March 19th, 2010: Travelers Palm (Ravenala madagascariensis) by haighr

The Bloom of the Day for March 19th, 2010 was Travelers Palm (Ravenala madagascariensis).

View the bloom of the day here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/botd.php?date=2010-03-19

just seeing that makes me think of vacation!!!

Those are incredible!!

And vacation is when it was taken in PV!

This message was edited Mar 19, 2010 9:44 AM

This message was edited Mar 19, 2010 9:45 AM

I couldn't help but pick this photo! I have been so mesmerized by these since I first became aware of them a few years ago. And the very same day I saw it online, I saw one in my neighborhood on the way to the PO. I went a different route and there it was. Not a spectacular one for it has been poorly groomed but one none the less.

Then 3 years ago I was in Southern Ca and there was one of theses in the courtyard of the hotel where we were staying. A lady I was with named Lali, another Daver, asked the gardener in Spanish if I could scoop out a seedling of it no bigger than 1 inch. Today it is a few feet tall.

I just love this picture. I would so love to see one like these mature ones in this great picture.

PS
I have never seen one for sale in a nursery here. I wonder why!



This message was edited Mar 19, 2010 3:58 PM

Great shots but interestingly, none are of the blooms.
Here is a shot of the bloom, on the tree in my yard.

I agree, almost nothing says 'tropical vacation' like a Traveler's Palm. They are quite sensitive to cold and I guess that is why they are not sold in zone 9b.

Kell, well done on getting a seedling to grow. The startlingly blue seeds have a long germination time.

I wrote a short article on this tree, here is a link.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1845/

I had seen this plant when it was a youngster but never as it grew up. Wonderful plant. Now I understand why people grow them.

What a great article Dutchlady! I LOVED reading about it and seeing all your pictures. I am going to pot mine up to a bigger pot tomorrow just from reading your article. So cool!

The bloom is interesting too!

Tonight I had to stop by a friend's house to bring her a pot full of pea soup I had made for her and then we went on to San Francisco for our usual Friday night sushi dinner. We passed a yard that I think had clumps of Travelers Palm. My husband would not slow down muchless sto pan dlet me out to take a picute opr 2. He had sushi on his mind. I was unsure for they did resemble Strelitzia too. So now I must go back to take a pic and see what you all think!

Definitely a so cool plant.

A mature Strelitzia MIGHT resemble a young Traveler's Palm. However, the mature Traveler's Palm is strikingly individual and will not be mistaken for anything else.
I am glad you enjoyed my article.