Chambeyronia hookeri (Blond Flamethrower) new green leaf

Happy New Year, I'm a new member on here!

My friend, osideterry, referred me here to this site. I have quite a few palms growing on my property but my newest new friend, this so-called blonde flamethrower, has just now started opening a new leaf. I bought this palm on eBay and so far I'm happy with it's condition. However, I was assuming that since the plant is around a 1-gallon size, that the new leaf that is opening would be red, but it's green. Based on my pic, isn't it old enough to be opening a new red leaf instead of green? The copy in the eBay ad mentions, "At a 1 gallon size or larger, each new leaf that emerges bears a gorgeous red/maroon color."

The main reason I'm asking this is not so much that I'm impatient to see the new red leaves as I am eager to give the seller positve feedback on eBay. But I won't if this palm appears to be something other than the hookeri variant of Chambeyronia that I paid for.

Here is a close up of the new "red" leaf. LOL

From what I have learned the leaves get redder with time. There is a possibility of a C. macrocarpa to have emerging green leaves. The 'watermelon' var. always has emerging green. I have never heard of a C. hookeri (flamethrower) NOT have emerging red leaves (once they are older).

It is hard to tell from your picture what it is. Here are a couple of mine for your comparison. Notice the difference in the color of the base.

C. hookeri

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l24/karelc/P1020017.jpg

C. macrocarpa

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l24/karelc/Chambeyroniamacrocarpaupclose.jpg

Yours are a little young as well. Did you grow them from seeds or did you get them from a nursery?
I guess mine might be too soon to tell...it is showing the beginnings of the blond crownshaft, though.

Hi,

Just to clarify:
- C. macrocarpa var "hookeri" usually always has red emerging leaf. It will be red at that age. if not, you have the 'green leaf' form. I would wait for one more leaf. Sometimes they shoot a red and then a green. I have seen this too. But if it is green every time, I would request my money back if he guarantees red emerging leaf.
- C. macrocarpa var "watermelon" varies greatly. In fact I would say it is 50/50 from what I have seen. When I bought mine, I made sure I personally saw the red leaf. So it is incorrect that 'watermelon' var. always has emerging green.

Thanks for that info. I might have to wait a while for a new leaf since I've been told the flamethrower only does two leaves a year, is that right? This thing does have some crazy red highlights in the fronds.

more pix, the blond crown

You deffinately have a C hookeri, strange as was mentioned because hookeri generaly always have red. I've also heard some in the business think that the degree of red may be cultural,(condition and type of soil, nutrient levels, moisture etc.) This is only conjecture not fact. Like Weblnt stated though, give it another shot but let the seller know the current status and that you won't be satisfied untill it throws red.

The reason maybe hookeri is seen almost always red is that maybe growers toss the green ones. They are less desirable. I mean after all, why buy a 'flamethrower" with no 'flame'? This is only speculation. I just always thought macrocarpa and macrocarpa var "hookeri" almost always had red as it was in the genes. I have not heard of any with green other then the weird one that shoots a green, then a red.

Watermelons really are hit or miss. Since it is one of the only palms with a variegated crown shaft, that has an extra selling point, so maybe growers can keep green form more. I bought two from Tropical Vibe. I waited to confirm the red leaf. Almost ALL of his large ones are green form. But so are almost every ones else's too. RSN, JDAN, etc...

Regarding new leaves. Mine shoots more. Maybe 3 - 4 right now. It is still growing now in fact. I have heard from many growers that the watermelon grows faster then "hookeri". Johnny at TV stated he sees almost twice as fast. So maybe your "hookeri" will only shoot out 2. The largest "hookeri" I have seen had 6 feet of trunk. It was planted in Encinitas almost 20 years ago from seed. That should say something about speed. It was a gorgeous plant!!

I questioned the seller regarding the new green leaf and here is his reply:

"It's all genetic. Usually they don't throw red leaves until they're 12 inches tall or so, and even then their pink. As they gain size, the red leaves become darker and darker maroon, but vary from time to time. The latest leaf to open may barely be pink, but the next leaf may be deep, blood red, then the next is slightly red, then the next lipstick red, etc. Once its leaves reach full, mature size, they always open deep red.

Also, it did go through a transplant and the shock may have an effect on the red. We have never grown a Chambeyronia that never produced any red leaves- they all do it, just differently. Hope that helps."

So I guess I'm going to have to wait a while. At least I'm on record for stating the facts regarding the color of the first leaf. Here's another pic I took today (Jan.3) and there are quite a few streaks of red in this predominantly green first new leaf.

I have had experiences with both 'regular' and 'hookeri' versions of C macrocarpa that ALWAYS make a green leaf.. in fact, for a few years there, it seemed like these were sought after as a novelty, but I guess that novelty wore off. Seen some mature palms in Hawaii that make green new leaves (and we're talking hUGE palms).

Bob has been in the palm business much longer then I. If all his were green, then I am sure yours will be green. But maybe wait for one more. I do not agree with what the seller said by the way. Some of it is true, most is not.

Bob, what do you think about my speculation. Why is it almost always the macrocarpa's you can get now have red emerging leaf? I think they get rid of the green leaf forms and what is left is the reds that end up on the tables? What do you think?

Since I have no way of knowing right now if this tree will eventually produce new red leaves, I went ahead and gave the seller a postive eBay feedback, based on the overall health and size of the palm. You only get 30 days to leave feedback. It remains to be seen if he will honor his guaranteee if the tree never does produce red leaves. I'm sure it will be a beautiful palm eventually (if I can grow it in good health) but I sure hope those red leaves appear! I wouldn't have bought it otherwise.

It is hard to honor a guarantee that you have no control over. About 5% of Chambeyronia macrocarpas will not push a new red leaf in their lives. What should be mentioned is the small percentage that dont push the new leaf....or he should only send out plants that he has witnessed pushing it. It is very rare, however, that a C. hookeri push only green spears - I have never seen one do it, and I have seen a lot of them!

They are wonderful palms even if not. The red only last a few days to a little over a week anyway. :)

I stand corrected :) I would love to see a pic of your watermelon with the red leaf! I got to get over to Johnny and get me one of those!

Johnny is a good guy. I called him and said I needed two guaranteed reds. He waited till he saw the red and flagged them. Then called me.

Guess I should have done some homework, but the seller has great feedback going. I never knew there was a such a thing as a "Guaranteed Red."

When asked if they'd give me a "make-good" if it fails to produce red leaves, the seller replied, "Not to worry, we gladly back up all of our sales claims. Just let us know how it does."

Well that's comforting, I guess. I'll keep all you guys informed of it's progress. Here's a pic of the plant after it arrived, sitting in my kitchen sink. They wrap the rootball in moist sphagnum moss, which is removed when you plant it.

I've got several hookerii's and all of them have pink to red emergent fronds and some of them we're smaller then yours when I first aquired them. If you'd like to visit my garden sometime just let me know. You and o'side terry should make a trip by, I'm in oceanside as well.

So how often should I water this one? It's been a bit dry lately with santa ana winds.

Hard palm to overwater. It lives in an extremely wet environment naturally

then maybe the furnace has got it and my licuala grandis looking kinda peaked. We've had the heat on this winter and we brought the chambey in to baby it. The chambey has leaves that are starting to get sharp at the ends almost as if they drying up. I'll post a pic later.

I've got several smaller ones in 5 gal.s that have been taking the outside temps showing no sign of damage at all.

I've been kind of on and off leaving it out and keeping it in, especially since the roots haven't taken hold and the trunk sways easily in the wind.
But I put it out this morning (shade) and I'll bring it in this evening only b/c it's going to be around a "predicted" 29 degrees tonight.
The older leaves are really starting to look puckered and even the new leaf that just opened is showing this tendency.