What you are essetially referring to is root pruning. People see a huge palm with just a small pot or wrapped rootball below. What happens is either a palm is dug in sections, and this allows for the roots to be severed in one quarter, and re-establish themselves within the prune. Shock is minimal because you only cut a quarter or half each week. I know some guys who allow plants to prune for 3-5 months. Here is a picture of an Old Man Palm (Coccothrinax crinita) fully pruned and ready to be bagged for transport. The downside to root pruning is that the mass that remains is all roots, and must be on a strict watering schedule, as they dry out very fast.

The ones you see in pots are just overgrown and are stunted out because their roots have not been pruned.

I grow my palms in pots. I am not sure at what height you would call mature, but here is one of my spindle palms from last summer. From bottom to top leaf tip its over 12 feet, the crown is probably 7 feet. Its in a 27 gallon pot. I have not cut any roots, just repot.

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Orchiddude, how big was the spindle when you got it?

Hey you with the very attractive Spindle Palm - SHOW OFF!!

KICK ... spindle !

From all I have seen and read, Hyophorbe (Spindles and Bottles) make excellent containerized palms. They seem to grow as well in relatively small pots as in the ground.

edbtz....The palm was in a 1 gallon pot when I bought it. Once they out grow the pot, I just move them up to the next size.

I also have a Queen that is getting to be large, she is in a 27 gallon pot also. These will all move up to 35 gallon pots in several years or so.

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I am also growing Triangle palms and bottle palms. I hope to see them in big pots one day.

oppalm....hey, I just grow them. I am proud of my palms cause I am the only one in my area who has any.

Spock, has some beautiful palms. I would love to back a truck up to his yard one summer night and start digging. Talk about a GOLD mine!

Here are a few more of my large plants.

Wow, thanks for all the pictures and info Orchiddude. It is reassuring to know that palms grown from seeds in containers, or obtained at a small size, can grow so nicely. I can't wait! I have many palms and given my climate I have no altenative, except for a limited number of species with protection and heat.

Orchidude

How old is that queen ?
She's a work of art !

Do spindles realy grow that fast in pots I always heard they was very slow growing ..

topher

I bought the queen I guess in a 3 gallon pot, it was kinda small. I guess its been 7 years or longer maybe 8 or 9 years. She is one of the easiest palms to grow. Loves water and food and she is happy all the time.

I am not sure what slow is other than maybe something that puts on 1 leaf a year, but my big spindle puts on about 4 inches of trunk a year. I get about 2 or 3 new leaves a year. In 2006 it grew 3 leaves, one just finished opening in Jan 2007. It never stops growing, new leaf after new leaf.

I have 3 Veitchia merrillii that are growing pretty fast also. I can hardly wait until these go into 5 gallon pots.

Then lets not forget my Hedyscepe canterburyana, this might be what you call slow. I think I get one leaf a year. I am hoping it gets a tad faster.

Anyone trying Bismarckia in pots...I will make the attempt this spring, will see what happens.

"I bought the queen I guess in a 3 gallon pot, it was kinda small. I guess its been 7 years or longer maybe 8 or 9 years. She is one of the easiest palms to grow. Loves water and food and she is happy all the time."

Orchiddude-

You dont want to see what that palm would look like if it was grown in the ground all that time!

But, I will show you anyway :-)

The Queen on the left is a little less than 3 years from a large 3 gallon/small 7 gallon size.

As a size reference, the Sabal on the right has 15 ft of trunk.

Here is the same Queen in June 2005, about 1 year after planting. The Sabals were planted about 1-2 months prior to this pic.

So, while there are certain palms that dont seem to mind pots, Id say Queens arent one of them.

But, I obviously understand why your Queen is potted. It is better that the pot has slowed it down as it keeps the palm far more manageable for a far longer time.

Very nice Spock. I see what you mean.

Looks like a beautiful day in the neighborhood too.

I have a Bismarkia nobilis growing in a pot. They do fine in pots. Mine goes outside in the growing season (April-Oct for me). They are supposed to be very sensitive to transplant so be careful, otherwise no problem for northern container growers who can provide the direct sun they demand.

I have a bismarkia nobilis growing in a pot. I bought it in south florida 2 years ago. It is in 20 gallon pot. It is silver one and looks great. I put it on my deck in early May and take it back in in early October. In 2 years I never had any problems with pests. Its an easy one to grow. At least so far.
Bill

Where do you guys keep it during the winter months? I'm assuming a sunny window, cooler temps, and dry conditions would suit it well, being from Madagascar where rainfall is seasonal and many other species are grown similarly.

x

xerophyte

is it dry in Madagascar during our winter time? I just wonder, cause I keep my spindles on the dry side during the winter. I was wondering if maybe I had the correct seasons going on without really knowing it?

Of course there are microclimate considerations, windward side of the mountains, etc....but Madagascar is home to an enormous diversity of xerophytic species which have to deal with a dry winter season, this is evident where you see succulent leaves (ex, many Kalanchoes), bulbous shaped stems (ex- Pachypodiums, Baobabs), or underground tubers which are really thickened roots (some Palm species??)

This article about Madagascan climate will help explain things, just don't forget that the island is in the Southern hemisphere, so when it says the rainy season is November to April, it is their summer, and plants know seasons not calender months.

I only say this because many beginners who grow some South Africa native plants read about the mediterrean climate with wet winters during the Southern Hemisphere's May to October time period, and end up watering and killing via rot their plants thinking that they need to be watered in Northern Hemisphere May to October.

Thanks xerophyte, I figured I was on the right track.

That realy gets me excited about my queen !

and now makes me wonder how i can get a spindle without my wife knowing ... perhaps when i'm in miami in the summer
hmmmm......

I too am growing a bismarck it is about a 5 gallon just beautiful i have had it for about 6 months now

topher...how big a spindle you want? There are several places around here that I can get them.

Do you live near columbus ga ? I am heading that way in june Size would definindtly depend on cost !