bismarckia

[FRITO]

I ran across large bismarkias being sold today. quite large specimens for cheap. $139 for 30 gal

If the palm isnt pure bright silver does that indicate any defects or lack of cold hardiness?

there are 5 bismmarckias planted out at a local hotel.  I am not sure how many years they have been there.

They definently survived this winter unprotected. (airport recorded low of 18/19 degrees) although the airport is probably the coldest spot around here.  my meter recorded a low of 23.4 that same night.

I have found that my yard is never colder than the airport low temps and usually am 3-5 degrees warmer for night time lows.

is it worth it for me to spend $139 for a 30 gal bismarkia? it seems like a deal  that make it hard for me to pass up.

thanks for your comments in advanced

Luke

[Jeff Searle]

Luke,

 It sounds like a pretty good deal for your area. The good looking silver verses more of a green should have no bearing on cold hardiness.

jeff

[palmsrgreat]

Go for it man! Bizzies are tough, but I doubt 20 degree tough. Mine made it just fine through some cold nights, undercovered, (27F) this year and its still pushing fronds, and its not nearly a 30 gal plant.

[FRITO]

thanks for the responses guys.

Hmm I dont have any real spot for this giant...I already have a small property filled with stuff

I have two flowering dicedous trees I might have to yank that have been in the back of my mind.

heres a photo of the front yard. notice the two dogwood? in a row with my sago palm.

thoughts on placement? amend the soil?

[Palmy]

The silver blue leafs always seem to withstand cold. When we hit 21F this last winter, I had 3 bizzy's and only 1 survived, but it seemed to be the most blue and silver. Strange, consider they are all suppose to be the silver variety.

[bgl]

Luke,

How about right smack in the middle of the lawn? That would probably give it as much sun as possible, and it'd be a spectacular view from all sides.

Bo-Göran

[Dypsisdean]

Bo,

I'm surprised you didn't recommend a grouping of about 20, filling the entire lawn area.  

[Don Little]

Luke

I agree with Bo, right in the middle, and by the looks of things you still have all kinds of room, depending on what kind of look you were going for.

[bgl]

Dean,

That was VERY tempting, but I don't know if Luke is ready for that...

Bo-Göran

[paulgila]

dean & bo both have a good pont,but me personally i'd

try to fit 3 or 4 in there...

[PalmGuyWC]

I had a silver Bismarkia about 4' high and it was swelling at the base.  It had survived two previous winters, but was totally fried at 23F and many below freezing nights this winter.  It took about a month to die, but it was totally dead without a speck of life left.  The Bismarkia was the only palm I lost to the freeze.  A Parajubaea T V T planted about 10' away from the Bismarkia was left with 3 undamaged fronds in the center and it's already growing again. I whacked off the 90% damaged fronds yesterday because I was tired of looking at them. A Butia X Parajubaea about 10' away was unprotected and not touched by the freeze and it's growing again too.

Dick

[FRITO]

haha I thought about de-virginizing my front green space.  I really want a nice green patchh out front surounded by palms and tropicals.

in the back yard is where I am zeroscaping with palms... no grass anywhere eventually. its gonna be a palm jungle.

maybe the bizzie can go out back. hmm

[Kris]

Dear Frito  

iam glad you love bizie lady ! and my suggestion is to keep

it close to your house,say 1513 number window is my first

choice,if not the next window.

but place it in straight line to your cycas opposite or parralel

to the plants adjecent to the window.but dont bring the

big lady anywhere close to the main lawn area.since the fert

for lawn is much different than the one we use for palms,

cycas or cacti..and if your are hosting some lawn parties

it will be a hindrence if you are planting any temperary

fixtures,tops or umberalas..

but take care that the roots or the leaves do not come to

close to the building foundation zone,drainage,power mains..

etc.

after you have planted it kindly give us a tour,just feed our

eyes.

Love,

Kris  

[doubravsky]

My bizzie... which sounds smaller than yours, in January got snowed on on a Friday, took several hours of 24f on Saturday night, followed by a week of freezing//near freezing temperatures, yet it has zero damage... and is now pushing a new spear. I second the motion- put 'em all out front!

[tank]

Tally gets pretty cold every year.  At least a couple nights in the low 20's to upper teens every year, with the occasional mid teen morning.  If $139 is what you are willing to pay for an experiment, or if you're willing to protect it a couple nights a year, go for it.  

Maybe you could build a campfire under it when it gets big :: .

The saving grace is that you'd probably only need to deal with it a few nights a year.

I'd be interested to know its progress.

[sebastian]

Hmm I dont have any real spot for this giant...I already have a small property filled with stuff

Funny how people see things differently, all i see is a blank canvas, who needs lawn anyway

Im with Bo if your to give her a go smack right in the middle with full sun.

[DoomsDave]

Bizzies get big.  Put it right out in the middle where everyone can see it and where it won't get in the way.  

And, if one looks good, 10 are 100 times as good . . . .

dave

[Alicehunter2000]

I am going to try Bizmarkia's here so I say go for it. I'm thinking about growing them from seed so I will plant more than one. I have heard such a variety of reports about there cold hardiness that I really don't know what to believe, other than they are highly variable in hardiness. If I get some that can survive here, I will definately save the seeds as they will be worth $$.

[FRITO]

David,

that is a good idea.  developing the cold hardiest bismarkia would be nice.

I did that with queen palm seedlings this year, germinate lots and expose them to the winter elements and only grow the ones that survive.

[FRITO]

well I got the palm. i think another foot or so to the right (closer to the road) looks ideal. thoughts?

here it is:

[paulgila]

its a good START    

[freekypalmguy]

Looks great.

I agree with Paul, a grouping of 3 would look great.

I lost both of my bizzies  two nights of about 22F and many below freezing. Spears both pulled out.

[FRITO]

Well I just dug the hole and found my water line , will the root affect this? there is about 1" exposed in my hole about 1ft down, the palm will plop down right next to it (not on top) it is 1.5" pvc or so.

I agree 3 of these would definently dominate my front yard.. although I want to experiment with one for now rather than invest to much in marginal palms of this size.

[Kris]

Dear Frito  

Just move the location to 2 to 3 feet away.and see that in case you are placing 2 more even they do not interfear

with the lines or connection.or else when this baby has

started its mad rush in grouth rate.right at that moment

those pvc will block or break due to pvc's old age and

you will have to renew the pipe and while digging out the

old pipes or lines the roots will get damaged and some

fungas grouth will damage the grown up palm ?

and while placing 2 more bizie palms try to buy a little smaller

specimen to this.so bigger one in the middle and 2 smaller

ones in its 2 sides(Left & right.and give space for this

palm to spread out its wings,not touching one another

at full grouth size.

And your palm looks great in that still.

Love,

Kris  

[Scott]

Luke  - that's a good lookin' Bizzie!.

It'll look good there, Kris has a good point about power lines, and why not try to fit in a couple of smaller one? You'll have the coolest yard around.

[Walter John]

(pohonkelapa @ Mar. 23 2007,15:56)

QUOTE

dean & bo both have a good pont,but me personally i'd

try to fit 3 or 4 in there...

Oh I don't know, yeh, 3 would be good. That way there's still room for something else. Man, that yard space is screaming for that bizzie.