Syagrus sancona

Syagrus sancona grows up to 1200m in the Andes Mountains of South America, where it is widespread, though not common, and shows some tolerance of cold. It is one of the tallest of the genus and can attain an incredible 30m (100 feet). Juvenile plants show a marked bulge at the base of the trunk which easily identifies them. A mature palm is a wonderful sight, with its dense, plumose, beautifully recurving leaves, justifying its position as the most attractive in the genus.

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germination comments by our visitors
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Seeds from this species ...

... are difficult to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
Quite low percentage to germination because of its hard shell . I have to move the outer shell out before sowing to make its germinated faster . Used plastic bag technique for keep moist and warm with coco fiber . First seed sprout within 5 weeks and the root is very slow development .
Submitted on 22/02/2006 by Jakkrit-Thailand Jakkrit_Mn@yahoo.com

...very difficult to germinate.
No luck yet after many Months. Tried halfin spaghnam moss and half in a specialseed raising mix on bottom heat.
Submitted on 28/09/2005 by Alan Hancox alanhancox@clear.net.nz

...very easy to germinate and need up to 3 months to sprout.
I obtained seed for Syagrus sancona from a friend in Colombia and learned that if you live in the United States, you never want to import anything directly from Colombia. Much better to get them from RPS! Customs scruitinized my shipment in every possible way and delayed delivery beyond belief. Once I had the seed, it turned out to be very easy to germinate and the seedlings have grown steadily for about two years. I plan to plant a number of them outdoors this spring.
Submitted on 19/01/2005 by Dutch Vandervort dutchvan@earthlink.net

...difficult to germinate and need up to 6 months to sprout.
I bought 10 seeds in february 2004, and wait for 10 months to germination.First of them was a surprise, but others are in coming.There were in zip bags, with vermiculite and perlite, without heater till November, and then have been about 30ºC.Perhaps some heat months before should reduce the germination time.
Submitted on 02/01/2005 by Carlos Mulas Perez asistevet@ya.com

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plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

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If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms
by Robert Lee Riffle, Paul Craft, Scott Zona

2nd edition
Completely revised and updated
Hardcover - 528 pages
11 x 8.5 inches

Our rating:

Suitable for: all

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is the definitive account of all palms that can be grown for ornamental and economic use. Palms are often underutilized as a result of their unfamiliarity—even to tropical gardeners. To help introduce these valuable plants to a new audience, the authors have exhaustively documented every genus in the palm family.
825 species are described in detail, including cold hardiness, water needs, height, and any special requirements. Generously illustrated with more than 900 photos, including photos of several palm species that have never before appeared in a general encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is as valuable as an identification guide as it is a practical handbook. Interesting snippets of history, ethnobotany, and biology inform the text and make this a lively catalog of these remarkable plants.

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