The Kiwi Connection
New Zealander Keith Boyer gives some topical
tips to Tony King on cultivating some of the rarer cold-hardy palms.
Tony King ex. Keith Boyer
Chamaerops No. 3, published online 23-11-2002
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Some readers may have been aware of an impending
publication that was set to become the 'bible' for us palm growers
in the cooler parts of the world. Keith Boyer, a New Zealander,
has spent many years researching the cultivation of cool growing
palms and cycads, visiting many in habitat to gain a better understanding
of their needs. Sadly, the publisher selected for "Palms and
Cycads beyond the Tropics" developed cold feet at the last
minute and a new publisher is still being sought.
I have been corresponding with Keith and his latest
letter contained practical information on some interesting species
that I thought I would share with you.
Despite the distance between our two countries,
there are many similarities between palm growing in Europe and New
Zealand. Even in Auckland, which is toward the north of the north
island, Royal Palms and Fishtail Palms cannot be cultivated out
of doors. The summer maximum is 25¾C and on winter days 10¾C, this
latter with high rainfall. Frosts, when they occur, are wet' and
cause as much damage at -2¾C as would a dry frost of -5¾C in say
California.
Strict laws prohibit the importation of palms into
New Zealand; so all have to be grown from seed inside the country.
It is only during the last 10 years that experimentation with species
other than Trachycarpus and Phoenix canariensis has taken place.
In many ways this is similar to the situation in the U.K. where
growers, especially amateurs, are experimenting with new species
outdoors, many of which are grown from seed from the I.P.S. Seed
Bank or more likely, from Inge Hoffman's excellent seed service.
However, we are somewhat luckier in that we can import more mature
specimens from nurseries in warmer parts of the world, to broaden
our garden palm flora.
* * *
Here are some of Keith Boyer's observations regarding
his attempts at raising some mouth-watering palms from seed. An
important recommendation with these is that the outdoor species
are planted directly into the ground as seedlings, with heavy mulching
of the soil for protection.
Firstly, CEROXYLON, those fantastic wax palms from
the high Andes.
"Initially, success was a long time coming",
he writes, "with the first three batches rotting at a temperature
of 25¾C. Better results were obtained with temperatures below 20¾C.
The best method is to fill a pot 3/4 full with a free draining potting
mix. The top 1/4 is then filled with either sharp sand or sphagnum
moss, with the seeds just pressed below the surface. Germination
at 20¾C takes 4-6 months. The resulting seedlings are then grown
on in an open mix, containing a good proportion of peat moss to
allow good water/oxygen retention."
In Keith's Auckland garden, Ceroxylon grow best
during winter under cool, wet conditions. Losses occur occasionally
during the summer if the plants are exposed to too much warmth and
humidity. 75% shade is advisable for the first few years.
Staying with South American palms, Keith next turned
to the two species of PARAJUBAEA: P. cocoides from Ecuador and P.
torallyi from Bolivia. Again, constant warmth (at 25¾C) proved disastrous
with much of the seed rotting. Simulating the warm days and cool
nights of P. cocoides' lofty homeland was much more successful,
with, again, an open and free-draining potting mix being used. Germination
time was still slow, but once sprouted, a deep pot, (40cm/16")
was required to accommodate the roots. After 2 or 3 years, growth
becomes very rapid, with the best being made in the spring and autumn
months, but also into winter. Summer sees the palms enter a state
of dormancy.
If P. cocoides is rare, then its Bolivian cousin,
P. torallyi, is even more so. On the 5 seeds received from the Palm
Society Seed Bank, Keith used a hacksaw to cut the hard seed coat
to a depth of 2mm all the way round. After two weeks, the first
germinated and 18 months later, the second! An early fear was that
this species would not grow in the Auckland climate. This reasoning
was based on the fact that in the wild, P. torallyi inhabits a sandstone
landscape at 2700m altitude where very little rain falls during
the year, causing it to bear leaves of a more leathery texture than
those of P. cocoides. Also the climate here is cooler than in Ecuador.
After seeing the young plant perform poorly in the pot, enough courage
was summoned to transfer it into the ground and to date is has flourished
in loam soil and 2000mm of annual rainfall!
A quick jump now to Asia for the last group of palms
to mention: the Fishtails or Caryota palms. Three species are currently
proving themselves in Auckland: C. urens, C. obtusa and C. ochlandra
- the tallest example of which in New Zealand is 2m. This Chinese
Fish Tail palm in Keith's garden grows in a heavy, cold, wet clay
where even the Parsley and Polyanthus rot in winter". The only
ill effects are caused by the magnesium leaching back into the soil
with the cold winter rains, cured by the application of a mineral
spray to the foliage in the spring.
I m sure you will agree with me that the information
gathered by Keith would be of great value to all of us engaged in
cultivating palms in the temperate zone and I sincerely hope that
his attempts to find a new publisher will be successful. It would
be a great shame if we were to be deprived of the final publication
and his years of research go to waste.
Should you wish to contact Keith, or express your
support for his work, his address is
Mr. K. Boyer 70 Opanuku Rd., Henderson Valley, Auckland, N. Z.

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