Palms in northern mediterranean - 1450 ft a.s.l.

[LivistonaFan 34]

Hello,

I planted the following palms in an olive grove:

• Butia eriospatha
• Chamaerops humilis var. 'cerifera'
• Jubaea Chilensis
• Livistona Chinensis 
• Phoenix Canariensis
• Rhapis excelsa

more will be planted in the next years, but primarily I have to check the cold hardiness zone (I will install a weather station soon to check the winter lows). I hope the lows in the coldest winters will at least be >18 fahrenheit 

Edited September 8, 2018 by LivistonaFan

[LivistonaFan 34]

 

sorry, but I don't have better pictures for the Butia.

The Livistona had to lose its highest frond, because otherwise it would have been very difficult to transport it.

The soil is almost pure loam and very profound. At first I thought that it was impossible to dig deep holes, because the soil was bone-dry but with a little water it was almost easy. Later on I will add some bark mulch.

 

Which do you think is the most likely to survive longterm and  which the least?

Edited September 8, 2018 by LivistonaFan

[dalmatiansoap 258]

Depends on exact location. In my area Raphis and Livistona would be the most in danger. I lost few "bullet proof" palms for my zone due to wind after cold spell and on the other side I have few survivalists that will never gave them a chance.

[TexasColdHardyPalms 2,315]

Rhapis is the most fragile of the group. Livistona will burn but is EXTREMELY bud hardy. They'll take single digits and come back. 

[Neil C 397]

Well your soil looks good so thats a start. How wet are your winters? Your Chamaerops should be the hardiest if your winters are not too wet. I'm afraid I don't fancy your Raphis chances but I hope I'm wrong. Cudos to you for having a go.

Regards Neil

[Pal Meir 4,499]

Your Chamaerops argentea doesn’t look good; why don’t you plant a normal Chamaerops which doesn't mind even wet winters? — The soil seems to be alkaline limestone (carbonate) if I am right. That can cause other problems with Butia and Jubaea. Did you measure the pH?

[LivistonaFan 34]

@Neil C Of course, winters are wetter than summers, which is the definition of this type of climate. But it rains considerably less in winter than for example the croatian coast down to the greek city Patras ( I quickly checked some climate charts). Furthermore the most precipation is in October and November which shouldn't hurt the palms to much. I hope the wall which is SW/W-facing helps the Rhapis in cold winter days.

@Pal Meir I just like blue or silver palms very much and it would be a nice contrast to the others. If it dies I can replace it with a normal Chamaerops anyway as they are not that expensive. I think it was greenhouse grown because the leaves burned within two days after I received it. My cheap ph soil meter claimed that the ph is just above seven (very slightly), but I don't know if I can trust it.

[LivistonaFan 34]

a soil map marks it as borderline between brown soils and lithosols/ alluvial soils

[Cikas 323]

Chamaerops cerifera does not mind at all our humid winters here in Dubrovnik (Croatia). We have 1064 mm of rain per year. Most of that in late fall, winter and early spring. Our summers are hot and dry. 

Edited September 8, 2018 by Cikas

[Cikas 323]

Here is mine Chamaerops cerifera.

 

[LivistonaFan 34]

@Cikas Very nice! How old is it? ( How long have I to wait to see my cerifera as big as yours?)

Edited September 11, 2018 by LivistonaFan

[Cikas 323]

56 minutes ago, LivistonaFan said:

@Cikas Very nice! How old is it? ( How long have I to wait to see my cerifera as big as yours?)

It is planted 4+ years ago (I think). 

[LivistonaFan 34]

Small Update:

after more than three weeks without much rain, it rained a lot in the last week:

• Rhapis got accidentally removed by a neighbor (maybe I will try another one next year)
• Phoenix fried a lot of its oldest (greenhouse-grown) fronds, but the new spear seems O.K.
• Butia seems ok (two spears browned off) and actively growing
• the two yellow fronds of the Livistona Chinensis turned brown 
• the Chamaerops Cerifera defoliated completely, but its center spear seems alright
• I planted a Chamaerops humilis 'vulcano ( I know that isn't very clever that late in the year)

[LivistonaFan 34]

 

 

 

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by LivistonaFan

[LivistonaFan 34]

I just acquired three new palms which might be quite marginal for the location. After I know how low the temperature went this winter I will decide whether they stay in pots or go in the ground.

They aren`t rare palms but nonetheless quite exciting for me:

 

• Rhapis humilis (as a substitution for the R. excelsa + supposed to be more cold hardy ; quite difficult to find in Germany)

• Arenga Engleri (it is possible that I already have one, but it is uncertain)
• Acoelorrhape wrightii:
• 
• all together under artificial lights (Sabal uresana in the front left is finally recovering(after 6 months))
•