Foxtail surprises me

[Chris Chance]

4 hours ago, Fallbrook Jason said:

Looking good Chris! 

Thanks Jason!

[Jdiaz31089]

Looking good Chris! And the tradescantia looks great also. They tend to look real scraggly here in full sun. Is that dypsis decaryi behind it?

 

Here is mine today. I've had decent growth this summer. I'm optimistic as we head into this palm's second winter. 

 

[Chris Chance]

On 9/25/2017, 12:19:17, Jdiaz31089 said:

Looking good Chris! And the tradescantia looks great also. They tend to look real scraggly here in full sun. Is that dypsis decaryi behind it?

 

Here is mine today. I've had decent growth this summer. I'm optimistic as we head into this palm's second winter. 

 

Sorry I didn't reply months ago. That tradescantia is like a weed. Over the last few years they have ended up all over the garden. They do look cool though. I tend to give away tons of cutting. That's actually a tribear hybrid behind it. One of my favourite palms!

Your foxtail looks great! I think mine is probably just a step behind yours!

[Palm Tree Jim]

That foxtail looks happy!

[topwater]

How cold did y’all get last winter?  I’ve had foxtails in the ground for 4 winters in 9b TX.  The lowest temp they’ve seen is about 27-28 and they didn’t like it, about 20% leaf burn.  I suspect 25-26F could be near the end point for them.  My place seldom gets that cold, but sooner or later.....

[Chris Chance]

Last winter I got down to 30. Not much damage showed but I had it covered. Figure do it while they're small do they have a better chance. Has to be one of the least cold tolerant palms in my garden. 

[Josue Diaz]

After A few nights of frost,  here's mine. Not too shabby for a marginal palm here. It should grow out of it by summer I think. Any update on yours @Chris Chance? 

[Chris Chance]

5 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

After A few nights of frost,  here's mine. Not too shabby for a marginal palm here. It should grow out of it by summer I think. Any update on yours @Chris Chance? 

Mine isn't looking as good. Also mine isn't as close to the house so it really doesn't have much protecting. I'll get a pic of it soon.

[sipalms]

This is a dumb question. But what is that creeper with bright pink flowers behind the foxtail in the first pic? I've seen it quite a bit in SoCal the few times I've been there...

[samuraipalm]

Hi sipalms,

I believe that's a bougainvillea vine. They would have no chance of growing of where I am, but I'm sure that in New Zealand, even the south island can grow with no problem.  

 

Cheers,

Steve

[Josue Diaz]

1 hour ago, sipalms said:

This is a dumb question. But what is that creeper with bright pink flowers behind the foxtail in the first pic? I've seen it quite a bit in SoCal the few times I've been there...

Yep,  bougainvillea. This particular variety is Barbara Karst. I have a young California Gold variety right up against the chimney that you can see flowers developing on in the last photo. 

 

1 hour ago, Chris Chance said:

Mine isn't looking as good. Also mine isn't as close to the house so it really doesn't have much protecting. I'll get a pic of it soon.

Yeah,  that wall and surrounding cement help my palm out a bit I think. 

[Palm Tree Jim]

12 hours ago, Chris Chance said:

Mine isn't looking as good. Also mine isn't as close to the house so it really doesn't have much protecting. I'll get a pic of it soon.

Chris....out in the open i would guess?

Was it affected by the most recent weather or was it something else?

[Chris Chance]

This was definitely frost damage. Worst I've seen since moving here. Here's a pic taken today. This is what happens when something doesn't belong in your climate. 

[sipalms]

What temps did that see Chris?

[Chris Chance]

My weather station said 24 but that thing is totally inaccurate so I don't know exactly. Near by station on weather underground read 28. One of these days I should invest in a higher quality weather station and maybe also some other thermometers to place around the garden.

[Hilo Jason]

Sorry to see that Chris.  Looks like it's time to plant more Mule Palms and others that still look tropical but can take the cold really well.  Or it's time to join me here on the Big Island! 

[Chris Chance]

Just now, Hilo Jason said:

Sorry to see that Chris.  Looks like it's time to plant more Mule Palms and others that still look tropical but can take the cold really well.  Or it's time to join me here on the Big Island! 

Most of my palms are actually hardy for this area. Also seems to depend which part of the property. Seems the backyard traps cold more. I think it will change with canopy. I already have five different types of mules planted here and that's going to be nuts when they get big. Also Beccariophoenix alfredii looks perfect. Wish I could move but I'm stuck here at the moment. 

[Hilo Jason]

Nice to hear the Beccariophoenix alfredii took the cold with no problems!  Those things are tough.  And yeah, it will change quite a bit with canopy!  Your place is coming along real nice! 

[Chris Chance]

Update about this palm. There was a spearpull last month. Now it's starting to recover from the damage it received last winter. I'm thinking about digging it up and moving it to this planter I just opened up next to the house. Not sure if it will make it but I'm waiting to see more growth. 

[Chris Chance]

Here's a look at the growth.

[Chris Chance]

This is the new planter I plan on working on soon. Being right next to the south wall of the house I think it will be a nice protected area. Just need to figure out what else to plant here.

[enigma99]

2 hours ago, Chris Chance said:

Here's a look at the growth.

I probably wouldn’t have the patience and would just toss it in the compost pile. In my experience once they get frozen they take a while to pull out of it.

[enigma99]

On 2/22/2018, 12:59:51, Josue Diaz said:

After A few nights of frost,  here's mine. Not too shabby for a marginal palm here. It should grow out of it by summer I think. Any update on yours @Chris Chance? 

Josue how is your foxtail looking?

Edited July 25, 2018 by enigma99

[Chris Chance]

31 minutes ago, enigma99 said:

I probably wouldn’t have the patience and would just toss it in the compost pile. In my experience once they get frozen they take a while to pull out of it.

Trust me it crossed my mind. I have seen full recovery from this stage so I'm curious to see if it makes it. Also now I'm going to have some prime real estate near my pond. Just not sure what to plant there yet.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

2 hours ago, enigma99 said:

I probably wouldn’t have the patience and would just toss it in the compost pile. In my experience once they get frozen they take a while to pull out of it.

That looks like my first frond that grew out from 28F this winter. The next 2 after that were fine. I think it will be ok. 

[Josue Diaz]

14 hours ago, enigma99 said:

Josue how is your foxtail looking?

Here's are some photos from this morning. 

[Josue Diaz]

This is obviously a very protected spot (and it receives full sun in winter.) I can get away with plumeria here, barring any severe freeze. I think that once the wodyetia reaches beyond the roofline, it'll have trouble with the increased exposure to frost. 

[pj_orlando_z9b]

On 7/24/2018, 6:15:22, Chris Chance said:

Here's a look at the growth.

I took some pics today. You can see I had the same damaged frond but the next 2 are ok. 

[Chris Chance]

1 hour ago, pj_orlando_z9b said:

I took some pics today. You can see I had the same damaged frond but the next 2 are ok. 

Looks like it will make a full recovery. Mine is definitely growing again. After it grows a little more I think I'll relocate it next to the house.

[enigma99]

On 7/25/2018, 8:12:29, Josue Diaz said:

This is obviously a very protected spot (and it receives full sun in winter.) I can get away with plumeria here, barring any severe freeze. I think that once the wodyetia reaches beyond the roofline, it'll have trouble with the increased exposure to frost. 

Looking good. I think one of the most important things of all is well draining soil. Something I don’t have. But after setting up a french drain finally had success. And your plumeria would be fine in the ground,  one of mine has been in for 2-3 winters.

 

[Dave-Vero]

The biggest, oldest foxtails that I see regularly are a pair at Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Fort Pierce, Florida.  They are hefty, on the scale of well-fed Syagrus romanzoffiana or an Acrocomia and consistent with photos of healthy ones at Palmpedia.  They don't get any special care.  

I see quite a few that aren't thriving, for whatever reasons.  

[greysrigging]

In my home town of Darwin, Foxtails are very common and are easy to grow  as our climate is pretty well the same as their native habitat on Cape York Peninsular. Although one aspect of their growth here is that specimens grown out in the full sun in a harsh environment ie open parks, road median strips and the like often suffer severe yellowing of the fronds. Not ratty and tatty as such, just unsightly discoloration that looks a bit unhealthy. Darwin soils are notoriously shallow and poor in nutrients and require heavy mulching and fertilizing to achieve the rain forest look. The Triangle and the Foxtails in this yard show a bit of yellowing.

[Chris Chance]

I finally moved this palm since it got frost damage again this winter. Just dug it up last week. Doesn't look good now but last chance for this one before if becomes compost.