The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see."
Gilbert K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
Gilbert K. Chesterton (1874-1936)
In my previous entry, "Another unplanned project", an ardent garden blogger and my cyberspace friend Andrea asked if I don't like the Traveler's Palm. Now who wouldn't like a gorgeous plant like the one below?
The Traveler's Palm. Photo courtesy of www.toptropicals.com
If there is a mad scientist who has successfully crossbred two unrelated plants, the Ravenala madagascariensis, commonly known as Traveler's (or Traveller's) Palm would be a good example of his sinister work. At first glance one would think it's a banana and a palm tree spliced together. The leaves resemble that of the banana and the trunk looks like that of a palm tree.
Three young Traveler's Palm in different stages of growth in the garden.
The banana-like leaves and petioles are symmetrically lined on a plane which extend out from a single trunk. This leaf and stalk arrangement gives it a very beautiful hand fan appearance. Like a palm tree, the Traveler's palm has a single sturdy trunk. The trunk of the young plant is hidden below ground level but as the plant grows it sheds its dead leaf, slowly revealing the trunk with its distinctive leaf scar rings, another characteristic of true palms.
Three more young Traveler's Palm in the garden.
We have several of the Traveler's palm in the garden. None are as big and beautiful as the one in the first picture above, but given time and proper care they too will look the same.
One of our Traveler's palm with most of its leaves chopped off due to severe damage caused by a strong typhoon.
The last big storm to hit the farm last year has been brutal to these plants as demonstrated by their tattered leaves. But new leaves have sprouted since then. Our biggest Traveler's palm which is at the entrance to the farm (right picture) suffered the most lashing. It successfully held its ground but got severely beaten in the process. Most of its older leaves have been lopped off as they have been completely damaged. Now it faces a new trial since it will be dug up and transplanted inside to make way for the Triangle palms. I hope it will survive this impending transplant.
Because of its unique appearance the Traveler's palm has indeed traveled from its native place of Madagascar to see and conquer other parts of the world and will not fail to catch the eye of anyone who visits a garden with a tropical landscape theme.
8 comments:
I wonder how you get hold of all these pictures since you are so far away. I guess you have remote cameras installed everywhere. :)
Cute sheep in the background. I'm more interested in the sheep than the palm. It is beautiful but huge for a small garden with too many fruit trees as it is.
Haha, looks like One didn't see the link on my name, or else she would mention it. Did i suggest that palm, i already forgot. I thought i suggested the Wudyetia or foxtail, but Traveler's is also really beautiful. We have 3 of them in front of the office. I remember when i took my 7yr old nephew to Cebu. He asked why the banana in Cebu is different than ours! He saw the Traveler's palm. In a little while that old one will already be beautiful, and even the small one already is!
Hello One,
Those are the pictures I took when I went home for a short visit. I took a lot...LOL. Plus from time to time I do receive pictures via email. Usually, my mother would take the pictures and my brother would send them.
I agree, the sheep in the background are scene stealers.
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Hi Andrea,
Maybe One just chose to ignore the link on your name...just kidding...hehehe.
No, you did not suggest this plant, you just asked if I don't like it, which prompted me to answer with a blog entry...hahaha. And you did mention that you prefer the Foxtail over the Triangle palm.
When I was much much younger I too thought it was a weird (but beautiful) banana tree. I first saw it in the grounds of UST.
I'm crossing all my fingers that the old Traveler wont resent and protest (by dying) when we move it to a new location which is anytime this week now.
Hi again! I did see Andrea's name and I know why you mentioned her name since I have been following your posts. But looks like she did not remember her own comments. I guess she's been travelling too much. She's the real Traveler. Forgive her. :)
If travelers love to travel, uprooting and replanting should be much welcomed. All the best in the relocation.
Good luck with the transplant. I have no experience with Traveller's palm so I can't really say for sure if they are sensitive or not. Palms are generally stressed after a move but with the proper care, your plant will likely do just fine.
Hi One,
I do forgive Andrea for forgetting her own comment :) Its understandable, she must still be on vacation mode.
We'll see if the Traveler's palm will love the short travel to the other side of the fence. If not them I'm only to blame...hahaha.
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Thanks Bom.
I know what you mean, the Foxtail palms showed a lot of stress, most lost one or two fronds days after the transplant. One Foxtail lost all except for two fronds :(
Hi One and SR- i love these exchanges, it seems like we are in SR's garden having cups and cups of coffee. What about that SR, when are you inviting us for a reunion? It's good also that i forgot many things, even my own comment, we had things to laugh with. And that just shows my brain is older than yours, LOL. And that's right i am still on vacation mode and my leg muscles still sore. SR, you are just putting justice to traveler's palm's name!
BTW, in most palm transplants they bind the leaves together to lessen water loss, that way increases the chance of survival. I hope your helpers did that. In one street widening in QC i saw a big champagne palm just left there to die, what a waste 'sayang'. Nobody got interested but that time I can't think of any name to call. My landscaping friend was just stabbed to death in his house.
Hello Andrea,
Of course you are most welcome for cups and cups of coffee in the farm/garden, and One too. Although it will a long trip for One just for a cup of coffee :)
And while youre there I could get some FREE gardening advice too (hehehe... emphasis on free).
I thought the reason why they bind the leaves is to keep them from getting damaged. So there is a better reason for that.
That innocent champagne palm was really a waste. I would have loved to get it if I were there during that time. They get very expensive as they get bigger.
Sorry to hear about the demise of your landscaper friend. I hope who ever commited the crime has been apprehended.
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