Beccariophoenix alfredii

I just got my shipment from Jeff Marcus!

Tremendous! Condition, size, attention to packing are all the best!

Here are the steps I made to repot the bare root shipment:

1) Carefully unwrap after removing from the packing material, in this case shredded newspaper. Avoid trying to put the newspaper back together and attempt to read; there will be an online version somewhere. Read later.

2) Carefully (i'm going to stop saying carefully, as each step is carefully done) unwind the masking tape wrap. Unwrap the foil over something that will catch the peat moss (2 reasons).

3) These 24 plants were 1 gallon (very large for 1 gallon plants. Thanks, Jeff!) and I upsized to 2 gallon pots using Supersoil Palm and Cactus mix. There is no way that I was going to try to repot them into 1 gallon pots. I should have made a mix in bulk and had it delivered or put it in the back of the truck. however, my HD contact gives me contractor rates, so it wasn't that bad.

4) After the plants were potted in their new soil, they were mulched with the sphagnum moss and miscellaneous lava rock pebbles that came off the packing. No mess, and reuse of some of the packing material.

5) After a week or so in their current spot, I will move them to different areas of my garden to see how they do in different conditions.

Note the middle 2 photos showing some small 'windows' in the leaflets......hmm.....

The results are pleasing to me. See the photos below. Now if they will survive my winters, I'll be extremely pleased. This is the big project to determine if they may end up being commercially viable in my area. I certainly hope so, as they are great looking even as seedlings.

Some of these will be distributed to people in my area. Detailed growing records will be made in order to determine this viability.

If you live in Northern California, please contact me if you are interested in participating. One of these will be donated to the NorCal Palmetum.
 

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Mine flyed through last years -2C freezes as very young seedlings without any damage at all...I think they should be about as hardy as Parajubaea cocoides which would make them viable for your area i think?

Lets test them to harder freezes than -2C next year...I think till -4C they should be ok but we will see i guess...

Also,keep in mind that since the ones you got are Hawaii grown,their leaves will probably not be very hardy and may burn badly at far higher tempratures than normal.But new leaves should be hardy...
 
We have had some particularly nice weather here for the past 2 weeks and new growth evident. The plants I still have are getting midday sun. Some more than others. We are expecting 90F plus by the end of the week and I am hoping they fly through it as well.

Thanks,

John
 
Good to hear that John!
Mine grew throught our winter in Athens,albeit very slowly,and now growth is good,some having one leaf and others putting out their second leaf.Mine are in full,part day sun and having moved 2 shade grown no leafers to full sun,i can tell you they burn little.But yours may be extreemly deep shade grown so go slower and check.They do can take full sun from first leaf though so when adjusted,they will look perfectly good.
Do not even think about the 90sF,mine are growing with daily 40sC(in unvented greenhouse) a month now which is far above 90F and they trully fly through it!

Happy growing them!
-Konstantinos
 
John, I got my alfredii (from Floribunda) within about the same time as you and I stuck it right in the ground. It is being partially shaded by a taller palm next to it. Three weeks in and no sign of heat or sun stress yet. I will continue to report any observations worth reporting.
 
John, I got my alfredii (from Floribunda) within about the same time as you and I stuck it right in the ground. It is being partially shaded by a taller palm next to it. Three weeks in and no sign of heat or sun stress yet. I will continue to report any observations worth reporting.

Excellent news. The next few weeks I'll have all the palms placed in the area and planted in my garden as well....

I am excited about the results....
 
I really like the habitat shot in the article, very good resolution. Anyone have any more habitat shots of similar resolution?
 
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