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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.
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Ten Day Specials  expire ten days after date of posting and are marked in red color.
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FRIDAY, 31 MAY, 2024

CYRTOSTACHYS RENDA - AKA CYRTOSTAHYS LAAKA
THE LIPSSTICK OR RED SEALING WAX PALM

BEAUTIFUL RED CROWN SHAFT - SUCKERING PINNATE PALM
BUT, MOST IN THE U.S. CAN'T GROW IT OUTDOORS

About once or twice a week, I get a call from someone who wants to grow this exotic species in their yard. For this reason, I'm writing about growing this palm. I've gotten calls from such places as Las Vegas, Dallas and Madison, Wisconsin. Don't laugh; people just love this species. In the continental U.S., there is hardly any location where the Lipstick Palm can survive over the long run outdoors. The problem is the winter's cold. This species rapidly succumbs at temperatures under 47 degrees F. I mean, overnight! Back in my more reckless years, I'd try these again and again. But, one nights failure of the heaters and all of the Red Sealing Wax were gone. Nowadays I don't heat the greenhouses and don't even have a chance with this species.

This species is native to southern Thailand, Malaysia, and some Indonesian islands. It is a clumping palm and can get to sixty feet. It's hallmark is the red crown shaft. Thus the common names. It wants sun in the tropics but can be grown in filtered light. Here in Southern California it wants a greenhouse. Or, if you are super industrious, you can try it inside the house but it'll be a challenge.

In South Florida there are some being grown outdoors, but winter cold fronts put them at risk of death. In HI, they seem to thrive where winter lows are hardly ever below 55 degrees near the water. Remember, below 47 degrees F. and this species is gone. I can get one for a real enthusiast, but they are always quite expensive. One photo below shows interior environmentally controlled culture of this species in Southern CA. The last photo shows a 5 gallon plant that saw temperatures of 46 degrees for one night.

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.

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.

PINANGA JAVANA
SINGLE TRUNK, TROPICAL & EXOTIC SPECIES

GETS TALLER THAN P. CORONATA - BEING GROWN BY COLLECTORS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

It's been a few years since we've offered this rare single trunk Pinanga from the island of Java, Indonesia. A different thing about this species is that it is single trunk. Juvenile plants have solid, simple leaves as shown in the photos. But, over time, they become pinnate leaves as seen on the larger garden specimen. The mature trunk is thin and ringed. Leaves are six feet long or more - green in color. The thing about this species is that no one has it! Shown are the 15g plants we're putting on Special. It wants filtered light and is cold hardy down to about a freeze.

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

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.

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA
SINGLE TRUNK MOUNTAIN FORM

BEST GROWING SPECIES OF THE GENUS
RESEMBLES THE KENTIA PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL MULTIPLE 15 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 - but I suspect it'll be single trunk like the seed bearing parent. 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. This is the case with the 15 gallon size on Special.

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

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

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA
SUCKERING OR SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

EASY TO GROW
RESEMBLES THE KENTIA PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5G

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 5G $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5G $125

Mention this Special at the time of purchase for this discount.

UNFORSEEN COMPUTER PROBLEMS SURFACED - SO SHORT BLOG TODAY

WEDNESDAY, 29 MAY, 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.

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.

CHAMAEDOREA HOOPERIANA
BAMBOO PALM THAT IS TALL AND FULL

STRONG & LARGE 15 GALLON PLANTS - OVER 20 YEARS OLD
ALMOST SOLD OUT OF THESE
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE PLANTS

It's not that uncommon that I'll talk about various types of Bamboo Palms. Three decades ago this species (Chamaedorea hooperiana) would have probably been called a variety of Chamaedorea costaricana. But, in his book on Chamaedorea, Don Hodel described this species named after friend and palm enthusiast Louis Hooper. So, it now enjoys its own status as a species. And, it deserved species status because it is quite different than Chamaedorea costaricana. This species is native to high elevation rain forest in the Veracruz area of Mexico. It grows at up to 5000 feet elevation in habitat.

It reaches an overall height of twelve to fourteen feet. It is also quite wide at maturity with many canes. These canes will sometimes lean outwards, making the clump wider. Trunks are about one inch thick. Compared to Chamaedorea costaricana, this species is more full and wide. It's hard to "see through" this species whereas you'd have a better chance of seeing through a costaricana. Both are suckering types of Bamboo Palms. Also, the leaves of costaricana are shorter. Hooperiana leaves are four feet long or more.

Shown here is one of our ten or fifteen gallon plants. This species likes good draining soil, adequate water, filtered light and is cold hardy to the low 20's F. It is an ideal patio plant and can be grown inside the home.

REGULAR PRICE HUGE 15 GALLON $495
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE SIZES $415

BTW, these are not easy to find on the market. I'm showing you a large and old 15g plant at the nursery.

READ MORE ABOUT THE BAMBOO PALMS

DYPSIS PLUMOSA
THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

FLUFFY LEAVES – SILVER CROWN SHAFT
TOLERATES SUN ALONG TH COAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 15 GALLON PLANT

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 15 gallon plants on sale. The plant shown below is about 12 feet tall – twice the height of most comparable 15g plants. We do have some multiples which tend to be shorter. As you can see, they are very tall and too big to ship by UPS.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON THIS SIZE $255
DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $225

RHOPALOSTYLIS HYBRID
SAPIDA X BAUERI

SHOWING HYBRID VIGOR - SHOULD BE A WINNER!
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 15 GALLON SIZE

For those of you with growing experience, you understand that palms, even monoecious palms, can hybridize. We got in some plants and were told that they were "sapida". But, looking at them you'll know they are not pure sapida. Seeds came off a Rhopalostylis sapida seed bearing tree. The dark petioles (brown) and downward flexing leaves show that they are a hybrid - baueri blood. Sorry, but I have no photos of a mature garden tree of this hybrid. They can take part day sun or filtered light in most areas. Cold hardiness will be about 20 degrees F. I have no mature hybrid garden plants to show at this time. But, below, I'm showing the two parents I think that made this hybrid.

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



Rhopalostylis sapida	Rhopalostylis baueri

PHOENIX ROEBELENII
THE PYGMY DATE PALM

NATURALLY A SINGLE TRUNK PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE WITH FAIRLY TALL TRUNKS

Most people are familiar with this species, the Pygmy Date Palm. It is naturally a single trunks species. But, they are usually sold as "triples" - three individual plants in the same pot - so often, that people think it's a suckering species. And, 99% of plants are sold as a "multiples". Over a few decades, this species can get to a height of over ten feet. They are slow growing.

Triples grow slower than singles. This species is a type of Date Palm, so it does have spines on its stems. Growth rate is medium to slow. It likes full sun and is cold hardy to about 22 degrees F. Shown here are some 15 gallon singles that we’re putting on sale. They have about 2 feet of trunk and are at least 8 years old. In the garden, some feel they are more attractive than the triples and really show off their petite size and soft appearance. Limited numbers available. BTW, we do have 15 gallon triples that are cheaper than the singles but are not as old or tall.

REGULAR PRICE OF OLDER 15 GALLON SINGLES WITH TALL TRUNKS $250
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE TALL 15 GALLON SINGLES $215

Shipping for mail order would be expensive because of the plant size.

COPERNICIA PRUNIFERA
THE CARNAUBA WAX PALM

WATER CONSERVING - LOVES HEAT AND SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 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 PRICE ON 5 GALLON $110

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 $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $85

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TROPICAL FAN PALM

SILVER UNDERSIDE TO THE LEAVES
MODIFIED SPINES ON TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This single trunk fan palm is native to Southern Mexico and parts of Central America. It can get up to a height of 25 feet but most garden specimens are under 15 feet tall. Two things are quite noteworthy: First, the undersides of the leaves are a silver-white. A picture below of sale size shows this quite well. Secondly, the trunk is narrow and covered with "modified" spines. They are not real sharp and are not true spines. The dorsal side of the leaves is green. This palm likes strong filtered light and right on the coast may take part day sun. Cold tolerance is estimated to be in the high 20's F. Growth rate is medium. You have to have an overhead crown of leaves to really see the silver color.

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

Remember to mention this Special for your discount when you purchase. The plants on sale are shown in the first six photos. I'm also showing a 15g size and a specimen c/o TS at RPS.

BRAHEA DECUMBENS
DWARF, BLUE, SUCKERING SUN PALM
JUST IN - VERY LIMITED SUPPLY AVAILABLE

TEN DAY SPECIAL - ONLY A FEW LEFT - 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 these on Special. And, for this slow growing species, they are oversized in their pots. They are ready to be put right into your garden!

Note: When sold out, it'll be a long time before we offer them again. We only have a few 5g left.

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

Easy to ship. But, you must mention this Blog Only Special when purchasing to get these prices.

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. and slow growing. Easy to mail order.

TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $70

DYPSIS ALBOFARINOSA
CLUMPING MADAGASCAR PALM
WHITE CROWN SHAFTS - VERY RARE

PLANTS SHOWN HERE FROM DOMESTIC SEEDS
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This clumping medium sized palm is native to Madagascar. It has previously been called "Dypsis species white petiole". It was formally described by Don Hodel about fifteen years ago. It is most closely related to Dypsis baronii and known for its prominently white crown shafts. Leaves are drooping with rather fine leaflets. Trunks average about two inches diameter. Plant height is a maximum of approximately fifteen feet. It can be grown in full coastal sun but should be allowed to grow up and into the sun. So, starting in bright filtered light is best. Exact cold hardiness is uncertain but most likely in the mid-twenties F. range. I am putting one gallons on a Ten Day Special. These are from domestic seeds.

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

Mention this Special for your discount at the time of purchase. These can easily be mail ordered. The last three garden photos are by AL PACSOA

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 SIZE $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
RARE GREEN SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - LIKES SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER 1.5 GALLON PLANTS

This species is endemic to KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Specifically it is come from one population in the Vryheid district, which it shares with a cultivar of Encephalartos natalensis (Encephalartos natalensis var. Vryheid). Larger specimens are found in full sun, where smaller specimens can be in shade. This is a medium sized species. The leaves on this species get about a meter and a half. Stems can reach a height of approximately three meters over a very long time. As plants mature the leaflets are not as heavily armed as younger specimens. E. aemulans is a moderate grower, but will flush regularly each year. For coastal and inland areas, this species wants to be in sun. The plants on sale are huge 1.5 gallon plants - about a 5g size for most nurseries. Caudexes are about 2 inches.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LARGE 1.5 GALLON $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE LARGE 1.5 GALLON $135

Remember, mention this Blog Special for this discounted price.

CYCAS GUIZHOUENSIS
RARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CHINESE CYCAD

GREEN UPRIGHT LEAVES
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 2.5 - 3 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.

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

This size easy to mail order.

DIOON MEJIAE
AN ATTRACTIVE MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

SOFT EMERGING NEW LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICELY SIZE OLDER 2 GALLON

For many people, Dioon mejiae is one of their favorite cycads. It doesn't get too large, it has a very attractive crown of leaves, and newly emerging leaves are soft, fuzzy and so inviting. They are almost like a baby rabbit's foot.

Native to southern Mexico and Honduras, this species is similar to Dioon spinulosum. But, unlike the spinulosum, leaflets do not have the spines on the leaflet edges. And, the leaflets appear slightly different shaped. Leaves are four to six feet long, trunks typically under five feet although old habitat plants have trunks over twenty feet, and new leaves emerge vertically. Although they are soft at emergence, they eventually become straight and flat with firm leaflets.. Seeds of this species are large and tan in color.

I've found this cycad does best in part day sun or strong filtered light. Right on the coast, some grow it in full sun. But, I've found this creates more of a lime colored green cycad. For this reason, I prefer filtered light. It likes good draining soil and will tolerate temperatures into the low 20's F. Shown her are some larger nursery plants as well as garden specimens. We have all sizes of this species for sale and are putting oversized 2 gallon on sale. This size has caudexes about 4 inches in diameter with an age of about ten years.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OVERSIZED 2 GALLON $345
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE OVERSIZED 2 GALLON $280

Easy to mail order, weather permitting.

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS – BLUE FORM
MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

BLUE STACKED LEAFLETS - MINIMAL IF ANY SPINES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON PLANT

This rare South African cycad is also from the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. It is a good sized cycad with leaf color variable from dark green to brilliant blue. The plant on Special should be a nice blue form. Trunks of this species can reach a height of twelve feet or more. Leaf lengths are four to six feet with stacking leaflets and minimal if any spines when mature. Leaves are often curled downward toward their ends. It loves full sun along the coast but in desert areas would want a few hours of sun. Cold tolerance is about 22 degrees F. The 15 gallon plant on special has a caudex of 5 inches. It is shown below. It could be mail ordered in a large box. Below I'm also showing a few garden specimens of this species.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON, CAUDEX 5 INCHES $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $650

ENCEPHALARTOS FRIDERICI-GUILIELMI
VERY RARE SOUTH AFRICAN BLUE CYCAD

COLD HARDY - SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZE MATURE
END OF SUMMER SALE PRICE THIS ACTUAL CYCAD

This species is endemic to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. These regions are arid and subject to semi-regular fires (evidenced by the scorched and blackened trunks). Plants grow in sunny locations. This species is small to medium sized. Leaves are approximately one meter long. Stems are stout and can get up to a height of four meters over a few centuries. E. friderici-guilielmi is primarily a solitary stemmed plant but can make some basal suckers. This is a beautiful, fine leafed and blue cycad. They are moderate growers and are an easy size to manage in the garden. The leaves are unarmed, and are not pokey. This species tends to be very cold hardy as well tolerant of heat. Cold tolerance is down to about 20 degrees F. This cycad also needs a soil that drains well. They can get into rot problems if the soil stays too moist. As this is not a large cycad, I would place it in the foreground of a planting. We’re putting on Sale a 15 gallon plant that is about twelve years old and has a caudex of 4 inches. This plant can be mail ordered in a big box.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $740
TEN DAY SPECIAL SALE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $650

ALOCASIA DARK STAR
SMALLER HYBRID VARIETY WITH DARK STEMS

VERY ATTRACTIVE ELEPHANT EAR TYPE OF TROPICAL PLANT
FAIRLY COLD HARDY
TEN DAY SPECIAL JUVENILE 1 GALLON PLANTS

This hybrid variety is known for its near black stems and dark veins on the leaves. Leaf color is green, both sides. Overall mature height is about three feet. This plant will sucker and has been said to grow in Zone 9. There are reports of it taking down to the upper teens F. It is a hybrid of multiple other varieties. It is said to tolerates full sun, but I'd probably recommend part day sun or less, especially if you are far inland. Note how the leaves are slightly ruffled with irregular edges on the larger nursery specimen. We're putting young one gallons on sale - shown in first 6 photos.

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

Easy to mail order.

CALOCASIA GIGANTEA THAILAND GIANT
HUGE ELEPHANT EAR TYPE PLANT

LARGE GREEN LEAVES, SUCKERING
TEN DAY SPECIAL JUVENILE ONE 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 last month. Plants are presently larger than shown here. They are fairly quick growing.

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $35

HEDYCHIUM GREENEII
LUSH TROPICAL LANDSCAPE PLANT WITH RED FLOWERS

TOLERATES COASTAL SUN, RED BACK SIDES TO LEAFLETS
SUCKERS & SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CLUMP
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON PLANTS

This lush, suckering green tropical plant is another blossoming plant with attractive foliage with red backs to the leaves. Leaflets asre green on the dorsal side and red beneath. When .6looking at the plant from the side, these red leaflets definitely give the plant a red appearance. Blossoms are upright and also brilliantly red. Mature height is five to six feet. It toleates sun and is cold hardy to below a freeze. The 15g on Special are shown below. Garden & blossom photos re by Wikispecies and Garden.org websites.

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

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 Bromelia 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 $45

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.

MONDAY, 27 MAY, 2024

BISMARCKIA NOBILIS
STUNNING BLUE FAN PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

LOTS OF PHOTOS OF THE SPECIES

Today I'm going to show you lots of pictures of one of my favorite palms, the desirable Bismarckia nobilis. It is native to Madagascar. It is a fan palm with a rather stout trunk of sixteen to about twenty-four inches in diameter. Heights can reach over forty feet although it's unclear how tall they will grow domestically in the U.S. Leaves are blue in color as are the leaf stems. Leaves are broad and essentially flat. With cold weather and on juvenile plants, leaves can take on a purple color from winter's cold.

Bismarckia love full hot sun. It can be grown in desert areas. Cold tolerance is down to the low 20's F. The pictures shown today are of assorted trees of varying heights. I've tried to show plant detail that you'll not find easily on the Internet. Remember that this is a dioecious species with male and female trees. One needs both a male and female palm with cross-pollination to set viable seeds. The seeds shown here are maturing seeds on female plants.

I hope you like this species. It looks best (in my opinion) planted as a single specimen. I have shown a few pictures of plants at the nursery at the bottom.

BIRDS NEST ANTHURIUM
A PERFECT UNDERSTORY COMPANION PLANT

NEVER OVER ABOUT SIX FEET TALL
LEATHERY, DARK GREEN LEAVES

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. The first plants shown are very old 20g. You can see they've formed trunk with some aerial roots. Next I'm showing our 5g. 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.

Specimen in garden
Photo by Plant Places Website
Photo c/o Wikipedia

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. We only have one or two remaining. They are presently about 14 feet tall in thier pots.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 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

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

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.

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 description. 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

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.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX MAXIMA
LARGEST OF THE KING PALMS

GREEN LEAVES – STATELY TRUNK AND CROWN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

By popular demand I have put this great palm on special. This is the largest of the King Palm family. It got its name "maxima" by the flower size, but most have found it to be an aggressive grower, have a larger trunk and get taller than the other species of King Palms. It does have silver on the underside of the leaves. The crown shaft is sort of a yellow, sometimes blue color. It is a quick growing pinnate palm native to Australia. It's rare to see them available and also hard to find good photos of this species. The plants I'm putting on special are the 15 gallon size, mostly singles but some multiples. It tolerates full coastal sun and is cold hardy into the mid-twenties F. Another interesting thing is that sometimes they’ll throw a new red leaf as shown in one photo below.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $215

Of note, our Archontophoenix "teracarpa" is probably a larger King Palm than A. maxima but still escapes exact species identification. It does not have silver undersides to the leaflets and has a blue crown shaft. It is routinely discussed elsewhere at this Blog. The habitat photo is by Luke Nancarrow AU.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX MAXIMA
LARGEST OF THE KING PALMS

GREEN LEAVES – STATELY TRUNK AND CROWN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

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

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

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.

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.

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 $120

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 $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $55

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 $165

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 NATALENSIS
MEDIUM SIZED GREEN CYCAD

NATIVE TO SOUTH AFRICA
TEN DAY SPECIAL GREAT LANDSCAP READY 15 GALLON

This is a South African cycad species that has green leaves and makes a medium sized
adult plant. By this I mean you, over several decades, will get a plant with perhaps 4 feet of
trunk. It's crown width is about 8 feet. It likes full sun and heat unless you are in a desert
locality. It is a quick grower and has cold tolerance to the low 20's F. It can go even to lower temperatures if you give it some cold protection. It is also known to be a reliable and relatively fast growing cycad. This is a mainstay species for any cycad garden. We’re offering a 15 gallon with a caudex of 6 inches on sale with our End of The Summer Sale. This plant can be mail ordered. If this plant sells, we have others of similar size available as well as smaller and larger sizes.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $660
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ATUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $595

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 last garden photo is c/o TS at RPS.

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 $100
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE LARGE CLUSTERS IN 8 INCH POTS $80

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

FRIDAY, 24 MAY, 2024

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

AVAILABLE NOW - HUGE 30 YEAR OLD PLANTS IN 24 INCH BOXES

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.

To get an overhead canopy of leaves may take one about ten years. Mature, they get to a height of 20 feet or more. 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 below are some very large 24 inch boxed plants that are about 30 years old. Some have trunks up to eight feet. There about two dozen of them. We thought we'd sell some before they go into 30 inch boxes. They are sun ready for your garden. Below I'm also showing some mature garden plants from the San Diego area.

LEPIDOZAMIA PEROFFSKYANA
USER FRIENDLY CYCAD

LARGE GREEN CYCAD FOR FILTERED LIGHT OR COASTAL SUN
NO SPINES WHATSOEVER!

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 cycad 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. Our stock on this species includes 1 gallon, 5 gallon, 15g, 25g, 45g and 24 inch boxes. It is an extremely easy cycad to add to the garden and always makes an impressive and good sized show.

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

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!

CHAMAEDOREA TRUNKING RADICALIS
MEDIUM HEIGHT MATURE - THIN TRUNKS

SUPER COLD HARDY AND TOLERATES COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE MULTIPLES

Speaking of cold hardy, filtered light palms, let me mention Chamaedorea radicalis. Today I’m talking about the tunking form of this species. Decades ago we didn't even know this species existed. All Chamaedorea radicalis were dwarfs - rarely over five feet tall. The trunking form rapidly puts on trunk. Mature, plants can get up to fifteen feet tall. Leaflets are wider than the dwarf form and there's a bit of silver color to the stems and trunk. Trunks mature are narrow, under an inch thick. They can bend slightly as they get height. See photos below of a mature specimen at the nursery. It is also very quick growing. These 15g on Special should have a ten foot height in under five years. Both forms tolerate full sun along the coast but can also be grown in strong filtered light. Cold hardiness of 18 degrees F. Some in the SF Bay Area are successfully growing this species. Also, enthusiasts in Houston, TX have as well. We have a limited number of 15g plants on special. This larger 15g size can be mail ordered but do consider smaller sizes to save money if you are out of our area. Note that I have put six photos below of our fruiting triiple trunking radicalis. It's about ten years old in a 25g pot.

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

You get this discount when you mention our Blog Only Special. BTW, that huge 25 gallon plant, the mature one with seeds, is also 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

TRITHRINAX ACANTHICOMA
AKA TRITHRINAX BRASILIENSWIS

SPINY TRUNK - MEDIUM SIZE FAN PALM
EASILY TOLERATES INTO THE TEENS F.
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 15G 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. Also, when fruiting the fruit is a golden yellow color.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $200

Remember: The 15 gallon on sale are shown in the first five pictures below. The fifth photo shows a close up of the trunk of an older garden plant.

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 $130

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

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

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

ALLAGOPTERA ARENARIA
THE SEASHORE OR BEACH PALM

FULL SUN, COLD HARDY, DWARF
VERY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE FOR SALE
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE

The nursery plants shown here are nice one gallon size. They are about three years old. This species is native to Brazil and lives near the ocean, often on sandy dunes near beaches. In general, it is very slow growing. Mature height height is about six feet. The leaves are plumose and fluffy. It is a single trunk species although it has the appearance of being a suckering species. It loves sun and heat. If you need a small palm for full sun that you can see over, this is a great species for you. These 5g are easy to ship in their containers with soil. This species is very difficult to find for sale nowadays.

REGULAR PRICE FIVE GALLON $145
SALE PRICE THIS SIZE $125

Just mention this Special for your discount when you purchase.

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 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.

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 $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $60

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

ENCEPHALARTOS EUGENE-MARAISII
EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE BLUE TRANSVAAL CYCAD

NATIVE TO SOUTH AFRICA – EXTREMELY RARE

TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALL WITH 1.5 INCH CAUDEX

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 our four year old one gallon on sale for ten days. Caudex size is about 1.5 inches.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON THIS SIZE $265
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON AS DESCRIBED $200

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 $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON AS DESCRIBED $125

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 $395
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5G PLANTS WITH 2-3 INCH CAUDEXES $310

ENCEPHALARTOS ARENARIUS - BLUE VARIETY
RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - LIKES COASTAL SUN
STUNNING BLUE LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON NICE 5 GALLON PLANTS

The plants we are putting on special are the blue type. To get this color they will want full sun or an ample amount of sun. It prefers a well draining soil. Speed of growth of this cycad is good. You could expect to have a nice garden sized plant from these 5 gallon plants in about five to seven years. Caudex size of the plants on sale is approximately 2 inches. They all have six to seven leaves or more and are four to five years old. These are showing a bit of their blue color already at this stage and not in sun – so you’ll get blue. Easy to mail order. I’m also showing a garden plant and several larger nursery plants.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE 5 GALLON $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON THIS SIZE $285

This size is easy to mail order.

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

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 $165

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.

MUSA MEKONG GIANT
TALLER, EDIBLE & FRUITING BANANA WITH COLD HARDINESS

TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON PLANTS

This fruiting banana is from China and gets quite tall, especially if grown in a tropical environment. But, in this locality it is typically about 15 feet tall. It has broad green leaves and a six inch thick stem. It does sucker forming a clump of plants. It produces edible yellow fruit. It also is known to be somewhat cold hardy. Although it will freeze in weather below 32 degrees, often plants come back when it's warmer. I've read that folks in zones 6 & 7 are growing this species. This species wants full sun.

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

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

BEAUTIFUL PINK DWARF CANNA
NEVER OVER THREE FEET TALL

FLORID SUMMER BLOSSOMS - WILL BLOSSOM SOON
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Canna Lilies are prominent summer blooming plants that can be grown in any region of Southern California. This variety has green leaves and does sucker. They are easy to grow. They go dormant in winter but almost always spring back in fall with quick growth and summer blossoms. The variety on Special is particularly nice because it stays small and has an abundance of prominently pink blossoms. They like sun or at least half sun. Water adequately and it'll be a crowd pleaser.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $50

Limited numbers available.

WEDNESDAY, 22 MAY, 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 multiple 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 thing 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

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. They are actually presently bigger than shown here. 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 20 GALLON SIZE $595
TEN DAY SPECIAL 20 GALLON SIZE $450

Remember: Mention this Special for this price.

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 $450
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $365

We only have a few of this size. Also, because of plant height, mail order may not be available. But, this size can be delivered by us or a trucking company.

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.

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. Note: Compare this to the Livistona laniginosa from another seed batch - see below.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE AS SHOWN $100

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

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE
SINGLE TRUNK, TALL
SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

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 $115

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

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 ONE 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 reaches a medium height of 25 feet. Leaves are green. They have white tomentum (hairs) on the leaf stem and trunk. You can even see this on the leaf stems of the one gallon below. C Trunk diameter is medium, about ten inches. 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 ONE GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $65

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.

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 and a half 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 $115
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THESE OLDER BAND SIZED PLANTS $95

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

SUPER UNUSUAL ENCEPHALARTOS HYBRID
F2 HYBRID WITH E. WOODII POLLEN

ENCEPHALARTOS (E. NATALENSIS X E. WOODII) X (ENCEPHALARTOS HORRIDUS X E. WOODII)
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE

This should prove to be one of the most interesting hybrid Encephalartos available on the market. It is an F2 hybrid. These were done from domestic plants in Southern California. The hybridizer took pollen from the E. horridus x woodii to pollinate a receptive female of E. natalensis x woodii. As most know, E. woodii is extinct in the wild and only male plants are known to exist. E. horridus x woodii (Encephalartos "horwood") is one of the most sought after hybrids around. I've shown multiple photos of the plants on Special as well as close up photos of the leaves of both parents. Caudex size is about 2 inches.

REGULAR PRICE THESE CITRUS POT AS DESCRIBED $275
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POTS THIS HYBRID $235

I have limited numbers available. Easy to mail order.

ENCEPHALARTOS ITURIENSIS
SUPER RARE CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

LONG UPRIGHT GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL TALL 15 GALLON PLANT

This species is native to the Ituri Forest in the Congo in Central Africa. It is extremely rare to see it offered for sale. This cycad would not be as cold hardy as plants further south in South Africa. But, it should take weather into the mid-twenties F. E. ituriensis is known for its long, upright leaves reaching well over twelve to fourteen feet tall. It towers over E. whitelockii in terms of length. Leaflets are armed and narrow. The plants on special are four years old and carrying about four leaves. They are four to five years old. If you search the Net for photos of this species, they are essentially nonexistent. This is because of political instability of the area, remote native location and the risk of Ebola infection. Certainly, this has hampered availability of this species worldwide.

The photos below show a 15 gallon plant with long leaves and an 8 inch caudex. It is shown in the first seven photos below. We are putting this actual plant on sale. Remember, it’s very difficult to find this species, especially with size. We may have a few smaller plants in stock.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL PLANT $1600
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL PLANT $1385

Presently I only have one nice 15 gallon specimen. The last photo shows a plant we sold about a decade ago that was much larger with longer leaves. Unfortunately, this sale plant has too long of leaves to ship without pruning down the leaves. The 8th photo is c/o Wikipedia Commons.

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS
THE MODJADJI CYCAD
LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

GREEN LEAVES - QUICK GROWING
TEN DASY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

Shown here below are 15 gallon sized plants of a larger green South African cycad that, in the ground, makes a magnificent specimen cycad. Encephalartos transvenosus gets enormous with trunks over 20 feet tall. It is native to the Modjadji Forest area of South Africa. Leaves are six to eight feet long and leaflets are shiny, dark green with some glaucous faint hairs on the leaflets. This is not a small cycad and needs plenty of room to grow and trunk out. It makes a big show. The plants on special below are in the 15 gallon size with caudexes of 4 to 5 inches – age 8 to 10 years. They can be easily shipped within the U.S. but would require a large box. See first four photos. This size is shown in the first six photos below. Following are photos of garden plants. The eight photo shows cycads with about 15 feet of trunk. Of course, this will take a century or two to achieve. This is a full sun species along the coast with a cold tolerance is 22 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON THIS SIZE $550
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THIS SIZE PLANT & CONTAINER $485

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

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.

MACROZAMIA MOOREI
LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

A CYCAD THAT EVENTUALLY LOOKS LIKE A PALM TREE
TEN DAY SPECIAL ANY SIZE THIS GENUS

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. The nursery plants shown here are mostly larger plants from 15 gallon to box size specimens. Caudex sizes are all quite large for the container. You’ll notice the keeled leaves on the photos. This species wants full sun and is cold hardy into the upper teens F. We have multiple other pecie of Macrozamia for sale as well - in an assortment of sizes.

RIGHT NOW ALL MACROZAMIA ON SALE AT 20% OFF REGULAR PRICES FOR TEN DAYS

Remember: Mention this Ten Day Special at the time of purchase.

BEAUCARNIA RECURVATA
THE PONYTAIL PALM - THE ELEPHANT FOOT PALM
MEDIUM HEIGHT - SWOLLEN BASE

LIKES FULL HOT SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL OVERSIZED 5 GALLON

The ponytail palm is native to Mexico. It is known for it's large and wise base. I've seen photos of a small Jeep parked on the base. Basal width can reach up to six feet across. The trunk, above this base is much thinner. Leaves are thin, somewhat flexible but have a sharp edge that can cut you. They do well in containers or in the ground. Some have grown them indoors if there's very bright light. Cold tolerance is into the low twenties or below. They want full, hot sun. The 5 gallon on sale are oversized with 4 to 5 inch thick bases with an age of five to six years. This size is shown in the first 3 photos below. But, we also have larger sizes available. This size is is easy to mail order. Garden photos below by Wikipedia & Floridata websites.

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

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 $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $65

SCHEFFLERA TREE
UMBRELLA TREE

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE - GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON LARGE & FULL 25 GALLON

There are two types of Schefflera. On is a larger tree with larger leaves. The other type is a dwarf with small leaves and leaflets. The plant shown here is an "in-betweeners". It's 8 to 10 feet tall n the pot and quite wide - 6 to 8 feet. It's an ideal tree for privacy and can be shaped and trimmed liberally. I'd anticipate a mature height of about 15 feet. It takes full sun and is cold hardy well into the mid to lower 20's F. We only have a few available. The first two garden photos show the larger species Schefflera actinophylla. The last photo is c/o Clemson University website.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LARGE 25 GALLON $650
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE LARGE 25 GALLON $550

THE MOOSEHORN FERN
PLATYCERIUM SUPERBUM

GROWS EPIPHYTICALLY
MOUNT ON WOOD OR TREE TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGER MOUNTED PLANT

Platycerium are a type of fern that we know as the "Staghorn Fern". But, the normal type you see, P. bifurcatum, has deer antler types of leaves. They are narrow and reach out from the attaching shield. But, there's another type known as the "Moosehorn Fern" where the leaves are entire, stretching across the width of the plant. Mature, they look entirely different. These leaves can get up to six feet across – one giant shield like leaf. They are not easy to find. The standard Staghorn is not difficult to locate. Both are an epiphytic type of plant that can be mounted on a tree trunk or grown on a flat wooden base. They are not hard to care for but you don't want to let them go dry. I water them by just spraying with a hose and occasionally give them some liquid fertilizer mixed into the water. You want to water to hit the plant from above – like rain. They can take a bit of sun or strong filtered light. Cold hardiness is typically into the mid to perhaps low twenties F. The plants we have presently are larger than ones we’ve offered in the past. The plant shown below has a shield that is about 16 inches wide and mounted on wood. It's shown in the first six photos. We also have slightly smaller Moosehorns that are a bit less expensive.

TEN DAY SPECIAL MOOSEHORN FERN THIS SIZE $350

Mention this special to get this price when purchasing. I can mail order these but they take a surprising large box to ship. The last photo is a great on and was taken by floragreatlakes.info website.

ALTERNATHEA PARTYTIME
DWARF COLORFUL SPECIES

RED AND GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 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 THIS SIZE 1 GALLON $45
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 1 GALLON $35

MONDAY, 20 MAY, 2024

DYPSIS LEPTOCHEILOS
THE TEDDY BEAR PALM

MEDIUM SIZED PINNATE PALM WITH RED-BROWN FUZZY CROWNSHAFT
GREAT PALM SPECIES FOR SOUTHERN CA AND OTHER AREAS

Sometimes known as the "Teddy Bear Palm", this species is an absolute must for any garden in the coastal area of Southern CA. It got its common name because of the rusty colored and fuzzy crown shaft. It was introduced about thirty years ago and has proved to be a gorgeous palm that many can grow. It in thin trunked, gets to about 20 feet tall, and has a rusty-orange-red fuzzy crown shaft. The trunk is a silver blue color with prominent rings. Cold hardiness is into the mid-twenties F. and along the coast it can take can full sun. Inland locations would require some sun protection. Most enthusiasts would list this species on the "top twenty" list for sure. It is becoming somewhat hard to find lately. Shown here is a 25g plant forming some trunk. I'm showing various pictures so you can get a feel for the plant. Also shown are some garden specimens. Although we have very limited supplies, we sell band size, 5g, 15g and 25 g sizes. The fifth picture is a habitat photo from Madagascar donate by JS. If you like colorful palm trees, this species is a "no brainer" for your garden. I would consider it as one of the "top ten" palm species for coastal Southern CA.

PRITCHARDIA PACIFICA
EXOTIC MEDIUM SIZED HAWIAAN FAN PALMS

GEORGEOUS FAN PALM BUT NOT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
OTHER PRITCHARDIA SPECIES DO MUCH BETTER HERE

If you have followed this Blog for a while, you know that I have an affinity for Pritchardia. I consider them one of the most tropical and beautiful fan palms around. They are un-armed, have attractive green leaves and often are colored with white wool or hair on the leaves or stems. I've found that almost any species from Hawaii does well for us in Southern California. But, those native to other South Pacific Islands don't survive our winters here. If you are in Southern Florida you can grow them. But, over the long haul, they'll decline in our locality. So, this is a species I'd not recommend, especially as over 80% of the other Pritchardia thirve heere along the coast and grow very well. Of this later group, we offer over ten species.

Pritchardia pacifica is not from Hawaii but rather from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. It is one pretty palm. It has large, flat leaves with white tomentum on the leaf stems. The pictures here actually don't do it justice. You can see it gets quite tall, up to forty feet or more. In tropical environments it is a full sun species. I'd estimate cold hardiness at about 40 to 45 degrees F. This means that most of us will eventually lose this species in Southern California. But, don't be bummed out. There are plenty of other equally pretty Hawaiian species that we can grow. Some of the photos below are c/o TS at RPS, Flora of Singapore website and Missouri Botanical Garden website.

BUTIA CAPITATA BLUE
EASY TO GROW, NOT TOO TALL
SUPER BLUE COLOR - COLD HARDY

WE JUST GOT IN ANOTHER BATCH OF 15 GALLON
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 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 problem is we always run out of them. To satisfy our customer demand, we recently got in some more of the 15g size. But, there are very limited numbers. We are offering them at one of the best prices we've ever offered. This palm loves full hot sun and can take down to 15 degrees F. So, almost all of you can grow this palm. The row of three palms in the last row are being grown in San Diego, CA, about a half mile from the Bay. These are cold hardy to about 15 degrees and demand full, hot sun. The last time we offered them we ran out in a few days, so we ordered in a next batch of this size.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $170

We tend to sell out of these quickly but often can re-order in some more if this happens.

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

EASILY TOLERATES TEMPERATURES INTO THE TEENS F.
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G 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. It does have random spines on the trunk as shown. These spines are mixed into a fibrous coating over the trunk. We’re offering nicely sized 15 gallon on Special. Although it’d take a large box, they can be mail ordered.

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

Remember: Mention this Special when you purchase.

SABAL RIVERSIDE
MEDIUM SIZED GREEN TO SLIGHT BLUE-GREEN FAN PALM

VERY COLD HARDY - TOLERATES SUN MOST AREAS
TEN DAY SPECIAL HUGE 15 GALLON PLANTS

It is true that there are no native Sabal species in the community of Riverside, CA. But, this name was coined from an existing large single Sabal tree that grew many decades ago in a private residence in Riverside. It is such a popular species and its progeny have made many seeds over the years, that many individuals grow it and retain the name, giving credit to the seed bearing mother plant. By the way, the mother plant no longer exists in its original estate. No one knows for sure where it originally came from. The estate owner back then, by report, traveled the world and had a fascination for palms. Speculation is that he collected seeds from a large species of Sabal in the Caribbean, but this was never documented. In any case, this blue-green, thick trunked, large leafed and super cold hardy species is sought after by many.

Shown here is one of our 15 gallon sized plants that are huge for their container. They are showing their costopalmate leaves, blue-green in color, with long petioles and vigorous growth. Mature trunk diameter is 18 to 24 inches, eventual height 20 to 30 feet. Seeds are black and the trunk eventually (after loss of upper retained leaf bases) becomes relatively smooth. This species wants full sun, can tolerate temperatures into the mid teens F. and is being grown in colder areas like northern California, the Carolinas and central Texas. It is a great palm for colder desert areas. We try to always have this species available in a variety of sizes. Be aware that many palm references won't even deal with this "species" because it's natural origin is not known.

We're putting very much over-sized 15g plants on Special. They need to go into the ground or be repotted.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HUGE 15 GALLON $255
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE HUGE 15 GALLON $215

CYPHOPHOENIX ELEGANS
THE ELEGANT PALM

MEDIUM SIZE – THIN TRUNK – CROWN SHAFTED
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 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 $135

Remember to mention this Special to get this price. Limited numbers available. The 5g size is shown in the first six photos.

DYPSIS ARENARUM
THE SAND PALM

SIMILAR TO DYPSIS LUTESCENS BUT WITH WHITE CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY 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. Note, we’re putting our 5 gallon plants on Special. These can be mail ordered. All three mature specimen photos are c/o TS at RPS.

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

EUTERPE EDULIS
THIN, SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM
EXOTIC AND TROPICAL APPEARING

SMOOTH CROWN, COLORED CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE

Euterpe edulis is a fun palm to grow because it is super attractive, has a narrow trunk and a beautiful, smooth crown shaft. I have had several in my garden. On mine, the crown shafts were a purple-green color but it's more common to see them as a lime green. Maximum height is about thirty feet with about a four inch thick trunk. Leaves tend to arch down and leaf color is green. Typically and most successful is to start in filtered light and work it's way into full sun along the coast. It's cold hardy into the upper twenties F. Anticipate a plant life of about thirty years. Also of note is the fact that the hearts of this palm are edible and a delicacy in many areas. The size on special are in five gallon size. These can be acclimate to sun and planted in the garden or shifted up over time to bigger pots. They can be mail ordered. The 8th photo is c/o Wikipedia and the last photos is of a 25 gallon at the Nursery which has sold.

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

RAVENEA GLAUCA
A GREAT PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND RECENTLY
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This is a medium sized palm that I would consider to be among the "top twenty" palm species for Southern California. About three 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 below is our 5 gallon size which we are putting on Special. We have limited supplies available. Availability of this species has been very limited lately. 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 are photos of the 5 gallon size on sale. Photos below are c/o TS at RPS and Palmpedia (the last photo is a great habitat photo!)

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

SYAGRUS SANCONA
THE SOUTH AMERICAN FOXTAIL PALM

VERY PLUMOSE LEAVES
HARD TO FIND BUT NICE JUVENILE PLANTS AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 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 have available a limited number of very nice one gallon plant as shown below. We are putting them on Special. The last photo is c/o TS at RPS.

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

Remember: Mention this Blog Special to get this price.

DYPSIS LEPTOCHEILOS
THE TEDDY BEAR PALM

EVERYONE LOVES THIS PALM
ONE OF THE BEST MADAGASCAR PALMS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G 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 our five gallon size on Special but only have a few available.

REGULAR PRICE 5G SIZE $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

Mention this Special for your discount.

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.

CHAMAEROPS HUMILIS - GREEN FORM
LOVES SUN AND HEAT – EXTREMELY 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

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

ONE GALLON SIZE ON TEN DAY SPECIAL

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 very shippable sized one gallon plants which we’re putting on Special.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE ONE GALLON $50

RHOPALOSTYLIS SAPIDA
THE NIKAU PALM

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

We are updating our post on this species because the plants on speciasl have grown considerably. 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.

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

COMPARISON WITH CARYOTA URENS
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

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 are offering young seedlings on special. These would be easy to mail order. For optimal results, these should be repotted into a larger container.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE BAND SEEDLINGS $50

ARCHONTOPHOENIX MAXIMA
LARGEST OF THE KING PALMS

GREEN LEAVES – STATELY TRUNK AND CROWN
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS

By popular demand I have put this great palm on special. This is the largest of the King Palm family. It got its name "maxima" by the flower size, but most have found it to be an aggressive grower, have a larger trunk and get taller than the other species of King Palms. It does have silver on the underside of the leaves. The crown shaft is sort of a yellow, sometimes blue color. It is a quick growing pinnate palm native to Australia. It's rare to see them available and also hard to find good photos of this species. The plants I'm putting on special are the band sized seedlings. This species tolerates full coastal sun and is cold hardy into the mid-twenties F. Another interesting thing is that sometimes occurs is that they'll throw a new pink-red leaf.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE BAND SIZED SEEDLINGS $50

The mature specimen photo is by Luke Nancarrow AU.

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS – BLUE FORM
MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

BLUE STACKED LEAFLETS - MINIMAL IF ANY SPINES
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE WITH CAUDEX 3 INCHES

This rare South African cycad is also from the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. It is a good sized cycad with leaf color variable from dark green to brilliant blue. The plants on Special should be a nice blue form. Trunks of this species can reach a height of twelve feet or more. Leaf lengths are four to six feet with stacking leaflets and minimal if any spines when mature. Leaves are often curled downward toward their ends. It loves full sun along the coast but in desert areas would want a few hours of sun. Cold tolerance is about 22 degrees F. The citrus pot size on sale came from blue parents and will become more blue out of the greenhouse and in full sun. This size is easy to mail order. BTW, this actual plant shown below is definitely not the green form. You can see the leaves are gray colored and, outdoors in the sun should be blue over time. The garden photos below show a blue plant,, a green plant and something in between.

REGULAR PRICE CITRUS POT WITH 3 INCH CAUDEX $450
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE 3 INCH CAUDEX $325

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase to get this price! Easy to mail order, weather permitting.

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 AFFORDABLE 5 GALLON PLANTS - CAUDEX 2.5 INCHES

Shown below are E. lehmannii that were put into 5 gallon pots over a year ago. It has about five leaves showing the blue color. Caudex size in 2.5 inches. Age from germination 5 to 6 years. Plans this size can remain in their containers for 2 to 3 more years. Easy to mail order. We do have larger sizes of 5 gallon not on sale currently. This size is easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE 5 GALLON $375
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 5 GALLON $275

The third row of photos shows other garden specimens of this species. We have several of this species at this size and obviously smaller plants up to coning sized specimens.

CYCAS PETRAEA
SUPER RARE GREEN CYCAD FROM THAILAND

TWENTY YEAR OLD SPECIMEN WITH VASE SHAPED TRUNK
AS FAR AS WE KNOW, A SPECIMEN LIKE THIS AVAILABLE NOWHERE ELSE
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD

This is an unusual Cycas species from colder parts of northern Thailand. In locality, freezes are experienced and it's reported this species will even tolerate snow. Cycas petraea can get trunks over 15 feet tall in dozens of decades. More typically, domestic plant trunks are under three feet tall. Leaves are flat and green and about four to six feet long. Crowns consist of dozens of leaves. The bases of the trunks have a peculiar swelling to them as seen here. They can form a classical "water vase trunk" which is fat and swollen and then gets thinner above. Culturally, this species likes nice draining soil, temperatures above a freeze and part day or filtered sun. As an interior cycad, this would be one to try. This is probably one of the coolest Cycas species around. The plant on special is in a 7 gallon pot and is about 20 years old from seed. The caudex has the classic “vase” shape, is 9 inches wide at the base and 11 to 12 inches tall. As you can see it’s holding a nice set of softer green leaves. We’re putting this plant on a Ten Day Special. This is an old, near impossible species to find, especially with this size & age. It can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL PLANT $2100
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THIS ACTUAL PLANT $1775

The cycad on special is shown in the first six photos. The 8th photo is by Amazon.de website, the 9th by the late Ken Hill.

ENCEPHALARTOS ARENARIUS - BLUE & GREEN VARIETIES
RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - LIKES COASTAL SUN
STUNNING SPINY LEAVES - BLUE OR GREEN OR IN-BETWEEN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Encephalartos arenarius is from the coastal dunes and forest close to Alexandria in the Eastern Cape. This species is small to 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. 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 is the blue type - especially when in full sun. To get this color it will want full sun or an ample amount of sun. It prefers a well draining soil. Speed of growth of this cycad is good.

The size we’re putting on special are younger 5 gallon with caudexes of about an inch. They can continue growing in these pots for about three years. This batch should have blue-green leaves.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE 5 GALLON $165
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THESE 5 GALLON $147.50

Remember to mention this Blog Special for your discount when you order.

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

ALOE HERCULES
TREE FORMING ALOE THAT GETS FAIRLY TALL

THICK TRUNK - FLESHY BLUE-GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

As
As most of you know, we grow a limited number of succulents. But, I couldn't pass up showing you some fairly large 25 gallon Aloe hercules that we got in. This plant is a hybrid between Aloe bainesii and Aloe dichotoma. It forms a thick trunk when mature. When juvenile it is thinner as shown here with a single head of foliage. Mature height can reach 30 feet. It is a sun loving species with a cold hardiness reportedly down to 20 degrees F. It can die if overwatered so give it minimal water. We’re putting nice one gallon on Specal. The last photo is by Agaveville website.

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

DRACENA DRACO
THE DRAGON TREE

LIMITED NUMBER PLANTS OF ONE GALLON SIZE AVAILABLE
IN GROUND MAKES MEDIUM SIZED MATURE TREE
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE

This species of Dracena actually makes a rather large tree. It has thick silver leaves. It is native to the Canary Islands. It has the peculiar habit that, after a lengthy time, any given branch stops growing and then bifurcates or trifurcates, giving a very branched pattern. The trunk can get quite thick. It has fragrant white blossoms. It likes full sun and is cold hardy only into the mid-twenties F. Shown here is our one gallon size which we're putting on sale. This tree wants full sun and does get rather large (see photo below).

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

Remember to mention this Blog Special when you purchase to get this price. This size is easily shippable.

FATSIA JAPONICA
THE JAPANESE ARALIA

MEDIUM SIZED TROPICAL BUSH
NICELY SIZED LEAVES WITH WIDE SEGMENTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This medium sized lush tropical tree (some would call it a "bush") is native to Southern Japan and Korea. It has prominently green leaves which, mature, are about 12 to 18 inches across. It is divided into wide segments in a pinwheel pattern. Each leaf has around eight segments. The leaves are somewhat soft and without pointed or sharp ends. It is an evergreen. This spcies does sucker (clumps) and reaches a mature height of usually around 8 to 15 feet. It prefers filtered light or a bit of sun only. It is not really a plant for full sun - especially if you are far inland. It does tolerate a freeze. Flowering occurs in fall with a cluster of white small flowers that later go one to produce fruit (seeds). The garden photo below is c/o Wikipedia. The 5 gallon on Special are about 3 feet or more tall and some are suckering.

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

PHILODENDRON XANADU
EXOTIC COMPANION PLANT

TOLERATES SOME COASTAL SUN
BIG AND FULL 15G PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This Philodendron is actually a hybrid that was commercial created. It is known for its smaller size with small to medium leaves, deep cuts into individual leaves and compact overall form. It is very attractive and is not a climbing plant. We've had this variety before but typically in small sizes. We just got in a few very nice one gallon plants that we’re putting on Special. They will take some degree of coastal sun. Inland area growers should put this in strong filtered light. Cold tolerance is into the upper 20's F. The size on special is easy to ship.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $50

Just mention this Special when you purchase for this price. The last photo is c/o garden hedge website.

CRINUM AMABILE - PURPLE LEAF
LARGE CRINUM TYPE LILY - AKA "QUEEN EMMA LILY"

OVERHEAD PURPLE-GREEN LEAVES
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 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 15 gallon that we’re putting on sale. This size is on special as 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 an older plant. We only have a handful left for sale.

REGULAR PRICE THESE HARD TO FIND 15 GALLON $295
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $245

FRIDAY, 17 MAY, 2024

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

INTERESTING AND UNUSUAL SPECIES

Several years ago my wife, Mitzi, 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

HEDYSCEPE CANTERBURYANA
ONE OF THE BEST PALM SPECIES FOR SO CAL

GORGEOUS SINGLE TRUNK CROWN SHAFTED PINNATE PALM
SILVER SHEEN TO TRUNK AND CROWN SHAFT
NATIVE TO LORD HOWE ISLAND

This great palm is one of my favorites. It is native to Lord Howe Island. This is the same island habitat as Howea species, but Hedyscepe look entirely different. In contrast to the Kentia Palm, Hedyscepe are a crown shafted palm that has a silver trunk. A picture below shows how, in the right sun exposure, this species maintains a silver trunk. Side by side, it's impossible to guess that they are from almost the same locality as the Howea. Along the coast they tolerate full sun but would like protection inland. Cold tolerance is the mid-twenties F. Growth rate is not fast, but steady. They seem to grow better if given some sun. Selecting the right exposure in inland areas is tricky.

Shown here is a 20g plant just starting to form trunk. We have various sizes down to one gallon. Also shown is a nice domestically grown tree. Smaller shippable sizes are available. Simply put, this is a fabulous species for Southern California. Of note, this species produces beautiful large red fruits, about the size of a golf ball. Many trees throughout Southern California have produced this fruit. All the photos of mature trees here were taken in Southern California. At the nursery we have a good assortment of sizes for sale of this species. Shown below are 5, 15 and 25 gallon Nursery plants.

So, why is this one of the best palms for Southern California? Because it is gorgeous, not overly big, has a silver trunk and crown shaft, is reasonably cold hardy and looks unlike most other things in the garden. Simply put, it's a real winner.

RHAPIS MULTIFIDA
A RARE TYPE OF LADY PALM
MUCH PRETTIER THAN REGULAR RHAPIS EXCELSA SHOWN ABOVE

ONE OF THE BEST PALMS FOR INSIDE
GREAT GARDEN PLANT AS WELL
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.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 25 GALLON $825
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 25 GALLON $750

The sale plant is shown in the first 6 photos.

DICTYOSPERMA ALBUM VAR RUBRUM
PRINCESS PALM, HURRICANE PALM

MEDIUM HEIGHT - CROWN SHAFT – THIN TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This is a somewhat rare, collector type of palm that would be attractive in almost any coastal or near-coastal garden. Native to the Mascarene Islands, this thin trunked, crown shafted palm gets to a height of about 25 feet. This variety is called "rubrum" because of the red color that is present on the stems and on juvenile leaflets. One photo shows this below. The leaves are green, arching and without any spines. Growth rate is medium. This is a coastal sun or part day sun species with a cold tolerance in the upper twenties F. I've had one in my garden for years in San Diego.

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

Just mention this Blog Special when ordering to get this price.

DYPSIS BARONII
IDEAL RARE SUCKERING MADAGASCAR PALM

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE – TOLERATES SOME COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON WITH DIVIDING TRUNK

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. Although there are single trunk specimens around, most will sucker. Expect a mature height of about twenty feet or a bit more.

The 15 gallon shown below has a “splitting trunk”. It's hard to see on the photos below. Sometimes you will see this as opposed to basal suckers. It is dividing into two trunks above the ground. Not all will do this. It’ll tolerate partial sun or full sun along the coast

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

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 $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $225

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

DYPSIS PLUMOSA
THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

FLUFFY LEAVES – SILVER CROWN SHAFT
TOLERATES SUN ALONG TH COAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 15 GALLON PLANT

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 15 gallon plants on sale. The plant shown below is about 12 feet tall – twice the height of most comparable 15g plants. We do have some singles & multiples which tend to be shorter. As you can see, they are very tall and too big to ship by UPS.

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

BISMARCKIA NOBILIS
BLUE SINGLE TRUNK FAN PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

A DEFINITE STATEMENT PALM
THIS SPECIES WANTS SUN AND HEAT!
TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY NICE 15G 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 15 gallon sized plants that we’re putting on special. They are sun acclimated and ready to plant.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 115 GALLON $195

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.

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. Garden photos c/o Palmpedia, one by Pete in AU.

SABAL BLACKBURNIANA
LARGE AND TALL FAN PALM

NICE FIVE GALLON 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 $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $100

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

COCCOTHRINAX BARBADENSIS
MEDIUM SIZED, NARROW TRUNK

VERY "CUTE PALM" WITH GREEN OR SILVER GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 2 GALLON

We at the nursery are very proud that we offer a good selection of these interesting New World fan palms. Coccothrinax are native to the Caribbean region. This species, C. baradensis, 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. Our plants are grown from seed which we germinate. After a 6 month wait, one gets one small green strap leaf. It takes 2 to 3 more years to get a fan-type leaf. Thus, it's taken us about six years to produce the 2g 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 2G $80
TEN DASY SPECIAL 2 GALLON $70

Remember: Mention this Special when you purchase to get this discount.

RAVENEA GLAUCA
A SUPER DESIRABLE MADAGASCAR PALM

GREEN LEAVES, THIN TRUNK, TOLERATES COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This Madagascar palm gets to about twenty feet, perhaps somewhat taller and has a thin trunk of six inches. I would consider it a medium sized palm; the crown is not that large. It is a very good growing palm and along the coast loves full sun. Cold hardiness is somewhere in the mid-twenties F., perhaps a bit less. It is as good growing pinnate palm. Presently they are near impossible to find for sale. We have a limited number of nice one gallon – and on Special. All have seen winter cold for several years. As I’ve published previously, get your Ravenea now as they’ll all be unavailable in the near future. We have limited numbers available and, in the spring, they'll all be put into 5 gallon containers. The last superb photo is c/o PalmPedia.

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

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

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.

ENCEPHALARTOS PAUCIDENTATUS
MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

UPRIGHT GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE SEEDLINGS

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE THIS SPECIES $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $75

Below I'm showing photos of a large specimen at the nursery

ENCEPHALARTOS KISAMBO
EXOTIC CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

LONG GREEN UPRIGHT LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 2 GALLON SIZE

Encephalartos kisambo is a fast growing species native to Kenya where it grows at elevations of 3000 feet. It is a medium sized mature plant with trunks to eight feet. Leaves are green to soapy green in color, stand erect and are six to ten feet long. Leaflets are 1.5 inches wide, pungently tipped at the end, and spiny along the margins. This is a fast growing species that can tolerate our coastal sun. Far inland locations should use part day sun. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties, perhaps a bit lower. We had no leaf damage at the nursery in 2007 with lows of 25 degrees F. Shown here are very nice 2 gallon plants we have on a ten day reduced price – see first six photos below. Also shown are other larger sizes we have but note we have many sizes in between the sale plant and the monster specimens below.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON SIZE $155
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $135
Just mention this Blog special. These are simple to ship by mail order.

ENCEPHALARTOS LAURENTIANUS
THE GIANT KWANGO CYCAD
SPECTACULAR CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

LONGEST LEAVES OF ANY CYCAD
CAN BE OVER 20 FEET LONG!
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 2 GALLON PLANTS

This species is endemic to the Kasongo-Linda districts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The climate is quite hot and humid. This is one of the largest cycads on the planet, and has longer leaves than any other species of known cycad. Leaves are green with somewhat wide armed leaflets. These leaves can grow in excess of seven meters and their fat stems can grow a staggering height of over fifteen meters (over hundreds of years)! Stems can be solitary, but on larger specimens it is more common to see them with basal suckers and large offshoots.

There are no cycads, that I can think of, that become larger or more impressive than this rapid growing species. Before this plant ever makes a foot of trunk, leaves will streak into the air, dwarfing much around them. The leaflets are heavily armed, but are pliable to the touch and are not overly pokey. The petioles are entirely different and possess very sharp, long spines and prickles. The growth habit of this plant is fairly erect, but can usurp more space as stems become large and more mature. Old specimens can easily be mistaken for palms as they are so large and tropical looking. In all areas, this species requites filtered light or shade. In the tropics or exceptionally humid areas, you can get away with growing this species in sun. They are susceptible to burn in drier areas and are not very frost tolerant (truly a tropical species of Encephalartos).

When I first got into cycads many decades ago, this was the hardest cycad in the world to acquire. A single seed sold for $25 to $50. We are quite fortunate to offer five to six-seven year old 2 gallon plants on special. Caudexes are about 2 inches. Plants on sale are shown in the first 5 photos below. This species wants plenty of room and an area where you don’t see much below a freeze.

TEN DAY SPECIAL TWO GALLON PLANTS AS SHOWN $325 –
ALMOST SOLD OUT THIS SPECIES!

ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
RARE BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD FOR FULL COASTAL SUN

A FAVORITE AMONG CYCAD ENTHUSIASTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE WITH 2-3 INCH CADUEX

Shown below and on sale are our citrus pot sized plants with caudexes of 2 to 3 inches. These are easy to mail order. Limited numbers available.

REGULAR PRICE CITRUS POT SIZE WITH CAUDEX 2 TO 3 INCHES $395
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE WITH CAUDEX 2 TO 3 INCHES $295

CERATOZAMIA KUESTERIANA
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

COLORFUL EMERGING NEW LEAVES
INLAND FILTERED LIGHT OR COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE AS SHOWN

This attractive cycad comes from the Sierra Mountain Range in Mexico near Tamaulipas. There is grows among overhead oak trees. It is a small to medium sized plant, perhaps at most getting a four foot tall caudex. Leaf length is four to five feet. Leaflets are long and narrow, coming to a point. Leaflet color is green. But, newly emerging leaves are a brown-red as shown below. With the 8th photo by Ian Edwards below, you can see how attractive a new swirl of leaves can be. Petioles can be smooth or armed with small spines.

This is an easy to grow species. It can take coastal full sun but inland demands filtered light. Cold tolerance is to the low 20's F. This species is being grown in northern CA and in some other states where they see cooler weather. I’m showing you two plants in citrus pots with new reddish-brown emerging leaves. Caudex sizes are 3 to 3.5 inches. Soil should be well draining in the garden. This species also makes an attractive containerized patio plant.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE CITRUS POT $525
TEN DAY SPECIAL - THIS SIZE $445

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

DIOON MEJIAE
LUSH AND TROPICAL APPEARING

NEW WORLD CYCAD
UP TO SPECIMEN SIZES AVAILABLE
20% OFF REGULAR PRICES FOR TEN DAYS

This is a more tropical appearing species of Dioon and is native to Central America in Nicaragua and Honduras. There it is found among thick deciduous forests. Leaves are long, green and arch minimally. In cross section the leaves are flat. They are similar to the lush leaves of Dioon spinulosum but typically, on mature plants, lack any spines on the leaflets. Trunks ten to be somewhat narrow, usually under twelve inches. But, a mature plant in habitat can reach heights of over 20 feet in a century or two. An attractive thing about this species are the super soft, wooly and yet fragile new leaves as they emerge (last photo). One is so tempted to feel them. Leaf color is green with a length of about six feet.

This is a super attractive plant for morning sun or strong filtered light. It is possible to grow it in half day coastal sun. Cold hardiness is into the low 20's F. The plant shown is in a 15g and has a caudex size of ten inches. We do have both smaller and larger plants for sale. All can be mail ordered or delivered within the U.S. I'm showing you two nursery plants below with some garden photographs.

TEN DAY SPECIAL - 15% OFF REGULAR PRICES ANY SIZE THIS SPECIES

PHILODENDRON EVANSII
SUPER RARE AND HARD TO FIND SPECIES WITH HUGE LEAVES

TOLERATES COASTAL SUN AND IS VERY IMPRESSIVE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

This unusual and very difficult to find species of Philodendron is known for it's absolute huge leaves that can be six feet of more in length. It has green leaves and thick strong stems. It can grow free standing or will climb to some extent. Or, trunks can crawl along the ground. It tolerates full coastal sun or strong filtered light. We've been told that this species can tolerate a freeze although little is known of its absolute cold tolerance. Its leaves are much large than Philodendron selloum. The garden photos below are c/o garden ubc, Pinterest and University of South Florida. We're putting a limited number of 15 gallon on special. We only have them available every several years.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE $275

MAIDENHAIR FERN
GENUS ADIANTUM

NICE 2G PLANTS
WATER LOVING SHADE FERN
TEN DAY SPECIAL FULL 2G 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 $55
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON $40

Remember to mention this Special. Mail order is possible on this size. The last photo shows a close up of a garden plant.

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 $95
TEN DAYS SPECIAL THIS SIZE $75

Remember: Mention this Blog Special for your discount.

DASYLIRION LONGISSIMUM
THE MEXICAN GRASS PLANT

MEDIUM SIZED UNUSUAL SUN PLANT
DROUGHT TOLERANT - LOVES FULL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL GOOD SIZED 5 GALLON SIZE

This interesting drought tolerant plant is native to Mexico and extremely drought tolerant. In gardens, I've seen a few older plants with a few feet of trunk. But, this species can actually get a trunk that is six or eight feet tall in fifty or a hundred years. It loves hot sun. The crown of needle like leaves is about eight feet across. Each leaf is about the size of a knitting needle and four to six feet long. They come to a point but are not very dangerous except perhaps to one's eye. The plant looks like a "Pom Pom on a Trunk". Leaf color is blue to blue green. Cold tolerance is into the teens F. They like hot sun. I'm offering a nice discount on good sized 5 gallon plants as shown below. The stems are around 4 inches thick at the base. Plant age is about 8 years. This size can easily be mail orderd.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 5 GALLON $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON $95

Just mention this Blog Only Special when purchasing to get this price.

PHILODENDRON McCOLLEYS FINALE
RED NEW LEAVES - ROSETTE PLANT
FILTERED LIGHT IN THE GARDEN OR HOUSEPLANT

TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON

This is a hybrid Philodendron that has scarlet-red emergent new leaves that eventually become a shiny green. With this said, in the containers we have plants with six or seven leaves where all leaves are still red. But, eventually old leaves will be green. This is not a climbing species. It can be grown in a container as a houseplant or in the garden. It wants filtered light and is cold hardy down to about a freeze or a bit below. The last photo is by Pinterest UK, unknown author.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $50
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $40

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 $49.50

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.

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

AVAILABILITY CHANGES WEEKLY
SPECIAL ON THESE GORGEOUS PLANTS

Cordyline fruiticosa 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 various different varieties of HawaiianTi plants thast we have in stock as of today. All are different and there's one that is predominantly pastel colors. Remember, availability of each type changes ever several days.

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

Cordyline fruiticosa variety florica

Cordyline fruiticosa variety harlequin

Cordyline fruiticosa variety unknown red

Cordyline fruiticosa pastel variety

**Cordyline fruiticosa variety auntie lou**

**Cordyline fruiticosa variety chile pepper**

Hawaiian Ti's used in the landscape

                                        WEDNESDAY, 15 MAY, 2024

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
INTERIOR QUALITY KENTIA PALMS

SHOWING FOUR DIFFERENT SIZES
IDEAL FOR INSIDE HOME, OFFICES, BUSINESSES

I am called quite frequently about Kentia Palms for inside the home or business. Most of these people are seeking a high quality plant that is "perfect" appearing and ideal for usage inside the home or business. But, the consumer must realize that there are two quality grades of Kentia Palms.

INTERIOR QUALITY:  This grade of plant is most often grown in a strictly controlled greenhouse environment or imported from a tropical region like Hawaii. The latter is more common. These plants are free of blemishes and usually quite gorgeous. But, because of importation costs and how they are grown, they tend to cost quite a bit more than standard nursery quality stock.

NURSERY QUALITY:  These are the plants that a grower would produce under shade cloth or in a non-heated greenhouse. They have seen the weather and outdoor conditions or been in an average greenhouse.   They are more hardy for the garden than interior quality, but not as picture perfect. They often have minor blemishes or, if sun grown, a bit more yellow color to the leaves. These plants are usually about half the cost of the imported interior quality Kentia Palms.

Below are four sizes of interior quality Kentia Palms:

FIRST ROW: 5 gallon size, height usually 5 feet
SECOND ROW: 7 gallon size, height 7 feet
THIRD ROW: 15 gallon, height usually 8 possibly 9 feet
FOURTH ROW:  squat 20 gallon, height 10 to 12 feet.

We offer both grades of Kentia Palms. Either grade is easy to ship if they aren't too tall for the carrier companies. The most popular size for mail orders is the 5 gallon b/c of shipping costs. With the interior quality, availability changes frequently as they require special purchase from Hawaii.

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.

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.

MULE PALMS
BUTIA CAPITATA X SYAGRUS (QUEEN PALM)
A MORE COLD HARDY ALTERNATIVE TO QUEEN PALM

25 GALLON PLANTS AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON PLANTS

We have available some 25g Mule Palms as shown below. For those who don't know, this amazing hybrid doesn't look like either parent. To make the Mule Palm, the seed bearing parent has to be the Butia capitata. The pollen donor is the Queen Palm. The reverse doesn't produce a palm anything close to the Mule Palm.
They are remarkable because they are supper attractive. Some say they have a resemblance to a Coconut. They also usually just get to 25 feet - compared to the 60 foot height of the Queen. They want full sun. And, they are very cold hardy - down to about 16 degrees. Queens die at about 18 degrees. I've got a customer in Tucson, AZ that can't grow Queen Palms b/c they freeze in the winter. Our Mule Palms thrive there. This hybrid tolerates desert sun. And, they don't make any fruit to mess up your pool! This is why they are called the "Mule" Palm. What a combination of good qualities!

We're putting the few 25g that we have on Ten Day Special. The plants shown below are too large for standard mail order but can be delivered. They are lush and gorgeous. This is a difficult palm to find but we do have larger sizes for sale..

TEN DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON AS SHOWN $595

PARAJUBAEA TORALLYI
THE SOUTH AMERICAN "COCONUT PALM"

TALL SUN PALM – SUPER ATTRACTIVE
TEN DAY SPECIAL GOOD SIZED 15 GALLON

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 as described below.

Parajubaeas are all from South America. About twenty-five 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. These are super hard to find nowadays.
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. It is best to start them in strong filtered light. Germination of seeds is difficult and demands a "long thermometer" with hot days and cold nights. The 8^th photo below is by Gaston Torres and the last photo by PlantAPalm website.

REGULAR PRICE THESE 15 GALLON $350
SALE PRICE THSE 15 GALLON $295 - SUPPLY LIMITED

Remember: Mention this Blog Special at the time of purchase for your discount.

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.

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

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. I am showing several below.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LARGE 15G $275
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $240

This size can be mail ordered. But, remember to mention this Blog Only Special for your discount.

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 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

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DARK GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY 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.

DYPSIS PEMBANA
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING
NATIVE TO PEMBA ISLAND

TAKES FULL COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 3 OR 5 GALLON SIZE

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 5g size. We may have both larger and smaller size.

REGULAR PRICE 3 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $125

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

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

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.

COCCOTHRINAX ARGENTATA
MEDIUM SIZED FAN PALM

SMALL TRUNK - SILVER BACK TO LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE

This smaller and very cute 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. Mature height is rarely to twenty feet. Leaves are about three to four feet across and prominently divided into segments. 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 2 gallon plants on sale. This species is ideal for people who want shorter but attractive sun tolerant palms. But, particularly in pots, it is slow growing.

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

Just mention this Blog Special when you purchase for your discount. BTW, I mentioned this species is slow growing. The plant shown is five years old.

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. The one gallon on special are good sized for thier pots and should be repotted soon.

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

CHAMAEDOREA PLUMOSA
THE BABY QUEEN PALM

SEVERAL PLANTS PER POT
LOOK BEST IN GROUPS OF TWO OR THREE PLANT TOGETHER
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON ONE 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 offer nice older one gallon plants on Special. 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. Shown below and on Special are our one gallon with multiple plants. We also have 5 and 15 gallon available. 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 ONE GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON $65

Mention this Blog Special for your discount at the time of purchase. The last photo is c/o TS at RPS.

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. The one gallon plants are shown in the first five photos below. The 6th photo shows a 15g Nursery plant that is no longer available.

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

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

CHAMAEDOREA GEONOMIFORMIS
SINGLE TRUNK, DWARF UNDERSTORY PALM

PREFERS FILTERED LIGHT – NEVER TALL
SIMPLE UNDIVIDED LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ONE GALLON SIZE

This species has a native distribution that spreads from Southern Mexico down throughout Central America. There are some minor differences in plants from the various areas. Chamaedorea geonomiformis is single trunk and has a simple, bifed leaf as shown here. It's mature height ranges from two feet up to about five feet tall. When trying to identify this species, particularly look at the leaf size, shape, length and width. You'll note that the leaves of this species are longer than they are wide. Compare this to C. ernesti-agusti below that has very wide leaflets. Leaf color is green. Vertical growth is slow. We only have a few of these for sale. I'd estimate cold hardiness into the upper teens perhaps but most assuredly to the mid-twenties. These plants were grown from seeds from Don Hodel’s personal plants. We're offering nice one gallons on Special. Be aware that this species does not like direct sun.

Also, be aware that this is a rare and desirable species and seldom seen for sale.

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

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase. This size can be mail ordered.

CHAMAEDOREA ERNESTI-AUGUSTI
VERY ATTRACTIVE DWARF SHADE PALM

TYPICALLY NOT OVER 3 FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

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. Just remember to mention this Special for the reduced price when you purchase.

KENTIOPSIS PYRIFORMIS
SUPER RARE SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

NATIVE TO NEW CALEDONIA
THIN TRUNK - VERY ELEGANT
SPECIAL - VERY NICE 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 large 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 $57.50

Photos of large plant below by TS at RPS.

ENCEPHALARTOS EUGENE-MARAISII
BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD FROM THE TRANSVAAL AREA
VERY SOUGHT AFTER BY ENTHUSIAST

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE - UPRIGHT LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE SEEDLINGS

This species is endemic to the Waterberg range in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Their habitat is dry and arid. They grow on steep rocky slops, grasslands and savanna. It is a small to medium sized species. Leaf length generally does not exceed a meter and stems can get about four meters high. Of the Transvaal (previous province within South Africa north of the Vaal River) species, this is the most common. That being said, this species is still exceptionally rare and almost extinct in the wild.

The leaves on this species can vary from a blue/green color, to a powdery silver and in some cases be an aquamarine. Leaflets twist almost perpendicular to the petiole, giving them a 'stacking' appearance (like blinds). In coastal and inland areas, this species prefers to be in the full sun, but can tolerate partial sun. Cold tolerance is about 22 degrees F.
The seedlings on special are 24 month old with two to three leaves. We rarely put them on special. They are shown in the first three photos. The 4th photo is our 15 gallon plants.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $95

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

CYCAS GUIZHOUENSIS
RARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CHINESE CYCAD

GREEN UPRIGHT LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE ONE GALLON 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 gallon plants on special. 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. Caudex size is 1-2 inches.

REGULAR PRICE THESE ONE GALLON PLANTS $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE ONE GALLON $115

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

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 1.5 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.

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.

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS – BLUE FORM
MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

BLUE STACKED LEAFLETS - MINIMAL IF ANY SPINES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON PLANT

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON, CAUDEX 5 INCHES $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15G CYCAD $665

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase to get this price!

CYCAS TAITUNGENSIS
THE EMPEROR CYCAD

A VERY COLD HARDY CYCAD WITH ORANGE FUZZ AT TOP OF CAUDEX
TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY LARGE SIZED 20 GALLON SPECIMEN

Cycas taitungensis is a species of cycad from China and Taiwan. It used to be known as Cycas taiwaniana. In fact, some reference books around still refer to it by this name. It is a medium to large cycad with trunk diameter of twelve to eighteen inches and height of ten feet. It is known as the Emperor Cycad. It is similar to a Sago Palm but with some noted differences. The leaves are longer and wider than the C. revoluta. They also tend to be flatter. The color is deep green. Also, growth rate is much faster and cold hardiness is better than the Sago. It is not unusual for this species to throw two or three sets of leaves a year. In the crown area, the tomentum is a very prominent orange color, a good clue as to the species. I think it's a bit more tropical and lush appearing than the Sago Palm. There are reports of this species easily tolerating mid-teen F. temperatures. Also, it likes full sun except in desert areas. We’re putting a nice 20 gallon plant on sale that should cone soon. The caudex is 8 inches wide and 14 inches tall. For someone in a cold area, this is perhaps one of the first cycads you should consider.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 20 GALLON SPECIMEN $1125
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $950

MACROZAMIA RIEDLEI
RARE GREEN CYCAD FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA

TRUNKLESS OR NEAR-TRUNKLESS SPECIES
TEN DAY SPEECIAL 25 GALLON SIZE

This fairly rare and seldom available green cycad is native to south-western Austailia and is known for forming no trunk or minimal trunk. Its is rarely over six to eight feet tall. Leaves are green with fine leaflets. Leaf length is five to six feet with a gentle arch. Sometimes leaf color is a gray-green. Leaves are fairly glossy and it has smaller cones than most other landscape species. It tolerates full coastal sun and would prefer at least half day sun in most areas. Cold tolerance is well into the twenties F. It likes well-draining sandy soil. We have two 15g plants availabled, both the sam size. Caudexes are 8 to 9 inches. Age on these is about fourteen years. They can be shipped mail order in a large box. The plants on Special are shown in the first ten photos below, each separately. .

REGULAR PRICE THESE 8 TO 9 INCH SPECIMENS $1050
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 15G PLANTS THIS SIZE $850

AUSTRALIAN TREE FERN
CYATHEA COOPERI

FAST GROWING, CAN GET TALLER
TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY LARGE 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 very tall 15 gallon on sale. This size is shown in the first six photos. These plants are more like a boxed size specimen tree. The 8th photo below is by Plantlust Website and the last picture is by TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE THESE TALL 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 15 GALLON $200

LIGULARIA TUSSILANGINEA - AKA FARUGIUM TUSSILANGINEA
LILY-LIKE, FLAT GREEN LEAVES

YELLOW BLOSSOMS IN FALL
TAKES SUN - LIKES WATER
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE FULL 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. Below you’ll see our 5 gallon size that we’re putting on Special. These can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $70

Remember: mention this Special for your discount when you purchase.

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

MONDAY, 13 MAY, 2024

WHEN ORDERING PLANTS BY MAIL ORDER:
SHIPPED IN THE CONTAINER OR BARE ROOT? WELL PACKED?

HOW JUNGLE MUSIC IS DIFFERENT
WE TAKE THE TIME AND TROUBLE TO SHIP THE RIGHT WAY

When most people order plants by mail order, they don't really consider how the plant will be sent to them. But, it's critical to realize that bare root plants, whether a palm, cycad or tropical plant, have a much higher immediate mortality rate and usually have at least a one year setback. To make things worse, leaf and/or root pruning is also needed when plants are sent bare root. And, specifically with cycads, this means you most likely will get a plant with chopped back leaves that must go into pumice, not soil. It is far from ready for the ground. The leaves are cut back to prevent dehydration of a stressed plant. I would say that the majority of Internet plant providers ship plants to you bare root.

So, why would a nursery do this? It could be to "save money" on shipping, but what a high price to pay for small savings. More importantly, it could be that the sending nursery is not really a certified nursery and is forbidden from sending a plant with its soil. "Certified Nursery" means that a nursery's state agricultural department checks the nursery and their plants on a regular basis to make sure plants are disease and insect free. If you've ever ordered plants by mail and didn't receive agricultural permits with your order, you bought plants from such a bootlegging nursery. It's required by state laws that such permits accompany the plants sent.

To comfort you about Jungle Music, we are a California Certified Nursery and almost always ship our plants in their container, soil and all, and do include all required Ag permits. Only when someone demands it will we ship bare root. An example would be shipping plants to Hawaii.

I am going to show you how we almost always ship our plants: in their containers with soil and with a technique to prevent damage during their travel. We feel our shipping policy and techniques are second to none. You decide which way you'd like to have your plants shipped. Also, I'll show a few photos sent to me by customers of plants received in perfect condition.


Plant readied for being put into shipping box. Notice that the container is wrapped, the top is stuffed to prevent soil leaving the pot and a secure wood post is attached to the container. Alma then checks everything is ok and starts to lower the plant, pot first, into the box.

Once the plant is carefully slid to the bottom of the box, the top is securely taped in all directions with additional securing layers going around the box - top and bottom. If a box is particularly heavy, we add additional layers of tape to the central areas.

Above is shown a heavier, larger plant that is being prepared for shipping. For this plant we are using four stakes for extra strength to prevent slippage or movement inside the box.

For heavier plants we often use two boxes with a large overlap of one box over the other. Circumferential taping is then done with many layers of plastic tape or even duct tape. Notice looking down the box how the stakes go to the top of the box - nice and snug.

Boxes of many sizes and weights outside the entrance to our Nursery -
Awaiting pick up by UPS or FED EXP


We frequently get glowing reviews on the excellent condition of plants shipped by us with "perfect condition" of the plant(s) on opening the box. Shown are a few photos of our shipments after arrival.

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. But, taxonomists have to make a living. You can pretty much be guaranteed they'll change 25% of the names you know and lover over the next twenty-five years. They always have their reasons for this.

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

DON'T LIKE TOO MUCH NITROGEN
LIMITED SUPPLIES AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 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.

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.

TEN DAY SPECIAL: 15% OFF ANY VARIEGATED RHAPIS IN STOCK

BECCARIOPHOENIX MADAGASCARENSIS
AKA "BECCARIOPHOENIX NO-WINDOWS""

LARGER PINNATE PALM FROM MADAGASCAR
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS RARELY SEEN 20 GALLON SIZE

It was not too long ago when Beccariophoenix was felt to be a monotypic genus with only one species. Now it is recognized that there are three different species:

Beccariophoenix species "windows", presently called Beccariophoenix fenestralis.
Beccriophoenix madagascarensis, previously known as "Beccariophoenix no windows"
Beccariophoenix alfredii, a more recently named species that is the number one species of this genus that we sell.

All three are single trunk, medium to large plants from Madagascar. Along the coast, all can take full sun. Estimated cold hardiness is into the mid and perhaps lower 20's F. The species we're putting on special is a 20 gallon specimen of the "No-Windows" variety, B. madagascarensis. You'll not see these around hardly at all in Southern California. This plant is older and in the pinnate stage of it's development. Contrast this with the "windows" form (fenestralis) which has small leaf openings, similar to small window panes, in the leaf - between the leaflets. With time these disappear and it becomes a pinnate palm. The 20 gallon on special is very nicely sized and at least 12 years old. It is too heavy for standard UPS shipping.

REGULAR PRICE 20 GALLON THIS RARE PALM $695
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 20 GALLON SPECIMEN $595

The garden photos are of a palm that's not fully mature yet in San Diego, CA

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.

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

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

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

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.

DYPSIS ONILAHENSIS
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING PALM

VERY POPULAR, EASY TO GROW - TOLERATES COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLD 5 GALLON SIZE

This 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 we're offering here appear to be the suckering form. As a species, it has either flat or droopy leaves/leaflets and white to silver crown shafts. Overall height is about twenty feet and trunk thickness is four to six inches. It likes coastal part day sun, perhaps more, and is cold tolerant to the mid-twenties F. The plants on sale are the 5g size with an age of about 5 years from seed. They tolerate full sun along the coast and are cold hardy into the twenties F.

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

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

NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
5 GALLON SIZE NOW AVAILABLE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

I have not shown this species that often because it's rarely available and very difficult to find. 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. We have a limited number of 5 gallons available (first five photos). Some pots have two plants per pot - so there's a chance to set some seeds. These can be mail ordered. I'm also putting them on special. Please appreciate that this is a super rare species and is seldom offered for sale. Note that the photos below show several larger plants from the nursery. This size can be easily shipped for mail order.

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

ARCHONTOPHOENIX TUCKERI
RARE AUSTRALIAN TYPE OF KING PALM

PURE GREEN CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 GALLON SIZE

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

RHAPIDOPHYLLUM HYSTRIX
THE NEEDLE PALM

WORLD'S MOST COLD HARDY PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE

There is no doubt in my mind that this species is the most cold tolerant of any palm species. It is native to the southeastern United States with native habitats stretching from South Carolina down to northern Florida and into Alabama and Mississippi. There are reports of this species tolerating below zero degrees F. Now, this doesn't mean that you can grow it in Michigan. But, in areas that see significant cold such as North Carolina, central Texas or even New Mexico, this species might work for you.

It is a suckering fan palm and known as the "Needle Palm" because it forms dark colored, protuberant needles on the trunk. The fourth picture below shows small needles forming on the trunk. The first five photos show the 3g on sale. In sun the color is a silver green with more silver underneath. In shade the color gets dark green, reminiscent of a Rhapis Palm. Trunks are usually under three feet tall and four to six inches thick. But, because the leaves come upwards, the overall height of the plant can be six to seven feet or taller. They can get a bit bushy. This is a very slow growing species. The plants on sale are not quite up to size so we're offering a very nice price on them.

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

I only have a few of these. You must mention this Blog Only Special to get this price.

CARYOTA URENS
THE GIANT MOUNTAIN FISHTAIL
FAST GROWING - SUPER TALL

NOT AVAILABLE FOR YEARS
TEN DAY SPECIAL JUVENILE 2 GALLON SIZE

Caryota urens is a tall single trunk monocarpic palm species native to Asia. It is fast growing and can get to a height of 70 feet. It is definitely a canopy-forming palm species. Leaves a green and leaflets are premorse (jagged at their ends). Some people love the grandeur of these palms. Trunks are tan, ringed and about 16 inches diameter on average. It will get taller and more quickly get there than almost any other palm in your garden. They want full sun and, especially if inland, plenty of water. Because they are monocarpic (flower and then die), one needs a plant that is near death to get seeds. This occurs rarely. We were able to germinate seeds from such a plant. They are presently in 2 gallon pots (on Special) to give their roots a chance to take offer and promote growth. I’ve not had this species available for about six to eight years. They are on their second leaf. Of note, there’s been a high demand for this species because of its scarcity and non-availability. I wish I had larger to offer but we just don’t.

REGULAR PRICE THIS HARD TO FIND PALM IN 2 GALLON SIZE $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL JUVENILE 2 GALLON $65

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.

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
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 SIZE PALMS $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $60

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

CHAMAEDOREA TENELLA
DWARF SINGLE TRUNK

UNDERSTORY SUPER RARE MINIATURE PALM
SIMPLE LEAVES - NEVER OVER A FEW FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 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 $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $65

Remember: These can be mail ordered.

RHOPALOSTYLIS CHEESEMANII
MORE RARE SPECIES OF THIS GENUS

GORGEOUS CROWN SHAFT - VERY ELEGANT MATURE PALM
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 below) and 15g sizes available. The 8th photo is c/o cloudforest.com website.



5g size

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 at our nursery. The last two rows of photos show 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.

REGULAR PRICE THESE BANDS $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $60

Remember, mention this Special when you order. We, of course, have other sizes of this species for sale.

ENCEPHALARTOS GIANT CUPIDUS
SUPER BLUE AND UNBELIEABLY RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND FOR SALE
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT JUVENILE PLANT

This cycad is endemic to the Blyderivierspoort Nature Reserve in South Africa in the Tranvaal area. It is confined to two populations within this locale. This species has a range of habitats in which it grows. It can be found in open grasslands, along the borders of wet forests, in rocky slopes and rocky outcroppings and cliffs. This species can be found in climates ranging from hot/arid to semi-wet. Normally, this is a small species. Leaves of E. cupidus can reach a meter in length, but rarely do. Stems are small and are partially to completely subterranean. Ancient plants have less than a meter of trunk. The “giant” cupidus is a larger cycad than the regular cupidus. This species is known for their small populations and rarity. It is about as rare as it gets. Leasf color ranges from blue/green to powdery silver leaves. This is an armed species and is fairly sharp. In terms of culture, in coastal and inland areas this plant wants to be in full sun. In desert areas, partial sun is adequate. This species need soil that drains well. The plant shown is the only one we have. It’s in a citrus pot and has a caudex of 1.75 inches. We almost never can offer this very desirable species and presently only have this one plant.

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CITRUS POT CYCAD $385

DIOON SPINULOSUM
A CUSTOMER FAVORITE CYCAD

FILTERED LIGHT IN GARDEN OR INSIDE THE HOME
GREEN LEAVES, ELEGANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 15 GALLON SIZE

This species of a green cycad can be grown in the garden or as an interior palm. Although you can't tell from the photos here, this cycad species can get quite tall. I've seen photos from habitat with what appears to be over 20 feet of trunk. But, such heights would require several centuries to occur. Dioon spinulosum is native to tropical areas in Mexico where it grows in limestone forests. Trunks don't get overly thick, typically 12 to 14 inches thick - but domestically often thinner. Leaves are green and mildly armed. Leaf length is about six feet. My preference is to grow this species in filtered light. Cold tolerance is into the mid twenties F. At the nursery we usually have a good selection of this species from small to large. We’re putting a nice 15 gallon on sale - this actual plant. It has a caudex 7 inches wide and 10 inches tall. Of note, oversized 1 gallon also on special. Most have caudexes of 3 to 4 inches. Easy to ship.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 15G CYCAD $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $600

This plant can be mail ordered in a very large box.

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
This is small Mexican cycad with stems typically under one foot tall in size and leaves green in color and up to three feet long, sometimes shorter. It usually holds about five or so leaves, sometimes more. It is a variable species and leaflets can be lanceolate or wedge shaped. Leaflets are quite thin in texture and have soft spines on the margins. Overall, this species has a "fern-like" appearance and would not be considered spiny. The names "vasquezii" replaced the more commonly known name of "fischeri" in the past fifteen years or so.

The two plants shown here in the first two rows below are eight to ten years old. One is a female in cone (illustrated). I am also showing (last row) two super robust garden specimens.

REGULAR PRICE CIT POT THIS SPECIES $295
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $255

Remember: Mention this Special for your discounted price!

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 $275

ENCEPHALARTOS HILDEBRANDTII
LARGE SIZED GREEN CYCAD

UPRIGHT LEAVES – GOOD GROWER
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE.

This species has a fairly wide distribution in the coastal regions of Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar Island (Tanzania) and into northern Mozambique. Its habitat consists of rocky, sandy soil in dry coastal forest and bush. This is a large sized species. Leaves can reach three meters in length. Over many centuries, stems become quite wide and can reach six meters or more! This species can produce basal suckers, but this is not very common. This is a fast growing cycad. Crowns tend to stay erect, though can become wide with full crowns. Leaflets and petioles are armed with sharp spines, though the leaflets have some flex to them. This species is moderately rare among Encephalartos, but is quite rare in cultivation. It is tolerant of coastal full sun, but look better in partial sun. For inland areas, I recommend this plant for partial sun or shade. This plant is great for established gardens with canopy, or gardens with shade. This is a fast growing species and requires space. It will make a large showy plant and will enhance the tropical look of any garden in the right application! The citrus pot size we’re offering on special have caudexes of about 4.5 inches - see first five pictures below. They are ready to go into the garden or be repotted. Mail order possible, weather permitting. The citrus pot size is shown in the first five photos followed by a 15 gallon larger plant

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE CITRUS POT $450
DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT THIS SAME SIZE $375

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

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.

TILLANDSIA MALLEMONTII
SPECIES WITH VIOLET BLUE FLOWERS
CLUSTERS IN BLOSSOM IN SPRING - SUMMER

A TYPE OF AIR PLANT - EASY TO GROW - BLOSSOMS IN FALL
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. I have two sizes available. They'd like sun or part sun and to be watered at least weekly. They can be mounted to a tree limb, post or a fence. This species is rare to find. These would be easy to mail order. We have small to medium clusters as well as large clusters on sale. The larger clusters contain 15 to 20 plants. Note that, when you buy Tillandsia on line, you ususally get one dinky plant, not huge clusters 15 years old like shown here.

REGULAR PRICE SMALL CLUSTERS $75, LARGE CLUSTERS $100
TEN DAY SPECIAL - 15% OFF THESE PRICES

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 $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $115

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

FRIDAY, 10 MAY, 2024

WALLICHIA DISTICHA
FISHTAIL APPEARING SINGLE TRUNK PALM

ALL LEAVES IN ONE PLANE
A VERY INTERESTING AND PECULIAR PALM
WE HAVE A FEW PLANTS FOR SALE - WILL RUN OUT SHORTLY

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.

COCONUT PALM - COCOS NUCIFERA
A GORGEOUS TROPICAL PALM
BRIGHT YELLOW & LARGE FRUIT

VERY DIFFICULT GROW IN SO CAL
MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS!

There is hardly a palm more beautiful than Cocos nucifera, the Coconut Palm. Although no one knows for sure it's original native habitat, presently they are found naturalized in tropical areas around the world. They tolerate heat and sun, live right near salt containing oceans and get to a height of about 40 feet. The yellow colored fruits are produced in abundance. You might recognize store bought edible coconuts that are brown. These are the seeds and within the thick fibrous husk of the fruit. From a cultural point of view, this palm doesn't have a lot of cold tolerance. It succumbs with temperatures below the upper thirties F. There are few if any Coconuts flourishing in Southern CA. All the photos here were taken in the Miami, FL area. If you really like the looks of the Coconut Palm and live in Southern California, it's best to pick a "look-alike" species that can grow here. We offer these alternatives for sale as it's just not ethical to sell a Coconut to a customer for outdoor growing, knowing it will die for them.

CONTACT US FOR SUBSTITUTE SPECIES THAT MAYBE YOU CAN GROW.
ALL PHOTOS BELOW ARE THE CLASSIC "COCONUT PALM".

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 15 GALLON SIZE $225

Remember: Mention this Special for this price!

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

GREEN LEAVES WITH SILVER BACKS
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. Mail order possible in a large box.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $325
TEN DAY SPECIAL OUR LAST FEW PLANTS $275

BUTIA CAPITATA BLUE
EASY TO GROW, NOT TOO TALL
SUPER BLUE COLOR - COLD HARDY

TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 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 problem is we always run out of them. To satisfy our customer demand, we recently got in some more of the 15g size. But, there are very limited numbers. We are offering them at one of the best prices we've ever offered. This palm loves full hot sun and can take down to 15 degrees F. So, almost all of you can grow this palm. The row of three palms in the last row are being grown in San Diego, CA, about a half mile from the Bay. These are cold hardy to about 15 degrees and demand full, hot sun.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $170

We tend to sell out of these quickly but often can re-order in some more if this happens.

DYPSIS BARONII
IDEAL RARE SUCKERING MADAGASCAR PALM

MEDIUM SIZED MATURE – TOLERATES SOME COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 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 5g 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 5 GALLO $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $120

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 $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE LARGE 5 GALLON $125

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

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

VERY EXCITING – ONLY NURSERY TO OFFER THIS PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 GALLON SIZE

There is an interesting story behind the plants I'm showing you here. About five 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. 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”

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON THIS HYBRID $165
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 GALLON $135

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. But, I’m showing in the last row of photos the Veitchia merrillii and finally the Veitchia arecina. This is probably your last chance to get one of these hybrids.

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 $115

BURRETIOKENTIA HAPALA
A GREAT NEW CALEDONIAN PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

SUPER ATTRACTIVE CROWN SHAFTED PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL FIVE GALLON SIZE

Among palm enthusiasts, almost any species from New Caledonia is sought after. This species falls into that group. It is a crown shafted 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 less. 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 below is the five gallon size that 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 5 GALLON SIZE $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $120

Remember: Mention this Special for you discount.

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 $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $115

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

CHAMBEYRONIA HOOKERI
THE BLONDE FLAMETHROWER PALM

GORGEOUS PALM FROM NEW CALEDONIA
USUALLY HAVE NICE NEW PURPLE-RED LEAF
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

Shown is a nice example of a 5 gallon size of Chambeyronia hookeri with its blonde colored crown shaft. I’ve found that this species throws just as red (sometimes even more intense) new leaf compared to Chambeyronia macrocarpa. This species is hard to find. It is different in appearance from the dark green crown shafted form seen on C. 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

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

We have very limited numbers available of this species and also have a few 15 gallon size. Of course, not all will have a red new leaf at this time. Mention this Special at the time of purchase for this discounted price. The crown shaft photo below is by TS at RPS and the new red leaf by the roof is by D.L.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX PURPUREA
THE PURPLE CROWN SHAFT KING PALM

REGULAR PRICE 1 GALLON $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $55

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

CHAMAEDOREA GLAUCIFOLIA
SUPER SIMILAR TO C. PLUMOSA

TAKES A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUN – SINGLE STEM, THIN TRUNK
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED 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 seedlings on sale are multiples, usually three per pot. It is a durable species and seem exempt from fungal problems that can plague C. plumosa. Cold hardiness is about 25 degrees F.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZED MULTIPLES $60
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE SEEDLINGS $55

DYPSIS ARENARUM
THE SAND PALM

SIMILAR TO DYPSIS LUTESCENS
BUT WHITE CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND 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 as rare species. We rarely have it for sale. Note, our band size are larger presently than shown below.

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

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 HORRIDUS
SUPER BLUE SO AFRICAN CYCAD

MOST POPULAR CYCAD - LOVES SUN ALONG THE COAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL JUVENILE 5 GALLON PLANTS

By far, the most popular rare cycad we sell is Encephalartos horridus. It is native to the Natal district of South Africa. I don't know if it's the gnarly, spiny leaflets that thrills people. Or, the smaller size. Or, the intense blue color. But, somehow people love this plant and we can hardly keep them in stock. It is slow growing, has prominent barbs on the edge of the leaflets and has a small crown width - usually five feet or less. A two foot trunk would be about it's maximum caudex height. It can sucker. Along the coast it likes full sun - in the desert, a few hours. Cold hardiness is about 22 degrees F. Surprisingly, this is a hard species to find. We’re offering 5 gallon plants with caudex size of 1 to 2 inches. Most have four leaves or more. All were grown from domestic seeds. These can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON PLANTS WITH ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE LEAVES $295
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON AS DESCRIBED ABOVE $250

ENCEPHALARTOS INOPINUS
UNBELIEABLY DIFFICULT CYCAD TO FIND – THIN FALCATE LEAFLETS

SUN CYCAD IN MOST AREAS - OFTEN BLUE LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL TREE POT SIZED SEEDLINGS

Encephalartos inopinus is endemic to the Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The climate is hot and dry. E. inopinus grows primarily in precipitous rock (rocky soil, rocky outcroppings, cliffs, etc.) which often have a high dolomite content. The habitat consists of thick dry brush and drought tolerant species. This is a small to medium sized species. Leaves can grow between a meter to a meter and a half. Stems can reach a height of over four meters over the centuries. This species will make basal suckers, but does so sparingly. This plant has beautiful falcate (sickle shaped) leaflets, which can vary in color. They can be green, blue/green or a powdery blue. E. inopinus is unarmed and is not sharp. This species is a moderate to slow grower. It is difficult to establish from offsets, unlike many South African Encephalartos. It is uncommon to see this species in person, even amongst enthusiasts of cycads, and is quite difficult to get. Both the male and female cones are whitish green with a bluish hew.

In coastal and inland areas, this species wants to be in sun. For desert areas, partial sun or filtered light is ideal. This species wants to be in a very porous mix/soil. If they are too wet, they will be very likely to rot. This is a gorgeous plant and should be placed where it can be seen. I would put them toward the front of a planting for maximum "viewing pleasure". Also, it is near impossible to find for sale. We just got in a few seedlings in tree pots. They have one leaf. These are on Special and I can't say when we'll have them available again. They can be mail ordered within the U.S. Of note, leaflets at this size are almost always green but over time and in sun, many become blue plants.

TEN DAY SPECIAL TREE POT SIZED SEEDLINGS $195

ENCEPHALARTOS LATIFRONS
GREEN TO BLUE-GREEN SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD
ONE OF THE MOST RARE CYCADS IN THE WORLD

JUST IN - LIMITED NUMBER 5 GALLON JUVENILE PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This species is endemic to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. There are a number of very small and scattered plants in two populations in habitat. This species is on the verge of extinction, decreasing populations can be linked to poaching, agriculture and farming. The climate is hot and dry, rarely freezes and gets very little rain during summer months (the "wet" season). Plants grow in rocky soil and hills, in grasslands and amongst dry scrub brush vegetation. This is a medium sized plant. Leaves can range in size from a meter to a meter and a half depending on cultivar. Stems tend can reach approximately three meters (ancient plant, this is a VERY slow growing species). This species name comes from the Latin words meaning "broad leafed".

E. latifrons is exceptionally rare and has been on the brink of extinction for well over a century. It has green or blue green leaves. There are two distinct cultivars of this plant, "Trappes Valley" and " green hills". Between the two types, the Trappes Valley form is more sought after. It has wide leaflets with prominent lobes (a modified spine) which stack heavily. The leaves also tend to be a bit shorter with a bit more curl (though curl can vary between plants). The green hills variety has smaller leaflets which are spread further apart. The leaves are longer and tend to have a more dull color. Between the two types, the green hills cultivar is a better grower, but isn't nearly as attractive. E. latifrons tend to be dark green on the top of the leaflet and a lighter green (yellow green or blue green) below. Also, they have prominent veining on the bottom side of the leaflet as well. Leaflet are thick and sturdy, with prominent spines. The petioles are armed as well, making this a fairly sharp species. In coastal and inland areas, this plant wants to be in full sun. In desert areas, partial sun or filtered light is ideal. This plant need a soil that drains well.

From a plant enthusiast’s point of view, this is one of the most difficult cycads to obtain in all countries. And, they are always expensive. We got in a limited number of these for sale – all from domestic seed by an experienced grower. They are about four years old and we’re putting them on special. Caudex size is about an inch. Most have three leaves. This size can be mail ordered with the U.S. When these sell out it may be several years before we have them again.

REGULAR PRICE THESE JUVENILE 5 GALLON THIS SPECIES $495
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON AS DESCRIBED $400

MACROZAMIA MACDONNELLII
EXTREMELY RARE AND SOUGHT AFTER SUN-LOVING CYCAD

BLUE TO BLUE-GREEN CYCAD WITH FULL HEAD OF LEAVES
JUST AVAILABLE - A FEW JUVENILE PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE JUVENILE PLANTS

This is another super rare and sought after species of cycad. Macrozamia macdonnellii is from the Northern Territory, Australia where it's natural habitat tends to be dry and rugged. It is often seen in gullies in the local landscape. It is a medium sized cycad with blue or blue-green leaves with fine leaflets. Leaf lenth can be up to a few meters long. Trunks tend to be stout. It wants full sun except perhaps in desert areas. Cold hardiness should be down to about 20 degrees F. Seeds are essentially non-available except from a domestic collector who has both sexes. We just got in two such juvenile plants from such a collector. They'll be gone quickly. We haven't had this species for sale for several years. The two plants we have are in one gallon pots and are shippable. We only have this species available in any size every few years.

TEN DAY SPECIAL SUPER RARE ONE GALLON JUVENILE PLANTS AS SHOWN $225

CYCAS THOUARSII
MEDIUM SIZED - SOFT GREEN LEAVES
FAST GROWING, EXOTIC APPEARING

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL PLANT

The first six photos here show a plant I'm putting on special. This is a very nice 15gallon plant with a caudex that is approximately 5 x 18 inches and probably an age of about 12 to 15 years. It came from a collection of container grown plant that were outdoors in Orange County, CA. Below the plant for sale are garden photos. This species is native to Madagascar, the eastern coast of Africa and the Comoro Islands. It is a fast growing species gets to a native height of sometimes twenty feet or more. Plants grown domestically are typically ten feet or a bit more in California. This species trunks are about eight to ten inches thick with leaves five to six feet long and soft to the touch. There is small armor on the leaf stem, but the leaflets have no spines. Leaf color is green to blue-green.

Along the coast this species tolerates full sun. Far inland areas should utilize filtered light or morning sun. Cold hardiness is into the low 20's F. We have a whole assortment of sizes available including nice 5g plants and larger. Shipping possible but it'd take a very tall box.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $650

Remember: Mention this special for this great price!

ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD FOR SUN

GOOD OFFERING OF 15 GALLON PLANTS
CAUDEXES 3.5 TO 6 INCHES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON E. LEHMANNII

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 an assortment of 15 gallon plants of this species with caudexes of 3 to 5-6 inches. We have about a half dozen of them. All are sun ready. I am showing some of these 15g below. The sale price applies only to plants that are "ball" caudexes with no older vertical trunk.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON THIS SPECIES $150 PER INCH CAUDEX DIAMETER

TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SPECIES $130 PER INCH CAUDEX DIAMETER.

This size can possibly be mail ordered. This caudex size price applies to plants that do not have vertical trunk height.

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

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.

VRIESEA HIEROGLYPHICA
FILTERED LIGHT RARE BROMELIAD WITH CROSS BANDED LEAFLETS

TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 6 INCH POTTED PLANTS

This super attractive filtered light Bromeliad is native to Brazil and is known for having dark colored irregular bands across the leaves. A mature plant is about 3 feet tall with wide leaves. It is not for direct full sun. They like their cups to be replenished with water every week or two. These typically blossom yearly and put out sucker from their bases.

REGULAR PRICE 6 INCH SIZE $65
TEN DAY SPECIAL 6 INCH VRIESEA $55

MUSA SUMATRANA ZEBRINA
A NON-FRUITING BANANA ORNAMENTAL BANANA

TOP OF LEAF - RED BLOTCHES ON GREEN
BOTTOM OF LEAF - MAROON
TEN DAY SPECIL ONE GALLON SIZE

The plants I'm showing here are a non-fruiting type of ornamental Banana. Like most Bananas, it does sucker and the mature height is six to eight feet. It has light green leaves with attractive purple splotches and maroon underside. See photos below. 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 one gallon on sale. See first six photos below. Also shown below is our 15g size of a similar Banana - Musa sumatana hybrid that looks quite similar to the one on sale. But, these 15 gallon plants will produce fruit. In the garden sumatrana zebrina wants at least half day sun. Cold hardiness is into the mid 20's F.

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

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.

WEDNESDAY, 8 MAY, 2024

HOW DOES ONE TELL IF HIS PALM IS DEAD?

IS MY PALM STILL GROWING?
HOW FAST IS IT GROWING?

MARK THE NEW SPEAR!

It is surprising that many palm enthusiasts don't know how to tell if their palm is alive or dead after some type of insult such as severe cold. It's simple to determine if the plant is alive and growing. Mark the central newest spear side by side while marking an adjacent fully extended leaf. See the photo. Then watch for the two moving apart. The line of the new spear moves upward while the adjacent mark on the full size leaf stays the same. Look at the difference movement of the new spear over time. You can also tell how fast it's growing. During the growing season (when warm), most palms will show a quarter of an inch or more of vertical new spear growth per day. To confirm a serious problem, you'd note that there is no movement of the spear over several weeks. But, if the new leaf spear is green, don't give up. Just give it an extended period of time and watch for movement. The photo shown here is of a marked spear on a 15 gallon Dypsis decaryi. Note the horizontal black permanent marker marks. The new spear is on the left in the photo.

ALOCASIA SPECIES
ELEPHANT EAR PLANTS

FOUR TYPES SHOWN HERE
LUSH, EXOTIC, QUICK TROPICAL LOOK AT A FEW SPECIES

Alocasia are a type of suckering tropical plant that many know as the "Elephant Ear Plant". Most that one will see commercially are hybrids that have no native home. With this said, natural species are typically found in the Old World and Asia. The main differences between these plants are the overall height, the size of the leaves, the aggressiveness of growth, coloring and cold tolerance. I am showing you here four hybrid varieties, each with their own charm. Figure that they are not for full sun unless you are told otherwise. But, the first variety can take full coastal sun.

1. Row 1 and 2: Alocaia "Cal - Odora", a dwarf species. It rarely gets over five feet and has leaves that are typically under 12 inches wide. Leaf color is green. People like this one b/c of its dwarf size.
2. Row 3: Alocasia Calidora, a bigger species that will form significant trunks and has a larger leaf. Color is green. Leaves can get three feet long.
3. Row 4: Alocasia portoro, an attractive hybrid with an arrowhead shaped leaf and prominent leaf veins. It can get to about six feet or a bit more.
4. Row 5: Alocasia species "black stem", a super attractive and charming species with black stems, silver to the back of the leaves and a medium height to five feet. But, it's not as cold hardy as those above.

We presently have all of these available with some in limited numbers. Also, from time, we get very exotic natural species that tend to be smaller and are quite stunning.

DIOON SPINULOSUM
A CUSTOMER FAVORITE CYCAD
GREEN LEAVES, ELEGANT

LOTS OF SIZES TO CHOOSE FROM

Although you can't tell from the photos here, this cycad species can get quite tall. I've seen photos from habitat with what appears to be over 20 feet of trunk. Dioon spinulosum is native to tropical areas in Mexico where it grows in limestone forests. Trunks don't get overly thick, typically 12 to 14 inches thick. With age, this can be more. Leaves are green and mildly armed. Leaf length is about six feet. My preference is to grow this species in filtered light. Cold tolerance is into the mid twenties F. Be aware, to get a foot or two of trunk can take a few decades. At the nursery we usually have a good selection of this species from small to large. Photos below shown some nursery plants as well as plants in gardens.

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.

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.

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.

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 SPECIAL15 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.

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 $215

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

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.

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.

CHAMAEDOREA PLUMOSA
THE BABY QUEEN PALM

SEVERAL PLANTS PER POT
LOOK BEST IN GROUPS
TEN DAY SPECIAL SINGLE 5 GALLON SIZE

For anyone who's looked for this species lately, you realize it's in very short supply and essentially unavailable in larger sizes. This is because of a several year shortage of seeds. We are pleased to presently put nice single stem 5 gallon plants on special. Plant heights are about 4 feet in the 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. These plants in this size pot are quite shippable. We also have multiple (several in one pot) if desired at the same price.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE 5 GALLON SINGLES $100

Mention this Blog Special for your discount at the time of purchase.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX MAXIMA
LARGEST OF THE KING PALMS

GREEN LEAVES – STATELY TRUNK AND CROWN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

By popular demand I have put this great palm on special. This is the largest of the King Palm family. It got its name "maxima" by the flower size, but most have found it to be an aggressive grower, have a larger trunk and get taller than the other species of King Palms. It does have silver on the underside of the leaves. The crown shaft is sort of a yellow, sometimes blue color. It is a quick growing pinnate palm native to Australia. It's rare to see them available and also hard to find good photos of this species. The plants I'm putting on special are the 5 gallon size, mostly singles. It tolerates full coastal sun and is cold hardy into the mid-twenties F. Another interesting thing is that sometimes they’ll throw a new red leaf as shown in one photo below.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $125
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $100

Of note, our Archontophoenix "teracarpa" is probably a larger King Palm than A. maxima but still escapes exact species identification. It does not have silver undersides to the leaflets and has a blue crown shaft. It is routinely discussed elsewhere at this Blog. The habitat photo is by Luke Nancarrow AU.

JUBAEA CHILENSIS
THE CHILEAN WINE 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. The leaf stems are unarmed. Cold hardiness in into the mid teens F. It's a sun species, even in the desert. The plants on sale are truly massive 15 gallon specimens. On some, the trunk almost fills the 15 inch diameter pot. Also, notice the somewhat blue petioles. These may end up being the blue variety of the Chilean Wine Palm. 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. We’ve found that young plant don’t do well if thrown into full hot sun. Limited numbers.

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

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

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.

DYPSIS DECARYI
THE TRIANGLE PALM

MEDIUM MATURE HEIGHT
THREE SIDED CROWN SHAFT – LOVES HOT SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE BAND 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 band sized seedlings are quite large for their pots and need to be repotted into a 5 gallon container. Easy to mail order.

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

Mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase. We also have 5g, 15g and 25g plants available

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 50 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.

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

Easy to mail order. Limited numbers available.

KING PALM
ARCHONTOPHOENIX CUNNINGHAMIANA

MEDIUM TO TALL, FULL OR PART DAY SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL 4 INCH JUVENILE PLANTS

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 2 to 3 year old seedlings in 4 inch pots and easy to mail order. Some are multiple but most are singles. Easy to mail order, weather permitting.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 4 INCH POT SIZE $37.50

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

ENCEPHALARTOS DYERIANUS
EXTREMELY RARE & HARD TO FIND SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

NATIVE TO THE TRANSVAAL DISTRICT
TEN DAY SPECIAL CIT POT SIZE WITH ABOUT 2 INCH CAUDEX

This sought after and very rare blue to blue-green South African cycad is native to the Limpopo Province in northern RSA. There it is critically endangered with a few hundred plants remaining. It lives on granite mountain slopes at an elevation of about 2000 feet. It prefers full sun and is an average speed growing species. Mature size is over ten feet in habitat in centuries. Leaf color in full sun is typically blue. It is considered one of the more rare of the "Transvaal" South African cycads. On Special and shown below are citrus pot sized plants with 1.5 to 2 inch caudexes. We have a petty nice supply of them. Age is about 6 years. They were grown from domestic seed and pollinated by a very knowledgeable enthusiast. Most have four leaves. The first six photos below show what these plants look like. They are definitely starting to show nice blue color. We may also have other sizes availble. The last row of photos show some garden specimens.

REGULAR PRICE CITRUS POT WITH 1.5 TO 2 INCH CAUDEXES $600

TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZED PLANT THIS SIZE $425

ENCEPHALARTOS NUBIMONTANUS
SUPER RARE BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - TOLERATES COASTAL SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZED 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 our citrus pot sized plants with 2 inch caudexes on special. They have caudexes of 2 inches. The last row of photos shows mature plants of this species. These plants can easily be shipped. We may also have older and larger plants available. Finally, I want to emphasizxe that this is an extremely rare and sought after species.

REGULAR PRICE CITRUS POT SIZED PLANTS WITH 2 INCH CAUDEX $600
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT WITH 2 INCH CAUDEX $375

ENCEPHALARTOS MUNCHII
A RARE CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

BLUE – GREEN SPINY LEAFLETS
SUPER DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON WITH 2.5 INCH CAUDEX

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 5 gallon sized plants with caudexes of 2.5 inches. We also have some in 5g and citrus pot in 3 to 4 inches. Most will have either blue or blue green leaves. (from blue parents) but need age and sun to show the blue. These are easy to mail order, weather permitting.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON WITH 2.5 INCH CAUDEX $425
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON WITH CAUDEX 2.5 INCHES $300

Remember that we do have larger plants available, even for mail order.

LEPIDOZAMIA PEROFFSKYANA
A "USER FRIENDLY" LARGE CYCAD

GREEN LEAVES – NO SPINES
MEDIUM SIZED MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON 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 on special is in a 15 gallon pot with a caudex of 7.5 inches. Age is 7 to 8 years from germination. It is shown in the first five photos below. It’ll be instantly ready for the garden after a bit of sun acclimation. It could be shipped. I am also showing a few monster specimens we have at the Nursery.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON $600

LEPIDOZAMIA PEROFFSKYANA
A "USER FRIENDLY" LARGE GREEN CYCAD

TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

SEE DESCRIPTION ABOVE

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

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.

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

Just mention this special when you buy

THE SNOWBUSH PLANT
BREYNIA DISTICHA

UNUSUAL GARDEN COMPANION PLANT
SMALLER GREEN, WHITE & PINK BUSH
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 & 5 GALLON SIZES

This sought after smaller bush is native to Asia in various tropical islands. Contrary to the name, it does not survive if you live in an area where it snows. Rather, it looks like a green bush with snow on it. Leaves are green with white accents. With age you also get a flush of pink. Leaves are very small. Mature height it 3 to 4 feet. This species wants full or part day sun. Cold tolerance is a bit below a freeze. This is a very attractive companion plant where one wants an addition of white foliage – perhaps to contrast other colors. I am putting our 1g and 5g on Special. Both are nicely sizes and both can be mail ordered. The one gallon are shown in the first group of photos - the 5g in the second. We have good numbers available but seldom offer them on sale.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $35

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $65

BLACK ROSE, STARBURST AND OTHERS
AEONIUM ARBOREUM

BLACK-RED , VARIEGATED AND GREEN VARIETIES
SMALL AND EASY TO GROW
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G PLANTS

Country or area of origin: Canary Islands
Mature height: In ground, typically 2 to 3 feet
Sun Requirements:  Sun in coastal areas
Cold Tolerance:  To mid-20's F.
Water Requirements:  Water conserving
Rate of Growth:  Fast growing in ground
Sizes Available: 1g, 2g and 5g - varies
Regular Prices:  5 gallon size as shown $75
Size shown:  5 gallon

Comments: This dwarf succulent is best known for its short plump and colorful leaves. It loves sun and is easy to grow. Over time plants will have forking trunks with tons of leaves. It's easy color for the garden without getting too big. Shown are a black variety, a variegated green one and a chameleon-like species that varies from green to gold. Our availability varies, but we try to always have a nice assortment in stock. These are easy to mail order

TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G AEONIUMS $75

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

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.

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

AVAILABILITY CHANGES WEEKLY
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 type changes ever several days.

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

MONDAY, 6 MAY, 2024

ZOMBIA ANTILLARUM
A SPINY TRUNK, SUCKERING FAN PALM

VERY UNUSUAL APPEARING
SOME ARE GROWING IT IN OUR AREA

I am unaware of any Latin derivation for the word "Zombie" or "Zombia". Paul Craft reports that it's derivation is from Haitian Creole where it translates into "ghost palm". Apparently the white fruits have a "ghost" appearance. The genus name of "Zombia" certainly draws your attention. This genus only has one species and it is native to the West Indies. Zombia is a suckering fan palm that gets to a height of ten feet or more and, over time, gets to be a wide suckering clump. The most interesting thing about this species is the organized spination seen on the trunks. Compare this to the Trithrinax acanthicoma. The spines on the truck of the latter are totally random. Zombia has rings of spines that are closely woven into a repetitive pattern with the spines pointing downward. For this reason, it is quite unique and can usually be recognized by the trunks alone. Over time, lower portions of the trunks may lose their spines, but they'll remain throughout most of the trunk.

We on ocassion have this species for sale. This is a slow grow species in pots and are faster in the ground. It can tolerate droughts but also responds to water and humidity. Zombia like sun. Cold tolerance is into the mid-twenties F, perhaps a bit lower. In the garden, to show off the amazing trunk appearance, one might remove the most peripheral trunks so you can see into the clump and examine the trunks. Below I'm showing photos of mature plants with close-ups of the trunk and spines and a 5 gallon Nursery starter plant.

ALOCASIA CAL-ODORA
THE MINIATURE ELEPHANT EAR

EASY TO GROW - TOLERATES COASTAL SUN
NEVER OVER ABOUT THREE FEET TALL - GREEN HEART SHAPED LEAVES

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.

The last two photos shown plants of this species at our nursery. From time to time we do put this species on special. Also, we offer super unusual and different types of Alocasia, so if you are a tropical plant freak, come and see us.

KING PALM
ARCHONTOPHOENIX CUNNINGHAMIANA

MEDIUM TO TALL, FULL OR PART DAY SUN
TEN DAY SPECIAL SINGLE 15 GALLON SIZE

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 singles we're putting on sale are in the 15g size. Be aware, you can plant a single, double or triple. All do great although the greater the number of plants put in, the slower the growth rate of the clump. These single 15g plants are about 7 to 8 feet tall in their pots. Also, be aware that there are six other types of "King Palms" that we have in assorted sizes.

REGULAR PRICE 15G $185
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G $160

We do have other sizes for sale.

SYNECANTHUS FIBROSA
THE JELLYBEAN PALM
OPPORTUNITY TO GET OLD MATURE SIZE PALM

A FEW 20 YEAR OLD PLANTS FOR SALE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 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.

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE 15G (ONLY HAVE #2 OF THEM) $395
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THIS SIZE $340

TRITHRINAX SCHIZOPHYLLA
THE CARANDILLA PALM

BLUE-GREEN SUCKERING FAN PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G SIZE

This rare and hard to find species of South American fan palm was previously known as Trithrinax biflabellata. But, the latter was later found to be spineless and the two were given separate species status. It is native to Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. T. schizophylla is definitely a spiny palm with long needle-like spines on the trunk. It is not quite as blue as campestris and is usually a suckering palm but sometimes is single trunk. Mature height is six to fifteen feet. Although the leaf is a rigid leaf, the leaflet tips are softer than the pungent T. campestris. Leaf color is blue-green, not nearly as blue as campestris. It is a very cold hardy species that tolerates temperatures down to at least 18 degrees F. On sale are very old, outdoor grown 15g plants. I think we've been growing these for about 12 to 14 years. It likes full sun and loves heat. It is possible to mail order this larger 15g size but it'd take a large box.

REGULAR PRICE OLD 15G PLANTS $245
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 15G $215

As usual, mention our Blog when ordering to get this price. The habitat photo is by Juan Pech.

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

15 GALLON ON TEN DAY SPECIAL

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

ROYSTONEA REGIA
THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

LOVES SUN AND HEAT
PLANTS ON SPECIAL SIX FEET TALL
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This pinnate New World species is another favorite of mine. There are multiple species of Roystonea. The most common and sought after species is the Cuban Royal, 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 of assorted sizes. Note how the base of the well grown Royal Palm is quite swollen and fat. On up the trunk there is variable swelling present. The plants I'm putting on special today are an easily shipped size of 5 gallon but would take a tall box. They are about 6 to 8 feet tall in their pots.

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

Remember to mention this Blog Special to get this price when you purchase. Note: All the garden photos below were taken in Southern California. Yes, they grow easily in many areas here.

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.

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. Notice the newly emerging red leaf – most commonly seen in New Caledonia 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.

ARCHONTOPHOENIX PURPUREA
THE PURPLE CROWN SHAFT KING PALM

VERY BEAUTIFUL - GOOD GROWER
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 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 6 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). In the pot they are about four feet tall or a bit more. We also have other sizes available. These can be mail ordered.

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $115

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

CHAMAEDOREA MICROSPADIX
SMALLER TYPE OF BAMBOO PALM

GREEN LEAVES – VERY THIN TRUNKS
BRIGHT RED FRUIT
OVERSIZED 2 GALLON – TEN DAY SPECIAL

This shade loving species is sought after for several reasons:
It doesn't get too tall, rarely over 8 feet tall
It suckers and forms a nice clump
It has good cold tolerance into the upper teens F.
Leaves are sometimes iridescent and sometimes a blue color on their underside

It is a type of Bamboo Palm. Trunks are very thin, sometimes just a quarter of an inch. Leaves are short, usually 2 to 3 feet. On the females with pollination, you’ll get super red but small fruits. It prefers filtered light, doesn’t get very tall and is cold hardy into the upper teens F. It also makes an ideal patio or interior palm.

We are presently offering very nice 2 gallon plants on special. As you can see they are at least 3 feet tall and beginning to sucker.

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

Just mention this special when purchasing to get this price.

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 $50

BURRETIOKENTIA HAPALA
AN EXOTIC NEW CALEDONIAN PALM FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND 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 palm with a rather thin trunk of about eight inches that gets to a height of approximately 25 to 30 feet. I 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 less. 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. The one larger nursery plant below is a nice 25 gallon. 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 BAND SIZE $55
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $45

Remember: Mention this Special for you discount.

SABAL ETONIA
DWARF SABAL SPECIES FROM FLORIDA

NEVER OVER SIX TO EIGHT FEET TALL
MINIMAL TRUNK - DIVIDED FAN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE SEEDLINGS

This dwarf species of Sabal is different than the more commonly seen Sabal Palmetto. It is native to Florida, stretching from the Panhandle down through the peninsula. It forms minimal trunk - one to two meters at most. Leaves are green and have divided segments. Growth rate is slow. Cold tolerance is into the teens F. and they take full sun. They are very difficult to find for sale. These are seedling plants. Figure cold hardiness about 16 degrees F.

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

The garden photo is from Fairchild Botanical Garden c/o PalmPedia.

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

DIOON MEJIAE
AN ATTRACTIVE MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

SOFT EMERGING NEW LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICELY SIZED OLDER 2 GALLON

For many people, Dioon mejiae is one of their favorite cycads. It doesn't get too large, it has a very attractive crown of leaves, and newly emerging leaves are soft, fuzzy and so inviting. They are almost like a baby rabbit's foot.

Native to southern Mexico and Honduras, this species is similar to Dioon spinulosum. But, unlike the spinulosum, leaflets do not have the spines on the leaflet edges. And, the leaflets appear slightly different shaped. Leaves are four to six feet long, trunks typically under five feet although old habitat plants have trunks over twenty feet, and new leaves emerge vertically. Although they are soft at emergence, they eventually become straight and flat with firm leaflets.. Seeds of this species are large and tan in color.

I've found this cycad does best in part day sun or strong filtered light. Right on the coast, some grow it in full sun. But, I've found this creates more of a lime colored green cycad. For this reason, I prefer filtered light. It likes good draining soil and will tolerate temperatures into the low 20's F. Shown her are some larger nursery plants as well as garden specimens. We have all sizes of this species for sale and are putting oversized 2 gallon on sale. This size has caudexes about 4 inches in diameter with an age of about ten years.

REGULAR PRICE THESE OVERSIZED 2 GALLON $340
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 2 GALLON OLDER PLANTS $295

ZAMIA FURFURACEA
THE CARDBOARD CYCAD
COMPACT GREEN DWARF CYCAD WITH NO SPINES

TEN DAY SPECIAL MATURE 30 YEAR OLD CYCAD

This popular dwarf cycad is from Mexico and rarely gets over four feet tall. Mature, thihs species typically reaches a height of three to four feet. Plants do cluster and form low profile clumps. Stems can get typically to about 12 inches although taller stems are seen in the wild. Leaves are almost always under 36 inches long with a plant height rarely over about five feet. Leaflets are wide, short and have no spines or armor. This is a very user-friendly plant. It tolerates full sun along the coast and needs filtered light in the desert. Cold hardiness is into the low 20's F, perhaps a bit lower.

We're offering here a mature specimen cycad with many heads of leaves. It has five or maybe six individual caudexes. Each caudex is an estimated 4 inches. It’s holding about 30 leaves.

REGULAR PRICE THIS MATURE CLUSTERING CYCAD $1095
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $795

You must mention this Blog only special when purchasing to get this price. BTW, I'd estimate that this plant will be the size of the 8th photo below in several years.

DIOON CALIFANOI
MEDIUM SIZED MEXICAN CYCAD

KEELED, ARCHING LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 GALLON SIZE

There is some type of seductive quality to this rare species of Dioon. I think it's because of the compact, rigid, keeled and curved leaves. At times they are a bit bizarre appearing - but 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 low 20's F. The ten year old plant below is in a 15 gallon pot with a caudex of 3.5 inches.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 7 GALLON WITH CAUDEX 3.5 INCHES $625
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 7 GALLON $515

Remember to mention this Blog Special for this price when you purchase. This size is easy to mail order.

MACROZAMIA COMMUNIS
MEDIUM SIZED GREEN CYCAD FROM EASTERN AUSTRALIA

GREAT COOL WEATHER CYCAD FOR MAN AREAS
TEN DAY SPECIAL DECADES OLD 25G SPECIMEN CYCAD

In contrast to Macrozamia riedlei, this species is from the opposite eastern coast of Australia in the New South Whales district. There is has a wide distribution extending south to more cool areas. Trunks are rather thick and can be up to six or so feet tall. Leaves are green with fine pointed leaflets and a leaf length of about six feet. To get a nice mature specimen takes 30 years or more. I'd estimate the cold hardiness to be down to about 20 degrees F. or a bit colder. It prefers full sun in most areas. On special is a 20 to 25 years old specimen in a 25g pot and a caudex 12 inches wide and 12 inches tall. It is shown in the first six photos. The eighth photo is c/o plantsystematics.org website.nn

REGULAR PRICE THIS 25 GALLON SPECIMEN $1900
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $1500

BIRDS NEST ANTHURIUM
ANTHURIUM HOOKERI

THE PERFECT COMPANION PLANT

NEVER OVER ABOUT SIX FEET TALL
LEATHERY, DARK GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 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 5 GALLON $80

The last photo is c/o Wikipedia.

ALOCASIA WENTII
SEMI-DWARF TROPICAL ELEPHANT EAR PLANT

PURPLE UNDERSIDE TO LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLD 7 GALLON PLANTS

This is a species of Elephant Ear Alocasia. Some feel it comes from the island of New Guinea but others feel that it is a hybrid of unknown origin. The reason I mention it is because it is known to be quite cold hardy, perhaps even adaptable to growing zone 7B. It is a small plant, typically under 3 feet. The dorsal side of the leaves are green while the underside is purple-black. It prefers to stay dry in the winter and likes filtered light. It is a nice companion plant for any garden. Shown below are 7 gallon plants that are on Special.

REGULAR PRICE 7 GALLON THIS SPECIES $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 7 GALLON SIZE $120

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special when you purchase.

ALOCASIA WENTII
SEMI-DWARF TROPICAL ELEPHANT EAR PLANT

PURPLE UNDERSIDE TO LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON PLANTS

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 5 GALLON THIS SPECIES $100
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $80

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special when you purchase. Mail order possible. The garden photo is c/o johnjearrard.co.uk website.

FARFUGIUM JAPONICUM "SHISHI BOTAN"
THE RUFFLED LIGULARIA

TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON $35

Note that we also have 5 gallon size available.

PHILODENDRON XANADU
EXOTIC COMPANION PLANT

TOLERATES SOME COASTAL SUN
BIG AND FULL 15G PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

This Philodendron is actually a hybrid that was commercial created. It is known for its smaller size with small to medium leaves, deep cuts into individual leaves and compact overall form. It is very attractive and is not a climbing plant. We've had this variety before but typically in small sizes. We just got in a few very nice 5g. They will take some degree of coastal sun. Inland area growers should put this in strong filtered light. Cold tolerance is into the upper 20's F. If we run out of these, they can be promptly special ordered.

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

The last photo is c/o subtropical.co.nz

VARIEGATED SHELL GINGER
ALPINIA ZERUMBET

DISTINCTIVE VARIEGATED YELLOW & GREEN LEAVES
EASY TO GROW TROPICAL WITH COLORFUL FLOWERS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 20 GALLON PLANTS

This is a super popular variety of ginger that blossoms in the summer. It is native to Asia. Blossoms are white with yellow and red throats. Blossoms are not fragrant. Blossoms hang downward compared to the upright blossoms of Hedychium Gingers like the Kahili Ginger. Mature height of these plants is six to seven feet. The leaves are prominently variegated with lighter green and yellow. Blossoms are long lived, lasting at least a month. 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 20 gallons on sale have many canes and are ready to be planted in the ground. They will blossom in no time.

REGULAR PRICE 20 GALLON $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL 20 GALLON $300

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON (NOT SHOWN) $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $175

Just mention this Blog Special to get your discount.

ALOCASIA METALHEAD
HYBRID VARIETY WITH SHINY NEW LEAVES

PURPLE STEMS & BACKS OF LEAVES
FIVE FEET TALL MATURE - FILTERED LIGHT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE

Alocasia are a group of tropical pants that have diamond or heart shaped leaves. Some like sun, others shade. They are similar to Colocasia. There are over 80 types / hybrids of Alocasia. A. metalhead gets its name from the sheen that the leaves display. This is a A. portora hybrid and gets to a height of about 5 feet and has shiny green-purple leaves with purple backs and stems. Older leaves tend to be green. This species wants filtered light or a bit of sun. It tolerates a freeze. Leaves are upright and it is a very attractive tropical plant. This is the first time we have offered this Alocasia.

TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON $175

The garden photo below is c/o Missouri Botanical Garden.

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.

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. Note, we are running out of both of these species.

FRIDAY, 3 MAY, 2024

COLOR IN THE GARDEN
THINGS ANYONE CAN DO

PHOTO TOUR OF A LOCAL BOTANICAL GARDEN
IDEAS FOR ADDING COLORFUL COMPANION PLANTS

Several years ago I visited Sherman Botanical Garden in Corona Del Mar, CA. I wanted to show photos from that visit thinking perhaps it would give some of you ideas on adding color to the garden. This city is a small coastal community near Laguna Beach. What I really enjoy about this garden is their usage of colorful and tropical companion plants. The garden is meticulously maintained and very attractive. I thought I'd show some photos of some of the garden's colorful plants. Included are Bromeliads, Anthurium, Begonias, Camelia, Ligularia, Cyclamen, Violets Alocasia and many other types of plants. All were being grown outdoors, some in sun and others in filtered light.

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS
EXAMPLES OF MEDIUM SIZED PLANTS FOR SALE

GREEN TO BLUE GREEN LEAVES
LOVES SUN - RE-CURVED LEAVES

Encephalartos longifolius is from the Eastern Cape region of the Republic of South Africa. It is among the favorite species of all cycad enthusiasts. Leaf color varies from a dark green to brilliant blue - and everything in-between. The plants shown here both have caudexes about 8 inches. This is a full sun species along the coast with a cold hardiness of 22 degrees F. These plants will develop into medium sized mature cycads over the years with potential for trunk in a lifetime of at least five feet. We have a whole assortment of sizes available from sale - both larger and smaller. The last row of photos shows plants that are the blue form. Most of our sizes can be mail ordered or delivered.

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 36 INCH BOX SPECIMENS $800
TEN DAY SPECIAL PRICE THIS SIZE $695

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.

SYAGRUS SCHIZOPHYLLA
MEDIUM HEIGHT GREEN SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

A SEED PRODUCING PARENT OF THE BEAUTIFUL COCONUT QUEEN!
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON 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. They are quite large for their pots. Want to be the next palm hybridizer? You better get one of these.

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

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 $245
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.

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 $210

Remember to mention this Blog Special for your 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 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 $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $110

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

SERENOA REPENS
SOUGHT AFTER BLUE FORM

SUCKERING, SEMI-DWARF FAN PALM
VERY COLD HARDY, SUN LOVING
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 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 5 gallon pots but not overly large. We do have larger, but on this batch are offering a very good price. It is slow growing 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 these plants are just showing it. Cold hardiness is into the upper teens F. The last row of photos show plants in gardens or habitat.

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

Remember: Mention this Blog Special for your discount.

BURRETIOKENTIA HAPALA
NEW CALEDONIAN PALM

THINNER TRUNK, MEDIUM HEIGHT
NICE CROWN SHAFT
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON SIZE

This is a medium height, single trunk, crown shafted palm from New Caledonia. There is grows on mountainous slopes. Of the genus, perhaps this species is the easiest for us to grow here in California. It is very sought after and most of the garden photos below are from California. Along the coast, I'd recommend giving this species half day morning sun, a few hours of sun or strong filtered light. Cold hardiness is into the mid to upper twenties F.

In my experience, mature height is usually about 30 feet but it can get a bit taller. Trunks in shade are green, prominently ringed and medium diameter. Leaves are green and pinnate. This size can be mail ordered.

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

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

DYPSIS LANCEOLATA
NATIVE TO COMORO ISLANDS
USUALLY A SUCKERING PALM

DESIRABLE PALM FROM THE COMOROS
TEN DAY SPECIAL FULL 5 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 5 GALLON $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON $125

TRACHYCARPUS FORTUNEI
THE WINDMILL PALM

ONE OF THE MOST COLD HARDY PALMS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON PLANTS

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.

We’re putting a very shippable 5g size on special.

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

Remember to mention this Special at the time or purchase.

RHAPIS EXCELSA
THE LADY PALM

ONE OF THE BEST INTERIOR PALMS
ALSO GREAT UNDERSTORY GARDEN PLANT
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5 GALLON 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 – 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. The 5g plants we have are presently bigger than shown here.

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

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

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

FOR DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE THESE 1G $70
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $60

Important: Mention this Blog Only Offering for this price when you purchase. One gallon shown in first 4 photos.

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!

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. 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. The one gallon on sale are shown in the first 5 photos. The last two photos show a mature plant that is blue-green in color, probably due to the fact that it's not getting full sun.

REGULAR PRICE ONE GALLON $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL OUR ONE GALLON JUVENILE PLANTS $65

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

CHAMAEDOREA ADSCENDENS
SUPER RARE UNDERSTORY PALM WITH SATIN SHEEN TO LEAFLETS

DWARF SPECIES - SUPER DIFFICULT TO FIND
TEN DAY SPECIAL 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

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.

ENCEPHALARTOS ALTENSTEINII
LARGER GREEN CYCAD FROM SO AFRICA

ENCEPHALARTOS HILDEBRANDTII
LARGE SIZED GREEN CYCAD

UPRIGHT LEAVES – GOOD GROWER
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT CYCADS

This species has a fairly wide distribution in the coastal regions of Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar Island (Tanzania) and into northern Mozambique. Its habitat consists of rocky, sandy soil in dry coastal forest and bush. This is a large sized species. Leaves can reach three meters in length. Over many centuries, stems become quite wide and can reach six meters or more! This species can produce basal suckers, but this is not very common. This is a fast growing cycad. Crowns tend to stay erect, though can become wide with full crowns. Leaflets and petioles are armed with sharp spines, though the leaflets have some flex to them. This species is moderately rare among Encephalartos, but is quite rare in cultivation. It is tolerant of coastal full sun, but look better in partial sun. For inland areas, I recommend this plant for partial sun or shade. This plant is great for established gardens with canopy, or gardens with shade. This is a fast growing species and requires space. It will make a large showy plant and will enhance the tropical look of any garden in the right application! The citrus pot size we’re offering on special have caudexes of about 4.5 inches - see first five pictures below. They are ready to go into the garden or be repotted. Mail order possible, weather permitting. The citrus pot size is shown in the first five photos followed by a 15 gallon larger plant

REGULAR PRICE CITRUS POT THIS SIZE CAUDEX $450
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT THIS SIZE $385

CYCAS TANSACHANA
MEDIUM SIZE CYCAD FROM THAILAND

THIN TRUNK WITH SWOLLEN BASE
EXTREMELY RARE GREEN LEAF CYCAD
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE

Cycas tansachana is a medium sized green leaf cycad that is from south-central Thailand at an elevation of about 1000 feet. There is lives on mountainous outcroppings. It was named after a friend, Kampoon Tansacha of Non-Nooch Botanical Garden. Heights can read 20 feet but are generally shorter. Trunks are thin with a swollen base up to 3 feet across. Leaves are green and flat in cross section. This is a rare cycad to find. In most areas it can take part or possibly full day sun. We are offering a limited number of older plants in citrus pot containers on sale. Caudexes are four inches thick and age is about 12 years. The habitat photo is c/o TS at RPS.

REGULAR PRICE THIS CITRUS POT $595
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT THIS SIZE $495

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS
BEAUTIFUL SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD WITH GREEN TO BLUE LEAVES

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - LOVES SUN - RE-CURVED LEAVES

TEN DAY SPECIAL SPECIMEN 15 GALLON WITH FAIRLY LARGE CAUDEX

Encephalartos longifolius is from the Eastern Cape region of the Republic of South Africa. It is among the favorite species of this genus for almost all cycad enthusiasts. Leaf color varies from a dark green to brilliant blue - and everything in-between. The plant on Special is in a 15 gallon pot and has a caudex diameter of 7.5 inches. It is a shippable size. We predict its leaves will end up being blue-green. This is a full sun species along the coast with a cold hardiness of 22 degrees F. This plant will develop into a medium sized mature cycad over the years with potential for trunk in a lifetime of at least five feet. We have other sizes available for sale - both larger and smaller. The last row of photos shows garden plants of this species that have blue to green leaves. Most of our sizes can be mail ordered or delivered.

REGULAR PRICE THIS 15 GALLON WITH CAUDEX SIZE 7.5 INCHES $1200
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD AS DESCRIBED $975

ENCEPHALARTOS LONGIFOLIUS – BLUE FORM
MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

BLUE STACKED LEAFLETS - MINIMAL IF ANY SPINES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON PLANT

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON, CAUDEX 5 INCHES $750
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL 15G CYCAD $650

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase to get this price!

SPATHODEA CAMPANULATA
THE AFRICAN TULIP TREE
CLUSTERS OF LARGE RED-ORANGE BLOSSOMS

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE – LONG LIVED FLOWERS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15G 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. The majority of trees have red to orange colored blossoms. It blooms in summer but sometimes longer. It wants full sun. Cold hardiness is estimated to be in the mid-twenties F. It is quite easy to grow and a very satisfying tropical tree

REGULAR PRICE 15G AFRICAN TULIP TREE $185
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS 15G SIZE $160

The 7th photo below is by an unknown author from Maui and the laszt is c/o Wikipedia Commons.

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

VARIETY THAT CHIQUITA UTILIZES FOR MARKET FRUIT
TEN DAY SPECIAL NEAR FRUITING SIZE 15 GALLON

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 $165

PHILODENDRON XANADU
EXOTIC COMPANION PLANT

TOLERATES SOME COASTAL SUN
BIG AND FULL 15G PLANTS
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G SIZE

This Philodendron is actually a hybrid that was commercial created. It is known for its smaller size with small to medium leaves, deep cuts into individual leaves and compact overall form. It is very attractive and is not a climbing plant. We've had this variety before but typically in small sizes. We just got in a few very nice 5g. They will take some degree of coastal sun. Inland area growers should put this in strong filtered light. Cold tolerance is into the upper 20's F.

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

Just mention this Special when you purchase for this price. The last photo is c/o subtropical.co.nz

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 $45

TILLANDSIA SPECIES WITH VIOLET BLUE FLOWERS
CLUSTERS IN BLOSSOM IN SPRINGTIME
POSSIBLY TILLANDSIA MALLEMONTII

A TYPE OF AIR PLANT - JUST COMING INTO BLOSSOM
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 several clumps of a blue-gray Tillandsia 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. In other words, rather than getting a single little plant you are getting a ten year old cluster with many plants. I did my research and think these re probably Tillandsia mallemontii. They'd like sun or part sun and to be watered at least weekly. They can be mounted to a tree limb, post or a fence. These would be easy to mail order. We have small to medium clusters as well as large clusters on sale. The larger clusters contain 15 to 20 plants. As I post this most have blossoms coming on right now. We also have good sized clusters of a different species with blue blossoms and wider leaves.

TEN DAY SPECIAL SMALL-MEDIUM CLUSTERS $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE CLUSTERS $95

WEDNESDAY, 1 MAY, 2024

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

MEDIUM SIZED FAN PALM WITH HAIRY TRUNK

We have available a good number of very large 24 inch box size with six to eight feet of trunk - photos to follow on a future Blog post. Leaves are overhead in the pot and the trunks are thick and healthy. We are going to repot these into 30 inch boxes shortly if they don't sell.

INTERESTING CYCAD PHOTOS
SPECIES, GARDENS, CHARACTERISTICS

ASSORTED GENERA - RANDOM ORDER
MANY AVAILABLE AT NURSERY

This is a presentation of random cycad photos of interest. Shown are Nursery, garden and habitat photos with some close up pictures to show plant characteristics. I'm hoping you'll find this presentation fun and help stimulate your recognition of some of the species. I'll try in the future to do a follow up of this type of post.

Ceratozamia hildae	Ceratozamia species - new red leaf	Encephalartos princeps, blue leaf
Ceratozamia robusta	Cycas bifida	Dioon califanoi habitat
Assorted Cycads in Garden	Assorted Cycads in Garden - Vista, CA	Ceratozamia mexicana new leaf
Dioon spinulosum	Dioon mejiae	Dioon merolae
Ceratozamia miquelliana	Mature Ceratozamia species	Cycas circinalis
Ceratozamia robusta female cone	Cycas bifida leaf closeup	Encephalartos natalensis
Encephalartos arenarius leaflets	Encephalartos natalensis	Encephalartos ferox red female cone
Zamia standleyi	Zamia splendens	Encephalartos longifolius blunt tip leaflet
Encephalartos paucidentatus leaf	Encephalartos villosus male cones	Encephalartos longifolius
Zamia skinneri RM	Cycas panzhihuaensis	Cycas curranii

ARCHONTOPHOENIX "TERACARPA"
THE BEST KING PALM EVER!

SO, WHAT IS IT?
ARE THEY EVER ON SALE?
YES, 10 DAY SPECIAL 25 GALLON SIZE

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? See below. We're putting 25 gallon on sale.

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

REGULAR PRICE 25G $495 (singles)
TEN DAY SPECIAL 25G $425

Remember: mention this Special to get your discount when you purchase! This size is too large for common carriers and would need delivery or your picking it up.

RHAPIS HUMILIS
RARE TYPE OF LADY PALM
FOUR LARGE SPECIMEN PLANTS AVAILABLE

LARGEST SPECIMENS YOU'LL SEE FOR SALE - IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
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 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 $1400 AS SHOWN BELOW

BISMARCKIA NOBILIS
BLUE SINGLE TRUNK FAN PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

A DEFINITE STATEMENT PALM
THIS SPECIES WANTS SUN AND HEAT!
TEN DAY SPECIAL VERY NICE 15G 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 15 gallon sized plants that we’re putting on special. They are sun acclimated and ready to plant.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON $235
TEN DAY SPECIAL 115 GALLON $195

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.

DYPSIS PLUMOSA
THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

FLUFFY LEAVES – SILVER CROWN SHAFT
TOLERATES SUN ALONG TH COAST
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 15 GALLON PLANT

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 15 gallon plants on sale. The plant shown below is about 12 feet tall – twice the height of most comparable 15g plants. We do have some singles & multiples which tend to be shorter. As you can see, they are very tall and too big to ship by UPS.

REGULAR PRICE 15 GALLON THIS SIZE $265
DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE $235

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA
SINGLE TRUNK MOUNTAIN FORM

BEST GROWING SPECIES OF THE GENUS
RESEMBLES THE KENTIA PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL MULTIPLES 15 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 - but I suspect it'll be single trunk like the seed bearing parent. 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. This is the case with the 15 gallon size on Special.

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

Note: The two mother plants we collected seeds on have succumbed to gophers. So, our days of offering this species are near an end. We have extremely limited numbers available. Mention this Special for your discount.

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA
SUCKERING OR SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

EASY TO GROW
RESEMBLES THE KENTIA PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5G

FOR SPECIES DESCRIPTION, SEE ABOVE

REGULAR PRICE 5G $145
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE 5G $125

Mention this Special at the time of purchase for this discount.

CHAMBEYRONIA HOOKERI
THE BLONDE FLAMETHROWER PALM

BRAHEA ELEGANS
THE FRANCESHI PALM

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5G 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 just got in a limited number of nice 5g plants which we’re putting on special. They are easy to ship.

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

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.

SYAGRUS KELLYANA
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED PINNATE PALM
A SMALLER ALTERNATIVE TO THE QUEEN PALM

FULL CROWN OF GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 1 GALLON SIZE

This single trunk Syagrus is native to Brazil and only gets to heights of ten to twenty feet. The trunk is thin and clean over time. Leaves are somewhat plumose and green. Fruits are fairly large and yellow in color. Some comment that is is similar to S. picrophylla. It is a full sun palm with an, as of yet, unknown cold tolerance. I suspect it'll go into the twenties for sure. It is a newly introduced species so there's little cultural information. Note on the mature palm pictures that the leaves down go much below the spherical circle of crown leaves. I find this very appealing. I’m offering 5 gallon plants on special. This is a very rare species to find. Mature plant photos below are by Palmpedia, TS at RPS and Paul Craft - PalmNut.

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

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.

SABAL MINOR
THE DWARF PALMETTO

NEVER OVER SIX FEET TALL - GREEN FAN PALM LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON PLANTS

This dwarf palm native to the southern states of the U.S. is sought after because of its small size and extreme cold hardiness. It can take temperatures into the mid-teens F. and rarely gets over six feet tall. It is often grown in full sun but tolerates part sun or strong filtered light. Enthusiasts like it because of its small size. Blossoms commonly shoot above the green fan leaves and produce black small seeds. We’re putting 2 gallon plants on sale presently. These are big for their pots. Easy to mail order.

REGULAR PRICE 2 GALLON SIZE $75
TEN DAY SPECIAL 2 GALLON SIZE $65

Just mention this blog special to get this great deal. This and all sales above apply to mail orders or nursery visits.

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.

CHAMAEDOREA GEONOMIFORMIS
SINGLE TRUNK, DWARF UNDERSTORY PALM

PREFERS FILTERED LIGHT – NEVER TALL
SIMPLE UNDIVIDED LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZED PLANTS

This species has a native distribution that spreads from Southern Mexico down throughout Central America. There are some minor differences in plants from the various areas. Chamaedorea geonomiformis is single trunk and has a simple, bifed leaf as shown here. It's mature height ranges from two feet up to about five feet tall. When trying to identify this species, particularly look at the leaf size, shape, length and width. You'll note that the leaves of this species are longer than they are wide. Compare this to C. ernesti-agusti below that has very wide leaflets. Leaf color is green. Vertical growth is slow. We only have a few of these for sale. I'd estimate cold hardiness into the upper teens perhaps but most assuredly to the mid-twenties. These plants were grown from seeds from Don Hodel’s personal plants. This species does not like direct sun.

Also, be aware that this is a rare and desirable species and seldom seen for sale. We're putting our band size on sale. Very easy to mail order, weather permitting.

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

Remember to mention this Blog Only Special at the time of purchase. This size can be mail ordered.

CHAMAEDOREA COSTARICANA
ONE OF THE BEST BAMBOO PALMS

SUCKERING UNDERSTORY PALM - MEDIUM HEIGHT
EASY TO GROW - A GREAT INTERIOR PALM
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE BAND SIZE SEEDLINGS

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 diameer 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 lower 20's F.

Below I'm showing in the first six photos our starter plants in band size. But, they are not small. Most are 18 to 24 inches tall. Some have started to sucker. We do have larger sizes available. The bands would be easy to mail order. BTW, this species is fairly difficult to find. The 8th photo is c/o TS at RPS.

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

ENCEPHALARTOS FEROX
SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

STUNNING RED OR ORANGE CONES
GREEN HOLLY FERN-LIKE LEAFLETS
TEN DAY SPECIAL OLDER BAND SIZES SEEDLINGS 5 TO 6 LEAVES

This South African cycad is perhaps best known for two things: It can grow in shady conditions and the cones (especially the female cone) are red. The cone color varies from fire engine red to orange. Female cones seem to be more colorful. The leaflets look like a holly fern. Right along the coast, this species can take almost full sun and look good. But, most people grow it in part day sun or filtered light. From a seedling, it takes about ten years in the ground to get a big, coning sized plant. Cold tolerance is into the low 20's F. We’re offering our older band size on special. Ages of these are at least 4-5 years with five to six leaves. Ideally, they should be repotted into a larger container. These are easy to ship within the U.S.

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $85
SALE PRICE BAND SIZE $70

ENCEPHALARTOS EUGENE-MARAISII
EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE BLUE TRANSVAAL CYCAD

NATIVE TO SOUTH AFRICA – EXTREMELY RARE

TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE

REGULAR PRICE BAND SIZE $135
TEN DAY SPECIAL BAND SIZE $95

Remember, mention this Blog Only Special. Easy to mail order.

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. If this plant sells, we may have others of similar size with an excellent discount.

REGULAR PRICE THIS ACTUAL 15 GALLON CYCAD $525
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL CYCAD $450

LEPIDOZAMIA HOPEI
LEPIDOZAMIA SPECIES WITH WIDER LEAFLETS

MAKES A TALL TREE OVER A CENTURY'S TIME
FAIRLY RARE AND HARD TO FIND - NO SPINES!
TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT SIZE

This species of cycad gets enormous! I mean really tall. There are specimens with heights to almost 60 feet. 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 citrus pot size on sale with caudexes of about 4 inches. These can be mail ordered.

TEN DAY SPECIAL CITRUS POT THIS SIZE $415

Regular price is $125 per inch. These can be mail ordered.

ENCEPHALARTOS ARENARIUS - BLUE VARIETY
RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

MEDIUM SIZE MATURE - LIKES COASTAL SUN
STUNNING BLUE LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL ON NICE 5 GALLON PLANTS

REGULAR PRICE THIS SIZE 5 GALLON $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON THIS SIZE $285

This size is easy to mail order.

FARFUGIUM JAPONICUM AUREOMACULATUM
THE SPOTTED LEOPARD PLANT
FORMERLY KNOWN AS SPOTTED LIGULARIA

LILY-LIKE, FLAT GREEN LEAVES WITH YELLOW SPOTS
TAKES SUN - LIKES WATER
SPECIAL NICE 3 & 5 GALLON SIZE

This is a more rare type of Ligularia – with the yellow spots on the leaves. Otherwise it behaves like the more often seen green type. It forms small clusters of shiny green leaf plants with prominent yellow spots on the leaves. Leaves don't get over 18 inches long with the green leaf being eight to ten inches wide maximum. A single plant can hold twenty or thirty leaves. 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. If you are far inland, plant them in filtered light. 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. We only have them available from time to time.

REGULAR PRICE 3 & 5 GALLON $85
TEN DAY SPECIAL 3 & 5 GALLON $70

Remember: mention this Special for your discount when you purchase.

PANDOREA JASMINOIDES "ROSEA"
CLIMBING VINE, COLD HARDY, EVERGREEN, LARGE FLOWERS

WHITE PETAL, PURPLE CENTERS
LARGE TALL 15G PLANTS ON SPECIAL

This climbing vine is native to Australia and will trellis up a fence or pole or climb up the trunk of a tree. This variety is hard to find and has large, white, trumpet shaped flowers that have a deep purple-red throat. There are other color varieties including pure white which we also can offer. It grows in the shade or sun but flowers better with sun. It is very cold hardy with reports of it surviving temperatures into the teens F. These 15g plants are huge for their pots and climbing up a pole. Plant heights in the pot is about 8 feet. Remember, this is a vining plant that will climb a fence, free trunk, pole or almost anything. The 7th photo is c/o gopixpic.com website.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LARGE 15G $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE $165

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

PANDOREA JASMINOIDES - WHITE
CLIMBING VINE, COLD HARDY, EVERGREEN, LARGE FLOWERS

PURE WHITE PETALS
LARGE TALL 15G PLANTS ON SPECIAL

SEE DESCRIPTION ABOVE

This climbing vine is identical to the "rosea" variety above but has pure white flowers. It's easy to grow.

REGULAR PRICE THESE LARGE 15G $195
TEN DAY SPECIAL 15 GALLON SIZE $165

Just mention this Blog Special to get this discount at the time of purchase. The last photo is by Jimmy Turner on Twitter.

AECHMEA SPECIES
TEN INCH LONG YELLOW & ORANGE BLOSSOMS

GROWN IN FULL COASTAL SUN - MASSIVE 5 GALLON CLUMP
FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS AN IMMEDIATE "SHOW"
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL PLANT

This suckering Aechmea species has been growing in our full sun. It has been growing outdoors for years and receives good sun. It's in a 5 gallon pot and is a massive clumpt of at least ten different plants. The blossoms are large as shown with colors of yellow and orange. Leaves are green, mildly armed. If you like such large specimen Bromeliads, we have an assortment of older plants with multliple heads and blossoms. They are landscape ready. The garden photos in the third row of photos below show how you can used Bromeliads in the garden. Remember to water all Bromeliads from above with a hose (or any overhead spraying device) as this type of plant cannot absorbe water or nutrition from its roots.

REGULAR PRICE THIS MASSIVE 5 GALLON CLUSTER $300
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS ACTUAL PLANT $245

NEORGELIA RED THROAT
LIPSTICK RED CENTERS WITH GREEN LEAVES

GROWN IN FULL COASTAL SUN - MASSIVE 15 GALLON CLUMP
FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS AN IMMEDIATE "SHOW"
TEN DAY SPECIAL THESE ACTUAL PLANTS

This suckering Neorogelia red throat species has been growing in our full sun. It has been growing outdoors for years and receives good sun. It has an estimated twenty heads of leaves (plants) that had a prominent rred color to their central leaves. We have several of these available. It's in a 15 gallon pot and is very large and full of individual plants. The blossoms are inside the individual cups formed by the leaves and small blue glowers. But, the inner part of each blossom plant are lipstick red. These are very showy plants. Compared to the Aechmea shown above, these plants are about half the mature height and closer to the ground. They do want their leaf cups to have water - whch means overhead water (easy with a hose or sprayer system). Many of the colorful Neorogelia like shade or filtered light but this species tolerates Coastal sun. If you like such large specimen Bromeliads, we have an assortment of older plants with multliple heads and blossoms. They are landscape ready. The garden photos show usage of Bromeliads in the garden.

REGULAR PRICE THIS MASSIVE 15 GALLON CLUSTER $350
TEN DAY SPECIAL THIS SIZE 15 GALLON $275

BILBERGIA HALLELUHAY
SPOTTED SUN TOLERANT BROMELIAD

PINK HANGING BLOSSOMS - SPOTTED LEAVES
SPECIAL FULL 5 GALLON 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 THESE 5 GALLON CLUMPS AS SHOWN BELOW $95
TEN DAY SPECIAL 5 GALLON CLUMPS THIS SIZE $80

END OF OLDER POSTS FULL VERSION FOR MAY, 2024
BUT THERE'S EARLIER POSTS FROM APRIL, 2024 - CLICK BELOW

TO SEE EARLLIER POSTS FROM APRIL, 2024, CLICK HERE
TO SEE EARLIER POSTS FROM MARCH, 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

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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.




Specimen in garden	Photo by Plant Places Website	Photo c/o Wikipedia

*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

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA THE STAR PALM

PINANGA JAVANA SINGLE TRUNK, TROPICAL & EXOTIC SPECIES

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA THE FLAME THROWER PALM NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA SINGLE TRUNK MOUNTAIN FORM

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA SUCKERING OR SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

ROYSTONEA REGIA THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

CHAMAEDOREA HOOPERIANA BAMBOO PALM THAT IS TALL AND FULL

DYPSIS PLUMOSA THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

RHOPALOSTYLIS HYBRID SAPIDA X BAUERI

COPERNICIA PRUNIFERA THE CARNAUBA WAX PALM

RAVENEA RIVULARIS THE MAJESTY PALM

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TROPICAL FAN PALM

DYPSIS ALBOFARINOSA CLUMPING MADAGASCAR PALM WHITE CROWN SHAFTS - VERY RARE

CYCAS GUIZHOUENSIS RARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CHINESE CYCAD

CALOCASIA GIGANTEA THAILAND GIANT HUGE ELEPHANT EAR TYPE PLANT

BISMARCKIA NOBILIS STUNNING BLUE FAN PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

PHOENIX RUPICOLA THE CLIFF DATE PALM

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

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

CHAMAEDOREA KLOTZSCHIANA SINGLE TRUNK MEXICAN CHAMAEDOREA

MACROZAMIA MOOREI LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

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

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

CHAMAEDOREA TRUNKING RADICALIS MEDIUM HEIGHT MATURE - THIN TRUNKS

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE SINGLE TRUNK, TALL SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

BEAUTIFUL PINK DWARF CANNA NEVER OVER THREE FEET TALL

ASSORTED PRITCHARDIA SPECIES THE HAWAIIAN PALM

RECYCLE YOUR USED PLASTIC CONTAINERS

AND OLD CARDBOARD BOXES / NEWSPAPERS

WODYETIA BIFURCATA THE FOXTAIL PALM

LIVISTONA LANGINOSA THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE SINGLE TRUNK, TALL SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

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

DIOON MEROLAE SLOW GROWING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

SUPER UNUSUAL ENCEPHALARTOS HYBRID F2 HYBRID WITH E. WOODII POLLEN

ENCEPHALARTOS ITURIENSIS SUPER RARE CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD LONG UPRIGHT GREEN LEAVES TEN DAY SPECIAL TALL 15 GALLON PLANT

MACROZAMIA MOOREI LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

RABITTS FOOT FERN DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

THE MOOSEHORN FERN PLATYCERIUM SUPERBUM

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

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

DYPSIS PLUMOSA THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

SABAL BLACKBURNIANA LARGE AND TALL FAN PALM

COCCOTHRINAX BARBADENSIS MEDIUM SIZED, NARROW TRUNK

VERY "CUTE PALM" WITH GREEN OR SILVER GREEN LEAVES TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 2 GALLON

BUTIA PARAGUAYENSIS BLUE-GREEN BUTIA FROM SOUTH AMERICA

ENCEPHALARTOS PAUCIDENTATUS MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

ENCEPHALARTOS KISAMBO EXOTIC CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

DIOON MEJIAE LUSH AND TROPICAL APPEARING

MAIDENHAIR FERN GENUS ADIANTUM

DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA THE TASMANIAN TREE FERN

MULE PALMS BUTIA CAPITATA X SYAGRUS (QUEEN PALM) A MORE COLD HARDY ALTERNATIVE TO QUEEN PALM

PARAJUBAEA TORALLYI THE SOUTH AMERICAN "COCONUT PALM"

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA THE FLAME THROWER PALM NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DYPSIS PEMBANA SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING NATIVE TO PEMBA ISLAND

HOWEA FORSTERIANA THE KENTIA PALM

COCCOTHRINAX ARGENTATA MEDIUM SIZED FAN PALM

PTYCHOSPERMA ELEGANS THE SOLITAIRE PALM - NATIVE TO AUSTRALIA

CHAMAEDOREA GEONOMIFORMIS SINGLE TRUNK, DWARF UNDERSTORY PALM

KENTIOPSIS PYRIFORMIS SUPER RARE SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

CYCAS GUIZHOUENSIS RARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CHINESE CYCAD GREEN UPRIGHT LEAVES TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE ONE GALLON PLANTS

CERATOZAMIA LATIFOLLIA THE CHAMELEON OF CYCADS

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

BECCARIOPHOENIX MADAGASCARENSIS AKA "BECCARIOPHOENIX NO-WINDOWS""

DYPSIS ONILAHENSIS SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING PALM

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

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

CHAMAEDOREA TENELLA DWARF SINGLE TRUNK

ENCEPHALARTOS AEMULANS GREEN, RARE CYCAD FROM SOUTH AFRICA

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

ZAMIA AMBLYPHYLLIDIA DWARF GREEN CYCAD

VARIEGATED SHELL GINGER NICE 5G SIZE READY FOR THE GARDEN

EPIDENDRON ORCHID PINK BLOSSOM

PALM TREE, CYCAD & TROPICAL PLANT BLOG
PLANTS FOR SALE

NEW PLANT ARRIVALS & DISCOUNT PLANTS
PALM TREE, CYCAD AND TROPICAL PLANT BLOG

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA
THE STAR PALM

PINANGA JAVANA
SINGLE TRUNK, TROPICAL & EXOTIC SPECIES

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA
SINGLE TRUNK MOUNTAIN FORM

LACCOSPADIX AUSTRALASICA
SUCKERING OR SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

ROYSTONEA REGIA
THE CUBAN ROYAL PALM

CHAMAEDOREA HOOPERIANA
BAMBOO PALM THAT IS TALL AND FULL

DYPSIS PLUMOSA
THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

RHOPALOSTYLIS HYBRID
SAPIDA X BAUERI

COPERNICIA PRUNIFERA
THE CARNAUBA WAX PALM

RAVENEA RIVULARIS
THE MAJESTY PALM

CRYOSOPHILA STAURACANTHA
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED TROPICAL FAN PALM

DYPSIS ALBOFARINOSA
CLUMPING MADAGASCAR PALM
WHITE CROWN SHAFTS - VERY RARE

CYCAS GUIZHOUENSIS
RARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CHINESE CYCAD

CALOCASIA GIGANTEA THAILAND GIANT
HUGE ELEPHANT EAR TYPE PLANT

BISMARCKIA NOBILIS
STUNNING BLUE FAN PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

PHOENIX RUPICOLA
THE CLIFF DATE PALM

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

KENTIOPSIS OLIVIFORMIS
A GREAT CROWN SHAFTED PALM

CHAMAEDOREA KLOTZSCHIANA
**SINGLE TRUNK MEXICAN *CHAMAEDOREA***

MACROZAMIA MOOREI
LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

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

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

CHAMAEDOREA TRUNKING RADICALIS
MEDIUM HEIGHT MATURE - THIN TRUNKS

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE
SINGLE TRUNK, TALL
SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

ENCEPHALARTOS TRANSVENOSUS
LARGE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD SPECIES

BEAUTIFUL PINK DWARF CANNA
NEVER OVER THREE FEET TALL

ASSORTED PRITCHARDIA SPECIES
THE HAWAIIAN PALM

WODYETIA BIFURCATA
THE FOXTAIL PALM

LIVISTONA LANGINOSA
THE WOOLY LIVISTONA

CHAMAEDOREA TEPEJILOTE
SINGLE TRUNK, TALL
SHADE-LOVING PINNATE PALM

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

DIOON MEROLAE
SLOW GROWING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CYCAD

SUPER UNUSUAL ENCEPHALARTOS HYBRID
F2 HYBRID WITH E. WOODII POLLEN

ENCEPHALARTOS ITURIENSIS
SUPER RARE CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

LONG UPRIGHT GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL TALL 15 GALLON PLANT

MACROZAMIA MOOREI
LARGER COLD HARDY CYCAD

RABITTS FOOT FERN
DAVALIA FEJEENSIS

THE MOOSEHORN FERN
PLATYCERIUM SUPERBUM

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

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

DYPSIS PLUMOSA
THIN TRUNK PALM FROM MADAGASCAR

SABAL BLACKBURNIANA
LARGE AND TALL FAN PALM

COCCOTHRINAX BARBADENSIS
MEDIUM SIZED, NARROW TRUNK

VERY "CUTE PALM" WITH GREEN OR SILVER GREEN LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL NICE 2 GALLON

BUTIA PARAGUAYENSIS
BLUE-GREEN BUTIA FROM SOUTH AMERICA

ENCEPHALARTOS PAUCIDENTATUS
MEDIUM TO LARGE RARE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD

ENCEPHALARTOS KISAMBO
EXOTIC CENTRAL AFRICAN CYCAD

DIOON MEJIAE
LUSH AND TROPICAL APPEARING

MAIDENHAIR FERN
GENUS ADIANTUM

DICKSONIA ANTARCTICA
THE TASMANIAN TREE FERN

MULE PALMS
BUTIA CAPITATA X SYAGRUS (QUEEN PALM)
A MORE COLD HARDY ALTERNATIVE TO QUEEN PALM

PARAJUBAEA TORALLYI
THE SOUTH AMERICAN "COCONUT PALM"

CHAMBEYRONIA MACROCARPA
THE FLAME THROWER PALM
NEW RED EMERGING LEAF

DYPSIS PEMBANA
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING
NATIVE TO PEMBA ISLAND

HOWEA FORSTERIANA
THE KENTIA PALM

COCCOTHRINAX ARGENTATA
MEDIUM SIZED FAN PALM

PTYCHOSPERMA ELEGANS
THE SOLITAIRE PALM - NATIVE TO AUSTRALIA

CHAMAEDOREA GEONOMIFORMIS
SINGLE TRUNK, DWARF UNDERSTORY PALM

KENTIOPSIS PYRIFORMIS
SUPER RARE SINGLE TRUNK PINNATE PALM

CYCAS GUIZHOUENSIS
RARE SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED CHINESE CYCAD

GREEN UPRIGHT LEAVES
TEN DAY SPECIAL LARGE ONE GALLON PLANTS

CERATOZAMIA LATIFOLLIA
THE CHAMELEON OF CYCADS

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

BECCARIOPHOENIX MADAGASCARENSIS
AKA "BECCARIOPHOENIX NO-WINDOWS""

DYPSIS ONILAHENSIS
SINGLE TRUNK OR SUCKERING PALM

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

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

CHAMAEDOREA TENELLA
DWARF SINGLE TRUNK

ENCEPHALARTOS AEMULANS
GREEN, RARE CYCAD FROM SOUTH AFRICA

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

ZAMIA AMBLYPHYLLIDIA
DWARF GREEN CYCAD

VARIEGATED SHELL GINGER
NICE 5G SIZE READY FOR THE GARDEN

EPIDENDRON ORCHID
PINK BLOSSOM

PRESTOEA MONTANA
AKA PRESTOEA ACUMINATA VAR. MONTANA

CHAMAEDOREA COSTARICANA
ONE OF THE BEST BAMBOO PALMS

ENCEPHALARTOS LEHMANNII
BLUE SOUTH AFRICAN CYCAD FOR SUN