Hedyscepe canterburyana - Umbrella or Big Mountain Palm

[bobbyd44]

cheers dave mine are on the same sort of windowcil, but not fed will give it some tomorrow cheers..

[DaveP]

I grew one from a two leaved seedling in 1999. It took about 8 years to reach 3 feet, but that was probably because it spent all of that time outside and didn't have the benefit of any protection apart from light, overhead shade. The winter of 08/09 caused most leaves to be damaged for the first time and the plant was visibly weakened. I'm afraid that repeated frosts during this last winter have completely seen it off. If there's a return to what were our normal, mild (ie. near frost-free) winters, I'll have another go, but this time with a larger plant.

Hedyscepe is only possible as a permanent subject where frosts are light and very infrequent. I would put it in the same category as Howea in terms of 'hardiness', but it seems to grow better at slightly higher temperatures. Howea will continue growing for longer as temperatures fall, whereas my observations of Hedyscepe seem to indicate that it needs to be a few degrees warmer for continued and/or resumed growth.

[Dave Brown]

I'd agree with that Dave. My previous one was very slow, but I bought it to plant out in the front garden, so like yours it spent all it's life outside or under the covered bit.

Now we know they are not hardy we can grow them better

[redsquirrel]

how are they doing Dave,my remaining plant is looking very sickly and grown 1 leaf all year

[Adrian]

I might have a spare one if yours fails Darren.

[Dave Brown]

Mine have grown 3 leaves but one was badly affected by scale insect so has marks on the leaves. All are looking ok now. I'll take a pic tomorrow

[redsquirrel]

mines gone yellow and yeuk,think i should have fed it at least once might have copped a frost too.gave my second one to mike as he was after one.
thanks everso Ade but i want to keep as much space available for my rhopies and tvts etc, also got some nice trachies from you and that chamaedorea to look after aswell.not to mention the tahina they are going to get bigger so i will try and save this one then let it be if no joy.
btw bright star, ring any bells

[Dave Brown]

There could be several reasons for the yellowing Darren, The frost could be one, but also if it gets sun, they are an understory palm, at least when small. They like to be reasonably moist with a fair humidity. Mine spent the summer tucked in amongst other plants against a north facing wall, behind the wildlife pond. They were watered daily during the summer so the humidity would have remained higher than elsewhere in the garden,

Took this pic of one last night. Junior hacksaw for scale

[Adam]

awww the hacksaw is sooooo cool
my hedescepe which i got from george has put out a smaller leaf than the ones it came with i think because it got burnt from the sun like you said dave and your plant looks quite big compared to the saw lol shame mines got smaller

[Leigh]

A bit brutal Dave using a Jr hacksaw to treat Scale, a damp sponge would have done

[redsquirrel]

thought id add my sick chicken

[Dave Brown]

looks bleached Darren. Perhaps try epsom salts and high potash. The magnesium and potassium helps the plants processes and chlorophyll production.

[redsquirrel]

will do mate,ive got some in the shed

[Dave Brown]

will do mate,ive got some in the shed

But you will have to give it some warmth to keep the processes going to take advantage

[DaveP]

What compost are you using Darren? With palms such as Hedyscepe, Lepidorrhachis and Rhopalostylis I tend to use a more acidic compost incorporating at least 50% ericaceous compost into the mix. This together with feeding a weak (50% rec. dilution rate) ericaceous fertiliser about once a month during the main growing period and (depending upon ambient temperature) every 6-8 weeks at other times always gave sturdy, rich green growth.

A lot of these palms naturally inhabit wooded highland regions where the soil is rich in humus and despite occasionally alkaline base rock, are somewhat acidic due to higher rainfall. It's not a good idea to mess about with the roots at the moment, but it might be worth very carefully teasing out older compost and replenishing with an amended mixture when spring finally arrives.