Hedyscepe canterburyana - Umbrella or Big Mountain Palm

[redsquirrel]

Daveb,ive brought it indoors now,will put upstairs in the window in the spare room,not really heated in there, and leave til spring when i will re-pot into Davep s recommeneded mixture. i havent a clue what it is in,the stuff from george.only feed its had is maxicrop with everything else in my polytunnel. my answer probably lies there, not enough humidity by the sounds of it.
i have to admit i have neglected it, shouldnt have so many if i cant keep up

[Dave Brown]

Dave, would not sequested iron work in this case if a ph problem, leaving the compost as it is over winter?

I was more interested in the drainage when I potted mine up, and used 33% mp, 33% JI no3 and 34% hort grit.

[DaveP]

Dave, would not sequested iron work in this case if a ph problem, leaving the compost as it is over winter?

TBH Dave, I don't think it's just the iron issue with many of these palms, they simply seem to do better in a mildly low pH compost. At the lower safe end (around pH 5.5 - 6.0) Potassium solubility is increased as well as that of Magnesium, Copper, Calcium and Boron and therefore renders these more readily available to the plant. When pH rises above 7, both iron and manganese change into insoluble compounds that are not readily available to plants and those that are normally adapted to lower pH levels tend to react adversely earlier on. So, it's not just an iron deficiency that may be starting to appear.

A dose of sequestered iron will certainly do no harm and may even do some good, but as with everything it is always better to deal with the cause rather than treat the symptoms. Darran's Hedy looks reasonably OK at the moment - a bit yellowish maybe, but it isn't showing any worrying signs and is unlikely to in the immediate future, so no need to panic. I would certainly look at a partial compost change once light levels start to increase

I was more interested in the drainage when I potted mine up, and used 33% mp, 33% JI no3 and 34% hort grit.

Drainage is extremely important although a third grit seems just a tad high to me, but each to their own. A mix that has worked extremely well with Rhopalostylis, Ceroxylon, Hedyscepe, Lepidorrachis and Trachycarpus martianus is 2 parts ericaceous, one part JI No3 & one part perlite. I've chopped and changed it over the years, but this seems to give me the best results and provides a sharply drained, but moisture retentive, slightly acidic, stable compost.

[Adam]

how have everyones hedyscepe's grown/faired so far then??

[Dave Brown]

how have everyones hedyscepe's grown/faired so far then??

Only 6 months late in replying

Here are my 3 x Hedescepe, that have been given a winter airing today due to the mild, wet, wet, wet conditions. I'll be leaving them out unless temps are due to fall below 5C. They are put in deep damp shade in summer, the pots just placed amongst the jungle.

Had to put rocks in the pots as the gales blew all 3 over within seconds of placing them out today

[TroyDonovan]

They look fantastic Dave .
In my opinion Hedyscepe canterburyana has to be one of the nicest crownshafted palms out of the uber tropical species and New Caledonian palms .

This is a big specimen at a palm society members garden near San Diego with me for scale !

The tallest Hedy is in the garden of Robert De Jong in San clemente California this over the roof Hedyscepe was planted in 1979 !

[Dave Brown]

They are great Troy I think I might be in trouble when mine get to that size