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Well could not hold back and decided to make a run to a nursery I happened to visit just over a week ago. I know I may be pushing it a bit but decided I wanted to give it a try regardless as I have canopy and am on an island surrounded by water so fingers crossed. She was a bit of a pig to move at approx 500lbs and doing it by hand. Pulled her off the trailer using a tarp and then through the gate into the backyard that I am starting to landscape. Also planning a Koi pond beside it so it can help shade the pond and fish in the hot summers.

That you own, of course. And add a pic! It's January so we can still do these yearly reviews. My favorite pam for 2021 was the Phoenix Canariensis. What determined favorability in 2021 was strongly influenced by how Palms recovered during our winter event (aka Palmageddon) here in Central Texas. This palm was completely defoliated (I cut it to a single spear) and protected by several layers of fleece blankets and frost cloth. What you see in the picture is a full blown recovery explosion. I got the palm in Jan/Feb of 2020 from one of those Houston Garden Centers along the highway for a discounted price. It was in a 5 Gallon pot with a trunk diameter of 5 inches. Now it measures a whopping 13 inches. Hardy ever had to water it. Definitely palm of the year for me!

For 2021 I have to go with my large Butia capitata. My first year having palms and so far, so good.

My mule I think

It is hard for me to choose between Patrick's ButiaXParajubaea Sunkha or Brahea Clara. I will go with my Brahea clara. This year Clara finally decided not to crawl anymore and it flushed many beautiful blue fronds. It doesn't even mind our rain.

Just looking at this today and very proud I have kept it alive from a 4" seedling from Floribunda about 10-11 years ago. Very slow for me but the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

Probably my little Butia capitata (Likely catarinensis) that exploded in growth this year.

This little one has been impressing me with it's frosty sea green leaves and fast growth. B. armata X B. brandegeei hybrid. AKA "Frankenbrahea".

I bought mine at HGC at 70% off the 48” box in 2001. This is what it became. It was always my favorite. Pictured this fall after the mega freeze recovery. It’s a she. Sadly College Station thinks the sidewalks on my avenue should be 6ft instead of the standard 3ft. So many taxes nothing better to do I guess. So it’s my final farewell.

Speaking of, that coconut over at Snoopy’s is still doing fine.

A few of the specimens I planted at my clinic property... 1) Tall Cow's Tongue cactus (10 feet+), 2) Purple prickly pear (pale blue green colored unless water-deprived), 3) Opuntia basilaris cultivar- low-growing prickly pear which turns purple this time of year (cold weather), 4) Chollas and prickly pear wider view 6) Argentinian saguaro- starting to get a little height now, maybe 18 inches tall. It's in a rain shadow under the roof overhang but unprotected otherwise. I think it will grow totally unprotected in So. Oregon where it's drier, but constant rain rots it in the Portland area if not protected.

Monster growth rate on this is well worth the 30 bux even if it dies next winter (or next month? Next decade?) March A few days ago

Great job nursing a little fetus up to that. Here’s a pic I took at the one at Searle Bros in South Florida last year. Something to look forward to. Wonder if someone bought it and dug it out before they closed the shop? These are pretty great looking in middle age….

I have noticed these things growing like rockets around London to the point that they start dominating their space. They seem to gain quite a bit of vertical height very quickly as well in these sheltered London gardens. I'm assuming they were all planted as tiny 'houseplants' from B&Q and Homebase, which have grown big. These are found everywhere in London now as you will see... This one I have already posted before. It's one of the biggest for sure. Check out the size of this south London Elephantipes in Peckham...!!! Here's another big one in a Chiswick front garden, however I cannot find the exact street view location of it unfortunately. There's plenty more out there... \ @Axel Amsterdam Anymore you can contribute to this list? I know you are the main guy for uncovering Yucca's in northwest Europe. I have spotted far bigger ones in the past around London, but I can't remember where they are exactly now? I'm pretty sure I have missed 2-3 of the biggest London Elephantipes...? I couldn't find the exact location the big multi-head one in Chiswick.

Howdy, I had a plant nursery in Texas for a decade until 2010, called CollectorPalms. I have considered restarting with “Texas Tough Plants” ; lots of native plants and ones that do well here and similar places. Right now it’s still a dream, but I have the availability to get it up and running in a year. I have experience growing & shipping small to large palms. Others, I may need some input. Why, I think it’s needed, it’s difficult to get certain plants. 10-20 years ago had a lot of good nurseries that are no longer... they retired mostly. Also the recession of 2008 hurt a lot of nurseries. I also have no local competition. No other cool Nurseries. Question to all. What would you like to see available at the nursery? Specific palms, agaves, yuccas, cactus, trees etc... sizes & prices? Thanks for the ideas. I have a list already in mind, but want good feedback from others. Everyone reading this, give me your thoughts! Please! Thanks in Advance!

Here this better. Oops. Now perfect. that was Late Fall 2018 when hit 14.5F that spring, everything came back. No so 2021. But she did.

A few more pics: 1) Tall prickly pear with Opuntia ficus-indica (Indian Fig) genes likely 2) Pencil cholla (Cylindropuntia kleiniae) 3) Yucca rostrata (sapphire skies cultivar)

Very windy day! 73F

There is only one thing to do. Since doubles are abhorrent to the delicate sensibilities of any palm landscape designer, you must now plant a third Sabal.

Congratulations ! Here are a few habitat images from Argentina.

Although I physically missed the warm December I see the effects of the above average warmth now that I have returned. My palms have carried on with their growth, continuing to push spears, and the newly open fronds are large and robust, including the Adonidias which are notoriously grumpy around here most Januaries. Coconuts around the neighborhood are fruiting heavily and exhibit no noticeable cold symptoms. My Hamelia cuprea, while not flowering, is still green. It normally turns bronze and partially defoliates by now, only flushing out again in early March. My patens are in full growth mode and most surprisingly my Helliconia pssitacorum are in full vigor. They have normally turned brown and mostly given up the ghost by now. The Brunfelsia grandiflora in my yard is in the best flowering phase in my memory. All of the mangoes in my area are as full of flowers as I have ever seen them, and they are much farther along than last year. The Taxodium distichum in my neighborhood is holding onto most of their needles, though they usually own their common name by this this time of the rolling year. Geiger trees have not defoliated and some are even blooming. Clerodendrum quadriloculare seem to be the exception to the rule as they appear to be a little behind where they were last year when it was a cooler period. These are just my observations in my little corner of the universe. Hopefully this cold/cool spell over the next couple weeks will not set things back too much. I have a feeling we will revert back to a warm period in February after this relatively chilly period, as the macro trend is the trend until it isn't.

My variegated sabal palm... 10' to crown. I believe mature enough for transplanting. Wild grown in Lee county, FL. (This palm shrugged off Hurricane Irma like it was just a gentle blow. :-) Some of my other taller regular sabals took a bit of a lean. ) I may sound immodest describing this specimen as perhaps the most spectacular variegated sabal palm... in the world? (It's just that... I've never seen pictures of any variegation remotely comparable in a sabal palm.) An amusing story about my discovery of this palm on my property. I thought it simply an interesting plant, but nothing special. One day a couple of horticulture PhDs came by for a visit. As I pulled up to the property, Fred jumped out of the truck, before the truck had come to a stop. He ran up to the palm and just stood there, frozen and slack jawed. Once I parked the truck I walked over to Fred. I thought he was having some kind of grand mal siezure. He was standing there shaking. I said "Fred, what's wrong?" He says, "Do you know what this is?" I replied, a "Sabal palm." He replies... "Yes... but it's variegated." Then proceeds to give me a summary explanation of the significance... I am a plant lover... but had no idea. Available for sale.

The furthest eastern point in the state of Florida is located at Palm Beach Shores, Florida (26.7/80.0356) while Palm Beach, Florida (26.7/80.0364) is nearby. Presently, the Gulfstream/Florida Current is approximately 5-10 miles of from PB and likely closer to 5 miles based upon Miami- So. Fl. NWS Marine Zone forecast. The postulate is that land closer to the Gulfstream/Florida Current experiences substantially higher winter minimum temperatures. A relatively new WeatherStation has been located in PB near the old Blossom property. It is KFLPALMB357 (hereinafter “PB Station”) and is located on the intracoastal side rather than the ocean side. A winter climate comparison between this station and the numbers at PBIA (airport) should provide an interesting test of the existence of the Gulfstream/Florida Current micro-climate theory. To that end: PBIA PB Station 12/21 12/21 MMM. MMM 85/72.22/51F 83.9/74.7/55.7F 1/22 to date 1/22 to date MMM MMM 83/70.4/55F 81.3/73.1/60.9F Both the minimum temperatures (5-6F) together with the median temperatures (2-3F) are substantially higher at the PB station when compared to PBIA. The same anomaly can be witnessed at locations substantially further south in the Florida Peninsula, where the GulfStream/Florida Current is further from land. Miami Beach weather station KFLMIAMI89 (hereinafter “MB”) compared to the PB Station reports the following: MB PB Station 12/21 12/21 MMM MMM 86/75.1/56.4F 83.9/74.7/55.7F 1/22 to date 1/22 to date 84.8/73/59.1F 81.3/73.1/60.9F The longitude of MB is 80.019 while the longitude of PB/PB Shores is approximately 80.036. The latitude of MB is 25.76 while PB/PB Shores is 26.78. This constitutes almost a full degree of latitude but the minimum and median temperatures are almost identical.

Snowing on my palms here near the Smokies! 0116221625.mp4

There are four major weather models they follow. Some transplanted weather forecasters are slow to learn that certain models have lower reliability for the Southeast.

I planted it last year. Parajubaea sunkha is supposedly the hardiest parajubaea and tolerate slightly more wet condition.

Veichia winin!!!

Nathan, thanks for posting those beautiful cactus flowers. I was born and raised in Albuquerque and during my college days, before palms, had an extensive cacti collection. I used to make treks to Tucson to pick up specimens, certified of course, and drag them back home. I’ll never forget just how heavy an 18” tall Saguaro can be. Being a ‘plant’ person, I’m equally at home living in a tropical rain forest or an arid desert. I must have been a plant in another life. Tim

I'm rooting for a warm February. GOD BLESS THE USA

70F here at 7:00am and as of 8am a really fast moving low cloud deck moving east with moderate rain as the squall line approaches from the west. Winds gusting to near gale force and winds up to 50 mph in gusts expected within the hour. -Michael

Very good idea, Alex!!!

Really wishing i had access to EPS. Is there any more local sources that you follow besides the Carolinas? Lol I already know about Redzone but forgot the dudes name.

Beautiful palm, I wouldn’t say that’s too slow either. There’s a whole bunch of D prestoniana hybrids floating around now in Australia and they are known to be promiscuous. I’m no expert, but by the look of yours I’d suspect there might be some blood of one of the cane type palms in it, maybe D cabadae, pembana or madagascariensis. It just has a more upright growth habit and a smoother blue/white colouration to the leaf base than I’m used to seeing on D prestoniana. Of course that could also be environmental as it appears to be in the shade of other palms. But hybrid vigour might help to explain the hardiness and I believe there are many flowering Dypsis at Floribunda.

I'm pretty excited today. I pollinated one of my Anthurium radicans x luxurians with some pollen from my besseae aff. Just for grins. Mainly because everyone I know says that rad x lux is sterile and will not produce viable seeds. I only got 6 seeds. It was a very sparse take. And there was a possibility the seeds would be sterile like everyone says. But I have one seed so far that is germinating. This photo is hard to see, my phone camera won;t focus well enough this close. But there is a little green appendage emerging from this seed! Very excited...hope I don;t lose it.

Like me selling Coconut Palms in Corpus Christi. As of now, I think I am the only one in Texas regurlarly carrying them, yet there is increasing demand for them here, and lots of demand for them in the Rio Grande Valley!!! I have said for years, that Rio Grande Valley nurseries are REALLY DROPPING THE BALL by not carrying them on a regular basis, since so many people down there want them!!! John

I watched them dig the top half out then they used the bobcat to slide the bottom half out. It has some beautiful roots that were not severed all around. They left a massive rootball on it. I had a few men on my block help me roll it off my truck. I’m assuming he got them from south Florida and planted them in the ground for a short period of time. Crossing my fingers

Drumroll please……..these are the only surviving Foxtails I have seen anywhere around. There is no reason for newly planted foxtails to look this bad, and I can match most of them up to pre-freeze street views. They have to have had substantial protection, would love to hit up the homeowner about it.

Here’s a S. Mauritiiformis that I planted as a smaller 15 gallon, 5-6 years ago, for a neighbor. About 10’ tall, now. Central San Diego, eastern exposure, trouble free.

Filifera in the desert cannot be beat, in my opinion. Nowhere do they look better. I've got a few in my Texas yard, but the consistent high humidity gives them a different hue and growth than they get in a hot and dry climate. In San Antonio, the filibusta's look their best. They are fine with the humidity and grow quickly.

I'd love to see Yucca Do Nursery 2.0. Beyond palms, there are a lot of subtropicals from Mexico, southern Brazil/Argentina, and East Asia that are well adapted to 8b-9a/b TX. I'd love to see a wide assortment of evergreen shrubs and trees as well as bromeliads, agaves, aroids, etc. Also, named varieties of subtropical fruit like citrus, loquat, and cold hardy avocados.

I cannot wrap my head around why it is so difficult to find the hardiest cat palms (C. radicalis and microspadix) around here. I know they're slow growers, but they germinate well and are among the toughest tropical-looking palms we can grow. I have never seen C. radicalis for sale except for at Peckerwood, and C. microspadix is extremely uncommon. The really tough Cycas other than C. revoluta like C. taitungensis and C. panzhihuaensis should also be more common in the trade. Finally, Ceratozamias. There's a lot of these that can make it here but are pretty much non-existent.

Mass produce Washingtonia Filifera from known hardy source from 50-100 year old trees in San Antonio or Austin. I’ve considered doing this.

You mean this one?

I hope you pull it off...I know I bought several palms from you in the past and was disappointed when I checked my saved sellers(E-Bay)only to see you and so many others are gone...it used to be you could get a S.Louisiana S.McCurtain S.Brazoria etc very easily and cheaply too...at least compared to todays prices.