July 2018 – LE PALMS

Africa, Conservation, Culture, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Cultivating Endangered Palm Tree Species from Africa

Cultivating endangered palm species from Africa and Madagascar. Today we report about the situtation and how to protect endangered species from extinction, for example by promoting and sharing important information and seeds for cultivation. You can order now different Madagascar palms, cuttings or young plants and seeds by eMail or eBay. We can ship worldwide and in Europe for lower shipping costs.

Dypsis madagascariensis is a species of flowering plant in the Arecaceae family. The palm of Madagascar is threatened by habitat loss. Dypsis madagascariensis is endemic to northern and western Madagascar. Dypsis madagascariensis occurs in moist rainforest and semi-deciduous forest up to 650 m altitude. It can be found in drier forest than most other Dypsis species, even in gullies and ravines in dry bushland. It is cultivated as an ornamental in many tropical countries. Locally it has become naturalized, e.g. in Panama. In Madagascar the wood is commonly used for floorboards of houses. The palm heart is an excellent vegetable and the fruits are edible. The palm is an attractive ornamental. The wood is very hard because of an outer layer of tough fibres. The felling intensity of Dypsis madagascariensis trees is locally high, but usually only mature trees are cut, which gives them some time to reproduce by seed. In many areas, regeneration is fair. However, as is the case with most other Dypsis spp. in Madagascar, the population of Dypsis madagascariensis has much declined as a result of forest destruction, and in national parks illegal cutting is still practised.

Dypsis comprises about 140 species, all endemic to Madagascar except 2 occurring in the Comoros and 1 on Pemba Island. The name Dypsis madagascariensis (Becc.) Beentje & J.Dransf. (1995) may be illegitimate because of the existence of Dypsis madagascariensis (Mart.) G.Nicholson (1885), which is a synonym of Areca madagascariensis Mart. Several other large-sized Dypsis species are cut for their timber used in house building, but most of these are very rare or have a very restricted distribution. The stems of some smaller-sized species are used to make blowpipes, fishtraps and bird cages. The fruits of Dypsis madagascariensis are eaten by lemurs, which disperse the seeds. The palm can grow up to 18 m tall with solitary trunk or 2–4 trunks clustering in clumps, up to 30 cm in diameter; crown shaft green, white waxy.

It is unlikely that sustainable and economically interesting production of timber and palm heart is possible from the remaining wild stands of Dypsis madagascariensis. Protection of the species has become a major concern. Its importance as an ornamental palm will probably still increase. Nursery, conservation and environmental protection projects like Greening Deserts and LE Palms (Leipzig Palms) supporting the recultivation and protections of endangered species, not just palms. We also cultivating different Baobab and mammoth trees.

Sources:

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/38543/0

https://www.iucn.org/content/madagascar’s-palms-near-extinction

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0103684

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/13/madagascar-mass-extinction-plants-kew-gardens

https://theconversation.com/the-loss-of-madagascars-unique-palm-trees-will-devastate-ecosystems-78622

Conservation, Culture, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Leipzig Palms Cultivating Foxtail Palms from Australia

Leipzig Palms (LE Palms) will cultivate and research palms from all continents, especially palms for deserts, savannahs and other dry lands or wastelands. So we can improve the desert greening process, conservation, regeneration, reforestation and revegetation in dry and barren landscapes. Help us to reduce the worldwide desertification, global warming and land degradation. @Greening Coasts, Greening Deserts, Green Ring Africa,..

Today we present Wodyetia bifurcata, the foxtail palm. We have one year palms, you can order now in our palm shop. http://www.LEPalms.shop

The foxtail palm is endemic to a remote area in Queensland, Australia on the Cape York Peninsula where they grow in rocky and flooded scrubland. Usually found in sandy, acidic soils, they grow from sea level to 400 m in elevation. Queensland, Australia, N.E. Queensland, confined to the southwest, south and southeast sides of Melville Range, latitude 14˚ 17′ S, longitude 144˚ 28′ E.

Biology And Ecology: Wodyetia occurs in open woodland communities consisting of rain forest elements in coarse, loose granite sand, among huge granite boulders, with the main canopy being the palms themselves. Other tree species associated with it are low forms of Ficus obliqua, F. benjamina (semi-creeping), Buchanania arborescens, Polyalthia nitidissima, Myristica insipida, Diospyros reticulata var. ferrea, Cryptocarya bidwilli, and vines Capparis sp., Cissus sp. It extends 1-2 km, downstream, along open forest creeks at the foot of the granite boulder hills. Here it may be found amongst Eucalyptus polycarpa, E. drepanophylla, Cochlospermum gillvrayei and Bombax ceiba forest. It appears to be absent from dense closed forest communities in the area. In these communities the palm Archontophoenix alexandrae is a prolific upper canopy species. Altitude range is 60-400 m a.s.l. Climatic conditions have a strong seasonally dry component, with drought stress likely to be significant for six months of the year. Annual rainfall is reckoned to be about 1400-1600 mm, confined mainly to 3-4 months of the year, DecemberMarch (Summer Wet). Mature fruit is present in October-December, open flowers are likely to be found in December and February. Seed germinates in 2-3 months, coinciding with the wet season, but sporadic germination continues for at least 14 months. (Irvine, A. 1983)

Wodyetias have proven highly adaptable, and are grown in suitable climates all over the world, in places as varied as Miami, Los Angeles, Bermuda, Durban, Honolulu, Sydney, Auckland, Cape Town and Corsica. In Southern California, Wodyetias are best started in the ground from relatively large plants, the bigger the better. Little baby plants will survive, but often disappoint. Full sun is best, plus well-drained soil. No ph issues known. Once established will grow fast, though not as fast as in more humid climates.

Asia, Conservation, Conservation, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Leipzig Palms Cultivating Livistona Fan Palms

Leipzig Palms cultivating Livistona chinensis. With a special palm greenhouse we can cultivate also other famous tropical or subtropical palms in future.

Livistona is a genus of palms (family Arecaceae), native to southern, southeastern and eastern Asia, Australasia, and the Horn of Africa. They are fan palms, the leaves with an armed petiole terminating in a rounded, costapalmate fan of numerous leaflets. Livistona is closely related to the genus Saribus, and for a time Saribus was included in Livistona. Recent studies, however, have advocated separating the two groups.

Chinese fan palms (Livistona chinensis) have larger fan-shaped fronds than their close relatives, the Australian fan palms (Livistona australis). Pronounced are the overhanging leaf tips that have earned the nickname “fountain palm” for these world-famous palm trees, also called Lifingston palms or Livstonien, are among the fan palms: they have round fronds whose edges are cut to about two-thirds of their maximum 1 m in diameter and are thus unfolded in many tips. The strains are quite slender compared to other fan palms, the annual increase is moderate. The Trunk is up to 15 m tall, 20-30 cm in diam. breast high, leaf scars obscure, roughened and with remnant tissue, light coloured, internodes narrow, irregular, brown to grey with age, petiole stubs not persistent, longitudinal fissures prominent. In their Eastern Australian home, these umbrella palms grow in humid rainforests on always moist soil. Accordingly, they appreciate in this country sunny to partly sunny places with regular watering. They tolerate short-term frost.

The Chinese fan palm is not particular about soil. Fertilize twice a year in spring and summer with a good quality slow release fertilizer that contains micro-nutrients. Light: fLikes direct sun and bright situations. Young plants look better when grown in part shade. Moisture: This palm forms a long tap root and can survive extended periods of drought. Provide adequate moisture for more rapid growth. This palm may be hardier than Zone 8. Sheltered some palms survived temperatures as low as 15 degrees. They also seem resistant to the fungus diseases that attacked other “semi-hardy” palms after sustaining cold damage. Propagation: By seed. If kept warm they will germinate in about 2 months time. USDA Hardiness, zone: 9B.

Livistona chinensis; the genus is named for the baron of Livingston and the species name chinensis is Latin for ‘of China’.

There are following species:
Livistona alfredii F.Muell. – Australia: Western Australia
Livistona australis (R.Br.) Mart. – Cabbage-tree Palm – Australia: New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Livistona benthamii F.M.Bailey – Australia: Queensland, Northern Territory; New Guinea
Livistona boninensis (Becc.) Nakai – Bonin Islands
Livistona carinensis (Chiov.) J.Dransf. & Uhl – Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen
Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Mart. – Chinese Fan Palm – Japan: South and Ryukyu Islands, China: Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan; naturalized in South Africa, Java, New Caledonia, Hawaii, Micronesia, Florida, Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and various island in the Indian Ocean
Livistona concinna Dowe & Barfod – Australia: Queensland
Livistona decora (W.Bull) Dowe – Australia: Queensland
Livistona drudei F.Muell. ex Drude – Australia: Queensland
Livistona eastonii C.A.Gardner – Australia: Western Australia
Livistona endauensis J.Dransf. & K.M.Wong – Peninsular Malaysia
Livistona exigua J.Dransf. – Brunei
Livistona fulva Rodd – Australia: Queensland
Livistona halongensis – Ha Long Bay Islands in Vietnam
Livistona humilis R.Br. – Australia: Northern Territory
Livistona inermis R.Br. – Australia: Northern Territory, Queensland
Livistona jenkinsiana Griff. – Bhutan, India: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam; Myanmar, Thailand, China: Hainan, Yunnan
Livistona lanuginosa Rodd – Australia: Queensland
Livistona lorophylla Becc. – Australia: Northern Territory, Western Australia
Livistona mariae F.Muell. – Central Australian Fan Palm – Australia: Northern Territory
Livistona muelleri F.M.Bailey – Australia: Queensland; New Guinea
Livistona nasmophila Dowe & D.L. Jones – Australia: Western Australia
Livistona nitida Rodd – Carnarvon Fan Palm – Australia: Queensland
Livistona rigida Becc. – Australia: Northern Territory, Queensland
Livistona saribus (Lour.) Merr. ex A. Chev. – Indochina, Malaysia, Borneo, Java, Philippines; naturalized in Polynesia, China: Guangdong, Yunnan
Livistona speciosa Kurz – Kho – Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia, Bangladesh, southern China
Livistona tahanensis Becc. – Pahang in Malaysia
Livistona victoriae Rodd – Australia: Western Australia, Northern Territory

Source: Palmpedia, Wikipedia

Conservation, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Nursery, Palms, Sustainability

Leipzig Palms Cultivating Exotic and Endangered Tropical Palms

LE Palms (Leipzig Palms) cultivating also exotic and tropical palms, especially rare and endangered species. Together with Greening Deserts we want to cultivate also palms of the Red List which are in danger of extinction. For this work we need greenhouses and any support. That’s why we want to build a special greenhouse in the upcoming greening and research camp in the surface mining landscape nearby Leipzig in Saxony. If all runs good and we get finally financial support for this and other important conservation work we maybe can start on site with first preperations still this year.

We found many good and unused places around the lakes (Lakeland Neuseenland). At Cospudener, Markkleeberger and Zwenkauer lake is enough place for a first camp. We informed all responsibles many times and asked for free places, but got no concrete offers. Our demands or requests are still running and we hope to get finally concrete offers for possible places at the lakes. We need a place nearby the camp not just because of the palm cultivation, but also because of water research and the research on better irrigation methods and how to improve the waters or water quality – also for the important research of water plants. Everything is described and explained extensively on the Greening Deserts projects pages.

We already cultivating some rare palms, they growing very good here in Germany. Spring, summer and autumn are hot enough. Today we want to present one rare palm species which is well know because of their hearts of palm. The palm is a perfect houseplant and can be grown indoors.

Euterpe edulis, also Jussarapalme or Juçarapalme, is a palm species native in South America, which strong by the extraction of the palm hearts was decimated.

The species forms single strains, rarely is it multi-stemmed and then with few strains. The trunks are upright, 5 to 12 m high at one Diameter of 10 to 15 cm. The trunk surface is usually gray of lichen, at the base is a reddish-brown cone of adventitious roots. These have a diameter of 1 to 2 cm. The crown consists of 8 to 15 pinnate leaves. The leaf sheath is 0.8 to 1.4 m long, olive to dark green, sometimes with a reddish or orange tone. The surface is bare or covered with reddish-brown scales. The petiole is 13 to 54 cm long. The rhachis is 1.5 up to 3 m long. On each side sit 38 to 62 (rarely 70) leaflets. They are overhanging or hanging, almost opposite, regular arranged and provided with a clear midrib. The lowest Fieder is 29 to 50 cm long, the middle 49 to 80 cm and the Fieder the top 15 to 35 cm…

Euterpe edulis occurs on the Atlantic coast of Brazil and neighboring regions: Alagoas, Bahia, Federal District, Espírito Santo, Goias, Minas Gerais, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo and Sergipe. The area still includes the northeast of Argentina (Misiones) and the southeast of Paraguay (Department of Alto Paraná). The species grows in Rainforests on rather steep slopes, rarely on flooded sites. It occurs up to heights of 1000 m. On slopes and ridges can they form dense stands, especially over quartzite and on sandy soils. It also colonizes disturbed forest locations.

Euterpe edulis was for many years the most important supplier of palm hearts. In 1965, Paraguay exported 3205 tons of palm hearts, causing destruction of millions of palm trees. Between 1968 and 1970, Brazil exported an average of 2650 tons of palm hearts. The palm hearts were all derived from wild growing stocks. The stocks of Euterpe edulis therefore declined sharply, and use shifted Euterpe oleracea. Rather subordinate is the use of logs as lumber, roofing sheets and fruits for juicing.

Source: Wikipedia

Conservation, Culture, Europe, Germany, News, Palms, Sustainability

Palms Coffee for more Diversity in the Coffee Culture

LE Palms (Leipzig Palms) is proud to announce the world’s first official project and platform for a complete new coffee genre and market. The innovative project Palms Coffee in German PalmenKaffee will test and produce different coffee sorts and palm ingredients like coconut milk, dates and other palm fruits to create new coffee creations. It’s a complete new universe of coffee pleasure. Join the evolution of the coffee culture. For more creativity and diversity! www.palmscoffee.com

Coffee culture is art and peace culture. – Oliver G. C.

Conservation, Environment, Environment, Europe, Germany, News, Palms, Sustainability

Leipzig Palms Improving Air Quality and Reducing Global Warming

Leipzig Palms (LE Palms) don’t just cultivating rare and endangered palms of the red list. We cultivating also palms for better air quality and for a more diverse environment. Diversity, conservation and environmental protection with palms are possible, especially in extreme environments like in dry and barren landscapes. Palms can filter the air from different toxic substances and cool down urban areas and bigger cities which heating up very much. More and more droughts coming to Europe because of the human-made climate change and the resulting extreme weather. Together with Greening Deserts projects we want to reduce the global warming on a significant level.

Phoenix roebelenii, with common names of pygmy date palm, miniature date palm or just robellini, is a species of date palm native to southeastern Asia, from southwestern China (Yunnan Province), northern Laos and northern Vietnam.

The dwarf date palm is a multi-stemmed palm, in culture it remains sometimes with one stem. It forms clumps where stemless shoots grow around the base of higher trunks. The trunk becomes 1 to 2, rarely up to 3 m high. The diameter is up to 10 cm without sheaths. The trunk is upright or twisted, bright, becoming smooth in old age. He is occupied with diamond-shaped leaf bases.

The leaves are arched, 1 to 1.5, rarely 2 m long. The pseudostiel is about 50 cm long. The leaf sheath is reddish brown and fibrous. The acanthophylls (pinnae turned into thorns) are solitary or paired, about 12 on each side of the rhachis. They are orange-green and up to 8 cm long. The leaflets are regular, opposite, about 25 to 50 on each side of the rachis. They are linear, deep green to 40 cm long and 1.2 cm wide.

Barrow argued in 1998 that, because of the small area of distribution and the collection of wild plants for trade, a classification as vulnerable was warranted. However, the IUCN does not lead the species in its Red List. The Dwarf Date Palm is a popular ornamental plant in Europe. It can be found worldwide in botanical gardens and private collections.

The plant purifies the air of formaldehyde, xylenes and toluene.

Source: Wikipedia

Archive: 28. July 2018