Rio de Janeiro's talipot palm trees bloom for the first and only time

The URL originally submitted is longer and more detailed than the AP article, but some HN readers question the quality of the writing and the origin of the photos. We've made the AP article the main URL, but I'm posting this comment with the original URL so readers can read it if interested to learn more.

https://en.jardineriaon.com/The-talipot-palm-trees-of-Rio-de...

I lived in flamengo for a number of years and would pass by these trees often although admittedly never knew this about them.

One thing that always struck me in park were the sheer diversity of palms. There are really beautiful shapes and sizes. That whole stretch along the beach and highway is just incredible with the forethought of designing and planting such wonderful species of plants, beyond the trees mentioned in the article.

Also as an anecdote my favorite thing in the Flamengo beach park is an abandoned marionette theater filled with stray cats. The cats were very friendly and the community would come and take care of them. I would go as often as I could and often thought of one as my own.

Copacabana is way more famous, but Flamengo in my opinion is probably the top beach in Rio.

I remember when a Century tree appeared in my balcony a few years ago [0]. It grew something like 8 meters in a single month. It was fascinating.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27375835

After my initial thoughts of curiosity and admiration, I couldn't help but ponder how they now have to deal with a bunch of dead 30-meter tall trees in an urban area. Almost makes the landscape architect from the 60's seem a bit like a passive-aggressive practical joker. "Oh, how pretty! And this is the only time they will bloom because now they're going to... oh sh*t."

Some comments saying there was not even a single picture but for me there was a picture almost immediately near the top of the article so not sure why others are not seeing it.

This is a neat story I can only imagine those who have lived there their entire lives and had no idea that this would one day happen. What a amazing treat for them.

I have recently became interested in palm trees. I know a person who immigrated from Slovakia to here in Western Canada many years ago. In her front yard stands a beautiful palm tree probably around 18 or so feet tall. Seeing how we get snow here every year and always associated palm trees with warmer climates I didn’t think they could actually do so well. The couple I came across in the past were very small and the owner stated that he needs to cover them every winter to keep them safe. According to this lady with the big palm she never did that. She said her family member brought seeds from Slovakia years ago and they just started them inside and planted it outside when small and it survived the cold months no protection.

Now I eagerly want to try grow a palm tree myself. Her tree has a few big bunches of seeds hanging on but I have no clue when they are due to fall. And due to this ladies age she forgets exactly when the seeds drop also but that they turn a kind of orangish color first. So I keep watch hoping I will catch some once they fall. It is just a neat looking tree and hers seems to be very hardy I hope I can continue the life of this tree and the memory of this lady by planting my own.

Wow, the matter which deserves one sentence is expanded to hundreds, with dozens of ads. Also they had to add emotional flavor, calling the tree as mother tree that dies off after flowering. Slop of some kind.

I saw about a dozen ads, and not a single photo of the trees and the bloom. Bravo.

Do these ad sites make money?

Better link https://apnews.com/article/brazil-rio-talipot-palm-flamengo-...

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An annual, except for every x years where x is greater than 1. Or am I missing something? Why is this interesting? Many plants only bloom once before dying.

Edit: for those of you unfamiliar with the term, an annual only blooms once a year before dying. This is opposed to a perennial.

Odd the other comment(tree) is collapsed? I liked the article and the pictures of the palm trees(plants) are cool.

It is so hot in Rio de Janeiro right now. We've had nothing but hazy, humid, UV-infested mornings. Can't wait to spend summer somewhere else. I miss the especially mild winter season we have.