Life After The FREEZE

[happ]

I had an hour to kill while in downtown Los Angeles.  So with camera in hand, I looked over plant life post-freeze.  It should be noted that NWS did not actually report freezing temperatures in most of the LA Basin but there was noticable damage here & there.

It also was noticable that park & street palms seemed to be the most unhealthy versus business/private gardens.

Kings in Pershing SQ

 

[happ]

Some more examples

Of-course Queen palms looked grand, as always

Some Kings didn't fare so well

[happ]

Coral trees flowering

Bird of Paradise also flowering

Back to palms on the street looking unhappy

[happ]

So so

[happ]

Kind of seedy downtown

Closeup of upper branches of a tall Dombeya

[happ]

Back to palm trees

Nice discovery of veitchia

[elHoagie]

Nice pictures Happ!  Judging by those Veitchias, it couldn't have been too cold there.  I drove around Mt. Washington yesterday, and it was good to see some bananas with green leaves.  They've all turned completely brown in Altadena....

[philinsydney]

I'm surprised the Archos were affected if it wasn't below freezing.

[happ]

(wrigphi @ Jan. 22 2007,13:32)

QUOTE

I'm surprised the Archos were affected if it wasn't below freezing.

Philip

Good point & to be quite honest, the worst fronds were at the bottom of the palms & looked old.  I have noticed per my remarks that the palms on public byways & city parks were the most unkempt.  But during every winter king palms seem to show some browning regardless of the temps; maybe the wind & extremely low humidity values have something to due with their less than spectacular appearance.

[Alan_Tampa]

Kind of seedy downtown

maybe he is swooning.

Alan

[happ]

I'm surprised the Archos were affected if it wasn't below freezing.

Philip

Your comment got me thinking that archontophoenix never look as good in comparison to Queensland.  The best specimens seem to be partially shaded. Veitchia also burn/spot during winter.  

Here's a few photos taken yesterday of kings at a hotel near Huntington gardens

[PalmGuyWC]

Hi Happ,

Thanks for the great photos and the tour of Downtown LA. I have been to many places, but I've never actually been in downtown LA, only through it on the freeway.  Those kings got a little nipped but looks like they will recover by mid summer.

I can't grow Kings here, but I'm a little curious.....What is the great attraction to them in S. Cal?  Is it because they grow fast and can recover from the rare freezes like we just had?  I have seen some beauties in San Diego and I've also seen some pretty ratty ones down there as street trees.  They seem to be pretty sensitive to winds.  I'm temped to try some, but I doubt they would last long here.

I remember seeing a valley outside of Hilo where they had naturalized...and they were exquisite.

Thanks again for the tour.

Dick

[happ]

Dick

Like most palms, archontophoenix love lots of water & show their dislike for dry gusty wind.  

They also seem most happy in partial shade

Full sun

[Tyrone]

Thanks for the photos. Some of those inner city pics look identical to parts of Perth. I think LA has more palms planted and is a bit more adventurous with Veitchias etc. We seem to have heaps and heaps of canary island dates and Washies.

regards

Tyrone

[happ]

(Tyrone @ Jan. 25 2007,01:37)

QUOTE

Thanks for the photos. Some of those inner city pics look identical to parts of Perth. I think LA has more palms planted and is a bit more adventurous with Veitchias etc. We seem to have heaps and heaps of canary island dates and Washies.

regards

Tyrone

Tyrone

I wish what you write were true.  But the reality is that fan palms outnumber every other species & canary palms are quite common [though less often planted due to size and expense].  Queen palms appear to be the most often planted over the past several years.  King palms are fairly common but require more care than many are willing to provide [ie city]. Those veitchia are  a rare discovery; wish there were more  

[spockvr6]

(happ @ Jan. 24 2007,22:11)

QUOTE

Dick

Like most palms, archontophoenix love lots of water & show their dislike for dry gusty wind.  

Wind shreds these palms!   IMO, they are far better looking in at least a semi-protected location that gets some shade.

They also seem most happy in partial shade

I think those are Kentia?

[happ]

(elHoagie @ Jan. 22 2007,12:50)

QUOTE

Nice pictures Happ!  Judging by those Veitchias, it couldn't have been too cold there.  I drove around Mt. Washington yesterday, and it was good to see some bananas with green leaves.  They've all turned completely brown in Altadena....

Jack

Next time you are in the area stop by mi casita    Can't miss me since banana doesn't seem to be the plant of choice of my water-conscious neighbors.  I'm considered eccentric & get a lecture every so often by conservationists for planting "unnatural and high consumption plants.  There was a big snit several years ago due to water running down the road and the fear of West Nile fever. Like Twilight Zone, people started ratting on each other & city officials inspected. As it turns out many my neighbors water heavily in the early morning and can't control the excess.  The officials praised my system of irrigation & healthy garden [they use my orange tree to monitor fruit flies w/ a bug trap]. Fire dept pass me every spring & commend the lush growth as a fire deterent [while some nieghbors get cited every year for allowing dead weeds and no pruning of their trees.  :laugh:

Banana serve to protect understory planting [like a cute little bethelnut palm  ::