All Activity

There’s some growing here, though they don’t have the grandeur of the ones from the tropics. ‘SouthernCATropicals” looks to be growing one pretty well and I believe that he is in central San Diego. They have been reported in Santa Ana, Del Mar, and further inland desert areas (Indio?). A lot of us are growing Beccariophoenix Alfredii (or one of the other Beccariophoenix species, as a substitute).

If it hasn't been in long remove it, dig a hole much wider, mix in expanded shale, and then mound plant. Make sure the base of the palm is at least a couple of inches above the soil. Better yet would be to create a raised bed garden. I never plant anything at ground level, always a least a couple of inches above the soil line if not more. I'm still surprised they are doing terrible, I've always found these to be an easy palm in the ground. My whole yard is gumbo clay, and I always amend to improve drainage and plant high, and I do experience minor flooding during intense rain storms. When I first moved to Texas I learned the standard practice when planting is to add compost and expanded shale, and that applies to the hill country as well. I followed the advice and its all been good.

These two plants are unlabeled but they are starting to look more and more like another Encephalartos transvenosus x latifrons that I germinated from seed. I had around 12 seeds and lost track of which ones germinated. These two both decided to flush at the same time.

He is likely the source of the seeds for your Waggie x Princeps. I have one as well and the seeds came from him orignally. He's doing a lot of work hybridizing and most people in the UK have palms from his efforts.

Here in San Diego summer isn’t the problem growing them in more sun, it’s fall when we get very hot 🥵 and extremely dry weather. During the Santa Ana wind season the humidity can go down to 5 percent or lower with 107 degree f (42 degrees c) temperatures. It can even fry and kill plumeria trees sometimes.

This is what I was assuming. But how would you go about remedying once the mistake has occured?

I think they are a great looking palm especially when mature and healthy. Their plumose leaves make them stand out in any garden. I guess I could see that people who don’t have the space or do not want to risk 25-50 lb Roystonea leaves prefer Wodyetia instead. Still a different type of plumose from the Royal but self cleaning unlike Syagrus which is also a plus for me.

Do you see Normanbya more in Australia than we do here? I always wondered why it is so rare while Wodyetia has become such a common landscape palm, considering they have such a similar look. Normanbya have a larger wild population, and are found in a more accessible area (Daintree vs Cape Melville). I suppose Wodyetia evolved to tolerate more drought and full sun while Normanbya may be more of a true rainforest palm?

I used to like the 24 oz cans of fosters on a hot day, when I first become of legal age(18). I also used to like sweet wines, cant sand them now. Its true that point of origin keeps the best for themselves, I saw a better line/choices of california wines in california. The best ones I cant get here in florida. You could get lucky on a $ 6-7 bottle of excellent wine in California if you read up a bit. My daughter bought me a birthday present, 3 months of German beer club, 12 bottles a month of various German beers. I think the best is often kept local, never saw any of those German beers in a liquor store in florida.

Hello and good morning. I live in San Diego and i’m surrounded by palms, it’s lovely! The weather, the trees, everything. The only issue is that we don’t have coconuts So where are the closest coconut trees to San Diego? Is this an excuse for the next tropical vacation or is there anywhere you can find them that’s relatively near by? Thank you!

August 14th update It’s been extremely hot and humid, the nights have almost never dipped below 74f for months now.

I gotta say that i really enjoyed this thread. I don't know anyone else into the gardening game, so it was a good reminder to me that the hard freeze was an actual event and not just god spiting me personally.

I'm sure there must be a good Normanbya somewhere in Southern California that would allow me to weigh in on that, but I'm unaware of any. I've been "growing" one for 10 years, that is maybe a meter tall, and has a trunk diameter of my thumb.

Yeah, comparing the two pictures, the fronds do show some differences. Here's a picture of my still juvenile parajubaea torallyi as well...

I've been letting C. viminalis crawl along my shaded garden floor for years. Once in awhile, I'll go make sure it's not climbing anything. if it does start climbing and can't be unhooked, I trim off the entire cane.

That's the same seller I bought my Jubaea hybrid from. I've contemplated purchasing one just to see. I've been to Tallahassee a few times but never had time enough to visit their nursery. Was trying to compare that picture to the picture of the queen in my yard. Hard to tell, definitely has a very robust trunk. Really hoping to see my Parajubaea torallyi flower some day so I can have some fresh pollen to work with. Anyway, here's my big queen, ten years from seed. I tried to capture the same perspective for comparison of the pic above.

My Rhapidophylum is just settling in . It is still quite young yet. It’s been in the ground about a year , I’ll have to go down the hill to check on it . Reading this thread on how hard they can be to germinate gives a whole new appreciation for these palms. Harry South facing slope , full sun . This was several weeks ago when I was down there weeding. So far , gophers aren’t interested.

Nice coloring on that one. You certainly know what it likes. Harry

Between you and @DoomsDave I’ve discovered many varieties that can tolerate the cool. You’re correct about trial and error. Gotta try. Harry

Most of my new plantings this year have been Livistona or Brahea, with a few Trithrinax mixed in. Most of those are good down to or below our record low of 20oF. There are a few things that performed unexpectedly well here in the yard that will be around until the next nasty freeze, but when they go, they'll either be replaced by something good to 20oF or just removed. Unfortunately, our Phoenix palms have been decimated by Lethal Bronzing. Fusarium wilt has been been the last couple years, too.

I will be planting a Dypsis Cabadae in the next day or so . Looking forward to this El Niño we are supposed to be getting . If it isn’t too severe , should be great for the palms! A bit of what we call “Pineapple Express” where tropical moisture comes in from the Southern Pacific. My bestie in Kauai is preparing for a tropical storm that’s heading his way. I wish I had his climate. I think he is at 22 degree North latitude. I’ve been there when the tropical storms hit . They get a ton of rain with nice , warm sunny days afterward . He is on a hill above Kapaa so no flooding on his 5 acre heaven . Just a beautiful ocean view in the distance and a peek aboo view of Sleeping Giant mountain. Harry

Cocothrinax eckmanii starting to get a move on!

Ptychosperma are a bit like Calyptrocalyx, you hear and read so much about what will live and what won’t live, you just have to try for yourself as each garden and microclimate are different from each other. I have a Calyptrocalyx doxanthus and it is one beautiful Calyptrocalyx and you would never think of it as cold hardy but sure enough it is.

I can’t even remember where I got it from, but it’s pretty! Thanks for the ID.

Ok , keep it potted then? I know that some are not as cool friendly as P. Sanderianum. My McCarthuri certainly didn’t like it in the ground . Of course , I had no canopy or micro climate back then . Just a blank slate with everything just moved here from the old house . The McCarthuri was a greenhouse palm. Harry