Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

"Palms don't belong in Kansas" and other cold hardy palm oppositions


jfrye01@live.com

Recommended Posts

Hello all, recently, I've run into a lot of folks who, upon seeing my palms, remark "Palms belong in the tropics, not here in Kansas"...to which I often reply "Actually, most palms aren't tropical"...but I've found that people don't want to hear it. They believe the common misconception that all palms are tropical plants...some are even hateful, saying things like "those things are so ugly here!!"...So question is, do any of you "northern zone pushers" run into this issue with uneducated people? If so, what do you say to prove them wrong?;) Just wondering...

-Jacob in Kansas

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all, recently, I've run into a lot of folks who, upon seeing my palms, remark "Palms belong in the tropics, not here in Kansas"...to which I often reply "Actually, most palms aren't tropical"...but I've found that people don't want to hear it. They believe the common misconception that all palms are tropical plants...some are even hateful, saying things like "those things are so ugly here!!"...So question is, do any of you "northern zone pushers" run into this issue with uneducated people? If so, what do you say to prove them wrong?;) Just wondering...

-Jacob in Kansas

I just point out that Sabal minor is native ~150 miles south of here while most of their yard is from Asia...

Zone 7a/b Delaware

Unusual Plants

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha!!! Good point! Most people don't realize most of the common plants around here aren't native...and very expensive....for example, here in the Wichita area, Japanese maple is a very popular ornamental tree...the local nurseries price these around $900, while I picked up my S. minor for $30/piece;)

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt there was a single palm tree here before the Gold Rush and now there are thousands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello all, recently, I've run into a lot of folks who, upon seeing my palms, remark "Palms belong in the tropics, not here in Kansas"...to which I often reply "Actually, most palms aren't tropical"...but I've found that people don't want to hear it. They believe the common misconception that all palms are tropical plants...some are even hateful, saying things like "those things are so ugly here!!"...So question is, do any of you "northern zone pushers" run into this issue with uneducated people? If so, what do you say to prove them wrong?;) Just wondering...

-Jacob in Kansas

There are lots of palm haters in California just like anywhere else. I say to each his own, if they don't like your taste, then perhaps they should move one and go hang out with someone who shares their taste. Surround yourself with positive people, not the kind who are negative and jealous of everything you do.

Remember, when it comes to pushing the boundaries in horticulture, It's more important to have smart people who really believe in what you're doing than really experienced people who may not share your dream. If your dream is to re-create a piece of the tropics in Kansas, then go for it, and find others who will help you and are interested in doing the same thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good advice...There's several places in Wichita, about 20 miles down the road from me, that have palms. There's a church with sabals, a house with a 10-15 foot Trachy, S. minors at the zoo, and the botanical gardens in downtown Wichita have some needles...so I'm not the only one:)

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good advice...There's several places in Wichita, about 20 miles down the road from me, that have palms. There's a church with sabals, a house with a 10-15 foot Trachy, S. minors at the zoo, and the botanical gardens in downtown Wichita have some needles...so I'm not the only one:)

do they protect them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha!!! Good point! Most people don't realize most of the common plants around here aren't native...and very expensive....for example, here in the Wichita area, Japanese maple is a very popular ornamental tree...the local nurseries price these around $900, while I picked up my S. minor for $30/piece;)

How big are the trees for $900?!

Zone 7a/b Delaware

Unusual Plants

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My parents bought one a couple years ago that was about 6 feet tall...waste of money if you ask me...haha...our English mastiff bit the thing in half about a month later...I thought my dad was gonna kill the dog....lol

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't let the hates get you down. I am surrounded by people that think they are planting for Atlanta. lol Our climates are totally different; just do what you like and what works for you. Planters in many climates are golden; they you can grow anything you want and if it gets too rough just bring them in the garage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good advice...There's several places in Wichita, about 20 miles down the road from me, that have palms. There's a church with sabals, a house with a 10-15 foot Trachy, S. minors at the zoo, and the botanical gardens in downtown Wichita have some needles...so I'm not the only one:)

Are all of those plants still alive out there? Are they planted in the ground? Which Sabals are.at the church? S. minor?

Edited by Sabal Steve
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My parents bought one a couple years ago that was about 6 feet tall...waste of money if you ask me...haha...our English mastiff bit the thing in half about a month later...I thought my dad was gonna kill the dog....lol

I have an English Mastiff as well - they're incredible animals. Mine's almost 4.

Don't worry what others think about the palms. Palm collection is creative, and a niche, and far more interesting than those who choose to make fun of it. Most people are automatons that are only capable of absorbing mass marketing.[

attachment=190195:IMG_9455.jpg]

post-7959-0-75151000-1393394612_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never received anything but compliments for my container ranch. When I move them outside for the summer a lot of my friends want to just "hang out" in the tiki garden.

I would view with suspicion anybody who were to say they disliked my tropical collection, even in Nebraska.

"Ph'nglui mglw'napalma Funkthulhu R'Lincolnea wgah'palm fhtagn"
"In his house at Lincoln, dread Funkthulhu plants palm trees."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Undoubtedly the number of palms growing in Kansas is larger than people think. I'm sure the majority of those though are growing indoors, in homes, businesses and indoor shopping malls avoiding the extra work to grow them protected in-ground outdoors. But come on, who living in snowy winter weather doesn't find themselves thinking of tropical scenes at some point?!

I grew up in cold snowy weather as a kid and always wanted to live somewhere warmer and wanted to landscape my eventual home with palms. Palms are a state of mind!

The more you learn about palms around the world, the more you know that palms belong in parts of the world that get pretty cold, and our changing weather pattern will affect where that final suvival zone is. I wouldn't bother to care what naysayers say about where palms belong. Secretly in their mind they are living on a beach under palm trees. They just don't want to do the extra work. Bet they'd love to hang out in your yard come summer though.

Zone 9b (formerly listed as Zone 9a); Sunset 14

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed, I do some local palm tourism by visiting the various malls around Lincoln and Omaha. . . (or going to the Lied Jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo!)

"Ph'nglui mglw'napalma Funkthulhu R'Lincolnea wgah'palm fhtagn"
"In his house at Lincoln, dread Funkthulhu plants palm trees."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good advice...There's several places in Wichita, about 20 miles down the road from me, that have palms. There's a church with sabals, a house with a 10-15 foot Trachy, S. minors at the zoo, and the botanical gardens in downtown Wichita have some needles...so I'm not the only one:)

Are all of those plants still alive out there? Are they planted in the ground? Which Sabals are.at the church? S. minor?

The Sabals at the church are indeed planted in the ground, there are two S. minor, and two S. birmingham. The birmingham are probably 7-8 feet tall.

My parents bought one a couple years ago that was about 6 feet tall...waste of money if you ask me...haha...our English mastiff bit the thing in half about a month later...I thought my dad was gonna kill the dog....lol

I have an English Mastiff as well - they're incredible animals. Mine's almost 4.

Don't worry what others think about the palms. Palm collection is creative, and a niche, and far more interesting than those who choose to make fun of it. Most people are automatons that are only capable of absorbing mass marketing.[

attachment=190195:IMG_9455.jpg]

Oh hey! Look at that! Great dogs, aren't they?:)

Agreed, I do some local palm tourism by visiting the various malls around Lincoln and Omaha. . . (or going to the Lied Jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo!)

Haha! Our local zoo has an indoor jungle as well, with tons and tons and tons of what look like tropical Washys, but I don't think they are, as the humidity would rot them in half!

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ran into a new low yesterday, my mail courier stopped by the house (we live in the middle of the country, so the courier comes to the front door when she has tons of mail to deliver) and saw my sabal minor. They weren't planted, but I had them outside to catch some sun. Anyway, she somehow knew my intentions of planting them this spring, and she proceeded to tell me how in our county, it is illegal to grow non-native trees, especially palms, cause they "ain't s'posed to be here".... I dismissed this claim, and informed her how 90% of the yards in El Dorado and Wichita have non-native trees and flowers...hahaha some people!

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah try telling them their dwarf conifer clones aren't even naturally occurring, yet alone native.

It's so funny to hear what people think is native vs. non-native.

In the southeast, almost all of the "southern staples" in every single yard: the azaleas, pink dogwoods, deciduous magnolias, evergreens like cryptomeria and chamaecyparis, fruit trees like peaches and apples, and almost all the bedding plants, are from Asia.

Georgia has four different native palm species, but everyone thinks they're "exotic" and don't belong. I tell them their evergreen boxwoods and precious rose bushes don't belong

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a shot in the dark, but I imagine it's because of the belief that palms only belong in the tropics. Now, of course, there are no palms native to Kansas, but S. minor McCurtain's native range extends north to about 150 miles south of me...so they're somewhat close...but all my friends/neighbors/family tell me crazy things, such as my palms will be dead within a month because they can only live by the ocean...lol

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you are young - as I once was - your find some adults grouse about everything/anything you do. Are they angry or bitter that you have a whole life ahead of you and they don't? Do they resent any sign you have dreams you may fulfill but they've given up on theirs? I don't know but some people resent or fear any ideas that don't fit their world view and biases. Some people just want others to fail.

I would point out that those 100s of miles of corn fields are not "native" to Kansas or any other state. At least from what I saw when driving through western Kansas was not a lot of "native" trees. Vast areas of the western US should be prairie, esp. "tall grass prairie" (I think that's the term). But human activity has destroyed nearly all native tall grass prairie. What little is left must be protected by the Gov't or it would be gone.

Here in FL where I live, we have countless invasive species. I worked at a mitigation bank on an island that restored the land to native state - and the snow birds, retirees and visitors hated it at first because native FL land around here is scrubby and scraggly and "ugly" to the uneducated eye.

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a shot in the dark, but I imagine it's because of the belief that palms only belong in the tropics. Now, of course, there are no palms native to Kansas, but S. minor McCurtain's native range extends north to about 150 miles south of me...so they're somewhat close...but all my friends/neighbors/family tell me crazy things, such as my palms will be dead within a month because they can only live by the ocean...lol

It is just the Yin and the Yang.

First you must accept the fact that palms for the most part don't, probably in total part don't belong in your part of Kansas. They are not there by nature, nor are they in other areas with a similar climate by nature. Its not good, bad, right or wrong, it just is.

On the other hand, that does not mean YOU should not put some there if YOU wish. Your friends and family likely have many crazy non-logical things of their own that THEY do. Let them be to theirs as they should let you be to yours. If YOU want them there, then put them there. Pamper and keep them alive so long as you wish, and when you tire of them let them die without a second's thought.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or any other damages

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Keith; if growing palms makes you happy just do it. My brother makes fun of me for my love of palms and the great number of them that I have but this is coming from a guy that constantly blogs and updates his status about anything involving his favorite college team all day long even on Sundays. This being said some people can't stand scrap booking or knitting, gardening is heathy. You get fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and help the plant by growing plants that help us all breath! So, all being considered I don't believe that you are the crazy one. Being passionate about something never hurt anyone it pushes us to excel. :) Good luck and remember what Keith said!

Edited by palm tree man
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha! Everyone here certainly does help me feel better!! For some reason, I guess I've been taking all the negative criticism as a personal attack against my intelligence D: However, I'm sure it'll pay off when I have a beautiful palm garden that nobody else has;) Oh, to be about 200 miles south...I'd be a solid zone 8...oh well, we take what we get;) Better zone 6/7 than 2/3 ;)

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed, I do some local palm tourism by visiting the various malls around Lincoln and Omaha. . . (or going to the Lied Jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo!)

Thumbs up! That place is epic. I noticed the rest of the zoo has palms in containers scattered about outside during the summer. Pretty cool PRA opportunities there.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed, I do some local palm tourism by visiting the various malls around Lincoln and Omaha. . . (or going to the Lied Jungle at the Henry Doorly Zoo!)

Thumbs up! That place is epic. I noticed the rest of the zoo has palms in containers scattered about outside during the summer. Pretty cool PRA opportunities there.

I just got a Zoo Membership through payroll deduction at work (something like 4 bucks a paycheck), so you can bet I'll be going on my little PRAs a lot this year!

"Ph'nglui mglw'napalma Funkthulhu R'Lincolnea wgah'palm fhtagn"
"In his house at Lincoln, dread Funkthulhu plants palm trees."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We take the kids to the Zoo in Jacksonville all the time and yes I take more pictures of the palms than I do of the animals. I get my girls to stand in front of palm trees so that I can sneak extra palm pics without my wife getting ill at me. lol :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We take the kids to the Zoo in Jacksonville all the time and yes I take more pictures of the palms than I do of the animals. I get my girls to stand in front of palm trees so that I can sneak extra palm pics without my wife getting ill at me. lol :)

I find myself doing this in St Augustine and Orlando also... so don't feel like you're the only one!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha! In your defense, zoos are very often quite proud of their plants as well as their animals, and many people find the plants to be just as big a part of the exhibits as the critters.

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That makes me feel better, I have thought about joining a support group for my palm addiction..........................Oh wait I already have! lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very true now everyone repeat after me I pledge my head to palm knowlege, my heart to the love of palms, and my hands to palm planting and propegation! Lol Welcome to the secret society of the palm. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:) Done!:) Haha;) I remember striking up a conversation with a girl about my age at a truckstop in Oklahoma when I was on the way home from Dallas with my butia...she asked "is that a palm tree in your car?" (I admit it did look silly with the entire back seat of my Ford Taurus filled with palm fronds)..I replied, "yes, it is, I'm gonna plant it in my yard up in Wichita"...she gave me a silly look, called me "interesting", and got in her car and drove off...well, if that's all it takes to scare off women, I think I'd rather stick to my palms! Hahahahaha :P
  • Upvote 1

El_Dorado.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 years later...

I’m from rural Johnson County in Gardner Township. I own 2 large container palm trees I love them! I’m lucky I have neighbor’s that pretty much keep to themselves. Are houses are spaced nicely. Last summer I grew a plant that thrives and spreads quickly. As a Plant Vendor I would remember the name. I wouldn’t be concerned about these KS Hicks opinions they’re stupid and jealous. Just my own view. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...