Interesting article about a palm tree that blooms ONCE in it's life-span

[phinds]

decades-old-palm-trees-in-rio-de-janeiro​

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Decades-old palm trees in Rio de Janeiro flower for the first — and only — time​

The Talipot palm trees, native to India and Sri Lanka, is in bloom for the first and only time in its life, in Aterro do Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Lucas Dumphreys)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Towering talipot palms in a Rio de Janeiro park are flowering for the first and only time in their lives, decades after famed Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx introduced them in the 1960s.
Towards the end of its life — which can span between 40 and 80 years — the palm tree sends up a central plume crowded with millions of small, creamy-white blossoms that rise high above its fan-shaped leaves.

The rare phenomenon that ties past to present has sparked the curiosity of passersby in Flamengo Park who stop, crane their necks to admire them and take photos.
Vinicius Vanni, a 42-year-old civil engineer, was even hoping to collect seedlings and plant them.
“I probably won’t see them flower, but they’ll be there for future generations,” he said from Flamengo Park, which hugs a nearby beach and offers a spectacular view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

 

[daniscool]

Crazy!

 

[Mr. Peet]

decades-old-palm-trees-in-rio-de-janeiro​

​

Decades-old palm trees in Rio de Janeiro flower for the first — and only — time​

The Talipot palm trees, native to India and Sri Lanka, is in bloom for the first and only time in its life, in Aterro do Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Lucas Dumphreys)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Towering talipot palms in a Rio de Janeiro park are flowering for the first and only time in their lives, decades after famed Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx introduced them in the 1960s.
Towards the end of its life — which can span between 40 and 80 years — the palm tree sends up a central plume crowded with millions of small, creamy-white blossoms that rise high above its fan-shaped leaves.

The rare phenomenon that ties past to present has sparked the curiosity of passersby in Flamengo Park who stop, crane their necks to admire them and take photos.
Vinicius Vanni, a 42-year-old civil engineer, was even hoping to collect seedlings and plant them.
“I probably won’t see them flower, but they’ll be there for future generations,” he said from Flamengo Park, which hugs a nearby beach and offers a spectacular view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Corypha umbraculifera, cool beans. Ok, who is cutting them down so we can all enjoy the woody goodness hidden inside?

 

[Nature Man]

Extraordinary!

 

[DLJeffs]

Interesting. I guess if it only gets one chance at pollination and reproduction it makes sense to produce a massive number of blossoms.

 

[BoonareeBurl]

Interesting. I guess if it only gets one chance at pollination and reproduction it makes sense to produce a massive number of blossoms.

This is just so ripe for bawdy jokes that I'm gonna leave it alone. I don't wanna get banned from this group.

G

 

[daniscool]

This is just so ripe for bawdy jokes that I'm gonna leave it alone. I don't wanna get banned from this group.

G

I See them too. And like you I like this forum too much to be banned from it.

 

[SENC]

This is just so ripe for bawdy jokes that I'm gonna leave it alone. I don't wanna get banned from this group.

G

Just pm one of the old guys - they have no filter and will share

 

[phinds]

Corypha umbraculifera, cool beans. Ok, who is cutting them down so we can all enjoy the woody goodness hidden inside?

that would be "grassy goodness" since palm trees are a grass, not a wood/tree (palm "tree" is a convention, not a correct designation).

 

[Mr. Peet]

that would be "grassy goodness" since palm trees are a grass, not a wood/tree (palm "tree" is a convention, not a correct designation).

Many monocots are defined as woody. The term woody implies wood like but not necessarily wood. There are plenty of "palms" that are milled and used like wood. I don't have any of this species so can't say much of anything about the internals. So grassy goodness may fit better.