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Dick Douglas garden


iwan

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Thanks Glenn,

The one pictured is my favorite one. It has very thick trunks and is very compact.  The petioles are very short, while the large one growing in my back is more stretched out. The one in the back gets some afternoon shade so that could be the reason it is more "relaxed."

Sometime when you come to visit, we will have to visit Ruth Bancroft's garden which is only 3 blocks from me. She has two that I gave her and one is silver.  It's georgeous.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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(iwan @ Oct. 12 2007,06:26)

QUOTE
Dick's mystery Sabal.  Has dull, leathery fronds.

photo15.jpg

Dick,

Has this ever set seed?

Robert

Madera, CA (central San Joaquin valley)

9A

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Hi Robert,

Yeah, it sets seeds every year, but it's hard to screen because the infrutescence is so stiff.  Just as they are ripening something cleans them off. I think it must be rats or mice. This year I'll try to get a screen on them when the inflorescence first emerges. The seeds are very small. I have lots of ripening Sabal seeds of various kinds.  Should be ready soon.

I have lots of Trithrinax seeds on the ground.  If anyone wants them, they are here for picking up.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Dick,

You should throw some pots of soil and your stable litter mulch under the tree and let the seeds self germinate there.  Might avoid some of the transplant issues.  

BTW, those acanthacoma seedlings I got from you are looking a bit ragged after this winter.  No extreme lows, but an above average number of frost/freeze days this year.  Probably had 45-60 frost days this winter.  Are they weaklings as seedlings or maybe delayed transplant issues.  They have good new spears though.  I think you helper may have dug/potted these up.  They looked good all summer/fall.

I would love some of those Sabal seeds if you can keep them from the mice/birds.

Robert

Madera, CA (central San Joaquin valley)

9A

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Hi Robert,

The T. acanthacoma seedling just stop growing in the winter, but they should start growing again when the weather warms up. They are very slow to get started as seedlings.

Concerning the "mystery" Sabal, I've had very poor luck in getting ripe seeds and then getting them to gertminate. I think Patrick Schafer had some luck in getting some to germinate. It's a Sabal that I would like to see spread around, as it's super cold hardy and one of my favorites. None of the taxonomist could figgure out what it was, including Hal Moore. The seeds are very small, about the same size as S. minor, but it certainly doesen't appear to be a S. minor as the fronds are very costapalmate and very tough and leathery.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Great photos of your garden!  I'm hopfully going to get some pic's of mine on tonight.

Edrow

Edrow

Zone 9A

Sweeny, TX.

Texas Gulf Coast

26 miles from the Gulf of Mexico

Elevation 16'

Gets hotter than a snake's butt in a wagon rut.

High Humidity

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've been through this whole thread at least 3 times and never tire looking at it.  A fantastic garden.  Maybe someday I'll get to see it.   The monster butiagrus is unbelievable.

Please keep us updated on this winter's progress.

C from NC

:)

Bone dry summers, wet winters, 2-3 days ea. winter in low teens.

Siler City, NC

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  • 2 weeks later...

It may be a little early to report on winter "progress," but now it's spring. Progress in my garden in the winter means nothing got killed or damaged from the cold.  All palm growth virtually comes to a stop about the middle of Nov. and they don't resume growing again untill about now, the beginning of spring. Dec. through Feb. were very cold months this year and my minimum was 25.5F (-3.5C) this winter, but with several nights in the upper 20's, and many frosty mornings.

So far I can detect no frond damage to any of the palms, but sometimes damage doesn't show until the days get warmer. I did throw a sheet over my largest Parajubaea T V T on a couple of the coldest nights, but that's the only protection I used this winter. Under an El Nina influence, the past two winters have been much cooler than normal and strangely it seems parts of S. Calif. experienced colder temps. than we did in N. Calif.

My nightly lows have been in the 40's most of March and days warming to the high 60's to the low 70's and now I'm seeing signs of growth in the palms. Two of my Tracheycarpus wagnerianus that were planted as 5 gal. size 3 years ago are blooming for the first time, but the spathes are just emerging, so I don't know what sex they are yet. They are issolated from my other Trachs, so I'm hoping I will once again get some pure Wag. seeds.

My Sabal Riverside is loaded with fruit which are usually damaged if the temps. fall below 25F. The fruit is still green but will ripen as the weather grows warmer. For the first time, the Livistona decora has fruit, but the tree is so tall I will have to wait until the fruit falls to collect seeds.

Over all, it seems my palms have escaped the bullet this winter, but I only escaped by half a degree, for it's 25F or below where some of the more tender palms show frond damage. Now, I'm looking forward to some warm weather.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Dick,

That mystery Sabal is fantastic.  Have any experts been able to identify it?  Could it be a hybrid of a larger Sabal with S. minor?

I'm glad you dodged a bullet this year.  My low was 34.7 F but the wet, cold days in January took a toll on some palm leaves.  I guess they are cold spots where the water was on the leaves for too long?

Your knowledge is extremely valuable for all of us us in northern/central CA, since, while we might be able to get away with planting some of the more tender stuff closer to the coast, it's nice to plant the solid stuff in the prominent locations.  Also, I'd guess that our minima aren't that different in bad years (like 1990).

Jason

Menlo Park, CA  (U.S.A.) hillside

Min. temp Jan 2007:  28.1 deg. F (-2.2 deg. C)

Min. temp winter 2008: 34.7 deg. F (1.5 deg. C)

USDA Zone 10A since 2000

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Dick,

As a Zone 9a gardener, I have to confess, I read through this thread over and over.  It is quite an inspiration.

Keith

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

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Jason,

The mystery Sabal has been examined by many respected taxonomist, and none could figgure out what it was. It's possible it's a hybrid, but I have never seen another Sabal with such stiff, leathery fronds. If you notice in the picture there is another smaller one growing to the left and it has never formed a trunk or bloomed. They were both the same size when planted, and they are extreamly cold hardy and were not touched by the freeze of 89/90.

I found them stuck away in a corner of a small nursery back in 1973. They were neglected and the 5 gal cans they were growing in were half rotted away so they must have been sitting there for a long time. It's also a mystery to me how they got there since finding Sabals in a N. Calif. nursery is almost unheard of. As I recall they both had large saxiphone boots that almost filled up the cans.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Dick,

Interesting.  I suppose the taxonomic details don't matter, but they might give a clue to eventual size, etc.  It seems like a moderate-height Sabal from the photo.  Definitely a winner.   It has a very vague resemblance to a Bismarkia.

I'm trying a couple of small Sabal rosei right now.  I honestly don't know what they will look like or whether they will do well where I am long-term, but they did just fine through our very wet January.

Jason

Menlo Park, CA  (U.S.A.) hillside

Min. temp Jan 2007:  28.1 deg. F (-2.2 deg. C)

Min. temp winter 2008: 34.7 deg. F (1.5 deg. C)

USDA Zone 10A since 2000

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  • 4 months later...

I'm bumping this thread up beause I referenced it in the current discussion on Chamaerops, re. the mutant Chamaerops from Tampa. I'm going to do a thread soon on the many cold hardy cocoid hybrids that Patrick Schafer has done. 16 different combinations is the latest count and more to come.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Arenga engleri.  A bit pale in the shade.  Dick says it greens up as the weather gets warmer.

Wallichia densiflora

photo65.jpg

New frond

photo67.jpg

Hi Dick,

I was just cruising through your thread again and was wondering how your Wallichia densiflora did in the freeze? I just purchased one about a month ago and have not figured out where I will plant it yet. Is it under canopy or full sun? How does it handle frost?

Thank you in advance,

Matt

Matt in Temecula, CA

Hot and dry in the summer, cold with light frost in the winter. Halfway between the desert and ocean

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Robert, thanks for posting all of your great photos of Dick's wonderful garden!!

Dave Hughson

Carlsbad, Ca

1 mile from ocean

Zone 10b

Palm freaks are good peeps!!!!!

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Matt,

I just saw your note. My Wallichia densiflora has taken down to 25F with no damage, but it has high thin canopy. In the summer mine gets a lot of shade, and I think it would be happier with about 50% sun. I have another one in a container and it's grown faster and is even growing pups. The one I have in the ground only grows about 1 frond a year. I expect they would grow much faster in S. Calif.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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I'm bumping this thread up beause I referenced it in the current discussion on Chamaerops, re. the mutant Chamaerops from Tampa. I'm going to do a thread soon on the many cold hardy cocoid hybrids that Patrick Schafer has done. 16 different combinations is the latest count and more to come.

Dick

Hey Dick, I for one am really ineterested in seeing pics of these hybrids... appreciate you starting that thread! Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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  • 3 months later...

Bumped for a photograph of Chamaedorea hybrid "Douglas Delight" page one.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Yes, thanks for bumping this. Now with my new faster internet, I actually got a chance to see all the photos. Fantastic palm garden!

Formerly Jeff in Costa Rica
 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Was going through some older threads and found TikiRick's pictures of Dicks garden and thought it would be convenient to have a link here.

TikiRicks Pictures of Dick Douglas' Garden

Matt in Temecula, CA

Hot and dry in the summer, cold with light frost in the winter. Halfway between the desert and ocean

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Thanks Matt for combining the two threads. I hope to have some growth updates by the end of the summer.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Dick,

When I see your plants, I feel a lot of impatience to be 20 years later to have the same (I do hope...)!

Could you tell me if your Trachycarpus martianus takes sun? I don't know if this palm withstands full afternoon sun or not ?

"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."

Vince Lombardi

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Jean-Philippe,

We both have Mediterranean climates, but from seeing your beautiful garden, it's obvious you have a warmer climate, so I expect you have much more summer heat. I have seen T. martianus growing in full sun and part shade. Mine gets partial shade and seems to do well. The ones I've seen growing in full sun are much more compact and seem right on the edge of yellowing. I would say partial shade is the ideal situation for them. Also, they seem to require a lot of water.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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I have one in semi-shade, very nice but that seems to look for sun (leaned) and a second one waiting to be planted ; thats why I was arising this question... A think I'm going to avoid full sun because I don't want it turns yellowish.

Thank you.

"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."

Vince Lombardi

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  • 1 month later...

Dick,

How do you control gophers in your garden?

Dan

Dan

Foggy San Francisco

Average Monthly Hi 60.2 F

Average Monthly Lo 49.9 F

Avearge Monthy 55.2F

Average Summer Hi 61.8F

Average Winter Lo 45.8

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Matt,

I just saw your note. My Wallichia densiflora has taken down to 25F with no damage, but it has high thin canopy. In the summer mine gets a lot of shade, and I think it would be happier with about 50% sun. I have another one in a container and it's grown faster and is even growing pups. The one I have in the ground only grows about 1 frond a year. I expect they would grow much faster in S. Calif.

Dick

We have a Wallichia densiflora in hot and humid Gainesville, FL. The growth rate is only about one frond a year a year here as well. The one growing is in deep shade as well though, and I'm sure it would prefer more sun. I just noticed last night it was sending it another spear! It's growth seems to be coordinating its growth with the Arenga micrantha about 10 feet away.

I'm always up for learning new things!

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Dan,

Fortunately I don't have much of a gopher problem. I have a few in the back part of my garden, but I've never had any palm die from gophers. I have 5 small dogs that dig after moles and gophers. The dogs will dig a trench following the mole trails, and a deeper hole for the gophers. The dogs are much more destructive than the varments, and I've about given up on having any flower beds as the dogs rip them up, or go ripping right through them.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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