Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/7/2009, 6:08 pm
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One of the largest majesty palms (Ravanea rivularis) in San Diego is currently in full bloom, and quite attractively so! This pic was taken this afternoon... Close-up...

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Posted by Joe Saltspring Island BC on 11/7/2009, 6:16 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Wow, such a beauty! I love those palms. Cheers, Joe Southern Gulf Islands, zone 8b/9a Dry Springs & Summers months and mild wet winters.Annual precip. approx. 30" inches, Extreme winter min. temps. usually not below 20 F.

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/7/2009, 6:25 pm, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Yep--they're quite nice and becoming more popular, so in another 10 years, there should be numerous majesties of that size around town!

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Posted by David Jax FL on 11/7/2009, 6:45 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
75.202.248.246 | Message modified by user David Jax FL 11/7/2009, 6:45 pm

Brandt, That is the nicest one I have seen, outside of its native habitat! The owners though, should cut back the grass from the trunk, so the trunk will not be continually scared, by lawn maintenance equipment. David Jax FL Zone 9A/9B

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Posted by Don KS on 11/7/2009, 6:55 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Anyone care to guess the age of this palm?

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Posted by Phil in Atlanta on 11/7/2009, 7:28 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Beautiful palm!!! Nice capturing those vivid blooms. Phil Atlanta, Georgia January 52F/34F, July 89F/71F Hardiness z8a Annual: Rain = 50 inches, GDD's = 5300 Winter low last 6 years: 12F, 15F, 18F, 24F, 16F, 18F

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/7/2009, 7:29 pm, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Yep--I agree--there is indeed some damage to the trunk. That lawn looks pretty heavily manicured, so I'd guess they hire people to care for it. Lawns are overrated--that palm's worth a lot more, by all means!

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/7/2009, 7:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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That neighborhood is about 20 years old, so I imagine it was planted at that time (and probably pretty small then). I looked at a pic that I took about 5 years ago--and the palm has added easily 6 or 7 feet since then, if not more.

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/7/2009, 7:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Thanks! The blooms certainly contrast greatly with the color of the rest of the palm.

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Posted by Darin - Phoenix on 11/7/2009, 7:44 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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oh my! very nice! with Ravenea, Archontophoenix and Howea doing as well as they do there, I don't know why a coconut is so high on so many SoCal's peoples lists. Phoenix AZ - USA USDA Zone 10a, Sunset 13 January = 66.0°F/41.4°F July = 105.6°F/80.3°F Precip = 7.55" per year

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Posted by Mike from Niagara 6b on 11/7/2009, 8:18 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Nice vibrant bloom under a clear blue CA sky! One of the few pics where I like the yellowing fronds. Nice capture Brandt! Thanks. Imisssocal.

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Posted by Brian in Utah on 11/7/2009, 9:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Wow, that's fast. I didn't realize majesty palms grew that fast in an appropriate climate. Nice picture. Brian in Sandy, Utah

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Posted by Lisa VaSC on 11/7/2009, 9:46 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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the blooms yes... but the blooms in THAT sky, awesome ! thanks Brandt !

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/8/2009, 2:18 am, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Thanks! Yeah...I've seen others in the neighborhood which appear to exceed a foot per year, which is still slow compared with Mexican fan palms and queen palms (but faster than CIDPs and king palms).

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/8/2009, 2:23 am, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Thanks! I think coconuts are pretty low on most people's lists (after all, the number of outdoor coconut palms in So-Cal is fewer than the average number of coconut fruits on a single palm in the tropics)! Obviously, people who try them here do it to see if they can or to at least think they have a warm enough climate for them--hmmm--probably more the latter... But with Ravanea giving you another option for the true tropical look in a palm, so, yeah, perhaps the coconut isn't really needed. Now, if we can just do something about getting a palm that somehow resembles the sealing wax palm (Dypsis lutescens with red paint won't cut it).

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/8/2009, 2:25 am, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Thanks! It was actually partly cloudy most of the day (and a few clouds were near the horizon)...so the timing was fortuitous for these pics... Like I mentioned before, we'll probably see more majesties like these in the coming years as their popularity continues to increase...

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/8/2009, 2:27 am, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Thanks! 'Tis the season...the sky is more likely to be that color in mid-late fall (and on clear days in winter)...

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Posted by Marisha-Atlanta on 11/8/2009, 5:35 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Majesty palms are so gorgeous. I think I'm going to try one in the ground in Atlanta..... If they have about the sam hardiness as a Queen Palm, they are worth a try.

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Posted by Tommy Nashville-Miami on 11/8/2009, 10:36 pm, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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I Love majesty palms. Why are they so rare to see planted outside with substantial trunk? You'd think I would see them all over Miami or you would all over San Diego. Do you see many?

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/9/2009, 1:54 am, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Hmmm...I thought they were a little less hardy than queen palms. Conventional wisdom has them as a zone 9b palm, versus queens which are at least hardy to zone 9a. They're certainly nice palms, though they're frequently chlorotic here (as are some of the other feather palms, like the queens and kings).

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/9/2009, 2:00 am, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Actually, majesty palms are becoming common in recent years here, many with sizable trunks (though only about 3 that I know of with a trunk as large as the one I photographed). Most are in the 10-20 foot tall range. I think they'd do fine in Miami--they're from Madagascar, so it's not like it's one of those palms (like Ceroxylon, some of the Trachycarpus or Rhopalostylis) that can't take the heat and humidity. Overall, it's probably around #9 or 10 for most common palm species here (about on par maybe with Brahea edulis or Brahea armata).

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Posted by Michael in Natchez 9a on 11/9/2009, 6:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Marisha-- Ravenea rivularis is definitely not as hardy as a Queen. Frost combined with sub-28 temps (or thereabouts) will cause pretty much complete defoliation. The bud isn't much hardier. Even younger plants with buds below ground-level are very slow to return, putting out stunted leaves, and they usually give up the second winter with a single hard freeze to mid-20s. A very large tree is probably somewhat hardier. There are large trunked specimens all over New Orleans thanks to big-box-store availability and a long string of mild winters, and their very fast growth-rate in that hot, humid, wet climate (R. rivularis grows naturally on the wet margins of flood-plain/river habitats). Try Ravenea glauca instead, it isn't much more leaf-hardy, but its bud seems to be significantly hardier and it grows back without stunting. They require full sun, by the way. Mine in shade put on one leaf per year, while those in sun churn them out. Michael Norell Natchez, Mississippi zone 9a

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Posted by Lee in AZ on 11/10/2009, 12:21 am, in reply to "Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Wow, very nice. And I thought these were nice back in 2003: They're young pups compared to that great looking palm you posted. Wow, great looking palm for sure. I also like the fact that the owners are not trimming it and letting the fronds fall off. The canopy looks so much nicer that way: Thanks! Lee http://www.behindtheglasseye.com Zone 9b Tucson, AZ my averages: January = 67°F/37°F July = 102°F/74°F "my Ficus nitida is better than your Ficus nitida!"

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Posted by Brandt-San Diego on 11/10/2009, 1:46 am, in reply to "Re: Majesty Palm in Full Bloom!"
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Given their fast rate of growth, they're probably looking decent now. I do see majesties occasionally planted in groups of 2 or 3, and they often grow as angles (much like a coconut would, but with fatter trunks, of course). Of course, I can't help notice the jacaranda too, which you caught obviously too early in the season!

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