Chamaedorea radicalis berrying.

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DaveP

Chamaedorea radicalis berrying.

Post by DaveP »

I never thought it would happen here because both of my plants have only ever produced spikes of female flowers in the past, so berries would be impossible without a male pollinator. I've always believed radicalis to be dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants), but it would appear that they can become monoecious as well.

Normally I cut the spikes once the flowers start 'opening' because there's no point in letting them continue and to my mind, the 3ft. high forked 'wands' look untidy. Last summer I wasn't being tidy minded and left the spike on one plant although I pulled the other before it had grown very tall. Today, the remaining spike is carrying a dozen or so pea-sized berries and having cut one open, there appears to be normally developing seed inside.

I know Dave B's clump berries regularly, but it's likely that there are male and female plants in the clump. Mine are singles and as stated above, normally female. So, it would appear that this species can produce male and female flowers on the same spike on the same plant. Dunno why I should be so fascinated since it is not unusual for pants to change sex part way through their life, but I've never heard of palms doing this.
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AndyC
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Re: Chamaedorea radicalis berrying.

Post by AndyC »

Isn't nature amazing. I have grown Vasconcellea cundimarcensis (mountain Pawpaw) from seed for a few years that produce male of female plants. Apparently, if I can keep them alive for long enough, they may change to being monoecious.
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Dave Brown
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Re: Chamaedorea radicalis berrying.

Post by Dave Brown »

That is interesting Dave, but are you sure there are no others nearby. :?: The other thing is many Chamaedoreas will cross, so have you had any other species flowering :?: An elegans maybe :?: You mention 3ft forked wands. Those sound like the male flower, the female being shorter. :wink:
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DaveP

Re: Chamaedorea radicalis berrying.

Post by DaveP »

Dave Brown wrote:That is interesting Dave, but are you sure there are no others nearby. :?: The other thing is many Chamaedoreas will cross, so have you had any other species flowering :?: An elegans maybe :?: You mention 3ft forked wands. Those sound like the male flower, the female being shorter. :wink:
Absolutely certain Dave. I normally pull the spikes on both plants once they become obvious - ie. over 2ft high. The spikes usually carry female flowers - I've dissected them in the past to check on the state of stigmatic surfaces in the hope of creating hybrids with males of other species. Last year, my more tender Chams (glaucifolia, costaricana etc.) failed to flower at all so it couldn't be those as much as I wish it were. I don't bother to grow elegans outside any more. Winter wet causes too many black spots on the leaves.
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Dave Brown
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Re: Chamaedorea radicalis berrying.

Post by Dave Brown »

You'll have to see if they are viable :wink:

Mine look to have been killed by the frost again. I had a few berries ripen in 2006, and produced I seedling, a bumper crop of around 90 berries in 2007 following the mild winter, and they produced 75 seedlings. They started to flower in November 2007 and the flowers were killed by frost so no berries in 2008. They flowered again in late spring 2008 and produced around 80 berries, but the harsh winter 2008/9 killed them on the palm. They were frozen right through, and dropped before ripening. Same again in 2009/10 killed by the frost and most have dropped before ripening. There are about 10 remaining on the palms at the moment. :wink:
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