Phoenix rupicola x reclinata palm tree

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Here is the newest palm tree at The Tropical Paradise. It's a cross between a Phoenix rupicola (Indian Date Palm) and a Phoenix reclinata (Senegal Date Palm). This is a five gallon that I bought from the grower here in Phoenix. He gave it a patent name, but I forgot it, so I will ask him again and post it here.

The advantages of this cross is to give the Phoenix rupicola (which is a small palm tree) a little more gusto from the reclinta, which is a fairly large palm tree. If you've ever been to The Huntington Gardens is California, the palm trees along the wall of the library that faces the entrance are Phoenix reclinatas.  And conversely, the rupicola has a greener, more tropical-looking leaf and is a smaller tree than the reclinta, and does not sucker so much. The one I just planted is actually two trees that were planted in the same pot.

On the left side of the photo is a cycas revoluta (Sago palm). These cycads are very common and you can buy them at Home Depot or Walmart, etc. Even though I have lots of cycads, I still consider the humble sago palm to be the most beautiful. To the right of the new palm tree, and slightly behind it, is another cycad, a Dioon edule, var. palma sola. The rock where with the gecko is where the old palo brea tree was, which I had cut down last year. The little green sprouts are the Natal plum, which was so badly damaged by frost last winter that I cut it to the ground.

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