Losing my Red Tahiti dwarf /Haari Papua/Rangiroa

[GottmitAlex 2,938]

I did not give it any canopy (tarp it) this winter. I only turned on its 75w brood lamp on nights 8C or below.

Well it seems to have fungi. I already poured in Southern AG Liquid copper fungicide twice down the crown and around its base. 

Hope it recovers.  All the other coconuts are doing just splendid 

I'll keep you updated. 

 

 

[Coconut Carol 3]

It should recover when it heats up. 

[sandgroper 1,148]

Still plenty of greenery on it Alex, I think it'll  come good mate. I've had dramas with the hot, dry easterlies we've had this year, my palms are looking pretty rough from them, I've upped the watering over the last fortnight which has helped. Good luck with yours mate, the cooler weather must be close to easing up for you soon.

[GottmitAlex 2,938]

32 minutes ago, sandgroper said:

Still plenty of greenery on it Alex, I think it'll  come good mate. I've had dramas with the hot, dry easterlies we've had this year, my palms are looking pretty rough from them, I've upped the watering over the last fortnight which has helped. Good luck with yours mate, the cooler weather must be close to easing up for you soon.

Thanks Dave! Oh. You better believe it. Weatherwise, since yesterday (Sunday), we've peaked low 30C's and 14C as a low.

Summer in winter.

.

 

[Palmaceae 2,465]

Before I left St Pete a couple months ago we had a low in the upper 30's and my Red Tahiti dwarf showed a lot of damage, a lot more than my numerous other coconut varieties, which tells me it is not very cold hardy. That palm is now at the Kopsick Palm Arboretum and hopefully doing well.

[Tracy 4,837]

11 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

You better believe it. Weatherwise, since yesterday (Sunday), we've peaked low 30C's and 14C as a low.

14C = 57F... I wouldn't bet on that being the bottom of our lows for long here.  These dry years are when we see the coldest mornings.  Ocean water temps are just now bottoming out here in San Diego with plenty of upwelling from strong coastal wind.  While it may be tempting to believe that we are heading into Spring, a few warm days in February is just enough to tempt fate.  Just beware is all I'm saying. 

On the coconut, if you cut it up fast, you can eat hearts of palm rather than waiting for it to produce edible coconuts, which it may never do.  A bird in hand is worth two in the bush....  (It was time to inject a little humor).

[Mr. Coconut Palm 1,173]

13 minutes ago, Tracy said:

14C = 57F... I wouldn't bet on that being the bottom of our lows for long here.  These dry years are when we see the coldest mornings.  Ocean water temps are just now bottoming out here in San Diego with plenty of upwelling from strong coastal wind.  While it may be tempting to believe that we are heading into Spring, a few warm days in February is just enough to tempt fate.  Just beware is all I'm saying. 

On the coconut, if you cut it up fast, you can eat hearts of palm rather than waiting for it to produce edible coconuts, which it may never do.  A bird in hand is worth two in the bush....  (It was time to inject a little humor).

Yeah, don't jinx things like I did here in South Texas a few weeks ago, by posting a thread on here wanting to know peoples' opinions about whether or not they thought winter was over in South Texas and along the Gulf Coast!!!  Oh, how I wish I had NEVER posted that!!!

John

[Tracy 4,837]

25 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Yeah, don't jinx things like I did here in South Texas a few weeks ago, by posting a thread on here wanting to know peoples' opinions about whether or not they thought winter was over in South Texas and along the Gulf Coast!!!  Oh, how I wish I had NEVER posted that!!!

John

Au contraire... I'm not soliciting any opinions about whether winter is over.  My comment was in fact a warning that in a La Nina year, the third week of February is way too early to be proclaiming the arrival of spring and the end to winter here in Southern California.  Experience... not magic, no jinx nor any hexes tells me that it's too early to be certain of anything except "uncertainty".

[PalmatierMeg 5,646]

I tried the Red Tahiti several years ago. Even with supplemental hand watering and southerly exposure it never thrived, then declined and finally died. I paid $55 + shipping back then for a germinated seed from HI. The guy is now wanting $90+ for the same germinated seeds. I thought it over and decided not to leap. I have a feeling this cultivar requires ideal climate conditions year round, i.e., in HI. I like coconuts but I'm not obsessed with them so my $ are better spent elsewhere. At least I have my dwarf red spicatas, which are awesome palms, so I am content. That was my experience - I am not trying to dissuade anyone from trying Red Tahitis. 

[GottmitAlex 2,938]

58 minutes ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I tried the Red Tahiti several years ago. Even with supplemental hand watering and southerly exposure it never thrived, then declined and finally died. I paid $55 + shipping back then for a germinated seed from HI. The guy is now wanting $90+ for the same germinated seeds. I thought it over and decided not to leap. I have a feeling this cultivar requires ideal climate conditions year round, i.e., in HI. I like coconuts but I'm not obsessed with them so my $ are better spent elsewhere. At least I have my dwarf red spicatas, which are awesome palms, so I am content. That was my experience - I am not trying to dissuade anyone from trying Red Tahitis. 

Quite so. From what I have read, the Red Tahiti dwarf is the most frailest of cocos.

This will be my final attempt with that cultivar.

 

[Mr. Coconut Palm 1,173]

9 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I tried the Red Tahiti several years ago. Even with supplemental hand watering and southerly exposure it never thrived, then declined and finally died. I paid $55 + shipping back then for a germinated seed from HI. The guy is now wanting $90+ for the same germinated seeds. I thought it over and decided not to leap. I have a feeling this cultivar requires ideal climate conditions year round, i.e., in HI. I like coconuts but I'm not obsessed with them so my $ are better spent elsewhere. At least I have my dwarf red spicatas, which are awesome palms, so I am content. That was my experience - I am not trying to dissuade anyone from trying Red Tahitis. 

Good advice, Meg.  For any of us growing any varieties of Coconut Palms where they are even slightly marginal, we should only stick to the tried and true proven varieties that have at least a little more cold hardiness, especially when it comes to sprouts that cost that much.

John

[Mr. Coconut Palm 1,173]

8 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Quite so. From what I have read, the Red Tahiti dwarf is the most frailest of cocos.

This will be my final attempt with that cultivar.

 

Alex,

I used to think it was the Fiji Dwarf that was the least cold hardy, but I have heard of accounts of them doing better in some parts of Southwest Florida back in the bad freezes of 2010, that make me think maybe it is like the Green Malayan Dwarf and has at least some more cold hardiness than it is given credit for.  But apparently the one you are referring to is just way too sensitive for those of us growing any variety of Coconut Palms in areas that are marginal for them.

John

[Mr. Coconut Palm 1,173]

And the Fiji Dwarf is such a BEAUTIFUL variety that it is certainly worth trying for those who want to try a different variety, but aren't sure of the cold hardiness of it.  If I can ever get moved down to Brownsville, I will certainly be trying Fiji Dwarfs there.

John

[PalmatierMeg 5,646]

Fiji dwarfs are not readily available to me

[palmfriend 1,536]

Alex,

this is bad news but I really hope it will recover. 

If it won't work out you can say you tried it and you provided useful pieces 

of information here on palmtalk for all of us while comparing this species

with your other C. nucifera palms. 

 

best regards from Okinawa -

Lars

 

[Palmaceae 2,465]

I had a very nice Fiji dwarf in Cape Coral years ago and it never showed any cold damage as my other varieties.  But my Red Tahiti dwarf, not so much, it showed damage in the low 40's.

[kinzyjr 3,777]

Hope that it manages to recover @GottmitAlex!

[GottmitAlex 2,938]

18 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Fiji dwarfs are not readily available to me

Same here @PalmatierMeg , I looked everywhere (online) for a Fiji dwarf before purchasing my 2nd Red Tahiti dwarf (replacement. 1st RTd kicked the bucket).  I was honestly reluctant to buy the 2nd Red Tahiti because I knew they are frail coconuts.  On the flip side, just as talls, the Fiji dwarfs don't usually self-pollinate. They need another coco nearby for that to happen. Not that I'm expecting coconuts to produce fruit in California. 

 

But yes, if anyone knows of an available Fiji dwarf in Florida that can be shipped to California, please let me know.

Thank you

[GottmitAlex 2,938]

10 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Hope that it manages to recover @GottmitAlex!

Pretty sure it's not going to happen

Here's hoping.

12:30AM PST, 14C/57F

I'm with my palm. 

I should have covered it with a tarp. I'm on damage control right now.

I thought to myself, "well, 2nd winter. It will do without a tarp. Brood lamp is fine." No way. 

The coco is dying.  But I'm still outside looking out for it.  Too little too late I'm afraid. 

If anyone could help me procure a Fiji dwarf, I would be much obliged. 

 

"Don't be cruel to a heart that's true."

 

 

[Stelios 368]

I believe your palm will make it Alex. The treatment with the fungicide should work. I also almost lost my palm due to rot after the 50 year record winter rainfall 2 years ago, and despite I took extreme measures thinking its gone, it came back. This winter is one of the usual mild and dry winters that we normally have and is recovering better.

I understand that the red Tahiti dwarf is more sensitive than my palm, but you have more mild winters than I do and that should help.

 

This is a photo of the palm taken today