# A Break From Winter--Palms and Cycads



## cdmay (Jan 4, 2010)

These are some of our palms and cycads that we have on the property. Many, if not most we have grown from seeds or seedlings. A long term project for sure.
This is a bottle palm, _Hyophorbe lagenicaulis _ that is one of several that I have raised from a seed that was collected at the world famous Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami.







The following photos are of the African cycad, _Encephalartos ferox _ that are currently coning. These are two female plants that again, have been raised from tiny one leaf seedlings. The striking cones are about twice the size of a football.













As you can see, they vary a bit in color. One female has an orange cone and the other's is pinkish red. Too bad I don't have a male plant!

The small palm in the foreground is an old man palm, _Cocothrinanax borhidiana _ from Cuba. The cycad in the background is _Dioon mejiae_. 






I have posted photos of this red lantan palm before but these are some closer views of it.







Leaf detail...







This last series is of our _Chorisia speciosa _a spectacular tree with spectacular thorns. It flowers like crazy in the fall and then is leafless until spring.









Photo above is of my wife Barbara. We just celebrated our 28th anniversary yesterday but Barbie and I have been together since we were 15 years old.
Flower drop after a heavy rain one year.






The redfoots eat the flowers here and there but are not crazy about them. Too bad, it would sure be a cheap source of food for a while.
I hope the views from south Florida made the cold winter day a bit warmer. But don't worry, its cold down here today too!


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## Jacqui (Jan 4, 2010)

I am in love! Those plants are so awesome! Before I forget, congrats on the anniversary!! Must be great to have spent so much of your life together. I am having plant envy. Thanks so much for sharing! Are you planning to get a male plant for those beautiful females of yours?


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## terryo (Jan 4, 2010)

Thanks for those "warm", wonderful pictures Carl. It's 20 degrees here, and my Bonsai look like stalks! Aren't you gong to share some Bonsai pictures so I can drool a little more? lol


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## Stephanie Logan (Jan 4, 2010)

Wonderful, interesting trees, and those thorns are daunting indeed--bet there are few "predators" who dare attack that plant! Your wife's blouse seems to echo the hedge she is standing in front of.

My husband has to live at a crash pad in Miami while he sits on Reserve for his job. He has to do a major clothing change between the balmy weather of South Florida and the freezing norm of North Central Colorado as he travels back and forth!


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## Yvonne G (Jan 4, 2010)

I ordered a Chorisia species tree from MBPalms in Florida last year. Its doing great, but only 1 gallon size right now. No thorns yet. Our weather here is slightly more extreme than yours, but hopefully by the time its big enough to plant in the ground it will also be big enough to withstand a little freezing.


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## BethyB1022 (Jan 4, 2010)

What beautiful photos I am so jealous! Thank you for sharing, I think the images warmed me up


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## DoctorCosmonaut (Jan 4, 2010)

Those are such cool plants! Now I really need a big greenhouse!


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## cdmay (Jan 4, 2010)

Jacqui---The problem for me is that you can't sex juvenile cycads UNLESS they were offshoots of a plant that is a known sex. Male plants produce male 'pups' and so forth. Seedings, like hatchling turtles cannot be sexed as far as I know.
Then finally, adult plants of this cycad are wickedly expensive and usually when they have been raised in a pot, they are not as good a specimen as those raised in the ground.
Terryo---nothing new with the bonsai that haven't been posted before. I am down to only 5 or 6 trees as I sold off or gave away my other bonsai.


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## Candy (Jan 4, 2010)

What beautiful Palms. How long have you lived in Florida Carl? How do you get those flowers from the tree cleaned up? That would be a hard job with all of that mulch. Your wife is very pretty that's wonderful that you've been together that long. I love your pictures. Your yard is just wonderful. Now I'm kind of jealous.


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## ChiKat (Jan 4, 2010)

Raised from SEED?! What the...
I can't even keep my bamboo plant alive! You're amazing 
Gorgeous pictures- I'm super jealous! The "flower drop" picture is especially pretty 

Congrats on your anniversary!! Together since you were 15- that's amazing!


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