Livistonas in the yard

Thought I'd show a few of the Livistonas seedlings I have been growing in my dinky garden the last few years, as some of these are species not normally encountered in most nurseries. I used to have a really large Livistona collection at the last place I lived, but had a LOT more room there.

This is Livistona alfredii... a pretty easy palm to grow, and just isn't grown much because seed hasn't been all that available. It is a wonderful grey-green plant, unusual for a Livistona, and relatively fast growing compared to the other two grey-green species (loryphylla and victoriae). So if you can get your hands on one, do it! Got this plant 4 years ago as a sprouted leaf. Now it's arleady looking somewhat tree-like, though probably still at least a year from making a real trunk.

this is a view from the other side of the plant, with less sunlight.

This is Livistona victoriae... also aquired as a single leaf, but 6 years ago. Unfortunately this plant keeps struggling to get more sun, and a plumeria is growing too fast nearby (I keep hacking it back, but it's relentless) so it has taken on a weird yellowy color... still, growing well, and actually picking up speed this summer (loves the intense heat, especially on days over 100)... but this is a very slow and pretty cold sensitive plant, and doesn't do much in winters here near Los Angeles. So really only grows about 4-5 months of the year. This is better grown against a white wall facing southwest (which it is... but still not enough sun) if you are gonna grow it in a marginal climate like this. Does a LOT better in the desert. This ends up being a very pale blue Livistona... wonderful plant.

This message was edited Aug 30, 2006 9:59 PM

This Livistona (fulva) is another great looking plant and somewhat less typical for a Livistona, in that the leaves barely, if at all, droop, even as an adult. It is much more sparesly leaved than other species and that makes it look more elegant. It can be distiguished by the rust color on the new leaves (not appreciated much on a seedling like this). This plant has killer teeth along the petioles- careful! This is not a fast grower, either. In fact, none of these 4 species here are what I would call fast growers, at least not here in So Cal. If you want faster species, there are many others that fit that bill... but all tend to look more alike, with the typical ribbon - drooping leaves (L decipiens, now called decorum, L australis, L nitida and L mariae and the two related newly named ones- L rigida and L occidentalis)

This message was edited Aug 30, 2006 10:05 PM

This message was edited Aug 30, 2006 10:05 PM

This is Livistona saribus, and I have about 10 of these scattered about the yard, only because it is a good germinator, and I had collected a lot of seed from a friends home in Florida that had a lot of these in the yard... and I can't stand to get rid of a palm... really no room for that many in the yard... but I guess I willl worry about that later. This is a fast palm in Florida, but slow here in So California. Has nearly completely circular, bright green leaves with relatively wide leaflets and monstrous jet-black thorns along the petioles (obviously not as a seedlling). This palm is only 18" tall and it was germinated 5 years ago... not fast palms! But easily the most cold hardy of the 4 species I have.

Palmbob,
Where can you get seedlings for alfredii, I saw some pictures of some mature trees and would love to have one? I'm in the same situation as you, running out of room but I always manage to find some place to fit it in. (Getting more challenging now though I'll have to say)

No idea- got mine from a guy who does a lot of research (Lizard) in Australia. He's a professor in SAnta Barbara, and has a lot of Livistonas in his yard.

This message was edited Aug 31, 2006 4:33 PM

Nice palms palmbob!

Thanks for posting the pictures and Info!


Have some L. saribus / green form / seedlings to test out for cold hardiness. ( You are right about being prolific germinators , cleaning after a 1 night soak gave 80% within a week )

As far as we can tell, green and red forms exactly the same once they grow up a bit.

Bob where did you find all these different seeds? Can only get about 3 kinds here.

:-)

I guess Red/Green forms would best be used as a descriptor for variability in the juvenile stages. The Green form has been marketed as a more cold tolerant version , but I haven't seen any notable difference yet. ( Besides in the price of the seeds ;-)

many Livisonta species are endangered and only available as seed now and then (Australians are very particular about letting endangered things out of their country, which I certainly support, except for seeds). So getting some of the rare species is tricky as they are not available often. However, most Livistonas grow fast and seed readily, so are commonly available. Just depends on what species you want. Only ones I have a hard time finding are L alfredii, L loryphylla, L occidentalis, L humilis, L inermis and L victoriae... Most every thing else, except perhaps the newest non-Australian species, are easy to find just about anywhere.

Humilis and inermis are listed by rarepalmseeds.com in small quantities. Whether you can actually get them I do not know. http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/small.shtml

Not interested in those two anyway, as they are too hard to grow here in southern California (humilis is doable, but usually sad. L inermis is near impossible except in the deserts).

Palmbob ,your right. they do look like little trachys when their young

I am really weird Palmbob. Sorry. When you said you have difficulty finding a species I thought you meant you actually wanted to find them. I must resign my emeritus chair in philosophy (logic) at my local university.

Well, at one time I did want them, but experience has shown me that having gone through many hoops to finally get these plants, I just killed them off... so no longer interested as I find it depressing to keep killing things. I think I will try from now on to grow things that not only can survive, but seem to do well. ... now Trachycarpus princeps IS something I am looking for, but NO ONE in California has them, and getting seed that FOR SURE is them is difficult, and it's usually unavailable. So far my attempts at getting this palm have cost me a lot of money, and I have several 'common' Trachycarpi that are NOT this species.

I have searched my university's database and it comes up with http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/ as a brit supplier of seed for T. princeps. I have looked at their site and they are offering T. princeps at £5 for 5 seeds (about $8). Apparently they do not send catalogues outside the UK as a normal rule but I don't know about the actual seeds. You could check with them and if they will not send to the US it may be possible for me to get them for you and (subject to any import restrictions) send them on if you are interested. At least I have managed to send for their catalogue for myself - LOL.

Ortanique also has these available.

http://www.ortanique.com

There was a lot of mis-labeled seed floating around a while ago,( regular T.fortunei) Plus a lot of controversy still going on regarding cultivars. Hopefully,someday, this will all settle out.

If jungleseeds.co.uk is on my uni database it means they have been checked out by the relevant dept of the uni. (In this case horticulture). If they are offering T. princeps you can bet your house that they will be just that. I used to come to the States regularly before retirement and believe me the one area of selling the UK has it over the USA is that, here, if they try selling something as something that it is not then they are well and truly up the creek with no paddle. They also have no business. They are closed down.

Thank you for the link :-)



This message was edited Sep 11, 2006 10:55 AM

Nice Palms, babies and otherwise!

Palmbob, after several procurements of so-called T. princeps and resulting plain windmills, seeds and seedlings, I actually think now I have a "for-real" princeps. Ironically, I found it in the area you suggested I inquire about another rather elusive species, Syagrus "litoralis". Of course I'm not an expert on Trachycarpus (there seem to be far too many of those out there these days...lol), but I think I have at least hit pay-dirt with T. princeps with this one; what do you think?

That is VERY nice.. you should add that photo to the plant files!