[Trevor Australis]

I have some seeds of Phoenix theophrasti from the seedbank and have germinated quite a few in a standard pot in standard potting mix. When I lifted up the pot to take a closer look two or three of the seedlings slipped out through the drainage holes! Clearly the first root had gone straight to the bottom of the pot and into the crack in the paving on which it stood; one or two separated top growth from root growth at this time. My question is how do other members treat this plant as seedlings?

If I leave the present seedlings in the pot will the primary root twist round and round becoming root-bound? Can it be unwound and planted out? What is the effect of breaking the tap root? How are these long rooted plants potted on?

All advice appreciated.  tn

[Alisdair]

Trevor, Quite a few years ago John Fielding (our forum member) gave me a few seeds which he had brought from Vai in Crete. They germinated well, and rooted out very quickly. I had sown the seeds individually in 3-inch pots. By the time I was able to plant them out in Greece, the leading roots of the two plants I took had curled round, but I found it fairly easy to tease them out and more or less straighten them, and the young plants took off well. Years later they are still thriving and seem very solidly settled.
If I were trying them again from seed, I would I think sow directly into a one- or two-litre deep pot, the "root-training" type with ridged sides and a mesh instead of a solid base, and plant them out as soon as roots reached the base. But perhaps that's a counsel of perfection. Judging by my experience they little plants are so tough and so flexible that they will put up with almost anything!
Beware, they will take revenge on you as they grow up. The stipules along the lower part of each frond are incredibly vicious!

[David Bracey]

Trevor this was O Filippi`s bete noir. He solved the problem using straight sided "forestry-type "pots. Here the roots grow downwards rather than in a circle. See page 54/55 in his book "The Dry Gardening Handbook".

I heard him speak in Athens and he predicted that all the oleanders planted for the ? Olympics would eventually die since they were all suffering from twisted roots.

You will find that most nurseries , at least in the South of France use these pots 

[Alice]

Trevor, I also grew P. theophrasti from seed obtained from the MGS seed bank. My experience is very similar to Alisdair's.
I planted the seeds in small pots (small enough to fit easily in hand luggage) and transplanted the seedlings into the ground when they were still quite young. The main roots were rather long but not too twisted, so I straightened them. The plants are alive but have not grown very much in two years. I await their revenge as long as they survive any attacks by Paysandisia archon!

[John]

My experience with this species from seed is that I plant a whole load of seed in a normal pot (at least 50 seeds) and they germinate like cress. They can stay in this pot for a year or two without any harm and then I tease them apart and grow them on seperately. This way I hope to have introduced several hundred babies into many gardens in the Med and further north including Cornwall where they should thrive well enough, at least with the winters we are experiencing for now. My main reason for doing this is that I feel there is a strong chance that they will be lost in the wild and wanted to try and ensure enough were in cultivation but also away from the dreaded weevil etc.
A concern in cultivation but also in the wild is that if they are grown in proximity to Phoenix canariensis (or another species) they may well hybridise and the long term prospects are that we lose this species altogether.

[Trevor Australis]

Y/day I took a friend, Marcus Ryan - and also MGS member who some of you may know, to the Waite Arboretum. The Curator, Jennifer Gardner, told me they have several 100 yr old Theophrastus palms in the collection. Knowing this I can now happily give some of my seedlings away at local MGS meetings.

My recollection is that there are no P. canariensis in the arboretum so I will take a walk-about there and see what seeds may be found. tn

[John]

That sounds like good news unless they are all males!

[Alice]

It is good to hear of the efforts to keep this species going. Perhaps at some later date it could be re-introduced to the areas of Greece now being devastated by the dreaded palm weevil and moth.

[Trevor Australis]

Thanks John, I expect you meant the century old trees when suggesting they could be males? I will have to ask the Curator if she has observed the sex of the trees. I imagine I may well be dead before my tiny seedlings come to maturity. But that's not really the point of growing trees from seed is it? tn

[John]

Yes though I suppose I could have equally said if they were all females. The obvious implication being that to maintain an ongoing population of the pure species both sexes would be needed. Still they are long lived and more younger plants will help.