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This VERY fast growing Kentiopsis oliviformis (now classified as Chambeyronia) showing its first ring as of last month. This is one of three of this species in my garden and the other two are WAY behind in growth despite being the same age and growing in the same conditions. This one in the pictures was planted as a one gallon plant just five and a half years ago.

Ouch sorry to hear!!

Just thinned out one of my planters. Orange and yellow. 1868 New Jersey st. Help yourself!

Dypsis mirabilis with strings of pop beads. Tim

@SubTropicRay I'm just N of Orlando and saw a minimum of 22.5F. I lost several small Chamberyonia in previous years with cold fronts around 27-28F with frost. A few did survive, but I lost all 5 this winter. Three were small (1-2ft tall) and died immediately. The other two were under a Chinensis, about 15ft from the house, and reasonably sheltered from wind. Both had just started trunking, with maybe 6 to 12" of actual trunk. Both were defoliated and one died immediately. The second tried pushing a new frond but died in May. I had the same experience with Archontophoenix, with every one of the 8 or 9 immediately killed. Surprisingly enough 6 of 11 Hyophorbes survived...

It's doing pretty well, all things considered. I lost most of the Chambeyronia, Archontophoenix, and Veitchia, but my two large coconuts are still kicking. Overall survival in the yard was around 67% or 2/3rd of the garden. Considering all of the crownshaft palms and other sensitive species, that's not bad. My replanting scheme is going to include a lot of Brahea and Livistona species so I can enjoy myself more when it cools off. The threads below cover the damage in my area pretty well. This way I won't completely hijack @JLM 's thread My own personal thread: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/52296-palms-and-others-of-interest/ February 2026 cold damage thread: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/92659-2026_02-florida-palmageddon-observations-and-damage-photo-thread/?page=10 Threads for the municipal gardens (Still in the process of getting updated photos) : Downtown: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/94081-downtown-lakeland-lakeland-fl/ Lake Hollingsworth: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/93816-lake-hollingsworth-lakeland-fl/ Lake Wire: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/61996-lake-wire-lakeland-fl/?page=2 Common Ground: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/61890-common-ground-lakeland-fl/ Tigertown: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/75211-tigertown-lakeland-fl/ Hollis Garden: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/18482-hollis-gardens-lakeland-fl/?&page=2

Arenga Undulatifolia is a wild looking monster. It should be hardy in Miami, but burnt to a crisp in my place NW of Orlando. Sabal "Lisa" is a neat mutant, as is Elaeis Gineensis "Idolatrica" aka "Whole Leaf." Attalea Cohune should be easy to find down there, and doesn't take up a lot of horizontal space. They grow really vertical, like a "fountain of fronds." Kerriodoxa should do great there with some shade, as well as Licuala "Sumawongii," Grandis, Spinosa, Ramsayi, and some others.

I wouldn't cross off Licuala species from your list, just cross off L. Grandis. That one is a zone 10 palm. I have Ramsayi, Sumawongii, Distans and Spinosa. They all did great at 22.5F, with minimal damage on most. Only the three Ramsayi in full sun took some significant burn, but the Ramsayi in shade took 0 burn. My two Grandis were burnt to a crisp but are still struggling to put out a new frond 6 months later. All will need some PM shade except maybe Ramsayi, which seems to be adapting ok to full sun. Copernicia Alba took no damage, but Baileyana, Gigas and Fallaensis took a lot of burn but survived and are growing back fine. Arenga Engleri is a goof hardy choise. Dypsis Decaryi (Triangle) is the only one that survived. Pembana, lanceolata, Leptochoilos, Lastelliana, all D-E-D. Lutescens is slowly groing back from the roots. Attalea Speciosa, Brejinhoensis, Phalersta and Cohune were all badly burned but survived. Cohune is the wimpiest, speciosa is probably the toughest. Chinese Fan is a great foundation palm too, along with others like Decipiens and Nitida. If you like the fan palms then they are all hardy and could be good for long-term shade. So is a silver Bismarck, and many Sabals like Palmetto, the "Lisa" mutant, Causiarum, and many others.

Thank you! How’s your yard doing? It got pretty cold down in your area as well. Hope everything important survived.

Dioon mejaie flushing today

mine is Dioon mejaie flushing today

@Estlander Your place looks wonderful!

wow unusual plants in an unusual corner in the world ( well fer me !)

@Harry’s Palms if it grows for me it should also grow great for you. Looking forward to lovely future pics.

Yes, I did get it from Phil back in February 2018, and you can read the label below. From my perspective this has been pretty fast growth given that this genus tends to be a smaller palm (compared to Copernecia, Pritchardia, most Brahea and Sabal, which are all fan palms). I should get a copy of Paul Craft's book as a reference as well as a few other palm books. I will definitely check out the Cocothrinax miraguama. I will have to post my other Cocothrinax from Phil about the same time. My other Cocothrinax specimens came from George Sparkman a couple of years earlier as I recall, but the photo records are my best resource on timing.

August Update: ..How MUCH HIGHER could it go???...... ECMWF August thoughts: 3.4 raw data: Corrected / Relative.. Current daily / Raw #s data: 1.2 region #s ..Off Ecuador, and the 3.4 region ..where it counts.. Realative 3.4 and how we're tracking compared to '97 atm: Peek - A - Boo tease ..Part #2? ....As if the idea of reaching a 7th Low Pressure contour threshold wasn't strong enough, we see # 8 appear on this chart ...For about 2 days at least ..for now?.. While the full longer range thoughts from Copernicus aren't out yet, ECMWF seasonal / longer ranges, peeking into the winter months, as well as thoughts from the NMME are out now.. Lotza of other thoughts on just how wild things are looking atm, ..and how wild things could look as we head forward.. Considering how much warming has occurred in the last 2 decades or so, on top of the rest we've seen since .....1877 ..whether one chooses to acknowledge it or not... to say we're entering uncharted waters w/ the direction this warm ENSO / El Nino cycle appears be heading, may be putting it lightly.. While everyone should start checking in w/ their trust worthy info sources regarding regional based thoughts for the winter ahead, here in this part of the world, Daniel Swain will be live on Monday for the 1st ..of what may be many... full court rundown on things.. Tune in if you can.. We may be a few months out from the peak of this event ..and the greatest influence it may have on our winter 2026 / 27 but, NEVER too early to be aware, and / or prepare. On top of the " suggested " Strong El Nino weather pattern effects anticipated, there could be some ....not so great.. surprises hidden in the card deck for this winter in certain parts of the country to keep a close eye on as well... More later, of course..

Tom, I never planted one, but I grew one from a 1 gallon to a 15 gallon, over maybe 2-3 years. I remember packing a bunch of thick clay in the 15 gallon pot - Only clay. Watered it relentlessly and it loved it. Eventually sold it. For me, that’s the secret out here. Heavy clay soil and heavy water in the summer.

I think I am most surprised by the relative speed of your butias' growth. They have always seemed slow to establish for me. The one butia I had in the ground (that I trunk cut and put in a pot after last winter), is growing faster in its pot than it ever grew in the ground. I hope all of your mules grow well...and that you never see an ox beetle again. I watched your video and losing that Sabal Lisa was pretty rough. Sorry you had to deal with that.

Your mule was pretty amazing Allen. I have really enjoyed many of your videos as well. I am only planning to protect for the first year or two if some nasty (by TX standards) winter weather is predicted. My first two winters here have both had some freezing precipitation, which is not the norm according to the locals. On the other hand, it has only been lows of around 23F and 20F. So I am hopeful I can get this established before we get anything too ugly. I know of a home pretty nearby that looks to have at least one mule in the backyard that are in the 6 to 8 ft of overall height range. From what I can tell freezing rain and 20F caused 40 to 50% from damage. It has recovered quickly though.

Could fiber from one of the commonest plants seen in local / regional arid -themed landscapes replace wood pulp in future Toilet paper.. https://www.aol.com/articles/andrex-maker-plots-toilet-paper-050000000.html He theorized it was possible. 150 years later, his theory was proven correct.. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-sticky-alpine-darwin-year-carnivorous.html

Let’s hope for better winters going forward! Statistically, we should have warmer ones lined up after these last few colder ones. Definitely go with the Mules, they’re great. Yes, the droopy one looks awesome. Sadly, out of the four that I have only one has the droopy characteristics. Seems to be a rare trait.

Another fine tour of Happy palms! So , is that a plumeria in the first pic? I wouldn’t have thought them to be deciduous in your sub tropical climate . Harry

There’s always something to look at in and around the garden!

Surprised the rostratas didn’t bloom This year as they all overwintered with no hiccups. Hoping next year they bloom up good.

Some good news the Alfie is pushing through it so it’s going to be okay. Going to be ugly for 2 years but I’m just relieved it didn’t miss a beat. That tree is tough as nails. Spoke with the county and they were shocked anyone would have cut it that way but the got it added to a list to be maintained by the owner only so this will hopefully never happen again. The Pritchardia and Pandanus are going full throttle and back to normal. My heliconia rostratas I transplanted to my rental have absolutely taken off and I got some ptychosperma salomonenses in pots here that I am hoping to get some size on and plant out when we move back or buy a new home. Will get some updated pictures.