Updates on California Coconuts?

[Palmy]

Im just curious about the California coconuts such as the one in New port beach? Just curious. I know, I know, why keep a coconut that looks bad in California? but it inspires poeple that its possible, yet it may look ugly but lets say if we get a new coconut, cocos nuficia var. california? LOL. Any pics would be awsome.

[Palmy]

Must we not forget about

http://www.palms.org/cgi-bin....23.html

[bubba]

I do not think the Newport coconut is ugly and believe more Califonians should be inspired to grow them in the numerous existing microclimates.

[BobbyinNY]

I'm just curious as to who's responsible for the horrible pruning job on those washies in the Newport Beach Cocos picture.... It looks like a beauty school dropout did it.

[BigFrond]

I tried the coco and it lasted for 2 years.  Poor coco past away after the last winter.

[Stan]

If i lived anywhere near the Newport coco i would give the owner my business card.Because i have seen palms in almost identical situations-very narrow open planting beds-blow over just as they reached the trunking height of the Newport plant, in winter storms. They then gave it away to anybody who would haul it away.It's looking precarious for the N.Coco.

[DoomsDave]

(Stan @ Jul. 11 2006,14:05)

QUOTE

If i lived anywhere near the Newport coco i would give the owner my business card.Because i have seen palms in almost identical situations-very narrow open planting beds-blow over just as they reached the trunking height of the Newport plant, in winter storms. They then gave it away to anybody who would haul it away.It's looking precarious for the N.Coco.

I think it's the situation that, in part has allowed it to survive this long.

COnsider that the roots are nice and warm from all that sunny concrete in the winter.  Yeah, the overhang won't help, but I'd try to find a way to leave it there.

dave

[Bennz]

Can someone please take a look at these climate stats for Newport Beach and tell me if they are roughly accurate?

http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather...s=722972&refer=

I have heard a lot about this cocos, and always assumed that this was some kind of super-favoured warm microclimate, but average temps its not much warmer than my place here! These stats suggest the area is really quite cool, they cant be accurate can they? There appears to be a particularly obvious lack of summer heat that I would have imagined essential to push this palm along. I now understand why it is so small for its age.

This now leads me down the dangerous and futile path of the "I wonder if...?" game. I wonder if I mound planted a cocos and covered the soil with black breathable fabric to keep the soil warm, and wrapped the whole thing in greenhouse film for  heat and as a winter soil moisture barrier.... I think I can feel another futile experiment coming on....

[Dypsisdean]

IMO---Just the climate there is not the only reason this palm has survived.

I have heard from some of the older IPS members, that when this palm was small, it was being treated with fungicide through the winters to keep it from rotting out. Knowing that when small, a cold wet winter would have been disaster, some kind hearted IPS members would go by there and help it along.

[Stan]

Dont get me wrong-i'm not for removing it.I meant to be first in line when nature does it's Darwin thing. Look at those surface roots..just like the Kentia thread of those toppling over.

Remove it ?-heck no.Let it ride. But it would be a shame if it did they just tossed it in the dumpster-in pieces.

[Ashton]

(Palmy @ Jul. 11 2006,04:22)

QUOTE

Im just curious about the California coconuts such as the one in New port beach? Just curious.

I spoke to a women that works next door to the office building in Newport Beach and she says that it is still standing.  I'll swing by soon and take some fresh pics.

[Johnny]

Here's a few pics I took of it in March '05. They are newer tthan the ones posted above. I think the palm looks great - especially since it was at the tail-end of a CA winter!

C. nucifera in Newport Beach Pic 1

C. nucifera in Newport Beach Pic 2

[Walter John]

It does look like a Malay Dwarf doesn't it which is testament to it's survival ability as these are usually less cold tolerant than the regular talls.

[elHoagie]

(Bennz @ Jul. 11 2006,16:35)

QUOTE

Can someone please take a look at these climate stats for Newport Beach and tell me if they are roughly accurate?

Ben,

Those stats look a little colder than what I've found for coastal SoCal.  The average hi/low are a little more like 18/10 in the winter and 24/18 in the summer.  

Jack

[Cristóbal]

In Tijuana by the ocean its 20/10 in january and 27/19 in july. but the most warm months are august, september.  i think what they put in links very cold but the rains probaly right. Im like 110 miles south of the newport beach. before i grew 3 cocos here to 2 meters high, i think its more warm and dry here in all the year then by the ocean by Los Angeles.

In 10 years the most cold i have recorded with digital station of weather is 41 F / 5 C

[Stan]

Thats shows maybe coconuts are not grown farther north because -nobody tried.

Even lately nobody has tried with any real effort.Raised bed,sandy or other fast draining soil..Why hasn't Disneyland tried? You would think they would start with full  grown trees with coconuts on them for the sake of the tourist's.

[AS in SA]

Seems like the "Adventureland" area at Disneyland would be the perfect place - very tropicalesque microclimate they've put together.  They have ravenala madagascariensis (traveler tree) growing successfully, so maybe a coconut - particularly full grown?  

Now just have to convince Disney to plant one.. ???

Allen in..

Santa Ana, CA

Zone 10

[kylecawazafla]

thank you palmy for bringing up my favorite topic. I may be going on a cross country road trip this August and it may involve visiting our friends in Newport Beach which would mean visiting that coconut. I was once staying with my friends there during one of the cold winter storms in December/January 2004/5 and was very surprised to see that their backyard, even in the middle of the night didn't get colder than 56 F most days and got to about 66 each day if I remember correctly. It could have been a dud thermometer though

[Stan]

Steve in San Diego had the best looking-non Newport coconut palm. I wonder how it looks in mid summer?hmm?......