The twin seedling also looks to also be variegated. Keep in mind the 2 plants germinated from the same seed in 06. The palms are now 5 yrs old and should be larger than they are. I can not put the palms in full sun as the leaves burn. Any ideas on what I can do to move the 2 along? Do I need to remove the smallest palm? BTW the palm shuts down and has no growth in the winter/early spring months.
Scott, are you sure you don't have a macro setting on your camera? I would like to see that Buta variegation.
To answer your question --- And this is what I would do --- not based on anything but my gut feeling. Considering the circumstances (twin embryo), I think I would just let them be - knowing that only one will make it. And it appears the stronger one is already taking over. IMO, trying to separate them, might cause more damage than good - probably killing the little one, and possibly setting the bigger one back. And separating this time of year would probably be the worst time to attempt it. I have had some triple kings, not same embryo but touching as seedlings, and in each case the dominant one pushed the others into a slow death. And the "winner" ended up being a completey beautiful and healthy specimen. So that is what I would do. And it also requires the least amount of work.
Showing the ever so slow growing rate of the palm. Here it is along side of normal Butiagrus also a 2006 seedling.
The best time to separate these palms is right when the seed drops off. Usually around the liner stage. Most likely the smaller of the two will die off as it appears to be a runt. When the doubles, triples and quad mules have the same size trunk they usually do very well and will grow into mature trees. Photo as seedlings. Single, double, triple, quad. You should wait until they are around 6 months old to separate. If you wait longer then that you may damage the root system to the point of no return.
Here are some photos of a double and triple that have seen 17F on several occasions in a unheated greenhouse in Washington. There growth rate is much slower then a regular single. They have been beat up pretty bad by the cold but are still hanging in there. These are 4 year old plants and should be much much larger.
Here is a photo of one the same age. 4 years old that grew up in Parrish Florida under a oak canopy. Second photos is two doubles grown in North Florida. Unsure of the age. But I believe it to be two years in the ground and around 7 years old.
And here is what you will be dealing with. This looks like a double but it is a triple bare rooted. Trying to untangle that mess will most likely kill them all at this age.
Eric, I will leave them as they are. The plants do not need any type of set backs. Only 2 leaves per year on the largest plant.
