Bismarckia in N Florida

[edbrown_III 382]

Sandy --- I tried to grow Silver ones but they all got frosted heavy and died.

Benr, I think the rule about silver being more cold hardy may be true but its a generalization not an absolute rule ----- green one was a hardy individula that got selected out during the freezes in WPB in 1996------ the irony of this is that it was supposed to get down to 18F in Jax ------ the cold air mass came but in my part of Jax it clouded up and it went south along the central ridge. I never got colder than 26 F that night but Western Palm Beach (Loxahatchee) had a very hard freeze --- there plants werent hardened off as it was so far south so the --- it was 26F there and the same here --- 280 miles north?

[Tropicdoc 473]

I hate to say this but at that size that green Bizmarkia is a dead ringer for the bigger native sabal minors around here! Of course if it continues to grow it will come into all of its bizzy splendor

[edbrown_III 382]

Doc

I reckon the only difference right now is the armature on the petioles and some of the Bismark fuzzz---the S. minora are pretty whimpy \\

this thing has been ignored for years as I didnt think it would survive

[Frond of Palms 56]

He gave us some free bismarckia seeds as a gift as well!

Cool beans! Thats typical Wayne...gave me a free sabal seedling that he grew from seed that he got from Leu Gardens...said the parent sabal looked just as blue and big as any Bismarck he ever seen...I wonder what it is?

[Frond of Palms 56]

Doc

I reckon the only difference right now is the armature on the petioles and some of the Bismark fuzzz---the S. minora are pretty whimpy \\

this thing has been ignored for years as I didnt think it would survive

Hi Ed,

I really like the appearance of your Bismarck…nice leaf formation, tight and compact for a shade grown tree…at quick glance looks like a Copernicia…I wouldn’t mind having it. I fertilize mine using about a cup and a half (liquid measurement) of Lesco 12-2-14 and a half cup of ironite twice a year. i read somewhere that Bismarkia come from an area thats contains iron rich soil...thats why I add the extra boost of iron.

[edbrown_III 382]

thanks its been hit or miss with the fertilizer the past few years I have spent more time with it === giving it a nursery man special 28 12 12 or something like that with minors --- I reckon they probably do like iron

Best regads

Ed