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Hi everyone, Been a long while but figured I’d post an update on the trees. Been hand watering for the last year and half and so happy they really bounced back. Was on cloud nine and then the city decided to trim trees in the parkway. 5 years I’ve lived there pre fire and they never touched my alfredii. Well I go the next week and they damn near murdered the tree! They cut every frond off and chopped the three new spears coming out of the top with it. I am so pissed off and defeated at the same time. I have tried calling to see what the hell happened and nothing typical California just takes me on automated loops for hours. I am going to keep watering in hopes it keeps pushing them out as they didn’t damage the bud and 6 inches or so of the spears is sticking out the top. What are your thoughts is it too far gone? Anything I can do to help it bounce back yet again?

I seem to be having better luck with Jubaea now. Crossing fingers.

Its raining hard now, sounds like a waterfall. but radar says it likely wont last. Sarasota and inland to the east do appear to be getting big rain on radar. End the drought!

Thanks. Appreciate that. Here is a picture in 2016 when I initially planted it. You can see the sprouted coconut to the right in a pot. That's the red spicata. Good growth in 10 years. Queens are gone and old man palms died when hurricane Irma broke a small one at the base and the other died of fungal infection...crown rot. Garden has been added to over the years. Behind this there is more....tri bear, Fiji fan, sabal Lisa, bucaneer, a couple Chambeyronia oliviformis...just can't see them in the pic. They were added in 2017.

Release the fronds (untie them). There’s no advantage to leaving them tied up still.

To everyone waiting for updates or interested in growing embothreum coccineum (Chilean fire tree) in the humid southeastern U.S., I've got updates and pictures. First, I have to talk about the long journey I've been on learning about this special tree. Everything I've read tells me it will fail anywhere in the U.S. outside of western Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. But, I have high pain tolerance, and I think this is a rare tree that not enough people have attempted to grow here. So maybe I can trail blaze and contribute what I've learned about it. First, over the last 7 or 8 years I've attempted to grow this tree at various stages, from seedling to 3 feet tall and flowering. I've probably killed 8 - 10 trees, but I've currently got 3 growing (two from seed and one 4 foot tall and flowering). I've experimented with soil amendments, different soil moisture levels, and various levels of sun exposure. After all that, and several years of partial success and lots of failure, here's what I've learned. Soil permeability and temperature are the most important aspects of keeping this tree alive. It must have excellent soil porosity. If you're starting with clay soil, remove a few buckets worth of it, and mix in a few bags of coarse sand, gravel, and pine bark nuggets. Do not using potting soil or even compost. It can deal with poor soil just fine. Also be sure the soil stays cool and moist (not overly wet). After you've planted it in the perfect spot, give it bag after bag of mini pine bark nuggets around the area you've planted it in to keep the soil underneath it breathable, well draining, and cool. The 3 foot tall fire tree I planted had all that done, and I replaced its top 6" - 8" of soil as straight pine bark nuggets. That keeps the soil acidic and extremely well draining, as well as cool. Site location: The 3' tree that's stayed alive is now in its second blooming and growing season and was given the best spot it could ask for. It's about 4 - 5 feet away from a brick wall on a slightly downward slope, facing east. It catches full sun until noon, but during the hottest part of the day it stays shaded because of the brick wall. The heat and high humidity of north Georgia still stresses the tree though. In its first growing season it dropped half its leaves, which apparently is a survival mechanism for trees that think they'll lose too much water through transpiration. However, we watered that tree nearly daily the first year, and it rewarded us by staying alive after it bloomed its heart out. A few months ago I got worried because I read something that said if Chilean fire trees ever have a stressful year, they'll forever stop blooming. However, that did not end up being the case. Even though in its first year it was completely covered in flowers, the tree still gave us blooms this spring as well, just far fewer. We had probably 7 or 8 clusters of fiery red blooms, plus a lot of branch and leaf growth. Since these trees only bloom on new growth from the previous year, it may be promising that its grown so many new branches and leaves. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it dropped more than half its leaves again, and put itself into survival mode just to get through the dog days of summer here. That would mean only a few bloom clusters next year as well, but still worth it. I've read it wants night time temperatures below 65 degrees F in order to rest at night. Without that, it stresses. However, if you keep the roots cool and moist, and don't fry the plant with the hottest afternoon temps, it seems to do pretty decently here. Again, it is a protea, so don't fertilize it with any phosphorus. For my part, I just skip fertilizer altogether. They seem to do just fine without any of that. For all the other proteaceaes I grow in my yard (several types of grevilleas and Gevuina avellana), it really helps to put down some other ground covering plant. For example, my Tasmanian mountain peppers and Gevuina avellana were planted in among Asian jasmine vines, which keep the ground underneath cool and moist. It's the only way I've been able to keep those alive, and I'm sure it would help with Chilean fire trees as well if I were to plant new ones. The Chilean fire trees I planted from seed are another story. I have one that's probably 5 years old at this point, and was grown from seeds I purchase from the U.K. The one that's still alive from that batch shot up like a weed its first and second year, but now that its been planted in the ground, it grows very slowly. It's probably 10" tall at this point, however it did not have the benefit of being planted on the east side of my home. It was planted on the west side, which means it gets the brutal afternoon heat. But its saving grace is that it was planted right at the top of a retaining wall, on a slope that receives constant moisture from my AC condensate drip line. It also has the top of its soil covered in several inches of pine bark nuggets. The small hill above it has had many bags of sand mixed into it, and the retaining wall has nothing but gravel behind it. So it has very permeable soil and stays constantly moist, but not wet. This is enough to keep it alive with some small amount of growth each year, but I suspect if I could've planted it on an eastward-facing slope where it only received direct morning sun, it would be doing much better right now. The third fire tree I have is a seedling from the 4 foot tall specimen that has the perfect spot. I took seeds from it last year and got a couple to sprout. This is the last one to have survived. It's in a small plastic pot with its soil a mixture of coarse sand and peat moss. I put oak catkins all over the top of its soil line to make a carpet that would keep its soil cool and prevent it from drying too quickly between waterings. It's only about 1" tall at this point, but you can see its top is already splitting into two crowns. This one will likely be a multi-branched cluster if it survives. But interestingly, now I have fire tree genetics from both the U.K. and an Oregon nursery. I hope this inspires someone out there to give the Chilean fire tree a try (or two... or ten). It's a fickle tree, but to behold it in bloom is indescribable. In my opinion, this is the most beautiful tree in the world when blooming, and still a pretty tree for the other 10 months of the year. One last point, deer seem like the taste of the leaves, so protect it with a chicken wire cage if you have deer in your area. Good luck

Congratulations, Kyle! Sorry Hilo didn't work out for you, but you've never been afraid of challenges. 😉 As others have already said, beginning with canopy will make a world of difference for you, but I can't help with tree suggestions. Whatever you come up with, site them strategically for both summer heat protection and overhead canopy for cold protection while still allowing space for your palms to expand overhead. Wind? I don't know your conditions, but you'll have fun trying to outwit the elements. I used to know of lots of backyard growers; these days I've lost track, since I don't buy much anymore. Tracy's suggestion of attending the PSSC meetings is spot on; that's where you'll find them. I can't wait to see what you do with all that blank space! Irrigation and hardscape first! Go Kyle!

In winter there is a lot of rain here almost 1500 mm in 3 months so in winter they get a lot of water hahaha

Yeah, reckon they'd cook without a cool down at night. @kylecawazafla Livistona mariae, L rigida, L alfredii would all handle the heat, if you could keep the water up...I'm sure you already know that though!

The reward after a long night of dodging sleep to chase surprise bolts? Greeting the sun, on opening day of the season.. Icing on the Cake? = Capturing a rarity, the Sunrise Rainbow.. Weak as it was as it inched closer from somewhere west of the house, this storm spat out a few final bolts before wrapping up. Unfortunately, w/ this camera, and increasing daylight, very difficult to capture any of them before the morning encore performance ended. Hopefully this is just a tease of what lies ahead...

Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. I transplanted these palms May 17th. It’s been about 6 weeks and they are staying pretty green despite the transplant shock but 1 is seriously tipping and the other two have a slight tilt (assuming from the wind) any recommendations on what to do with issues like this? Thank you

Fertilizer Something with micronutrients specifically boron

You've been watching too much X Files Richard!

I can manifest a wild, unsupported theory regardless of the moon phase...ask the aliens who live in my Nypa swamp!

If you're OK with seeds, the Lake Wire palm collection has around 100,000 seeds laying on the ground at this point. It's roughly a 1 hour drive, but would save you a little hassle other than sprouting them.

yes these are hard to over water, soak it on every warm day. In cool weather not necessary, maybe every 3rd day.

Not sure of the specifics on these, but certain parts of Cuba are very floody with lots of rain in the hot-wet season. Your plan sounds as good as any. Sometimes it’s a bit of trial and error.

Pitaya bud🤩

First flowers on our indoor Rhapis multifida

It’s around the full moon that’s the danger period for wild, unsupported theories in my area. Yours too apparently 🤣

I live in Avon Park Fl. My palms were planted at the end of April and the fronds are turning brown too. I was watering them 3 days a week with sprinklers at the base and once or twice I gave them a good watering with the hose. I also fertilized them with palm gain once a couple weeks ago. I am not watering them any more as we’ve been getting some rain lately. Do they look ok? Or should I be doing something different for them? Thanks

I will, start to water it every day!

Good signs as the season starts ..of more to come, ....Hopefully.. A bit blurred n' wiggly, but, that's what happens when a surprise storm catches one off guard and they are minus a " temporarily displaced " tripod to camera plate. Regardless, for holding a camera as still as possible for 30 seconds on said tripod, repeatedly... not the worst of outcomes.. " Temporarily displaced " item relocated = less blur ...this storm a touch closer? would've been nice. ..that and continuing to spit out bolts rather than winding down as quickly as it flared.. 3AM Dreamtime Indigo Sky showers ...while the sleepy sleep.

The species can live happily IN WATER so you can’t over water yours. Water yours daily and even twice a day if the weather is very hot.

Too early to tell. It could be mixed with a number of different Phoenix species and it would be hard to tell which until the palm matures a bit.