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Scott, other than the obvious that California sucks and I don’t really blame you for not dealing with our stupid laws…..is there a reason why you can’t ship to CA or just you don’t want to? I’ve got plants shipped to CA multiple times from FL. -dale

Palmeraie-Union is pleased to propose you the brand new issue no. 55 of its associative magazine Latania. On the program: visits to Reunion gardens and incredible botanical stories from all over the world. The Latania 55 is available for download at the following address: https://www.palmeraie-union.com/latania_pdf/latania55.pdf For memory, all issues of Latania are now available at the following address: http://www.palmeraie-union.com/latania.php Very good reading

I don’t know what it is but to me, Decipiens looks fantastic as a double planting. It’s already quite the statement palm but two really makes it look great! That is a perfect set with awesome growth. Funny to me no irrigation is required. Must be nice! 👍🏻 -dale

Thank you!! 👍🏻 Here’s my backup plan. Got a single leaf sprout from FB last year. Happy it’s still alive. -dale

I just read that they extended the drought(1x irrigation a week) to oct 1st in my area. It has been very dry and 90-93F day time highs and 77-79F lows. No its not the desert I used to live in, more recently dew points are 73-77F, but sandy soil is a big problem compared with clauy here as it dries out fast. And that wouldn't be a problem so much if we hadn't been in this pattern since last october(80-90% less rain). The palms are adapted to being irrigated 2-3x a week depending on season and the system get shut off when it rains consistently every 3-4 days as it does in mid to late summer. I think we got more than the 0.88" totals reported from sarasota bradenton, possibly we are far enough north to get a little more. We have had about 1.5-2" in june based on my homemade gage. WE got most of it in 2 "downpours" so runoff was high. I am really glad that I put all my wet loves in back of the house on the south side protected from the hottest summer sun. Premature brown tipping on older leaves is very common but the buds are ok. Out front in the blazing sun the waxy drought resistant palms have sustained a little of that same dry tip. Having come from arizona, I already had a bit of palmcare PTSD but my garden now has more to lose, it has 3x the palms. Palm winners in the drought, no particular order: 1) bismarckia nobillis(mature): very drought tolerant in full all day hot sun and looks unfazed. Th eonce a week irrigation might be needed as some in unirrigated public plantings don't look so good. 2) Copernicial Fallaensis:(mature) coming back from hurricane damage so the crown isnt full size but it is not losing any leaves and keeps growing. This one has a huge 15 year old root system from a 9' tall palm as planted with a 150 gallon size rootball. So I expect the big root system can supply the recovering smaller crown with water from deep down. My smaller juvenile in the ground for 2 years in august is a bit less resistant, some brown tipping on (3) older leaves. 3) Copernicia baileyana(mature): yes these are drought resistant and perhaps the best of the green(non blue) palms. If you want a vibrant green in dry florida conditions this one looks great. People need to plant these palms more in florida. 3) Sabal uresana: it dropped some leaves that were still hanging on from oct 2024 hurricane milton, but it looks unfazed. It also in an area where it doesnt get directly irrigated, the sprinklers are blocked. 4) serenoa repens silver(mature): these dont seem to be affected, they have the normal amount of dried out leaves the past three months. These are 15 years in the ground and monsters that grow laterally and shade their own roots which may be important to moisture persistence. I am going to look at partially shutting down irrigation for them, getting rid of a few sprinkler heads. Every couple years I use up a bunch of sawzall blades trimming back trunks that run along the ground. 5) Phoenix rupicola: perhaps the weakest of the drought resistant palms in this category, rupicolas dry dip in the drought on older leaves. This one is totally exposed to full sun and the hottest late day sun exposure. This is the first time I see any notable dry tipping in 15 years, but it is also a triple which is a big advantage in root shading. I love this triple, its spreading out and going to stay under 25' to provide a nice wide umbrella. I highly recommend these in florida. Yeah they are slow but they are still pretty close to the eye and a vibrant green color. Some of the prettiest leaves in my yard. Most sensitive, losers that need shade/protection and brown tip anyway 1) chambeyronias((4) 2-15 year in the ground) hate this weather/soil, sun burn spots occur after water loss in transpiration which is an attempt by the palm to shed heat. 2) Satakentia luikiuensis(mature) hate this weather, they are dropping leaves faster than they are adding them and they are up over the house to the east but the roots are in full late day shade. Tie between chambys and satakentia, but dont put chambeyronia oliviformis in there, they are moderately drought resistant 3) archontophoenix sp(alexandre, maxima, myolensis, purpurea) These are bunched get little sun on roots and they are mostly in a raised bed with many pop ups, and not much sand. Still, they let me know they are not favoring the climate 4) Chrysalidocarpus Leptocheilos: Teddys really like water especially in hot late day sun. Not as thirsty as satakentia or chambys but the dry tip sets in fast. In the middle: 1) chambeyronia oliviformis: planted near the archies and not in a raised bed show they are more drought resistant, might be the relatively waxy leaf(to archontophoenix). 2) Roystonea Regia(mature 40-45' with huge root systems)): a little bit of brown tipping on older leaves but it is pushing out new leaves faster than they are dropping. And they are growing fairly quickly still. But these are not juveniles and have some massive roots and pretty thick trunks. 3) Copernicia Alba blue(mature): This one is borderline, not quite as drought resistant as the cuban copernicias but better than the C. oliviformis for sure. The skinny trunk probably doesnt hold much water as compared with the thicker cubans. This one appears to be browning leaves a little faster than growing them. 4) livistona saribus(Mature) in the middle 5) livistona decipiens(mature) int he middle 6) livistona chinensis(mature quadriple): seemingly less drought resistant than the other livistonas but it has more of the hottest sun, thought he quad protects the roots. There is some notably brown hanging around and not self shedding. I will not trim till it cools off a bit and I can cut them up and put them at the curb. 7) my juvenile copernicia hospitas(3 in a triple): These are still 2-6' tall and have small root systems. 3 years in the ground and started off slow, got a little hurricane damage a good grow year and then this drought year. Jury is out as to whether are going to be in the first group or this one due them not being established. I am hoping that as mature palms they will be in the most drought resistant group. Brown tipping on older leaves is there. These have the hottest western summer sun and not shade from it. Anybody else have interesting drought or moisture sensitivities that you notice in your climate? My observations are for a cool 10a west coast florida with sandy soil and a drought year since last oct. I have grown palms in arizona but there are others who have much more experience with different species that are possible to obtain these days in arizona so I leave it to those more knowledgeable than I. I was thinking we each have a climate and soil type and that new growers can use this kind of information to select and locate palms in their yard. After 25 years of growing palms, 10 in the arizona desert and 15+ here in mid west coast florida I have learned to select the right palm for the right spot looking at sun movements and soil in the area. And perhaps the biggest lesson I have learned is to bunch palms for watering efficiency but also for cold tolerance, and I try to select at least half the palms that you know will weather the climate once established without ER help. You don't want too much long term ER duty. We all lose a few palms int he extremes but it really hurts to lose 3/4ths of your palms in one season. Recommendations for different regions of austrailia, southern europe asia etc can help future palm talkers limit the cost of learning and same some time in establishing the garden. To make your observations mose useful to others describe your soil, palm placement/sun exposure, sloped ground if present, etc.,

Well done Jayce, you’ve invested a lot into your garden, collected a wide range of species ( and that is hard to do in Perth, Western Australia) and now have the ground work established. With lots of water and some protection during the fierce Perth summers you’ll start to create a microclimate that will protect the more delicate species. It all takes time but will be worth it. In Perth there is a lot of trial and error finding the right location for each species of palm. You have some more tropical palms on your list that will require a warm, well drained position during our wet cold winters and others will need some shade over our hot dry summers which I’m sure you already know. I’ve been growing palms for over thirty years and creating a microclimate is the secret to success in Perth so bangalow, Alexander, Kentia, Caryota and foxtails grow well here to provide overhead protection. My experience with foxtails is that they grow fairly quickly but take a long time to throw flowers in Perth and seed setting is very irregular so probably not as big a problem here than in the tropics. Chambeyronia are a fantastic show stopping palm but they need overhead shade here as the intense summer sun cooks the leaves so difficult to use as a canopy palm. It is great you have a record of your garden and you can watch it evolve over the years. Regards Russell

A slightly different look but very similar to C. Ernesti Augusti . Thank you @miamicuse , lovely examples. Harry

Hi Lars, Also amongst my first purchases. I have probably 20 but here is their leader, about six years old. This first batch from RPS, then I got some more to grow from Josue.

@SubTropicRay I'm surprised the Lakeland airport was that dry. We had a decent month closer to town. How did your total match up with KTPA or the WFO in Ruskin?

Great job on the landscaping and selection, @quaman58 !

If they start eating metal and concrete, look out UHI. 😅

Hope it grows well for you. A healthy Jubaea is a great statement palm.

Here is another Delonix regia in the area that is the largest one that I know of in California growing in Cathedral City, CA. It is surrounded by lawn and is more sparsely blooming, however based off of your observations, this doesn't always line up! I want to figure it out too because I just bought a house in El Centro, CA, and will be starting my garden this fall.

I even had a variegated foxy lady, that is until a great big cane beetle got in and ate it from the inside. Foxy lady about the only hybrid I do like the look of. I admire the work involved in creating such hybrids!

Wowo such a beautiful palm

This reverse cross was done by Seabreeze Nursery in Fort Meyers, Florida. I’m eager to see how well it grows here. 🙂

Bit of an update, it’s still alive and the little spear on the side shoot has jut ever do slightly grown a little bit. See what happens in summer now with this little experiment. The most encouraging sign is it’s not dead yet and that’s a good place to start with!

A very interesting and somewhat rare piece plant that has blue flowers.

Beautiful flowers and highly sought after in the floral trade. I purchased a white and the red one hot larvae about 6 months ago, and so far it’s looking good for winter.

Looks like a bit of palm love was (literally) in the air. The original foxy lady was developed by the Australian grower Rich Trapnell of rosebud farm I do believe!

A nice young Joey palm and a socratea rostrata, they only need another ten years of growing and a lot of water to be the main conversation focal point in the garden!

Wondering what you been up to, well now I know. You got a challenge on that bottle palm, now we will see you’re growing skills at work! And look after mr sancho he’s your best buddy in life, I just lost my 19 year old kitty Kat, the one who designed my garden, for her I was just the gardener!

Dypsis rosea coming along nicely for winter.

Three great dypsis varieties, dyp faneva, dyp remotifolia and dyp lantzeana. It may be mid winter but that doesn’t matter, the palms have been acclimated to my winter in the greenhouse and I don’t get frosts so plant away I say. And a nice handful of chamaedorea adscendens went in for a bit of extra fun along with a nice trio of Cham genoformis. Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t plant your garden. I find the winter plantings get a good tuck in gor summer and are established a lot stronger for the hot brutal days of summer when you miss the odd water or two! Dypsis faneva Dypsis remotifolia Dypsis lantzeana chamaedorea adscendens chamaedorea genoformis