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whos growing oddball palms in Melbourne


coops 3214

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Hi guys im new to this forum and its great, im from Melbourne and have about 100 different species, just wondering who else has had luck growing some different  things in our rather crappy climate either to hot or too cold, what new cal stuff are people growing?? Anyone had any luck with foxyladys down here ive got 1 im ready to plant just wondering if it should go in full sun or part shade, let us know what u guys have, 

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Steve99 there is people who post here that even have amazing collections of palms in Hobart its all about choosing the correct palm species suited to the climate and providing the best conditions possible.

ha ha..guessing Coops is Mark…I (Mick) can't comment on odd ball marginal species in Vic I will just let guys like you push the boundaries.

BTW. full sun for sure with that foxy lady, a spot protected from cold West winds if possible even better if you can plant near some thermal mass like a brick wall or concrete path.

Edited by pigafetta
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There are a lot of cool-summer mild-winter tolerent palms that do well in Melbourne, so yes, they do grow. Canary Island Date is very common there. Last time I was down that way I didn't really know my palms, but I'd be genuinely surprised if Nikau didn't thrive there, as well as Washingtonias and Bangalows. I've even seen Nikaus in outdoors in the UK - gorgeous really "exotic tropical" look for a really tough palm

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Steve99 there is people who post here that even have amazing collections of palms in Hobart its all about choosing the correct palm species suited to the climate and providing the best conditions possible.

ha ha..guessing Coops is Mark…I (Mick) can't comment on odd ball marginal species in Vic I will just let guys like you push the boundaries.

BTW. full sun for sure with that foxy lady, a spot protected from cold West winds if possible even better if you can plant near some thermal mass like a brick wall or concrete path.

yes we have to try and push the boundaries every now and then, ive got just the spot for the foxy lady thanks for that,

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There are a lot of cool-summer mild-winter tolerent palms that do well in Melbourne, so yes, they do grow. Canary Island Date is very common there. Last time I was down that way I didn't really know my palms, but I'd be genuinely surprised if Nikau didn't thrive there, as well as Washingtonias and Bangalows. I've even seen Nikaus in outdoors in the UK - gorgeous really "exotic tropical" look for a really tough palm

Yes banglows and washies  are very common down here, nikaus do very well hedyescepes, howeas,  thrive as well,

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Ive even seen people growing caryotas to flowering size in 15 years, in melbourne, its just hard finding the anything  other than the  common stuff down here, just putting the feelers out to see what people have had luck with,

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There are a number of experienced growers here on Palmtalk that have (or have had) some of the more exotic species growing in Melbourne. Hopefully some of them might chime in on this thread with their personal experiences.

Melbourne's climate is real tough on most species of palms - a long cool winter (effectively 5 months this year) that will kill off a lot of palms, and then the potential for 40 degree plus days over summer that can fry those palms that coped with the winter. Also, Melbourne has a large geographic spread with different "microclimates" in many areas. EG the beach side suburbs offer the more moderate microclimates - toward the Dandenongs is going to be more challenging.

I have had a crack at growing some of the more tropical species with mixed results. Also I protect some of my palms during winter, some are in a plastic glasshouse, and some are in my garage with some heating.

The following are what I have tried over the past couple of years:-

Currently growing in my back yard:

Chamadorea - adscendens, metallica, oblongata, ernesti-augusti, tenalla

Burretiokentia hapala

Pritchardia beccariana

Rhapis excelsa and multifida

Reinhardtia simplex

Cryosophila warscewiczii

Lytocaryum weddellianum

Licuala fordiana

Beccariophoenix alfredii

Dypsis baronii and albofarinosa

Chambreyonia macrocarpa varieties

The following are in my pot ranch:-

Kerriodoxa elegans

Pritchardia hillebrandii

Hedyscepe

Cyphophoenix elegans

Licuala elegans, ramsayi

Pinanga javana, maculata, coronata

Beccariophoenix alfredii

Bentinckia condapanna

Johannesteijsmannia altifrons

Calyptrocalyx elegans, plus another species

Brahea decumbens

Clinostigma savoryanum

Euterpe edulis

Dypsis lastelliana and a few others

Lemur

Aiphanes aculeata

Kentiopsis species

Caryota ophiopellis

And the following were epic fails this winter:-

Carpoxylon macrospermum

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis

 

The following are some pics - and apologies I was struggling with the editing functions of the new site

 

  

 

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Climatic Zone: Vile..

Location: 37.765 (S) : 144.920 (E)

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There are a number of experienced growers here on Palmtalk that have (or have had) some of the more exotic species growing in Melbourne. Hopefully some of them might chime in on this thread with their personal experiences.

Melbourne's climate is real tough on most species of palms - a long cool winter (effectively 5 months this year) that will kill off a lot of palms, and then the potential for 40 degree plus days over summer that can fry those palms that coped with the winter. Also, Melbourne has a large geographic spread with different "microclimates" in many areas. EG the beach side suburbs offer the more moderate microclimates - toward the Dandenongs is going to be more challenging.

I have had a crack at growing some of the more tropical species with mixed results. Also I protect some of my palms during winter, some are in a plastic glasshouse, and some are in my garage with some heating.

The following are what I have tried over the past couple of years:-

Currently growing in my back yard:

Chamadorea - adscendens, metallica, oblongata, ernesti-augusti, tenalla

Burretiokentia hapala

Pritchardia beccariana

Rhapis excelsa and multifida

Reinhardtia simplex

Cryosophila warscewiczii

Lytocaryum weddellianum

Licuala fordiana

Beccariophoenix alfredii

Dypsis baronii and albofarinosa

Chambreyonia macrocarpa varieties

The following are in my pot ranch:-

Kerriodoxa elegans

Pritchardia hillebrandii

Hedyscepe

Cyphophoenix elegans

Licuala elegans, ramsayi

Pinanga javana, maculata, coronata

Beccariophoenix alfredii

Bentinckia condapanna

Johannesteijsmannia altifrons

Calyptrocalyx elegans, plus another species

Brahea decumbens

Clinostigma savoryanum

Euterpe edulis

Dypsis lastelliana and a few others

Lemur

Aiphanes aculeata

Kentiopsis species

Caryota ophiopellis

And the following were epic fails this winter:-

Carpoxylon macrospermum

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis

 

The following are some pics - and apologies I was struggling with the editing functions of the new site

 

  

 

IMG_1379.JPG

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IMG_1384.JPG

IMG_1386.JPG

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howbig is your crysophila??

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You should try also Wallichia disticha, I live in a climate even more adverse than this of  Melburne and nevertheless it grows for many years, slowly yes but also reliably!

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You should try also Wallichia disticha, I live in a climate even more adverse than this of  Melburne and nevertheless it grows for many years, slowly yes but also reliably!

ive got the hybrid foxylady doing well, i have seen a few standard foxtails but most look abit average,

 

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Coops 3214, the Cryosophila is about half a metre. From a 175mm pot. 

Climatic Zone: Vile..

Location: 37.765 (S) : 144.920 (E)

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I've got a foxy lady that gets filtered sun and is sheltered by a large Sabal palmetto.  It is about 3m tall now but quite slow.  I think it would be faster in full sun but that shelter also protects it from the cold. 

New Cal palms that do well for me are Chambeyronia, Cyphophoenix elegans, Kentiopsis oliviformis and I've also got a Kentiopsis magnifica seddling that has breezed through the last couple of winters.

In terms of palms that are marginal or struggle, I've seen a couple of long term survivors of Wodyetia however they don't look good.  I've failed with Roystonea regia, Hyophorbe lagencaulis and vershaffeltii, Ptychosperma elegans and macarthurii and Pinanga coronata in the past after they held on for years before eventually declining.  The struggle seems to be the extended cool period from May-September without enough heat to sustain these tropical species.

Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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I've got a foxy lady that gets filtered sun and is sheltered by a large Sabal palmetto.  It is about 3m tall now but quite slow.  I think it would be faster in full sun but that shelter also protects it from the cold. 

New Cal palms that do well for me are Chambeyronia, Cyphophoenix elegans, Kentiopsis oliviformis and I've also got a Kentiopsis magnifica seddling that has breezed through the last couple of winters.

In terms of palms that are marginal or struggle, I've seen a couple of long term survivors of Wodyetia however they don't look good.  I've failed with Roystonea regia, Hyophorbe lagencaulis and vershaffeltii, Ptychosperma elegans and macarthurii and Pinanga coronata in the past after they held on for years before eventually declining.  The struggle seems to be the extended cool period from May-September without enough heat to sustain these tropical species.

I've got a foxy lady that gets filtered sun and is sheltered by a large Sabal palmetto.  It is about 3m tall now but quite slow.  I think it would be faster in full sun but that shelter also protects it from the cold. 

New Cal palms that do well for me are Chambeyronia, Cyphophoenix elegans, Kentiopsis oliviformis and I've also got a Kentiopsis magnifica seddling that has breezed through the last couple of winters.

In terms of palms that are marginal or struggle, I've seen a couple of long term survivors of Wodyetia however they don't look good.  I've failed with Roystonea regia, Hyophorbe lagencaulis and vershaffeltii, Ptychosperma elegans and macarthurii and Pinanga coronata in the past after they held on for years before eventually declining.  The struggle seems to be the extended cool period from May-September without enough heat to sustain these tropical species.

 

Coops 3214, the Cryosophila is about half a metre. From a 175mm pot. 

what part of Melbourne are u in tim?? Wow 3 mtr sabal it must be 1000 yrs old lol mine are all slow, how big is your foxylady?? Mines about 6ft tall, it really needs to go in the ground

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@ Tim  What about Burretiokentia hapala? I was reading a few old threads from years ago a few months ago and recall that this had been a good grower for you? Are they still growing okay ? @ gob1 feel free to chime in on how yours is going?)

I planted a decent 250mm pot size one last summer and of all my palms this winter it was the only one that got true cold damage.

BTW did you ever try Basselina gracilis?

@ Anybody :)

Has anyone ever tried a D. decaryi X D. leptocheilos?

Triangles seem to grow fine in the right spot down here, rednecks a bit marginal, but generally hybrids have a bit more growing vigour and even sometimes tuffness, if you could get a cross where the triangle is the mother plant (holds the seed) hence normally more traits from the mother plant then you would expect it could be a possibility.

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@ gob1 Of all your Chamaedorea sp which one grows the best for you or looks good at the end of winter?

I planted a Chamaedorea klotzschiana last summer and its been a real good grower and went through winter fine and still in pretty good nick and nice and green was kind of surprised how well it did seeing this winter gone was quite a cold one and its had little time to establish itself that compared to my standard cascades that have been in for years a few feet away can sometimes get a bit ratty tips going brown.

Also got C. radicalis trunking form but only just planted it in ground this week.

EDIT: I just saw a pic of some of your Chamaedorea sp, they look in pretty good nic.

Edited by pigafetta
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All grow well, maybe the tenallas are more sensitive. I had 6 ernesti seedlings in the ground over winter and they actually kept growing! Aside from amabilis, sullivanorum and tuerckheimii I don't think there are many other chamys that rock my boat.

Climatic Zone: Vile..

Location: 37.765 (S) : 144.920 (E)

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Coops - the garden where I've grown most of my stuff is my parent's place in Patterson Lakes but I've recently moved into my first home in Bonbeach just around the corner which is just has space for a small garden but I've still managed to squeeze in Beccariophoenix alfredii, Dypsis ambositrae, Syagrus sancona, Hedyscepe, Chambeyronia, Cyphophoenix elegans, Archontophoenix myolensis, Rhopalostylis sapida, Pritchardia hillebrandii, Chamaedorea nationsiana, Lytocaryum weddelianum, Kentiopsis magnifica, Burretiokentia hapala and Cyphophoenix alba.  I planted everything a week before the two harsh frosts we got in mid June (maybe a mistake), so the Burretiokentia, Cyphophoenix alba and Pritchardia all took a hit.  They are recovering now however and everything else is looking strong.  The S. palmetto must actually be about 5m tall to the top frond (shelters the foxy lady which has a few rings of trunk and is about 3m tall) - from memory the Sabal was planted around 2006 as a small seedling so it grown quite quickly and robustly, I'd recommend getting yours in the ground asap.  In that garden everything has grown well, there is a Brahea armata, Jub x Butia, S. palmetto, S. Mexicana and Ravenea glauca all side by side and all getting very large.  Its actually difficult to take photos of that garden now but I'll try to grab one next time I'm around there.

Mick, before my current Burretiokentia hapala I did grow one for years.  Very slow however it was happy for a long time...until a falling S. rom frond crushed it and it never recovered. I did try a B. gracilis once - lasted a few years as a seedling before its slow decline, I probably neglected it and let it dry out to frequently.  Also tried quite a few B. glabratas but they seemed to have that sudden demise that randomly affects some palms such as I've experienced with Lepidorrhachis in the past.

For what its worth, D. decaryii are popping up all over the place locally now, some getting quite large.  There are actually a couple that are flowering in Seaford just South of me so they seem to do well in Melbourne once established.  I've never seen a D. leptocheilos survive long term however - there was one at a local nursery that held on for years but always looked terrible before eventually succumbing.  I've never tried the hybrid but have always wanted to give it a go, I'm sure it would do well here.

By the way, my favourite Chamaedorea for here is tepejilote as long as it is protected from full sun.

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Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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post some pic's when you get them planted in the ground :) 

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

Sunset zone 24

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My b hapala done really well up until the last week or so of winter then lost 2 x leaves the center is fine and pushing out new spear so it will be fine, my klotzchiana is going great ive got a friend that lasted all winter out in the open and his look better, definitely get some pics of your garden i didnt realise sabals gree quick down here,

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  • 4 weeks later...

Botanical garden in Melbourne is growing lots of palms as well. They amazed me as well when I visited the "cold" city of Australia. 

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Southwest

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Yes indeedy. I've been growing palms in Melbourne for 15 years. About 80 species these days, most in ground and many quite substantial.

these are my Parajubaea torallyi v torallyi. Fifteen years old from seed!

image.jpg

Very great accomplishment Jo...I also loved your video...if you could have done it in Melbourne I should have a better chance here in Sydney... :)

 

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Awesome Jo!  I've got a couple of Parajubaea cocoides from seed not quite as old that aren't nearly as impressive.  Toralyii is the nicer palm imo.

 

To contribute to the Melbourne oddball collection - Wodyetia x Veitchia arecina.  Not a great photo, difficult to take in this garden with the size that a few palms are getting to. It has a few rings of trunk now and the top of the spear must be approaching 3m (10') - compare to 2.4m awning.

wodxveit2.thumb.jpg.274041bf7d34c47e0089

 

 

 

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Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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Rhopalostylis baueri - has moved at a similar speed to most Archontophoenix (Howea f trunk in foreground).

rhopbaueri.thumb.jpg.9038ea253ee62a95ebb

Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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Chambeyronia macrocarpa - a few rings of trunk now and throws 1-2 red leaves / year.

 

chambeym.thumb.jpg.2d9685a139cfac9198958

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Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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Dypsis decipiens - a bit battered from recent renovations, a lot of dust and not much water for the last year.  But the new spear is growing strongly and is 2.5m+ at the top.

 

dypdec.thumb.jpg.a9f4b015289a4dc29b15c4c

Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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Dypsis baronii - one of my favourites:

 

dypbar2.thumb.jpg.d4afa26dbd179243cdd93b

 

 

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Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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That garden is going great tim looks great, how old are those plants?? That dypsis is awsome how old and how big was it when u planted it??

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Thats my foxy lady in full sun so it should take off if was very root bound in the bag so it should be happy now,

Screenshot_2015-10-30-13-03-09.png

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The dypsis decipiens and baronii were planted at the same time I think in 2008.  Both I'm pretty sure from 200mm pots.  The two baronii stems on the left already had a few rings of trunk, while the one on the right (now the largest) was just a small offshoot.

Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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Ive got a good size baronii but it gets battered by the cold southerly but pretty quick grower, ive got to plant my decipiens and get it going in the ground,

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  • 2 months later...

Well how is everything  going for the Melbournians  in this 40 deg weather??? All my stuff is going really well since i hooked up irrigation  thanks troy for the advice,  how are people growi g there kentiopsis mines getting a fair bit of sun and hasn't  flinched so my question  is do they want full sun part or shade?? Mines only in a pot but growing really well

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All my palms i planted in spring are doing pretty good one of my D. ambositrae got burnt by the first hot day but it was planted in fun sun must have been grown under shade cloth only other palms that have been knocked around was my Archotophoneix purpurea's and some of those other Syagrus sp

Both my Hedyscepe i planted end of last summer have a little burn but I've planted them in a bit too much sun but those areas will shade up more with time, plus i want them to grow with that robust look like Tims in Tassie BTW they are growing very steady both have pushed out two fronds in less than 10 months.

My kentiopsis is under shade cloth most of the day but gets arvo sun and has got just a very slight burn on one frond, seem tougher to sun than Kentias though.

Ive been watering heaps on those hot days morning and arvo my soil tends to retain moisture pretty good.

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I've had 2 K. oliviforrmis planted in mostly shade for years which have never really grown - from the reports it sounds like they might do better with a bit of extra warmth and exposure to the sun.  My K. magnifica seedling planted out in partial morning sun seems to enjoy it so far.

My Hedyscepe's are getting a little crispy but it's their first summer planted out with any direct sun so I'm hoping they adjust and should also get more relief in the future when other's grow around them.  My Ceroxylon ventricosum has been really battered so I've put up a makeshift shadehouse, its still growing but looks pretty bad - FYI for all you Melbourne growers out there avoid planting Ceroxylon in full sun here - rookie mistake on my part.

On the other hand Beccariophoenix alfredii and Archontophoenix myolensis are loving it, even at seedling size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Brisbane

Patterson Lakes, bayside Melbourne, Australia

Rarely Frost

2005 Minimum: 2.6C,  Maximum: 44C

2005 Average: 17.2C, warmest on record.

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