Here's my big needle. The small needle doesn't have as many spathes. I think these are all male? There's an odd spathe below the big open one on the right that's different - its orange things inside. I'm hoping it's female.

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Thanks for the great pic KrisK.
So cool to see those spathes developing.

Wouldn't it be great to find a palm (any palm) that has both male and female flowers?
That'd be a sure thing, at least for seeds.

Barb

I think the whole thing about needles always being dioecious isn't always true. I've read online accounts of only male, only female, female one year and male the next, and female+male the same time. I think mine has like 5 male spathes and the one odd spathe that must be female. I can clearly see the anthers and pollen when I shake them. The odd orange spathe has little balls all over it.

Some other cold hardy monecious palms are Sabals and Butias.

Kris

Great info Kris.
I don't think we've ever discussed that 😀

So, any other palms that have both male and female?

Barb

From Tony Avent of PDN:

" Monecious palms include Butia, jubaea, Nannorrhops, Sabal, Serenoa, Trithrinax, and Washingtonia. Dioecious palms include Chamaerops, Guihaia, Rhapidophyllum (usually), and Trachycarpus (usually). "

I have heard of trachies that are monecious but far fewer than monecious needles.

Not as big/far along but I wil have to check mine 🙂

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Great photo, Jim! New camera?