the latter, they are felt by most to be more beautiful. Mature height can exceed 50 feet. The crown shaft with green without the brown discoloration seen with the common King Palm. Cold hardiness is about 26 degrees F. They can take coastal sun but half-day sun might give the pretties specimen. The 15g size shown below demonstrate both the single planting (3rd row below) and multiples (first two rows of photos) with several in a pot.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G $210

Remember: mention this Special to get your discount when you purchase!

BRAHEA ELEGANS
THE FRANCESHI PALM

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

You don't see this species offered that often. It is native to the Sonora and Sinaloa areas of Mexico. It has green costo-palmate leaves that are divided. Trunk diameter is a pleasant 12 inches with a rough surface. Mature height is ten to twenty feet. Regarding culture, it is not quite as cold hardy as other Brahea species like armata, clara and decumbens. I'd suspect it may go down to the lower 20’s or perhaps upper teens F. It does best in full sun. We have available as limited number of 15 gallon plants which we’re putting on special. These can be shipped but, because of their size, will not be inexpensive to do so.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $215

You must mention this Blog Only Special to get this price when you purchase. The 8th photo is by Dennis Valdez of he No Cal Palm Society.

ARENGA ENGLERI
SUCKERING COLD HARDY PALM FROM JAPAN AND TAIWAN

NEVER GETS OVERLY LARGE – VERY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICELY SIZE 15 GALLON

This suckering Asian pinnate palm rarely gets over ten feet tall and has medium width leaflets that are jagged at their apical ends. The undersides of the leaflets are silver. But, from afar, it looks like a green palm. It is a clustering plant that suckers heavily and cannot be seen through. Therefore, it's a good species to block visibility. Growth rate is slow. Mature height of this species is eight to fourteen feet. Cold tolerance is into the upper teens F. It can tolerate part day coastal sun or possibly full sun. Far inland areas should grow it in filtered light. Flowers are very fragrant but seeds contain a substance which makes the skin itch. The 15g on special are nicely sized for their pots with an age from germination of about 8 years.

REGULAR PRICE 15G SIZE $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE $215

You must mention this blog only special to get this price when purchasing.

DYPSIS LEPTOCHEILOS
THE TEDDY BEAR PALM

EVERYONE LOVES THIS PALM
ONE OF THE BEST MADAGASCAR PALMS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE

The Teddy Bear Palm has become super popular because it grows well in Southern California, has a rusty colored, fuzzy crown shaft, has a silver, ringed trunk and doesn't get too tall. For most enthusiasts, it's among the "top ten" Madagascar palms. Mature height is about 25 feet. Right on the coast it does well with full sun. Cold hardiness is about 25 degrees F. Growth rate is medium. One can grow it in part day sun as well. The average enthusiast, once he sees a mature plant, just "has to have one". Expect a mature height in California of about 25 feet or a bit more. Trunk diameter is usually about eight inches. The crown shaft is the most prominent trait - fuzzy, rusty red and quite touchable. The latter trait is why it's called the "Teddy Bear Palm". We’re putting fifteen gallon size on Sale but only have a few available..

REGULAR PRICE 15G SIZE $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $225

Mention this Special for your discount.

DYPSIS LEPTOCHEILOS
THE TEDDY BEAR PALM

RUST COLORED CROWN SHAFT
THIN SILVER RINGED TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

ROYSTONEA OLERACEA
THE SOUTH AMERICAN ROYAL PALM

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $115

COCCOTHRINAX ARGENTEA
MEDIUM SIZED FAN PALM

SMALL TRUNK - SILVER BACK TO LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This medium size and very attractive fan palm is native to areas of Florida, Mexico and into the Caribbean. It has a blue green leaf color with more prominent silver on the underside of the leaf. Taxonomists seem recently to be lumping together Coccothrinax argentea and argentata. Mature height is rarely to twenty feet. Leaves are about three to four feet across and prominently divided into segments. As this species grows, fibrous material falls off the trunk to give a cleaner and more smooth surface. It likes heat and sun. It might also do well in desert areas. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F. We are putting our 5 gallon plants on sale. Very limited numbers apply. This species is ideal for people who want a thin trunked and different fan palm that doesn’t take up much room and tolerates full hot sun. Note that, in a pot, it is a very slow growing species. The 5 gallon size are about six years old.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Just mention this Blog Special when you purchase for your discount.

VEITCHIA WININ
NATIVE ONLY TO VANUATU

SINGLE TRUNK, CROWN SHAFTED
TALL PALM WHEN MATURE
SUPER RARE, HARD TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE ONE GALLON SIZE

This single trunk pinnate palm is native to the Vanuatu Islands. It can attain a mature height of over fifty feet. Leaves are green, about eight feet long with somewhat drooping leaflets. The trunk is gray in color and medium thickness. This species makes bright red seeds. It can tolerate full coastal sun and has been grown well by some in Southern California. But, because of it's tropical nature, should only be tried by those in good climates. We're offering nice 1 gallons on sale. They are 2 to 3 feet tall in the pot. They've done well with our temperatures down to about 32 degrees F. I suspect absolute cold hardiness to be into the upper 20's F.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $62.50
Remember to mention this Special when purchasing so you get this discounted price. Mail order this size quite easy.

KENTIOPSIS PYRIFORMIS
SUPER RARE SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

NATIVE TO NEW CALEDONIA
THIN TRUNK - VERY ELEGANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE PLANTS

This is a single trunk, crown shafted pinnate palm native to New Caledonia. Many feel it's the prettiest species of this genus. It gets to a height of about 40 feet or more and has a thin trunk. Leaves are upright, green and arched. They are keeled and green in color. The crown shaft is a copper color, covered with a white wax. It can be grown in some sun, depending on where you live. It's probably best to start it in bright filtered light and let it work its way into overhead sun. Growth rate is good, comparable or faster than K. oliviformis. Cold tolerance is down to about a freeze.

This is an extremely difficult species to find for sale nowadays. I only have an excellent selection of band sized plants. This is an extremely rare species and we rarely have them for sale.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $55

Remember to mention this Blog Special when you purchase to get this discount. Photos of large plant below by TS at RPS.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX BEATRICAE
AN UNUSUAL TYPE OF KING PALM

SILVER BACKS TO THE LEAFLETS – GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

Common Name(s):  Alexandra King Palm, Alexandra Palm, the Alex Palm
Native Locality:  Northern and Central Queensland, Australia, both along the coast and inland
Overall Height:  70 to 80 feet in habitat but usually up to 40 feet in domestic gardens in sun
Trunk Diameter:  12 inches, sometimes swollen at the bottom. Young trunks brown, older gray
Leaf Length:  6 to 10 feet
Leaflets:  Color dark to grass green, silver on the underside
Crown Shaft Color:  Olive green, sometimes a bit brown mixed in. Slight bulge at bottom occasionally
Presence of Ramenta:  Absent
Flower Color:  White or near white
Seed Size:  1/2 inch
Other Comments:  This species holds a nice large crown of leaves with a tall, gray colored straight trunk. There is a possible sub-species, that I will discuss below

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZDE $50

Remember: mention this Special to get your discount when you purchase. The last photo shows a naturalized colony of this species on the Big Island, the Island of Hawaii.

ENCEPHALARTOS AEMULANS
GREEN, RARE CYCAD FROM SOUTH AFRICA

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED IN THE WILD
SPECIAL VERY LARGE BAND PLANTS

This species of green South African cycad is a medium sized mature plant with trunks up to about five feet. They are un-branched and have green leaves that are about five feet long. The leaves are straight and leaflets point toward the end of the leaf. In the wild stands in the Natal area of RSA, there are only about a hundred plants remaining. Shown here in the first row of photos are 4 to 5 year old band plants - very large for their container. The second row of photos show a huge boxed specimen and a 15 gallon at our nursery. The last row shows domestic plants and a close up of the leaflets.

We're putting older band seedlings on sale. They'd be easy to mail order. In our area, this is a full sun plant with a cold hardiness into the low 20's F. On this band size we only have a handful left.

REGULAR PRICE THESE BANDS $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $65

We, of course, have other sizes of this species for sale.

DIOON CALIFANOI
RARE MEDIUM SIZED MEXICAN CYCAD

KEELED, ARCHING GRAY-GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY HARD TO FIND 15 GALLON PLANT

There is some type of seductive quality to this rare species – Dioon califanloi. I think it's because of the compact, rigid, keeled and curved leaves. The leaves are very distinct and different - and very appealing. This is a species that takes on the mature appearance over time. As a young plant you might think it's a "ho-hummer". But, as it ages, it develops its traditional appearance and gets more attractive. Leaves are four to five feet long. In a domestic situation, a plant with a three foot trunk would be enormous. It takes full sun and is cold hardy into the lower 20's F. The plant on sale is in a 15g container and has a 4 inch caudex.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON WITH 4 INCH CADUEX $780
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $625

Remember to mention this Blog Special for this price when you purchase. This plant can be shipped, weather permitting.

CYCAD HYBRID - CYCAS REVOLUTA X DEBAOENSIS
INTERESTING AND FAIRLY COLD HARDY HYBRID

TAKES PART DAY SUN
NEVER TOO TALL - VERY RARE CROSS
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE PLANTS

With the introduction of the very rare Cycas debaoensis, it was just a matter of time before this cross was done. It's between the Sago Palm (seed bearer with this cross) and the aforementioned debaoensis. It is an interesting hybrid with bifurcation of the leaflets or leaf stems. See photos below. I'd recommend growing it in part day sun. Cold tolerance should be into the upper teens F. This hybrid has only been recently offered for sale. I'm showing in the 3rd row of photos one picture of the C. revoluta followed by two of the C. debaoensis.

I anticipate it'll be a small to medium sized mature plants. It's a great alternative to using the common Cycas revoluta. Leaf color will be green and there will be some spines of the leaf stems. Sorry, but there are no reputable photos of this hybrid in a mature size available at this time. I'm showing our five gallon size below. Caudex size is about two to three inches. I can't show a mature plant for you as I know of none around.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $250
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLONS $195

These would be easy to mail order.

CERATOZAMIA LATIFOLLIA
THE CHAMELEON OF CYCADS

HOW ABOUT ORANGE, RED OR GOLD NEW LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ANY PLANT THIS SPECIES

Ceratozamia latifolia is a smaller, filtered light loving cycad from Mexico. It is native to the regions of San Luis Potosi and Hidalgo. Leaf length averages four, perhaps five feet maximum. Leaves lay in a more horizontal position. Caudex size is less than ten inches. So, you can see that overall leaf crown width is under six feet or so. The striking trait of this species is the very colorful newly emergent leaves as shown here. But, you can’t always predict what color each plant will produce. The leaflets are wide and un-armed. We recommend filtered light for this species. Cold hardiness is certainly the lower 20's F. or lower.

The photos here show three different plants with three different colors of emerging new leaves – orange, red and gold. Of course, sometimes they may be green. These colors always fade over two to three weeks to their green color. But, any given plant will typically throw the same color with the next batch of new leaves.

TEN DAY SPECIAL: 20% OFF ANY PLANT THIS SPECIES.

We usually have an assortment of sizes from citrus pot to 15 gallon or larger.

MAIDENHAIR FERN
GENUS ADIANTUM

NICE 2G PLANTS
WATER LOVING SHADE FERN
TEN DAY SPECIAL FULL 1G PLANTS

The genus Adiantum or Maiden Hair Fern contains many species and cultivars. If you Google the genus, you'll see all sorts of different looking plants. What I'm showing here is the plant on the West Coast that we consider to be the "classic Maidenhair Fern". They are in 2 gallon pots. They never get over two feet tall, like water and are best grown in filtered light.

REGULAR PRICE 2G $40
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2G $30

Remember to mention this Special. Mail order is possible on this size. The last photo shows a close up of a garden plant.

ALOCASIA SUMO
HYBRID ALOCASIA - EXOTIC WITH REASONABLE COLD HARDINESS

JUVENILE PLANTS AVAILABLE ONE GALLON POTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

Alocasia sumo is a hybrid species - a cross between A. portora and "purple cloak". The cold hardiness comes from the portora parentage. This is a medium sized hybrid with 3 to 4 foot long leaves that are diamond shaped with a purple hue to the underside of the leaves. Leaves point upwards. There are prominent veins on the leaves. Plant height should be about 6 to 8 feet. It is reported that this species is a "7b" zone species which means it should tolerate a freeze. Obviously, it'd look best in summer. We'd recommend limited sun although some are growing it in full coastal sun. The size on sale are nice one gallon plants.

REGULAR PRICE THESE ONE GALLON $47.50
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $37.50

These can be shipped by mail order. I'm showing with the the first 5 photos this 1 gallon size on sale. Photos were taken last month. Plants are presently larger than shown here. Following are some larger nursery plants.

CALOCASIA GIGANTEA THAILAND GIANT
HUGE ELEPHANT EAR TYPE PLANT

LARGE GREEN LEAVES, SUCKERING
TEN DAY SPECIAL JUVENILE THREE & FOVE GALLON SIZE

Calocasia are types of Elephant Ear plants that are native to areas from India through Asia. The species on special today is known for it's huge leaves which can be six feet long and four feet wide. This variety is known to have the largest leaves of this species. Leaves are green and heart shaped. Mature height can be ten feet. They tolerate sun or part sun. Plants are known to be grown in zone 7b and can take a freeze if the soil doesn't freeze. In freezing areas new leaves will re-emerge in the spring. In frost free areas it is a perennial plant. The last photo c/o the Missouri Botanical Garden shows a larger plant. The plants on special shown below are in one gallon pots. These photos were taken recently. These plants have seen recent weather down to a freeze. They are fairly quick growing. We're putting 3& 5 gallon on special. Now is a good time to plant these in the garden.

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $75

SPATHODEA CAMPANULATA
THE AFRICAN TULIP TREE
SUMMER BLOOMER – LARGE ORANGE-RED BLOSSOMS

FULL SUN – SOME COLD HARDINESS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

We are fortunate here in Southern California because there are quite a few striking, beautiful flowering tropical trees that we can grow. Included in this group is the African Tulip Tree with its clusters of large blossoms. They typically have clusters of large orange to red blossoms. It blooms in summer but sometimes longer. It wants full sun. Cold hardiness is estimated to be in the mid-twenties F. Growth rate is medium. The plants on special are between 3 and 5 feet tall in their pots.

REGULAR PRICE 5G AFRICAN TULIP TREE $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS 5G SIZE $75

Remember: 10 days at this price – Mention this Special at the time of purchase to get this price.

MONDAY, 1 APRIL, 2024

PEAT MOSS VERSUS SPHAGNUM MOSS

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?
ARE THEY THE SAME IN THEIR USAGE?

Over the years, I've found that many people don't know the difference between peat moss and typical sphagnum moss. I'll try to explain it here and tell how their usages are different.

Peat moss is a fibrous material that is not living and typically comes from Canada. There is harvested from "peat moss bogs", packaged and shipped worldwide for gardeners to use. These moss plants grow year after year on their often shaded locations. This years growth is on top of last years - and this goes on for centuries with the lower layers dying. So, at the bottom, there is this dead fibrous material. These lower levels are harvested and ground up for bagging. At Jungle Music, peat moss is a component in all of our nursery mixes. The first photo shows a handful of peat moss. Note that it is fine in texture. It comes in a compacted bale but, once broken apart, has this appearance. In a potting soil, it adds organic filler, it opens up the soil and promotes drainage. It does add acidity as well and, when used, one must often add dolomite to control acidity. Once added to a soil one really can't see it. For seed germination, it is often mixed together with perlite. If you use a mix with a lot of peat moss, never let it go totally dry or it will "brick up" and repel water.

Spagnum moss is the living material that is on top of the peat moss bogs. There it grows year after year. Localities where it can be found are worldwide including Canada, Peru and the northern U.K. These plants are harvested alive but die off from desiccation after they are harvested and packaged. The second photo shows this type of moss. Note the long, fluffy and coarse appearance. At our nursery we use this sphagnum moss mostly in two ways. First, we use it on the outside of wire baskets to hold in the soil. (third photo below) The second is to germinate or root certain types of plant material (seeds, cuttings, etc.). Slightly damp, it's the component used for the baggie technique of germination. I've known of people who use it in a potting mix but it is difficult to mix it evenly with other components. Other growers may use it as a top dressing on potted plants. A final interesting thing is that sphagnum moss is a neutral pH at the time of purchase. Peat moss is very acidic as mentioned above. The second photo below shows sphagnum moss out of the bag.

peat moss

sphagnum moss

coolgardenwebsite

POTTING UP A NEW PALM SEEDLING
PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING TECHNIQUE -
VEITCHIA SEEDLINGS

ARECA MACROCARPA
PHILIPPINE PALM

SIMILAR TO ARECA CATHECHU
I FIGURED YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ONE

Although I am not growing or offering this rare palm species at the nursery, I thought I'd show you a few photographs from the Chapman Research Station in Miami. It is so rarely seen or grown that there are minimal photos on the Internet. It is a medium sized, crown shafted palm that grows in the Philippines and, surprisingly, is mentioned as being somewhat cold hardy. I am not sure what that means. Here we cannot grow Areca catechuand this species closely resembles it. I know of no one here growing Areca macrocarpa here. It is supposed to get to a height of about 20-25 feet. The crown shaft is a bright green and the overall appearance is quite elegant. The first five photos are of this species. The bottom row of A. catechu. If anyone has information on this species, please contact me.

RHAPIS MULTIFIDA
A RARE TYPE OF LADY PALM

ONE OF THE BEST PALMS FOR INSIDE
GREAT GARDEN PLANT AS WELL
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLD 25 GALLON PLANT

I haven't been able to offer this superior fan palm as they have not been available for over five years. But, we do have one or two very old plants that we were holding in stock and have decided to sell. This is a very rare type of Lady Palm. This species is from China and is often mistaken for Rhapis humilus. But, it is a smaller species, getting to about 8 feet tall whereas humilus gets about twice as tall. It performs well inside the home or office and also is quite easy to grow outside in filtered light. The stems of multifida are much more attractive than the common Lady Palm, Rhapis excelsa. It also carries more leaflets per leaf than the Lady Palm and is overall a more attractive plant. The leaflets are narrow and come to a point like Rhapis humilus. Side by side, the majority of our customers prefer the Rhapis multifida to the Rhapis excelsa.

Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties or lower, F. Outdoors, this species prefers filtered light. One must be careful not to give Rhapis too much fertilizer or leaf burn may occur. We have a near twenty year old 25 gallon that we’re putting on special. It is too big for standard mail order. BTW, if you start looking for a comparable plant, the chances are you won't find one. But, we are very limited in supply of these beautiful plants.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 25 GALLON $795
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 25 GALLON $695

The sale plant is shown in the first 6 photos.

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA
THE SHAVING BRUSH OR FEATHER DUSTER PALM

ROBUST GROWER - SWOLLEN CROWN SHAFT

TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

The Shaving Brush Palm is super popular here in Southern California and is native to New Zealand. It is fairly rare and sometimes difficult to find. This is surprising as it's so beautiful and can be grown by many. It is cold hardy down to the low 20's F. and perhaps even into the upper teens F. Along the coast it can tolerate full sun or part sun. Inland areas should give it a few hours of sun - best is morning sun. The trunk is medium sized and mature height is about 25 feet. Leaves are green and upright. The crown shaft is green or lime green and swollen. Shown below in he first five photos are our 15 gallon size which we’re putting on special. We have an assortment of sizes available.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $215

TRACHYCARPUS LATISECTUS
THE WINDAMERE PALM

GREEN LEAVES WITH WIDE SEGMENTS – SILVER UNDERSIDE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

REGULAR PRICE THIS RARE 15 GALLON SIZE $285
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $245

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

GREAT PATIO OR INTERIOR PALM - OR IN THE GARDEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SINGLES

Howea forsteriana, the popular Kentia Palm, is native to Lord Howe Island. There it lives at lower elevations. At higher elevations up the mountains one sees Howea belmoreana and Hedyscepe. The Kentia does great here in So California. It is a single trunk species that is often grown as a "multiple" with several plants in the same pot. It does NOT sucker. Along the coast it takes full sun or part day sun. Far inland, filtered light is needed. Cold tolerance is about 25 degrees F. Mature height in sun is usually about thirty feet in 30 years. We’re putting very nice 15 gallon plants on special. These plants are singles - not multiples. Kentia Palms, by the way, are never inexpensive.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE $295

Remember to mention this Blog Special at the time of purchase for this discounted price.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX "TERACARPA"
THE BEST KING PALM EVER!
MUCH SUPERIOR TO REGULAR KING PALMS

SO, WHAT IS IT?
ARE THEY EVER ON SALE?
YES, 10 DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE - SINGLES OR MULTIPLES

Archontophoenix teracarpa is a fictitious name given to an unknown species/type of King Palm that I have in my garden and no one can identify. I've been collecting seeds from it for quite a few years and offering it for sale. Everyone who gets one agrees - "It's the best King Palm ever!" It got the name from the Latin "Large body", which it has. After trying to identify the species over many years and with no success, we coined the name "Archontophoenix teracarpa". The closest species to it would be A. maxima but it's not the same. So, what are the differences that makes teracarpa more ideal? Shown below is a single of our 15 gallon size but we also have multiples. These are really too big for mail order but we do have 5 gallon which we can ship. We have available both single stem plants and some multiples (more than one in a pot).

It is faster growing than the regular Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
It gets taller than the regular King Palm
It tolerates full sun better
It doesn't brown tip in full sun
It has a blue crown shaft
It has a super thick trunk

It's just a better looking and performing type of King Palm. If you get one, you’ll be bragging about its performance later.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $210

Remember: mention this Special to get your discount when you purchase!

KENTIOPSIS PYRIFORMIS
SUPER RARE SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

NATIVE TO NEW CALEDONIA
THIN TRUNK - VERY ELEGANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This is a single trunk, crown shafted pinnate palm native to New Caledonia. Many feel it's the prettiest species of this genus. It gets to a height of about 40 feet or more and has a thin trunk. Leaves are upright, green and arched. They are keeled and green in color. The crown shaft is a copper color, covered with a white wax. It can be grown in some sun, depending on where you live. It's probably best to start it in bright filtered light and let it work its way into overhead sun. Growth rate is good, comparable or faster than K. oliviformis. Cold tolerance is down to about a freeze. This is an extremely difficult species to find for sale nowadays. I have a limited number of 5 gallon plants we’re putting on special. They are nicely sized for as 5 gallon. Newly emergent leaves are red as shown in the next to last photo below of a prior Nursery plant. This new red leaf is a typical trait of New Caledonian palm species. This is an extremely rare species and we rarely have them for sale.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

Photo of garden plant by TS at RPS.

JUBAEA X BUTIA
RARE HYBRID OF TWO COLD HARDY SPECIES

BLUE-GREEN LEAVES, MEDIUM SIZE
NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL - VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF 5 GALLON PLANTS

This exciting hybrid of two cold hardy, sun loving palms is a cross between pollen from Butia capitata (Pindo Palmm) being transferred to the receptive flowers of BJubaea chilensis. (the Chilean Wine Palm). If you inspect the photos below, you'll find this this cross definitely more closely resembles the Chilean Wine Palm. The mature plant (8th photo below) c/o Palmpedia by an unknown author shows that sometimes these hybrids can show a blue leaf color as some Butias have a more blue leaf. Leaves should be recurved downward. I do see blue color on the dorsal leaf stems on our 5 gallon plants but leaves could end up being a blue-green color. Cold hardiness is definitely into the upper teens or a bit lower. It'll want full sun. Anticipate a mature height of 20 to 25 feet. This size can be mail ordered. I only have a handful available and they'll sell out quickly. They are good sized for a 5 gallon pot but I only have one or two available to sell.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE THIS HYBRID $145

PTYCHOSPERMA SALOMONENSE
QUICK GROWING, CROWN SHAFTED

SIMILAR TO PTYCHOSPERMA ELEGANS
BUT FASTER GROWING
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE - SINGLES & MULTIPLES

This rare pinnate, crown shafted and thin trunked palm tree is from the Solomon Islands. Most growers comment that this species is very similar appearing to Ptychosperma elegans . It gets a height of up to thirty feet with a four inch thick trunk. Leaves are about five feet long. Leaf color is green. The crown shaft is silver-green. Compared to Ptychosperma elegans, this species is:

faster growing
taller
has wider leaflets
has larger leaves

It is a part day sun species and has a cold tolerance into the mid to upper twenties F. Perhaps one could grow it in full sun right on the coast. It is rarely available. I'm offering nice one gallon sized plants on special for ten days.

REGULAR PRICE FIVE GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $125

You must mention this Blog Only Special when ordering to get this discount. These plants should be easy to mail order. Limited availability. Both singles & multiples available. The last garden photo is c/o TS at RPS.

CHAMAEDOREA MICROSPADIX
SEMI-DWARF SUCKERING BAMBOO PALM

COLD HARDY - NEVER OVER EIGHT FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE

This suckering Chamaedorea has very thin canes, somewhat wide leaflets, green leaves and an overall small to medium size. Mature plants are rarely over 8 feet tall. Often leaves can have an iridescent sheen and sometimes are glaucous on the back side. This species wants filtered light and is cold hardy into the upper teens F. The 2 gallon on sale are nicely sized and suckering already. They are equivalent to a 5 gallon plant.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON $75
SALE PRICE THIS SIZE $65

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase. These can be mail ordered. The plants on special are shown in the first two rows of photos. The last row shows a 15g at the nursery.

BRAHEA MOOREI AVAILABLE
THE DWARF ROCK PALM

SUPER RARE - SOUGHT AFTER MEXICAN FAN PALM
ALMOST SOLD OUT AND NO MORE IN THE PIPELINE
TEN DAY SPECIAL OVERSIZED ONE GALLON PLANTS

Shown below are 2 year old juvenile seedlings of the super rare and hard to find Brahea moorei. The seeds for these plants came from a fruiting tree in San Diego County. They were very slow to germinate and these seedlings are 24 months old. We're putting them on sale. Some are on their fifth or sixth leaf.OME ARE O

This is a very small, dwarf species with overall height of four to six feet. Leaves are near fully circular with deeply divided segments. The underside of the leaves are brilliantly white and often you'll see a white color on the dorsal segment margins. The garden specimens are c/o PalmPedia (C.W.) and PACSOA. Culturally, you can grow this in strong filtered light, part day sun or possibly full sun along the coast. Cold hardiness is into the low 20's F. It is very slow growing. The one gallon on Sale are very nicely sized for their pots but we only have as handful left.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE $65

CARYOTA GIGAS
"THAI MOUNTAIN GIANT", "KING KONG PALM", "BLACK STEM FISHTAIL"

LARGE BIPINNATE SINGLE TRUNK PALM
GORGEOUS BUT NEEDS ROOM TO GROW
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED JUVENILE PLANTS

This beautiful large palm from northern Thailand has been given a lot of common names. Its leaves are green with chopped leaflets. Leaf length is about 14 feet with a width of 10 to 12 feet or more. It is the most sought-out species of Fishtail Palm. It has an extremely thick fat trunk that can get up to three feet wide at the base with a trunk height in Southern California that is hardly ever over 35 feet. It tolerates full sun and is cold hardy into the low 20’s F. It is as monocarpic species (blossoms and then dies) and one could expect a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. It will produce shade underneath. It is quick growing but does not put on vertical height as fast as Caryota urens. If your plant doesn't look good, it's probably from your lack of giving it adequate water (if there's no cold burn). Presently we have two leaf band sized plants that we’re putting on special. BTW, we also have some good sized 25 gallon plants.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $52.50

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DARK GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON BAND SIZE

What good fortune is it that New Caledonia can claim to be the home of all Chambeyronia. Included is this species, C. macrocarpa. It is a slow growing, pinnate, crown shafted palm that gets to a height of about 30 feet. It has a dark green to green-black crown shaft. Compare this to C. hookeri above with it's yellow crown shaft. Leaves are wide, thick and leathery to the touch. With good culture, maybe you can get three new leaves a year. About one in twenty plants fail to throw a new red leaf - rather, it remains green. This is just bad luck and there's no way to predict which will do this. Shown here are 5 gallon plants we're putting on sale. We do have larger and smaller sizes available. Coastal sun is tolerated although strong filtered light is ok for most areas. This is a great garden palm. The 7th and 9th photos by HJD and TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $55

I thank TS at RPS for usage of his photo below.

DIOON EDULE
BLUE QUERETERO VARIETY

RARE FORM - SUN LOVING BLUE CYCAD
COLD HARDY INTO THE UPPER TEENS F.
GETS BLUE COLOR IN HOT SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER BAND SIZED PLANTS

In other posts I’ve discussed Dioon edule, a typically small to medium sized sun-loving cycad from Mexico. There are known to be about six different varieties of this species - all from different localities. The variety on sale here is from the Mexican state of Queretaro. Leaves are typically blue in full bright sun. Leaves are about 4 feet long and leaflets are thin, coming to a pointed end. Mature height after a few decades may be six feet with an trunk height of 18 inches. Cold tolerance is excellent, being able to take cold weather into the teens F. The band size on sale are not new seedlings but rather established older (five year old) plants with an average caudex of 1.5 to 2 inches. The bands are shown in the first five photos below. These are hard to find and easy to mail order. Last photo by MARK MASON.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OLDER BAND SIZE $115
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE OLDER BAND SIZE $85

Remember to mention this Special for your discount when you purchase. Availability limited. BTW, if these don't sell out, all will be repotted into 5g pots shortly

ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
RARE BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD FOR FULL COASTAL SUN

A FAVORITE AMONG CYCAD ENTHUSIASTS
GOOD STARTER SIZE FOR CYCAD ENTHUSIAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZED PLANTS

This is a popular blue cycad from the Eastern Cape area of South Africa. I say “popular” because some people don't like spines and prickles. The leaflets of this species are narrow with only a point at the end. They are nothing as gnarly as E. horridus. The leaves and crown are very neat and uniform. The nearest species to this one is Encephalartos princeps. Trunks of E. lehmannii can get to five feet, but one with two to three feet of trunk is very old. Leaves average about four feet long and are strongly curled. Sometimes they'll almost do a 180 or more degree re-curve. Leaf color is intensely blue like E. horridus. But, you'll only see this color with full, hot sun. In shade or inside a greenhouse they are often green because they are not getting full sun and have lots of humidity. Cold hardiness is about 21 to 22 degrees F. In the desert only give it a few hours sun.

Shown below are E. lehmannii that are in citrus pot containers. They have 4 to 6 leaves with caudexes of about 2.5 inches. See first two rows of photos. They can remain in these containers for 2 to 3 more years. Easy to mail order. We do have larger sizes available. These citrus pot plants are easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE CITRUS POT WITH 2.5 INCH CAUDEX $375
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS CAUDEX SIZE CITRUS POT $300

The third row of photos show more mature or garden plants.

DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA
THE TASMANIAN TREE FERN

FAIRLY COLD HARDY, THINNER TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 5G SIZE

This typically single trunk tree fern is native to Southeastern Australia and Tasmania. It is much slower growing than the Australian Tree Fern above and has a mature height typically of 8 to 10 feet although they can get even taller. Trunks are a similar diameter to the Australian Tree Fern. Of note, apparently the lower trunk is filled with old, decaying trunk material and new roots grow through this material to get water and nutrition. Cuttings of the top of the trunk can be re-established and root out. This plant likes a bit of sun or filtered light and also loves water. Cold tolerance is 25 degrees F. or lower. The 5g on sale here are very nice as shown.

REGULAR PRICE 5G $85
TEN DAYS SPECIAL THIS SIZE $70

Remember: Mention this Blog Special for your discount.

EDIBLE BANANA THAT MANY OF YOU CAN GROW!
MUSA GRAN NAIN

VARIETY THAT CHIQUITA UTILIZES FOR MARKET FRUIT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 15 GALLON PLANTS

This banana cultivar is popular worldwide and is the variety of choice for Chiquita Banana Company. It is a cultivar of Musa acuminata. It produces a huge amount of bananas if well grown. It is common for one plant to produce over 40 pounds of fruit. The fruit is medium sized, firm and sweet. Plants get to about 9 feet height, sucker when a fruit stem has finished and require half sun or full sun if possible. They benefit from large amounts of compost or soil amendments and do require fertilization to make good fruit. Leaves are typically solid green. They are a quick growing species. They do best in frost free areas but can recover from a freeze. Of note, remove the fruit when it's still a bit green and wait for it to ripen off the tree. We are offering 15g plants on Special. They are nicely sized and most are overhead in their pots. The photo of the fruit is by A-S.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON THIS SIZE $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15 GALLON $175

PAVONIA MULTIFLORA
BRAZILIAN CANDLES
RED BLOSSOMS IN SHADE!

AND, BLOSSOMS ALL YEAR LONG!
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

In the past I introduced you to this interesting and super rare plant from Brazil. This species in unique because it grows in the shade, never gets over about eight feet tall, blossoms in the shade and never stops blossoming. Yes, in the dead of winter you'll see red blossoms. And, these trees are prolific. When mature, these trees will have twenty to thirty blossoms year-round. This species is an open appearing plant with foliage and blossoms at the ends of its small trunks. Blossom size is two to three inches in length. Pictures here show them quite well. This species is also very difficult to find. The plants on sale are starter plants. But, grow them on. It’s well worth it.

TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $40

Just mention this Blog Only Special for your discount when you purchase. Of note, small plants should blossom by spring but it’ll take five years or more to get an overhead wide tree. Previous larger plants at the nursery shown below as well.

CRINUM AMABILE - PURPLE LEAF FORM
LARGE CRINUM LILY - AKA "QUEEN EMMA LILY"

OVERHEAD PURPLE-GREEN LEAVES
BEAUTIFUL HUGE DISPLAY OF PURPLE-WHITE FLOWERS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This Lily is native to all sorts of locations throughout the world including southern Asia, Australia, and Africa. It is known for it's spiraling display of long, heavy substance leaves that are upright and four to six feet long. Their color is green and dark purple. Flowers are white with purple centers and markings. It grows like other Lilies by making offset tubers that make new plants. Expect a mature height of six to seven feet, definitely overhead. As mentioned, they clump and form a great display of foliage. They will not "run" or take over an area. In recent times these have been near impossible to find. But, we have a limited number of 15 gallon plants that we’re putting on sale. See first six photos below. I’m also showing photos of the flower and garden specimens. Be aware that these plants are never inexpensive to purchase and very difficult to find.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HARD TO FIND 15 GALLON $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15 GALLON $285

TILLANDSIA MALLEMONTII
SPECIES WITH VIOLET BLUE FLOWERS
CLUSTERS IN BLOSSOM IN SPRING - SUMMER

A TYPE OF AIR PLANT - EASY TO GROW - BLOSSOMS IN FALL
CAN BE MOUNTED ON TREE TRUNKS & LIMBS, POSTS OR FENCE
TEN DAY SPECIAL TWO SIZES OF CLUSTERS

As I've mentioned before, I'm not a Tillandsia expert. But, I could not pass when a private collector offered me multiple clumps of a blue-gray Tillandsia mllemontii in full blossom. The blossoms are a violet-blue (photos make them appear a bit pink - which they are not). I was told by the collector that the blossom every spring to summer with lots of flowers. The clumps are composed of ten to fifteen plants. Attach or hand them from a tree limb or tunk, a fence post or mount them to a wooden plank and hang them in coastal sun. They'd like sun or part sun and to be watered at least weekly. This species is rare to find. These would be easy to mail order. We have a good selection of clusters of this species. Most contain at least ten individual plants. Note that, when you buy Tillandsia on line, you ususally get one dinky plant, not huge clusters 15 years old like shown here. The first six photos show this species of Tillandsia Bromeliad while the 7th photo shows one mounted on a wooden back. The last two photos below show Bromeliads mounted to a tree trunk or limb - but not necessarily this type of Tillandsia.

REGULAR PRICE CLUSTERS $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL - $75 FOR THESE CLUSTERS AS SHOWN

END OF OLDER POSTS FULL VERSION FOR APRIL, 2024
BUT THERE'S EARLIER POSTS FROM MARCH, 2024 - CLICK BELOW

TO SEE EARLIER POSTS FROM MARCH, 2024, CLICK HERE
TO SEE EARLIER POSTS FROM FEBRUARY, 2024, CLICK HERE

Links to even older archived posts at end of this page

RECYCLE USED PLASTIC CONTAINERS
AND OLD NEWSPAPERS AND BOXES

ECOLOGICAL AND HELPS OUR NURSERY
YOU'LL RECEIVE A DISCOUNT ON YOUR PURCHASE OR A CREDIT TOWARD FUTURE PURCHASE

I like to remind plant enthusiasts to recycle their plastic containers. We will take them and give you a credit toward any purchase at the nursery - when you drop them off or issue a credit toward a future purchase. Or, if you just don't know what to do with them and are conservative minded, drop them off at our nursery location. If you arrive off hours, just leave them in front of our entry gate. We'll put them to good use. We've been doing this for decades and think it's the right thing to do for the environment. On containers, we are especially looking for larger pots, 5g and bigger. Our nursery is plush with one gallon or smaller. We also really appreciate 5 gallon, 7 gallon, 15 gallon and citrus pots.

We are also recycling old cardboard boxes (Amazon types or otherwise) and newspapers.

So, don't give them to the garbage man for your local landfill. Bring containers to our nursery and receive a nursery credit for plastic/ceramic containers. The fourth photo shows all containers from a band to a 24 inch box, left to right.

5 gallon
15 gallon
25 gallon

All containers in a row

GIFT CERTIFICATE

CLICK TO READ ABOUT

ALSO - RECYCLE OLD NEWSPAPER -We can use it!

We utilize old newspaper to stuff our plants before we put them in vehicles. Newspapers also help us secure mail orders. And, we're always running out and don't like using new paper for this purpose - wasteful. So, we'd recycle those old newspapers that you have on hand. Just drop them off at the nursery any day Monday through Saturday. Thank you.

NEW WEBSITE FEATURE! SEE ALL OUR TOPICAL PLANTS
AT ONCE - ONE PAGE

DESCRIPTION , PHOTOS, AVAILABILITY and REGULAR PRICES

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT TROPICAL PLANTS!
GET A FEW IDEAS FROM PHOTOS BELOW

A LOOK AT THE NURSERY
QUICK PHOTO TOUR

Recently, on a drizzling day, sort of gray and gloomy, the following photos were taken by Alma, one of the staff. These pictures show the unique combination of palms, cycads and succulents that we're offering. You can see how nicely they all blend together. We're showing these photos so you get a feel for our Nursery.

GREAT PALM TREES FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Below are pictures of about thirty five palm species that all do well in Southern California. In the group of palms below, I left off the most common species that, it seems, everyone knows about. So, there are no Queen Palms and Mexican Fan Palms below. But, this group includes species that may be a bit unusual and more interesting. This is not a complete list. For instance, within any given genus, there may be dozens other species that do well here. If I showed every species that you can grow, it would be too overwhelming. So, I've kept it simple and show representative pictures. I think, for a starting point, this will suffice.

I have chosen to show mature plants in gardens. I tried to use mostly pictures from gardens in Southern California to show examples. Some are from elsewhere. This provides a quick view of species that you may want to try. Some are for sun, others for shade. Some are more difficult to grow than others. I'm not commenting on each species presently. But, throughout my Blog, there are comments on almost all of these. If you don't live here in Southern California, realize that many of these species may live in your area as well.

I hope you enjoy this. We, of course, have most or all of these palms for sale at the nursery in an assortment of sizes. And, for your enthusiasts, we probably have several hundred other cool species for you to try.

Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
Bismarckia nobiis
Brahea armata
Caryota gigas
Chambeyronia macrocarpa

Chamaedorea costaricana
Coccothrinax species
Copernicia baileyana
Cryosophila species
Cyphophoenix species'

Dypsis decaryi
Dypsis decipiens (habitat)
Dypsis leptocheilos
Dypsis onilahensis
Euterpe edulis

Hedyscepe canterburyana
Howea forsteriana
Howea belmoreana
Jubaea chilensis
Kentiopsis oliviformis

Livistona decipiens
Parajubaea torallyi
Phoenix rupicola
Pinanga coronata
Pritchardia species

Pritchardia species
Ravenea glauca
Ravenea species
Rhapis humilus
Rhopalostylis sapida

Roystonea borinquena
Sabal causiarum
Syagrus pseudococos
Veitchia arecina
Wodyetia bifurcata

On all the genera above there may be many more species within the same genus that also grow well for us here. I apologize if I haven't included your favorite species in this group, but this is meant to be a brief introduction and I wanted to keep it simple. I have utilized these species in a brief article summarizing Palms for Southern California elsewhere at this website

PLANT CONTAINER SIZES

For growers here on the West Coast, there are black plastic containers that most of us use on our plants. Surprisingly, there are differences between the pots used on the West Coast and East Coast of the U.S. Here we refer to most containers by "gallon size" On the East Coast pots are referred to by "diameter in inches". So, back East you might find a plant in a "14 inch pot". Here is might be called a "15 gallon pot". If you visit our price and availability catalog, plants are shown by their pot size. I'm hoping that this Blog post this morning will help clarify what individual pots look like.

CONTAINER SIZE PHOTO EMPTY CONTAINER PHOTO OF PLANTS IN
THIS CONTAINER

BAND SIZE CONTAINER
This pot is 3 x 3 x 9 inches, square in shape. It is used for seedling plants. For most growers, it has replaced the one gallon pot. It is a bit deeper and easier to place in carrying trays. It also conserves space on benches because these can be placed close together. You can get a pretty nice plant in a band container, sometimes up to 30 inches tall.

ONE GALLON POT
This is a very common pot used, especially by flower growers and those producing small shrubs. It's a typical first step after germinating a seedling. We prefer using the band containers above as they conserve table and bench space more efficiently and are deeper. Diameter of this pot is six inches but it's only about seven inches deep.

TWO GALLON POT
This pot is 7 to 8 inches wide and about 8 inches deep. It is a nice size to move a band plant into. But, it is not particularly deep, so you have to make sure the roots fit into the container. This pot will produce an average plant that is about 2 feet tall. We grow a lot of palms in these pots.

FIVE GALLON POT
This pot is 10 inches wide and about 10 inches deep. It produces a plant that is one of the most common sized palms that we sell. It is popular because it's not too heavy to lift and plants are typically three to five feet tall, depending on the species.

SEVEN GALLON POT
We really like this container because it produces a good sized plant but isn't as heavy to carry as a 15g. But, for some manufacturing reason, this pot costs twice as much as a 15g. Therefore, most growers aren't buying this sized pot very much nowadays. It is 12 inches wide, and about 12 inches deep.

FIFTEEN GALLON POT
This is the most popular sized purchased by people who want a landscape or near-landscape ready size of plant. This container typically supports a palm from four to eight feet size. Weight of this size of container with soil and plant is usually sixty to ninety pounds. It's size is 15 to 16 inches wide and 16 inches deep. Note how this size pot usually has a nice carrying lip at the top of the pot.

TWENTY/TWENTY-FIVE GALLON POTS
This is the next size up from a 15g. These pots are typically about 18 to 20 inches wide and 16 to 18 inches deep. They weight anywhere from 125 to 150 pounds with their soil. They can produce a plant larger than the 15g, typically 8 to 10 feet. They usually have a flat lip on the top as shown. The pot shown here is actually a 25g pot. 20 g are a bit smaller.

24 INCH BOX CONTAINER
This box is 24 inches wide, square in shape and about 22 to 24 inches deep. The weight of this container depends on the mix, but is anywhere from 175 to 300 pounds (this heavier weight is if one is using a very heavy soil). It takes two men to lift one of these. We prefer plastic boxes as shown here, but they are much more expensive than wooden box. They last a very long time.

ALL POT SIZES IN A ROW
This pot shows all the sizes lined up in a row. In order, left to right are:

band size
one gallon
two gallon
five gallon
seven gallon
fifteen gallon
twenty gallon
24 inch box

SIZES WE USE NOT SHOWN HERE

Deep band containers
Citrus pots
25 gallon
30 gallon
35 gallon
45 gallon
30 inch boxes
36 inch boxes

Note: Larger pots/boxes can get very heavy and are too heavy to mail order by usual means - independent trucker needed for these.

Pots to left lined up in a row

Cycad in 36 inch box

BLOG ARCHIVES:

see previous months of "Full Version" New Plant Arrivals see list immediately be

TO RETURN TO TOP OF CURRENT POSTS (PRESENT TIME, CLICK HERE

TO RETURN TO OUR HOME PAGE, CLICK HERE

ARCHIVED MONTHS OF JUNGLE MUSIC'S BLOG

TO READ EARLIER MONTHLY FULL POSTS FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS,

CLICK ON MONTHLY LIST BELOW

ANNOUNCEMENT:

FOR ABOUT TWELVE YEARS WE'VE MAINTAINED ALL PAST NEW PLANT ARRIVAL BLOG POSTS. BUT, DUE TO MEGABYTE LOAD OF THIS WEBSITE (PUSHING TOWARD HALF A MILLION PHOTOS), WE HAD TO ELIMATE OLD BLOG PAGES FROM 2011 THROUGH 2020. THESE DELETIONS WILL LESSEN THE NUMBER OF PHOTOS ARCHIVED AT THIS SITE AND REDUCE STORAGE DEMANDS. HOPEFULLY IT WILL REDUCE DOWNLOAD TIMES IN GENERAL. YOU MAY SEE A FEW MISSING PHOTOS IN VERY OLD BLOG POSTS.

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October, 2023 March, 2022

September, 2023 February, 2022

August, 2023 January, 2022

July, 2023 December, 2021

June, 2023 November, 2021

May,2023 October, 2021

April, 2023 September, 2021

March, 2023 August, 2021

February, 2023 July, 2021

January, 2023 June, 2021

December, 2022 May, 2021

November, 2022 April, 2021

October, 2022 March, 2021

September, 2022 February, 2021

HOW THESE TEN DAY SPECIALS WORK

• NEW SPECIALS ARE ADDED FREQUENTLY AND EXPIRATION DATE FOR SALE PRICES ARE TEN DAYS AFTER INITIAL POSTING.
• SOON AFTER EXPIRATION, DATED SALE ITEMS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THIS PAGE
• FOR MAIL ORDERS, JUST CALL US. WE DO NOT PRESENTLY HAVE A
"SHOPPING CART" BECAUSE ALMOST ALL CUSTOMERS NEED HELP WITH DECIDING WHAT TO ORDER. WE WANT YOUR PLANTS TO THRIVE!
• AT THIS THREAD, MOST RECENT SPECIALS ARE LISTED AT THE TOP
• TERMS OF SALE ARE GIVEN HERE BELOW - RESTRICTIONS AND CANCELLATION FEES MAY APPLY. SEE POLICIES (LINK BELOW).
• SOME ITEMS ARE IN LIMITED SUPPLY AND MAY SELL OUT QUICKLY • PHOTOS SHOWN ABOVE SOMETIMES ARE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SALE ITEMS.
• MAIL ORDER PLANTS ARE SHIPPED TYPICALLY THE SAME DAY OR THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY IN THEIR CONTAINERS WITH SOIL TO GIVE YOU THE BEST CHANCES OF SURVIVAL
• SHIPPING CHARGES APPLY TO ALL MAIL ORDERS. ESTIMATES OF SHIPPING COSTS CAN BE GIVEN ON REQUEST.
• PURCHASED PLANTS CAN BE HELD FOR FREE FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME (SEE POLICIES) AND SHIPPED WHEN YOU TELL US OR WEATHER PERMITS
• TO GET THESE DISCOUNTED PRICES, MENTION SPECIALS ABOVE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. IT'S SORT OF LIKE A "PAPERLESS COUPON"

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR SALE ITEMS SHOWN ABOVE AND OTHER PURCHASES

• SALE PRICES ARE FOR A LIMITED TIME SHOWN ON EACH POST ABOVE
• ALL SPECIALS ARE FOR A TEN DAY PERIOD AND EXPIRE TEN DAYS AFTER INITIAL POSTING, USUALLY AT THE END OF NURSERY HOURS
• PLANT PRICES CAN CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE AND MAY NOT YET BE RECORDED ON OUR PRICE DATABASES
• AT NO TIME ARE THERE "DOUBLE DISCOUNTS" - PERCENTAGE DISCOUNTS DO NOT APPLY TO OTHER SPECIALS
• DISCOUNTS OR SALE SPECIALS DO NOT APPLY TO SHIPPING OR HANDLING CHARGES. THEY DO NOT APPLY TO SPECIAL ORDER PLANTS OR ITEMS WE HAVE TO SEARCH FOR APART FROM OUR OWN PLANT INVENTORY.
• SALES TAX MAY APPLY, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE
• NO INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS WILL BE SENT OR TAKEN
• CYCADS AND CITES LISTED ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE FOR DOMESTIC UNITED STATES USAGE OR PURCHASE ONLY
• NO WARRANTY OR GUARANTEE IS GIVEN OR IMPLIED ON YOUR ABILITY TO GROW THE PLANTS IN YOUR LOCALITY
• MAIL ORDER ITEMS SENT VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS PRESENTLY UNLESS OTHERWISE ARRANGED
• AVAILABILITY VARIES. ITEMS ON SALE MAY SELL OUT WITHOUT NOTICE AND NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE.
• All SALES ARE FINAL WITH NO REFUNDS. PLEASE SEE OUR COMPANY PURCHASE, GUARANTEE & WARRANTY POLICIES, OUR REFUND AND SHIPPING POLICIES, AND OTHER POLICIES AS DESCRIBED IN OUR PUBLISHED JUNGLE MUSIC POLICIES. ANY CANCELLED BUT NOT SHIPPED ORDERS OR SHIPMENTS MAY BE SUBJECT TO A CANCELLATION FEE DESCRIBED AT OUR POLICIES.

THIS IS A HUGE WEBSITE WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF PAGES AND PICTURES.
TAKE YOUR TIME WITH IT.

SEE MORE ARTICLES ON PALM TREES

Thank you for reading our Blog

Phil Bergman
Owner & Website Author
Jungle Music Palms, Cycads & Tropical Plants
Phone - for orders or availability: 619 291 4605
Email: phil@junglemusic.net or TO EMAIL PHIL OR STAFF, CLICK HERE

Jungle Music Palm Trees, Cycads and Tropical Plants



Website:
www.junglemusic.net Email: phil@junglemusic.net

Nursery Location:

450 Ocean View Ave., Encinitas, CA 92024

Nursery Phone: 619 291 4605

Nursery Hours:
Monday - Saturday, 9AM - 4PM
Sunday typically closed

Directions to Nursery: Freeway Close. Take Freeway 5 to Encinitas
(10 minutes south of Oceanside, 30 minutes north of San Diego).
Exit Leucadia Blvd West (toward ocean).
Immediate left on Orpheus Ave, left on Union St,
Right on Ocean View Ave to Nursery, which is at 450 Ocean View Ave
Mailing Address:
3233 Brant Street, San Diego, CA 92103

  All major credit cards accepted

Visitors in past ten years shown in small blue counting box above. About 14 million people since 1997.

HOW THIS BLOG WORKS New plant arrivals, desirable species and requested plants included New species described every few days, most recent posts at top of thread Jump to older Blog Threads from links below. Blog discusses palm trees, cycads and tropical plants	LEARN ABOUT PALM TREES AND CYCADS Brief comments given below. We trim this thread frequently to maintain 30 day run. Information on sun requirements and cold tolerance given if available Pictures of mature specimens shown when possible In depth posts with lots of photos on some species
PRICING ON PLANTS SHOWN On some plants, pricing given with the post You can use quick link for all our prices: PALM PRICES OR CYCAD PRICES	SPECIALS AND SALES Specials below apply to drop in visits or mail orders. Photos are representative. All specials have a termination date and always expire when the current thread expires Ten Day Specials expire ten days after date of posting and are marked in red color. For any sale prices, you must mention all Blog Only Sale Prices when purchasing
DIRECTIONS TO NURSERY CLICK HERE for printable copy of DIRECTIONS 450 Ocean view Ave, Encinitas, CA 92024 Hours: M-Sat, 9AM to 4PM	CONTACT INFORMATION: Phone: 619 291 4605 Email: phil@junglemusic.net or click here FOR INSTANT EMAIL TO Phil
MAIL ORDERS Most orders sent in boxes with Fed Exp. No international shipping. Plants shipped in pots with soil. For larger plants use trucking services.	DELIVERIES (larger orders or larger plants) To almost anywhere within the continental U.S. Quite affordable. We deliver or we utilize independent trucking services on any size plants.

*Encephalarto altensteinii male cone*	*Encephalartos ferox female cone*	**Encephalartos ferox male cone**
*Encephalartos villosus female cone*	*Encephalartos lehmannii male cone*	**Encephalartos kisambo female cone**
**E. arenarius x lebomboensis male cone**	**Encephalartos ferox female cone**	*Encephalartos villosus female cone*
*Encephalartos villosus cone with fruit*	*Encephalartos horridus female cone*	*Encephalartos villosus male*
*Encephalartos lebomboensis female cone*	*Encephalartos trispinosus female cone*	**Encephalartos ferox male cones**
**Encephalartos arenarius male cone, older**	*Encephalartos natalensis*	*Encephalartos kisambo female cone*

A LOOK AT THE NURSERY QUICK PHOTO TOUR Recently, on a drizzling day, sort of gray and gloomy, the following photos were taken by Alma, one of the staff. These pictures show the unique combination of palms, cycads and succulents that we're offering. You can see how nicely they all blend together. We're showing these photos so you get a feel for our Nursery.

Archontophoenix cunninghamiana	Bismarckia nobiis	Brahea armata	Caryota gigas	Chambeyronia macrocarpa
Chamaedorea costaricana	Coccothrinax species	Copernicia baileyana	Cryosophila species	Cyphophoenix species'
Dypsis decaryi	Dypsis decipiens (habitat)	Dypsis leptocheilos	Dypsis onilahensis	Euterpe edulis
Hedyscepe canterburyana	Howea forsteriana	Howea belmoreana	Jubaea chilensis	Kentiopsis oliviformis
Livistona decipiens	Parajubaea torallyi	Phoenix rupicola	Pinanga coronata	Pritchardia species
Pritchardia species	Ravenea glauca	Ravenea species	Rhapis humilus	Rhopalostylis sapida
Roystonea borinquena	Sabal causiarum	Syagrus pseudococos	Veitchia arecina	Wodyetia bifurcata

CONTAINER SIZE	PHOTO EMPTY CONTAINER	PHOTO OF PLANTS IN THIS CONTAINER
BAND SIZE CONTAINER This pot is 3 x 3 x 9 inches, square in shape. It is used for seedling plants. For most growers, it has replaced the one gallon pot. It is a bit deeper and easier to place in carrying trays. It also conserves space on benches because these can be placed close together. You can get a pretty nice plant in a band container, sometimes up to 30 inches tall.
ONE GALLON POT This is a very common pot used, especially by flower growers and those producing small shrubs. It's a typical first step after germinating a seedling. We prefer using the band containers above as they conserve table and bench space more efficiently and are deeper. Diameter of this pot is six inches but it's only about seven inches deep.

TWO GALLON POT This pot is 7 to 8 inches wide and about 8 inches deep. It is a nice size to move a band plant into. But, it is not particularly deep, so you have to make sure the roots fit into the container. This pot will produce an average plant that is about 2 feet tall. We grow a lot of palms in these pots.
FIVE GALLON POT This pot is 10 inches wide and about 10 inches deep. It produces a plant that is one of the most common sized palms that we sell. It is popular because it's not too heavy to lift and plants are typically three to five feet tall, depending on the species.
SEVEN GALLON POT We really like this container because it produces a good sized plant but isn't as heavy to carry as a 15g. But, for some manufacturing reason, this pot costs twice as much as a 15g. Therefore, most growers aren't buying this sized pot very much nowadays. It is 12 inches wide, and about 12 inches deep.
FIFTEEN GALLON POT This is the most popular sized purchased by people who want a landscape or near-landscape ready size of plant. This container typically supports a palm from four to eight feet size. Weight of this size of container with soil and plant is usually sixty to ninety pounds. It's size is 15 to 16 inches wide and 16 inches deep. Note how this size pot usually has a nice carrying lip at the top of the pot.
TWENTY/TWENTY-FIVE GALLON POTS This is the next size up from a 15g. These pots are typically about 18 to 20 inches wide and 16 to 18 inches deep. They weight anywhere from 125 to 150 pounds with their soil. They can produce a plant larger than the 15g, typically 8 to 10 feet. They usually have a flat lip on the top as shown. The pot shown here is actually a 25g pot. 20 g are a bit smaller.
24 INCH BOX CONTAINER This box is 24 inches wide, square in shape and about 22 to 24 inches deep. The weight of this container depends on the mix, but is anywhere from 175 to 300 pounds (this heavier weight is if one is using a very heavy soil). It takes two men to lift one of these. We prefer plastic boxes as shown here, but they are much more expensive than wooden box. They last a very long time.

PALM TREE, CYCAD & TROPICAL PLANT BLOG PLANTS FOR SALE

SPECIAL SALE ITEMS

NEW PLANT ARRIVALS & DISCOUNT PLANTS PALM TREE, CYCAD AND TROPICAL PLANT BLOG

POTTING UP A NEW PALM SEEDLING PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING TECHNIQUE - VEITCHIA SEEDLINGS

PHOTOS OF ASSORTED CYCADS AROUND THE NURSERY

LIVISTONA LANUGINOSA THE CAPE RIVER LIVISTONA – THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

SABAL BLACKBURNIANA LARGE AND TALL FAN PALM

RAVENEA RIVULARIS THE MAJESTY PALM

ARCHONTOPHOENIX "TERACARPA" THE BEST KING PALM EVER!

ZAMIA FISCHERI AKA ZAMIA VASQUEZII

DWARF GREEN MEXICAN CYCAD CONES AT A SMALL SIZE - NEVER OVER 3 TO FOUR FEET TALL TEN DAY SPECIAL CIT POT SIZE

TASMANIAN TREE FERN DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA

ASSORTED PHILODENDRON SPECIES A VARIETY OF "SPECIES" AVAILABLE - MOST CLIMB, SOME DON'T MOST LIKE FILTERED LIGHT MULTIPLE SPECIES TO CHOOSE FROM

RABITTS FOOT FERN DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

ROYSTONEA REGIA THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

SABAL CAUSIARUM LARGE TRUNKED TROPICAL FAN PALM

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA THE NIKAU PALM

HAWAIIAN TI PLANTS GREAT COLOR FOR THE GARDEN ASSORTMENT OF NEW VARIETIES AT NURSERY

PHOTOS OF ASSORTED TROPICAL PLANTS FAIRCHILD TROPICAL GARDEN - MIAMI, FL

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA THE FLAME THROWER PALM NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

PHOENIX RUPICOLA THE CLIFF DATE PALM

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA THE SHAVING BRUSH OR FEATHER DUSTER PALM

CYPHOPHOENIX ELEGANS THE ELEGANT PALM

JUBAEA CHILENSIS THE CHILEAN WINE PALM FAT TRUNK - BUT SLOW GROWING

CYCAS PANZHIHUAENSIS RARE GREEN CHINESE CYCAD EXCELLENT COLD HARDINESS

ALOCASIA BLACK STEM AKA DARK STEM VERY DARK STEMS AND LEAF VEINS

BILBERGIA CLUSTERS WITH CASCADING PINK BLOSSOMS IN BLOSSOM RIGHT NOW

ENSETE VENTICOSUM "MAURELII" THE RED BANANA

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

BLECHNUM GIBBUM FERN "MINIATURE TREE FERN"

KAHILI GINGER HEDYCHIUM GARDNERIANUM

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

VEITCHIA MERRILLII HYBRID POTENTIAL TO GROW SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE GROWN HERE

TRITHRINAX ACANTHACOMA AKA TRITHIRNAX BRASILIENSIS SPINY TRUNK - MEDIUM HEIGHT FAN PALM

HOWEA FORSTERIANA THE KENTIA PALM

DIOON MEROLAE SLOW GROWING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

CARYOTA GIGAS "THAI MOUNTAIN GIANT", "KING KONG PALM", "BLACK STEM FISHTAIL"

PRESTOEA MONTANA AKA PRESTOEA ACUMINATA VAR. MONTANA

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA THE FLAME THROWER PALM NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA THE FLAME THROWER PALM NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

LIVISTONA LANGINOSA THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

VARIEGATED SHELL GINGER NICE 5G SIZE READY FOR THE GARDEN

EPIDENDRON ORCHID PINK BLOSSOM

COCCOTHRINAX MIRAGUAMA VERY POPULAR FAN PALM

AECHMEA BLANCHETIANA LARGER TYPE OF COLORFUL BROMELIAD

CHAMAEDOREA COSTARICANA ONE OF THE BEST BAMBOO PALMS

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA THE FLAME THROWER PALM NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

CHAMAEDOREA BENZIEI RARE SINGLE TRUNK CHAMAEDOREA LIKE C. RADICALIS ON STEROIDS!

CHAMAEDOREA CATARACTARUM THE CAT PALM

HOWEA BELMOREANA THE SENTRY OR UMBRELLA PALM

COPERNICIA PRUNIFERA THE CARNAUBA WAX PALM

CHAMAEDOREA TENELLA DWARF SINGLE TRUNK

MACROZAMIA MOOREI LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

BIRDSNEST FERN - ASPLENIUM NIDUS EXOTIC UNDERSTORY FERN

RABITTS FOOT FERN DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

ASSORTED PRITCHARDIA SPECIES THE HAWAIIAN PALM

RECYCLE YOUR USED PLASTIC CONTAINERS

AND OLD CARDBOARD BOXES / NEWSPAPERS

WODYETIA BIFURCATA THE FOXTAIL PALM

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE SINGLE TRUNK, TALL SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

TRITHRINAX ACANTHACOMA AKA TRITHIRNAX BRASILIENSIS SPINY TRUNK - MEDIUM HEIGHT FAN PALM

TRACHYCARPUS FORTUNEI THE WINDMILL PALM ONE OF THE MOST COLD HARDY PALMS

RHOPALOSTYLIS CHEESEMANII MORE RARE SPECIES OF THIS GENUS

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA THE STAR PALM

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA THE FLAME THROWER PALM NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245 TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

ARENGA PINNATA THE SUGAR PALM

RHAPIS EXCELSA THE LADY PALM

SABAL PALMETTO THE PALMETTO PALM

BRAHEA BRANDEGEEI A TALL, QUICK GROWING BRAHEA

ZAMIA AMBLYPHYLLIDIA DWARF GREEN CYCAD

DIOON EDULE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED MEXICAN CYCAD

BIRDS NEST ANTHURIUM ANTHURIUM HOOKERI

THE PERFECT COMPANION PLANT

HOWEA FORSTERIANA THE KENTIA PALM

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

GAUSSIA MAYA A VERY DIFFERENT PALM FOR SO. CALIFORNIA CAN SEE SWOLLEN BASE WHEN YOUNG TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE AND OLD 15 GALLON

PALM TREE, CYCAD & TROPICAL PLANT BLOG
PLANTS FOR SALE

NEW PLANT ARRIVALS & DISCOUNT PLANTS
PALM TREE, CYCAD AND TROPICAL PLANT BLOG

POTTING UP A NEW PALM SEEDLING
PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWING TECHNIQUE -
VEITCHIA SEEDLINGS

LIVISTONA LANUGINOSA
THE CAPE RIVER LIVISTONA – THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

SABAL BLACKBURNIANA
LARGE AND TALL FAN PALM

RAVENEA RIVULARIS
THE MAJESTY PALM

ARCHONTOPHOENIX "TERACARPA"
THE BEST KING PALM EVER!

ZAMIA FISCHERI
AKA ZAMIA VASQUEZII

DWARF GREEN MEXICAN CYCAD
CONES AT A SMALL SIZE - NEVER OVER 3 TO FOUR FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL CIT POT SIZE

TASMANIAN TREE FERN
DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA

ASSORTED PHILODENDRON SPECIES
A VARIETY OF "SPECIES" AVAILABLE - MOST CLIMB, SOME DON'T
MOST LIKE FILTERED LIGHT
MULTIPLE SPECIES TO CHOOSE FROM

RABITTS FOOT FERN
DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

ROYSTONEA REGIA
THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

SABAL CAUSIARUM
LARGE TRUNKED TROPICAL FAN PALM

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS
A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA
THE NIKAU PALM

HAWAIIAN TI PLANTS
GREAT COLOR FOR THE GARDEN
ASSORTMENT OF NEW VARIETIES AT NURSERY

PHOTOS OF ASSORTED TROPICAL PLANTS
FAIRCHILD TROPICAL GARDEN - MIAMI, FL

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

PHOENIX RUPICOLA
THE CLIFF DATE PALM

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA
FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA
THE SHAVING BRUSH OR FEATHER DUSTER PALM

CYPHOPHOENIX ELEGANS
THE ELEGANT PALM

JUBAEA CHILENSIS
THE CHILEAN WINE PALM
FAT TRUNK - BUT SLOW GROWING

CYCAS PANZHIHUAENSIS
RARE GREEN CHINESE CYCAD
EXCELLENT COLD HARDINESS

ALOCASIA BLACK STEM AKA DARK STEM
VERY DARK STEMS AND LEAF VEINS

BILBERGIA CLUSTERS WITH CASCADING PINK BLOSSOMS
IN BLOSSOM RIGHT NOW

ENSETE VENTICOSUM "MAURELII"
THE RED BANANA

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS
LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

BLECHNUM GIBBUM FERN
"MINIATURE TREE FERN"

KAHILI GINGER
HEDYCHIUM GARDNERIANUM

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS
A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

VEITCHIA MERRILLII HYBRID
POTENTIAL TO GROW SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE GROWN HERE

TRITHRINAX ACANTHACOMA
AKA TRITHIRNAX BRASILIENSIS
SPINY TRUNK - MEDIUM HEIGHT FAN PALM

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

DIOON MEROLAE
SLOW GROWING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

CARYOTA GIGAS
"THAI MOUNTAIN GIANT", "KING KONG PALM", "BLACK STEM FISHTAIL"

PRESTOEA MONTANA
AKA PRESTOEA ACUMINATA VAR. MONTANA

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

LIVISTONA LANGINOSA
THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS
A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

VARIEGATED SHELL GINGER
NICE 5G SIZE READY FOR THE GARDEN

EPIDENDRON ORCHID
PINK BLOSSOM

COCCOTHRINAX MIRAGUAMA
VERY POPULAR FAN PALM

AECHMEA BLANCHETIANA
LARGER TYPE OF COLORFUL BROMELIAD

CHAMAEDOREA COSTARICANA
ONE OF THE BEST BAMBOO PALMS

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

CHAMAEDOREA BENZIEI
RARE SINGLE TRUNK CHAMAEDOREA
LIKE C. RADICALIS ON STEROIDS!

CHAMAEDOREA CATARACTARUM
THE CAT PALM

HOWEA BELMOREANA
THE SENTRY OR UMBRELLA PALM

COPERNICIA PRUNIFERA
THE CARNAUBA WAX PALM

CHAMAEDOREA TENELLA
DWARF SINGLE TRUNK

MACROZAMIA MOOREI
LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

BIRDSNEST FERN - ASPLENIUM NIDUS
EXOTIC UNDERSTORY FERN

RABITTS FOOT FERN
DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

ASSORTED PRITCHARDIA SPECIES
THE HAWAIIAN PALM

WODYETIA BIFURCATA
THE FOXTAIL PALM

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE
SINGLE TRUNK, TALL
SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

TRITHRINAX ACANTHACOMA
AKA TRITHIRNAX BRASILIENSIS
SPINY TRUNK - MEDIUM HEIGHT FAN PALM

TRACHYCARPUS FORTUNEI
THE WINDMILL PALM
ONE OF THE MOST COLD HARDY PALMS

RHOPALOSTYLIS CHEESEMANII
MORE RARE SPECIES OF THIS GENUS

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA
THE STAR PALM

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

ARENGA PINNATA
THE SUGAR PALM

RHAPIS EXCELSA
THE LADY PALM

SABAL PALMETTO
THE PALMETTO PALM

BRAHEA BRANDEGEEI
A TALL, QUICK GROWING BRAHEA

ZAMIA AMBLYPHYLLIDIA
DWARF GREEN CYCAD

DIOON EDULE
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED MEXICAN CYCAD

BIRDS NEST ANTHURIUM
ANTHURIUM HOOKERI

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA
FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND

GAUSSIA MAYA
A VERY DIFFERENT PALM FOR SO. CALIFORNIA

CAN SEE SWOLLEN BASE WHEN YOUNG
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE AND OLD 15 GALLON

SABAL ETONIA
SMALL FAN PALM NATIVE TO FLORIDA

ENCEPHALARTOS AEMULANS
GREEN, RARE CYCAD FROM SOUTH AFRICA

MONSTERA DELICIOSA
“SWISS CHEESE PHILODENDRON”

ARCHONTOPHOENIX BEATRICAE
RARE VARIETY OF THE KING PALM

DYPSIS LEPTOCHEILOS
THE TEDDY BEAR PALM