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Needle Palm Question?
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:54 pm
by BILL MA
Hey Everyone,
This may sound like a fairly stupid question but until now I never really needed to know the answer. I know with needle palms you need both male and female plants to get seeds.
Here's my question. When you have both of these palms flowering at once what pollinates them? If it's something I need to do since the creature that normally pollinates them is not around I would like to get doing it sooner then later. Some of the male flowers are looking a little dried up so while there s still some left I Want to use it.
Thanks,
Bill
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:49 pm
by lucky1
A child's art class paintbrush would work.
I used to do that with my Calamondin oranges.
Good luck.
Barb
Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:42 am
by BILL MA
I thought about that Barb, I was just curious what pollinates them too.
I was hoping Todd or Penny would have a answer for me.
Bill
Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:29 pm
by TerdalFarm
Mine haven't flowered, but I'm also curious. --Erik
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:59 am
by lucky1
Beetles and wasps from this:
insect pollination, especially by beetles (Coleoptera), bees and wasps (Hymenoptera), and flies (Diptera), is apparently more common than wind pollination. Bats (Chiroptera) play a role in the pollination of some species (S. A. Cunningham 1995) .
Dispersal of seeds is generally by means of animals for fleshy-fruited palms (S. Zona and A. Henderson 1989) . Many species of mammals include palm fruits in their diets (S. H. Bullock 1980; R. F. Harlow 1961; W. D. Klimstra and A. L. Dooley 1990; D. S. Maehr 1984; D. S. Maehr and J. R. Brady 1984), but birds also play a significant role. In the Eastern Hemisphere, Cocos Linnaeus and Nypa Steck have achieved a wide distribution as the result of dispersal by water. For the relationship between palms and seed-eating bruchid beetles (Bruchidae: Pachymerinae: Pachmerini), see C. D. Johnson et al. (1995) .[1]
Technical stuff here:
http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/r/Rhapidophyllum_hystrix/
I could mail you some flies.
Barb
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:34 pm
by TerdalFarm
Thanks!
My only palms to flower are Chamaedorea radicalis, and they attract beetles, flies and wasps, too. --Erik
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:43 pm
by hardyjim
You can also cut the male ahem,parts off and whip the female with it.
Normally more fun if not removed
Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:55 pm
by TerdalFarm
My male C. radicalis is planted close enough to my females that I can do that without the orchidectomy.
--Erik
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:21 am
by gpenny
Bill
You can also have plants with both male and female flowers (more rare) and I know of several in my area like this. Most of the palm species in my area (pindos, windmills,palmettos) are literally swarmed by bees and flies during flowering stages. However, when needle palms are flowering I never see this type of insect activity. I suppose this is partially due to the fact that the flowers are usually "hidden" deep within the fronds of the plant. Yet somehow they do get pollinated! I'm suspecting that crawling insects (beetles) are the pollinators ,but hand pollination probrably would increase seed production.
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:42 am
by BILL MA
Thanks so much guys, I went ahead and did it by hand like Barb, Jim, and Penny suggested. It would be a waste if I just let them go by.
I'll find out in fall I guess. The minor seeds are starting to look more like seeds everyday, I like that one you don't have to do anything.
Bill
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:46 am
by hardyjim
Next year try male Trachy pollen with the female needles or vice versa,
Trachys and Needle palms are closely related genetically!