Rain Forest Gardener

Glad to see you return. Please feel free to add comments or questions. I am always an email away.

From Chamaedorea seifrizii

Scientific Name: Chamaedorea seifrizii. Common Name: Bamboo Palm. This is a beautiful clumping or clustering palm with graceful green fronds held upright by strong bamboo-looking stalks that can grow as tall as ten feet. Native to Mexico and Central America.

From Chamaedorea seifrizii

The Bamboo Palm is very hardy and provides a fantastic tropical effect indoors or out. USDA Zones 9-11 Will die with temperatures below 24 degrees fahrenheit. So bring it inside in the winter.

However it is usually used as a houseplant in containers. Because it is an understory palm it does not need a lot of light to do well. Use a fast draining soil. Soil needs to be light an porous, similar to good Forrest topsoil.

A stunning landscape specimen when grown in medium to light shade.Plant in fast draining soil and place palm out of direct sunlight. Do not leave water standing in saucer.

This was one of the plants on NASA’s top 10 list of the most effective plants for removing formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide from the air.The report was mentioned in Dr. B.C.Wolverton’s book, “How to Grow Fresh Air”.

Here is the rainforest germination is easy. Find a shaded area of the rainforest and plant the seeds and wait. We usually plant Chamaedorea seifrizii in July becase it needs more heat than sunlight. With raised beds in a tropical environment there is no rush.

From Chamaedorea seifrizii

The seeds of the Chamaedorea seifrizii take from 3 to 5 months to germinate.

For people wanting to germinate Chamaedorea seifrizii seeds it is advisable that you use a heating mat or coil soil heater. These are available at many places and will aid in germinating tropical plants. 90 degree soil temperature is what we need for faster germination.

After the seedlings starting coming up reduce to temperature to about the 80 degree range.

Plants are ready to be transplanted after the first set of leaves develop.

Common knowledge says to plant the seedling in Light to Medium Shade. This is fine if you want a great looking houseplant. But in truth the bamboo palm will take full sun.

From Peach Palm

The Bactris gasipaes is truly an amazing Palm. It is native to the jungles of Central and South America. Some of the common names are: Peach Palm, pejibaye, pijuayo,pixbae and many others.

The peach Palm has importance as a food source. Has edible fruits but is also grown commercially for its delicious heart of palm.

The trunks may be smooth but are more often spiny. Some are extremely spiny and should be great as a security hedge or screen.

The fruit is red, yellow and orange.

From Peach Palm

From Peach Palm

The Palm can reach up to 20 meters and higher. It needs to be planted in Zone 11 or above.Does not temperatures under 40 degrees fahrenheit. Cold will kill it. The Peach Palm is not really a Palm for people living on the Mainland United States.

This is an example of an exceptionally tall Peach Palm.

From Peach Palm

Birds love the tasty fruit of the peach palm.

From Peach Palm

Germination requires high humidity and warm damp soil in a sunny area. If germination is being done inside a bright grow light might be necessary. Seeds have short shelf life, 3 mouths or so after being harvested. Provided they are stored correctly.

From Sabal mauritiiformis

Grown as a landscape Palm and for it’s foliage. It is commonly used for thatch roofs in Central America. It is popular for Cabana roofing on beach resorts.

Can be grown in Southern California and Florida. Zone 10a and above.

Sensitive to frost. Temperatures less than 30 degrees fahrenheit will damage leaves.

Grows well in full sun and will tolerate some shade.

Height in tropical regions can reach over 40 feet.

Seeds take 2 to 4 months or more to germinate. Do not let seeds get dry they need consistantly moist soil.

From Sabal mauritiiformis

From Wodyetia bifurcata

Scientific Name: Wodyetia bifurcata. Common name: Foxtail Palm. This spectacular palm was only discovered in the early 1978 but it has become a popular landscape item in tropical regions around the world.

It is an attractive, tall, solitary, pinnate palm with a slender grey trunk that can reach 20m high. It has a slender crownshaft and long arching leaves. Native to Australia. It likes a sunny, well drained position. It is fast growing and is an excellent addition to any tropical or subtropical garden. Can tolerate mild frosts.

From Wodyetia bifurcata

The seeds of the Foxtail Palm getting harvested.

From Wodyetia bifurcata

The Licuala grandis is an attractive tropical understory palm that has become popular as both a house plant and landscape ornamental in warmer regions. It is an understory palm in that it sits under the rain forests vast canopy of large trees. The jungle protects it from the sun and the wind.

The unique form of its round pleated fronds makes it a stand out plant in any environment. This palm is easy to start from seeds and is easy to grow.

It requires little maintenance but does need protection against frost, that can damage the foliage. It can be slow growing but is happy in interior low light situations and in moist shady areas outside.

For best results keep the plant above in weather no lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Can be outside in Zones 10 and 11 with minimum winter temperatures over 3 degrees Celsius.

It requires a fertile soil, well drained soil.

For year round outside gardening Hawaii and the Southern tip of Florida in the USA will do the trick, If you are in other areas of the USA simply grow in a container as a houseplant. Move it in a shaded and protected area outside for the summer and move in when temperatures get lower.

From 6-20-09

Shown here in containers.

The Sun and wind can danger fan leaves….

From 6-20-09

Direct sunlight will turn the leaves brown. Excessive wind will fray the leaves.

Seeds from the Licuala grandis.

From 6-20-09

Here is a slide show of some of our Licuala grandis in our seed farm. We can supply small amounts to over 10,000 Licuala grandis seeds at a time.

The seeds take time to germinate. Several months to a year for seedlings to grow.