Monthly Update August 2009

FEATURED THIS MONTH: Dictyosperma album

Figure 1: Dictyosperma album var. rubrum Figure 2: Dictyosperma album

Figures 3 & 4: Dictyosperma album var. furfuracea with blue green fronds and joined leaf tips

FRONT COVER: Dictyosperma album var. furfuracea with emerald green fronds.

2 FEATURED THIS MONTH: Dictyosperma album Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society Officers by Charlie Beck

Betty Ahlborn, President (561) 722-8106 Dictyosperma album is native to the Mascarene Islands. This palm, which Tom Ramiccio, First Vice President, Sales (561) 582-5915 can grow from sea level to an altitude of 2,000 feet, is a solitary, pinnate, Marshall Dewey, Second Vice President, Planting monoecious (male and female flowers on the same inflorescence) palm that Dale Holton, Third Vice President, Programs (561) 965-6792 develops a somewhat swollen crownshaft. The crownshafts range from green Ruth Sallenbach, Secretary (561) 965-5430 to grey to brown. The trunks have swollen bases and the inflorescence looks Ingrid Dewey, Treasurer like a horse tail or rooster tail. The most distinguishing feature is that the newly Dennis McKee, Membership Chairman (561) 642-3015 emergent leaves stand as vertical spears. In habitat, palms can grow 40 feet tall Brenda Beck, Editor & Historian (561) 963-5511 but they are reported near extinction in the wild. Common names are Princess Appointees and Hurricane Palm. Charles Beck, Librarian These palms grow well in South Florida. They are not prone to micro- Marty Dougherty, Web Master nutritional deficiencies. They have come through Category 1 hurricanes with- Ruth Lynch, Refreshment Chairman out damage. Since 1994, I have never observed any cold damage, but in the Kitty Philips, Activities & Events Coordinator 1989 freeze palms at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden were 95 percent burned but later recovered. They are only moderately susceptible to lethal yel- VISIT US AT palmbeachpalmcycadsociety.com lowing. There are three varieties commonly available in South Florida. All are salt tolerant and are best planted in full sun. INSIDE THIS ISSUE:  Dictyosperma album (without variety listed) have crownshafts which tend to be green or grey. This is the largest and fastest growing of the varieties. 4 Featured this Month: Dictyosperma album I have one specimen seven years old which is 10 feet tall with nine foot 6 Cycads in the Home Garden fronds. The stem is 8.5 inches in diameter at waist height (See Figure 2 on page 2). 7 Upcoming Meetings  D. album var. rubrum has a reddish brown crownshaft with bronze colored 7 Upcoming Events emergent leaves. The stem measures eight inches in diameter at waist 8 July 2, 2009, Name Drawing Prize Winner height and the fronds measure seven feet long. After 15 years of growth, the palm is 25 feet tall (See Figure 1 on page 2). 9 Dr. Monica Elliot Discusses Palm Diseases  D. album var. furfuracea (or sometimes labeled furfuraceum) is the most 9 This Month’s “Thank You” sought after variety. It is similar in size to D. album var. rubrum but the leaf tips remain joined even in mature fronds. This is a very unique and 11 Well-adapted Zamias for Palm Beach County (photos) striking feature. The leaf- lets are also more of a vel- vety blue green color (See Opinions expressed and products or recommendations published in this newslet- Figures 3 & 4 on page 2). ter may not be the opinions or recommendations of the Palm Beach Palm & Some plants offered for Cycad Society or its board of directors. sale labeled furfuracea may not be true to form – they may have more or less For permission to reproduce any article that appears in this publication, con- leaf tip joining or leaflet tact the Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society editor at [email protected] (Continued on page 5)

3 4 (Continued from page 4) CYCADS IN THE HOME GARDEN color variation – but don’t let that deter you from buying these plants. I by Dale Holton have one with the most striking emerald green leaves (see front cover) and another with bronze emergent leaves. I believe all offspring from this vari- In these days of uncertainty small and can tolerate full sun or ety are most desirable even though some crossing may alter appearance. regarding watering restrictions of shade. Some are very salt tolerant. This variety is on my top five pinnate palm list for growing in Palm Beach home gardens, one should consider Most grow fairly fast and won’t County. the use of cycads in the landscape. cause you to have to get a second Most cycads are quite tolerant of mortgage to purchase them. *** droughts. Many of the cycads that Ceratozamias are another good are in the ground at my home get group of cycads to consider. Most GROWING CONDITIONS IN OUR GARDEN watered whenever it rains. They may prefer some shade and range in size FOR Dictyosperma album not grow quite as fast as they would from medium to quite large. Prices Location 4 miles from ocean in suburban Lantana if I irrigated them but, just the same, are usually higher than the Carib- they do well and look good with bean Zamias and some can be very Soil Sand over a layer of hardpan (pineland flatwood habitat) little care. They are also quite toler- expensive. Ceratozamias are in- or alkaline shell rock ant of infrequent fertilizer applica- cluded in the Convention on Interna- Irrigation ¾ inch applied twice a week tions. Nearly all cycads are very tional Trade in Endangered Species intolerant of flooding. Two to three (CITES) Appendix I and protected Flooding Periodic inundation in sandy soil acceptable hours of flooding usually will de- by international law. They cannot be Fertilization 3 times a year with Palm special analysis stroy them. imported or exported without per- If you want to grow cycads, mits which are almost impossible to Light Sun you must first decide how much get. Some of the more common ones room you can allot for them. Some- stay relatively small and have very Micronutrient Deficiencies None observed one with a large yard can choose attractive copper colored new leaves. Insect Damage None observed among a much larger selection. You Some of the rarer ones have glau- also must decide how much money cous new leaves. Hurricane Resistance Good you wish to spend on them. Unlike Dioons are another very nice palms and most other plants, cycads group of cycads that I highly recom- Lethal Yellowing Moderate Risk are a very ancient group of plants mend. I like them as replacements and some can be quite costly. for Cycas, because the Asian Scale For the average person with a usually doesn’t bother them. Some small yard, the Caribbean Zamias of these get large like the Cycas. would be the most suitable. Most are Others are smaller. Most grow very slowly and would not present a size problem for many years. The more common varieties are very reasonably priced but the rarer ones are more expensive. Most will tolerate full sun or shade. Encephalartos are the

(Continued on page 8)

5 6 (Continued from page 6) have seen some very nice ones one group of cycads that seem to be growing locally. I continue to try most in demand. Most of them re- growing these with the hope that I GENERAL MEETING quire a large area because they can will find out what I am doing wrong. get quite large. The green varieties There are a few other groups are the most easily obtained and, which I will not mention because I Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 depending on size and species, can do not consider most of them land- Time: 7:30 p.m. be affordable. I cannot stress too scape plants, but rather collector much that some of them need lots of plants. Location: Mounts Botanical Garden room. Some of these can get mature Speaker: Dr. Scott Zona, Palm Biologist leaves of 18 to 22 feet, with a plant Editor’s Note: CITES is an interna- at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden spread of this much. Others have tional agreement between govern- more manageable size in the 4 to 5 ments that was adopted in 1973. It Subject: To be announced foot range. The most sought after are lists plants and animals that are or the “blue” ones. They are more diffi- may be at risk for extinction or need cult to grow in South Florida and do protection from illegal exploitation. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING better in California where it is cooler CITES Appendix I lists species that and drier. In our location, I suggest are threatened with extinction and planting these blue plants on berms are or may be affected by trade. For Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 made of white sand or other good more information on CITES, you Time: 7:00 p.m. draining material. may go to http://www.cites.org/eng/ Macrozamias all come from app/index.shtml. Location: Ruth Sallenbach’s Home Australia. I have not had real good *** luck with this group of plants, but 6285 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth (561) 965-5430

UPCOMING EVENTS

September 5, 2009 Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society Annual Picnic and most spectacular auction of the year More details will be provided in the September Update.

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October 10, 2009 South Florida Palm Society Garden Tour Winner of the July 2nd Name Drawing Prize The tour includes visits to Action Theory Nursery, the Tropical Education was Andreas Daehnick Research Center, John DeMott’s garden, and a tour of RF Orchids. There is no who was present. He received a Satakentia lukiuensis. cost to members but non-members must pay $10. A box lunch will be served. For more information or to make your reservation, call Jeff Chait at (305) 934- 2839. 7 8 Dr. Monica Elliot Discusses Palm Diseases (Continued from page 9) PLACE YOUR by Brenda Beck Yellowing, you can go to http:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP146. BUSINESS CARD AD $5 PER MONTH TPPD first appeared in Florida Dr. Monica Elliot, Professor of Dr. Elliot reported that Lethal OR $60 PER YEAR Plant Pathology at the University of Yellowing seems to appear in cy- in a nursery in Hillsborough County. Florida IFAS, Ft. Lauderdale Re- cles. IFAS has observed frequent Confirmed cases have been docu- Send your business card and check payable to mented from central Sarasota to the Palm Beach Palm & Cycad search and Education Center, was cases, followed by a diminishing Society to: our guest speaker at the July 1, number of cases over time, then a northern Hillsborough Counties. Isolated cases have been docu- Palm Beach Palm 2009, meeting. The topic of number of years with no & Cycad Society her presentation was com- reported cases, and then a mented in Polk, DeSoto, Highlands, c/o Brenda Beck Hardee, Lake Cloud, and Duval P.O. Box 21-2228 mon palm diseases. reappearance of the disease. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33421 Dr. Elliot’s presenta- In Lethal Yellowing, Counties. Palms known to be af- tion concentrated on Lethal the first symptoms are fruit fected by this disease include Phoe- Yellowing and Texas Phoe- drop and flower necrosis. nix sylvestris, Phoenix dactylifera, nix Palm Decline (TPPD), Other symptoms are yellow- Phoenix canariensis, Syagrus ro- these antibiotic shots as a preventive two fatal diseases that af- ing of the fronds and, even- manzoffiana, and Sabal palmetto. treatment. fect palms. Both of these tually, death of the spear Symptoms for this disease are simi- To prevent the spread of these diseases are caused by phy- leaf. Phoenix roebelenii does lar to those present with Lethal Yel- diseases, it is recommended that a lowing. However, some affected suspect palm be removed from the toplasma which is a bacte- Dr. Monica Elliot not appear to be susceptible rium found in the phloem to Lethal Yellowing. Other palms develop root rot. landscape if more than 25 percent of (the tissue that carries nutrients to infected Phoenix species display There is no reliable cure for the leaves are discolored or if the all parts of the tree) that is spread by flower necrosis, fruit drop, and spear Lethal Yellowing or TPPD. Use of spear leaf is dead. Leaves and trunk insects. The main culprits associated leaf death. Minimal, if any, leaf insecticides to manage these dis- may be safely used as mulch. with the spread of these diseases are chlorosis is present. For a list of the eases is not recommended. You may Dr. Elliot stated that the lesson planthoppers. 36 palm species affected by Lethal kill planthoppers currently in your learned is to diversify, plant palms garden but unless you can spray that are less susceptible to these dis- (Continued on page 10) widespread areas the planthoppers eases, and add hardwood trees to will continue to visit your garden your landscape. and spread the diseases. While palms may be given trunk injections Editor’s Note: Consider removing of the antibiotic OX tetracycline all leaves from palms suspected of Membership Meeting Refreshments HCI every 3 or 4 months for the life having Lethal Yellowing or TPPD of the palm, this is not a guarantee of and leave the palm trunk standing Larry Davis Merle Guliano cure. Uninfected trees can be given for use by woodpeckers. *** Marshal & Ingrid Dewey Patrick Morris Jim Gallagher & Mary Ann Marino Tom Ramiccio Plant Donations Please share stories your garden experiences. Submit your stories and Andreas Daehnick photos to [email protected] Dale Holton Elise Maloney 9 10 Well-adapted Zamias for Palm Beach County

Photographs by Dale Holton August 2009 Monthly Update Monthly 2009 August

Zamia vazquezii Zamia floridana

Zamia pumila

2228

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Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society Cycad & Palm Beach Palm 21 Box P.O. 33421 FL Beach, Palm Royal

Zamia furfuracea Dictyosperma album

11 12 rooster inflorescence tail of Rusty Rusty chickenthe admiring the