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appearance of queens grown in wet soil vs. draining soil/dry soil


Sandy Loam

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Hello. Does anyone know what a regular queen palm (syagrus romanzoffiana) looks like when grown in a patch of soil that is often wet? (Not growing in a puddle, but still a somewhat damp area of my yard) I am considering planting one in this particular spot.

For example, will the trunk turn out to be thicker if grown in frequently set soil? Will the fronds have a fuller/less sparse appearance?

I have noticed that queen palms look different from northern Florida to southern Florida, for some reason. They also look different in California. I therefore suspect that the growing environment has some impact on the appearance of this palm.

By the way, my soil is primarily clay, but it is a grey, sandy clay.

Many thanks in advance for your comments.

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Genetic variability, climate, soil type, mulch and frequency of fertilizer along with the amount of irrigation all contribute to how any palm looks.

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IMO the queens will love the wet spot in your yard. Used to have them growing almost in the water at my old house....it was the fastest queen I owned.

David Simms zone 9a on Highway 30a

200 steps from the Gulf in NW Florida

30 ft. elevation and sandy soil

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Here where they are native , with year round rains, they generally grow at the bottom of the valleys in riparian forest, near the rivers, but not in waterlogged soil.

Carambeí, 2nd tableland of the State Paraná , south Brazil.

Alt:1030m. Native palms: Queen, B. eriospatha, B. microspadix, Allagoptera leucocalyx , A.campestris, Geonoma schottiana, Trithrinax acanthocoma. Subtr. climate, some frosty nights. No dry season. August: driest month. Rain:1700mm

 

I am seeking for cold hardy palms!

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here in California if you over water them they turn a bit yellow.

Carlsbad, California Zone 10 B on the hill (402 ft. elevation)

Sunset zone 24

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The yellow ones I see up here are badly drought stressed and/or in really poor soil. The best ones are watered regularly and abundantly. Fertilizer or excellent soil conditions are favorable of course.

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

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Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

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Seems that queens that are grown in Cali tend to fruit less frequently and usually have a smaller fruits.Big difference in irrigation and precipitation seems to reflect fruit quantity.

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Zack, I wish that were true in my yard. I once weighed a fully fruited infructescence from one of my queens and it was over 100 pounds. Sometimes the fruit drop is so abundant that there are several inches deep fruit under a given queen palm and it's a sticky mess to clean up or I leave the fruit and let the fruit flies at them. Other than that, I love the way the palms look when the fruit is allowed to hang naturally from them. I leave all the fruit on my king palms but when it falls on sidewalks it's a bit of a slipping hazard since they're like marbles.

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

Facebook Page

Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

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Whoa! That's heavy! I wonder where is the most northern queen palm based on latitude+climate.They appear to stop at around Sacramento though,but I could be wrong.

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The nicest queens I have personally seen are growing in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Absolutely full and luxuriant, with very deep green leaves, far nicer than anything I ever saw in California, and certainly better than anything planted in calcareous south Florida. That French Quarter location would put them at about 3-4 feet above sea level, over the wet, swampy soils of that city...and that would be in keeping with Alberto's statement above. And luckily the warm urban microclimate and location south of Pontchartrain mean they can last for many years before being wiped out by a sub-20F event.

With the mass availability of mules, that luxuriance is now spreading outward and upward even somewhat north of I-10...as the hybrids seem to also love the hot, humid, rainy summers, the usually rich soil, and also generally can either keep a year-round appearance, or recover quickly from all but exceptional winters, through most areas in zone 9a/b.

Michael Norell

Rancho Mirage, California | 33°44' N 116°25' W | 287 ft | z10a | avg Jan 43/70F | Jul 78/108F avg | Weather Station KCARANCH310

previously Big Pine Key, Florida | 24°40' N 81°21' W | 4.5 ft. | z12a | Calcareous substrate | avg annual min. approx 52F | avg Jan 65/75F | Jul 83/90 | extreme min approx 41F

previously Natchez, Mississippi | 31°33' N 91°24' W | 220 ft.| z9a | Downtown/river-adjacent | Loess substrate | avg annual min. 23F | Jan 43/61F | Jul 73/93F | extreme min 2.5F (1899); previously Los Angeles, California (multiple locations)

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Queens love water, no doubt, and the more they get the better they look. Here with our clay and high water table they thrive for many years, until as Michael says, one of those arctic blast every 15 to 20 years,nails them. Mine is at the back of an old 2 horse barn, where the dew drips constantly from the old tin roof. Even the lightest rain channels water to it. And in spite of the harsh winter of 2010 and last year, and your have to remember that most of the queens here were killed last winter, it is coming back strong and already is regaining its good looks.

Note, this queen has also been blown over by 2 different hurricanes in the past. This year it fruited for the first time in the 12 years that I have had it. Can't wait to grown it's progeny.

post-1207-0-31046700-1422218599_thumb.jp

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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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Wow, Keith, that's amazing that your queen recovered and looks pretty good, even after that one sharp jab recently. Obviously you have good genetics in that specimen. Propagate!

Michael Norell

Rancho Mirage, California | 33°44' N 116°25' W | 287 ft | z10a | avg Jan 43/70F | Jul 78/108F avg | Weather Station KCARANCH310

previously Big Pine Key, Florida | 24°40' N 81°21' W | 4.5 ft. | z12a | Calcareous substrate | avg annual min. approx 52F | avg Jan 65/75F | Jul 83/90 | extreme min approx 41F

previously Natchez, Mississippi | 31°33' N 91°24' W | 220 ft.| z9a | Downtown/river-adjacent | Loess substrate | avg annual min. 23F | Jan 43/61F | Jul 73/93F | extreme min 2.5F (1899); previously Los Angeles, California (multiple locations)

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Queens consistently look their best when grown in rich, moist soil with robust trunks and deep green lush foliage. That has been my observation around SE US and Florida.

Jeremy Breland
Norfolk, Va: USDA hardiness zone 8a, AHS heat zone 5, Sunset climate zone 31
Hot and humid summers; cool and moist winters.
Jacksonville FL: USDA hardiness zone 9a/9b, AHS heat zone 9, Sunset climate zone 28
Hot and humid summers; warm and moist winters punctuated by cold spells.

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Deep, well-drained soil. Plenty of organic matter.

Full, blistering sun, even in the desert.

Regular water. Weekly waterings are great, as long as the soil is good.

If you must use chemicals, go light on the Nitrogen. Use "balanced" fertilizer, e.g., 15 15 15; avoid "lawn fertilizer" e.g., 27-10-10.

Shelter from constant high winds (e.g., Desert Hot Springs).

We have liftoff.

Or . . . .

ZOOOOOOOOOM! To the Moon!

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Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

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 lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I concur that some of the best looking queen palms are in the New Orleans area other areas of south Louisiana with similar winter lows. This is mostly due to the great soil and regular rainfall.. The annual rainfall is about 65 inches almost evenly throughout the year. The New Orleans area south of Lake Pontchartrain normally has a low of 32-34*F several times each winter, 28-30*F every few winters and 22-25*F every 5-10 winters. The temperature at my former house in Destrehan to the west of the airport was at the lower end of the range, but my queen palms were only mildly damaged at 22*F. A even palms in Baton Rouge, Slidell, and the northshore don't look good long term if they survive the winters.

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  • 2 weeks later...

they look pretty good in my lowland garden in swamping Jax --- but its in my garden so I am a bit prejudiced

I gotta take some pictures of them --- just dont seem to think about them but they really are a pretty palm (all things considered)

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