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Starting the Zone 8b Jungle


Teegurr

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28 minutes ago, Chester B said:

If you want a Euc try pauciflora or neglecta.  Not too big and extremely cold hardy, although I'm not sure about the heat.

I like your plan, nice drawing.

Couple of other suggestions, and again I'm not sure how they do with heat, but they do fine in my zone 8B

Schefflera taiwaniana

Fatsia polycarpa, or regular Fatsia but the non straight green varieties.

Chamaedorea radicalis

Loropetalum - larger varieties

Acca sellowiana - tropical like flowers and fruit too

Thank you and I appreciate the suggestions. Paucifloria I like, but not my biggest priority. Schefflera is a must have for me. Debating trying a pineapple guava - if it's at Lowe's, sure.

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My Lowe's here gets 6.5g Mules, but they get picked over extremely fast. You could try MPOM (Mules Palm of Mississippi) and start with a seedling which costs $65 (not sure if that includes shipping or not). I think there is a site called North Texas Cold Hardy Palms that have them listed for $14.99.

MPOM --> https://www.mulepalmsofmississippi.com/palms

NTCHP --> https://texascoldhardypalms.com/t/palms (Many more plant options than just palms on this site too!)

Palms - 4 S. romanzoffiana, 1 W. bifurcata, 2 W. robusta, 1 R. rivularis, 1 B. odorata, 1 B. nobilis, 2 S. palmetto, 1 A. merillii, 1 P. canariensis, 1 BxJ, 1 BxJxBxS, 1 BxS, 3 P. roebelenii, 1 H. lagenicaulis, 1 H. verschaffeltii, 9 T. fortunei, 1 C. humilis, 2 C. macrocarpa, 1 L. chinensis, 1 R. excelsa

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Whoa nice drawing. Think of incorporating a path through your jungle so you can immerse yourself in it. Pretty neat on hot humid days especially once things begin getting overhead

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1 hour ago, JLM said:

My Lowe's here gets 6.5g Mules, but they get picked over extremely fast. You could try MPOM (Mules Palm of Mississippi) and start with a seedling which costs $65 (not sure if that includes shipping or not). I think there is a site called North Texas Cold Hardy Palms that have them listed for $14.99.

MPOM --> https://www.mulepalmsofmississippi.com/palms

NTCHP --> https://texascoldhardypalms.com/t/palms (Many more plant options than just palms on this site too!)

Thank you for methods of attaining the mule! I think Lowe's is the only option. 65 bucks for a seedling is too pricey for me. Unfortunately, I have nothing good to say about NorthTexasColdHardyPalms. I ordered something from them on Dec. 17, never got my stuff, tried contacting them on email AND Palmtalk, no answer. I know other people have had great experiences with them, and I would like to as well, but that experience left a sour taste in my mouth. 

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55 minutes ago, Tropicdoc said:

Whoa nice drawing. Think of incorporating a path through your jungle so you can immerse yourself in it. Pretty neat on hot humid days especially once things begin getting overhead

Thank you! I must have a path. It will be natural cleared land. I want a real jungle feel to it. 

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2 hours ago, Teegurr said:

Thank you and I appreciate the suggestions. Paucifloria I like, but not my biggest priority. Schefflera is a must have for me. Debating trying a pineapple guava - if it's at Lowe's, sure.

The pineapple guavas can be used as a privacy screen, a border hedge, or as specimen trees.

Also, loquats are fairly fast growers and you'll need to protect the passion vines from Gulf fritillary caterpillars.

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Just now, amh said:

The pineapple guavas can be used as a privacy screen, a border hedge, or as specimen trees.

Also, loquats are fairly fast growers and you'll need to protect the passion vines from Gulf fritillary caterpillars.

Fast is good! I'm outta here in about 2.5 years. The guava flowers are so harmonious with the foliage, I really am warming up to it. Thank you for the tips.

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2 minutes ago, Teegurr said:

Fast is good! I'm outta here in about 2.5 years. The guava flowers are so harmonious with the foliage, I really am warming up to it. Thank you for the tips.

The guava flowers are also edible and taste like a spicy bubblegum.

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Schefflera taiwaniana is a goner in our climate. Speaking from personal experience, if you leave it outside it'll be dead before you know it. Schefflera delavayi is the hardy Schefflera to go with. Don't ever let it dry out.

People hate on Tetrapanax, but it's very manageable and gives big tropical leaves you rarely see around here. Between severe freezes it'll get some height.

Ficus auriculata is another good big leafed plant. Fatsia are a good choice. I like the silvery colored ones.

Eucalyptus citriodora will get big between bad freezes and then die on you. At least, that's what I think the one in my yard did. We'll see. There are a lot of hardier Eucs, you just don't see them much.

Again from personal experience, big acaulescent C. radicalis can take the kind of freezes we just had, but smaller ones and seedlings may not make it. Again, we'll see.

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2 minutes ago, Swolte said:

Dangit, nice drawing there. Took some art classes?!

Thanks so much! In elementary school we had art class, but other than that, no, I just like drawing.

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1 hour ago, Teegurr said:

Fast is good! I'm outta here in about 2.5 years. The guava flowers are so harmonious with the foliage, I really am warming up to it. Thank you for the tips.

Your Leaving in 2.5 years? Maybe if you overplant you will feel Compelled not to leave. I’d plant some very hardy palms for CS. Needles, minors, palmettos, in the front yard. That way you can follow them on google street view if you move.

I am close to the university. Almost Every modest house within a couple miles of A&M prior to the 1990s is razed for townhouses. Too bad mine doesn’t fall in that category though. $$

Edited by Collectorpalms

Current Texas Gardening Zone 9a, Mean (1999-2024): 22F Low/104F High. Yearly Precipitation 39.17 inches.

Extremes: Low Min 4F 2021, 13.8F 2024. High Max 112F 2011/2023, Precipitation Max 58 inches 2015, Lowest 19 Inches 2011.

Weather Station: https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KTXCOLLE465

Ryan (Paleoclimatologist Since 4 billion Years ago, Meteorologist/Earth Scientist/Physicist Since 1995, Savy Horticulturist Since Birth.)

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15 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

Your Leaving in 2.5 years? Maybe if you overplant you will feel Compelled not to leave. I’d plant some very hardy palms for CS. Needles, minors, palmettos, in the front yard. That way you can follow them on google street view if you move.

I am close to the university. Almost Every modest house within a couple miles of A&M prior to the 1990s is razed for townhouses. Too bad mine doesn’t fall in that category though. $$

Too hot and humid here. Plus I don't like the political tension here in the US. Although it's a pipe dream, Azores would be absolutely ideal. AKA grass is always greener. I'll return here to look around, but I'm definitely not staying.

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28 minutes ago, Teegurr said:

Thanks so much! In elementary school we had art class, but other than that, no, I just like drawing.

Thats the best way to learn art, by practicing it yourself. Nice work!

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Palms - 4 S. romanzoffiana, 1 W. bifurcata, 2 W. robusta, 1 R. rivularis, 1 B. odorata, 1 B. nobilis, 2 S. palmetto, 1 A. merillii, 1 P. canariensis, 1 BxJ, 1 BxJxBxS, 1 BxS, 3 P. roebelenii, 1 H. lagenicaulis, 1 H. verschaffeltii, 9 T. fortunei, 1 C. humilis, 2 C. macrocarpa, 1 L. chinensis, 1 R. excelsa

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Absolute carnage from the dog. He snapped my finest spear, and pulled off the second biggest spear. Now there are only two left. Silver lining: a new spear is opening. What I'm wondering is: is it natural for a Bismarck spear to open like this, or is it the dog's fault? Also, how many fronds, marginal-zone Bizzie growers, does your Bizzie open in the warm season?

20210311_081303.jpg

20210311_081324.jpg

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I know the frond chewing all too well, my Foxtail has been slowly recovering from having all fronds chewed. I am just now developing experience with Bizzies, because im growing them from seed and they are still germinating. The oldest one germinated in February, should see that first leaf pop up in April.

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Palms - 4 S. romanzoffiana, 1 W. bifurcata, 2 W. robusta, 1 R. rivularis, 1 B. odorata, 1 B. nobilis, 2 S. palmetto, 1 A. merillii, 1 P. canariensis, 1 BxJ, 1 BxJxBxS, 1 BxS, 3 P. roebelenii, 1 H. lagenicaulis, 1 H. verschaffeltii, 9 T. fortunei, 1 C. humilis, 2 C. macrocarpa, 1 L. chinensis, 1 R. excelsa

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On 3/7/2021 at 11:41 PM, Xenon said:

Some more accent plants: Japanese aralia (Fatsia japonica), leopard plant (Farfugium japonicum), lily of the Nile (Agapanthus), gold dust plant (Aucuba japonica). For some tropical looking and fragrant hardy shrubbery: Osmanthus fragrans, hardy Cestrum, Michelia figo, Gardenia 'Frostproof', almond verbena (Aloysia virgata). 

For gingers, some of these will stay evergreen in mild winters and reliably come back otherwise: shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet), Japanese ginger (Alpinia japonica), butterfly ginger (Hedychium). You can also do cannas and the usual Colocasia. Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum (or more commonly: Philodendron selloum) will do fine in mild years and come back from the ground otherwise. 

Philodendron is not very hardy in San Antonio.    I have not had much luck with it.  It seems to do OK in warmer microclimates, but it died back every year for me and eventually didn't return.  I see it do OK in protected spots but I just have not had luck and I don't see it planted in my neighborhood etc.

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5 hours ago, PricklyPearSATC said:

Philodendron is not very hardy in San Antonio.    I have not had much luck with it.  It seems to do OK in warmer microclimates, but it died back every year for me and eventually didn't return.  I see it do OK in protected spots but I just have not had luck and I don't see it planted in my neighborhood etc.

This is surprising.  I bought my first philodendron this past summer from HGC and figured it was a goner after the Valentine's Day disaster.  But low and behold it was one of the first things that I noticed coming back from the roots!  Maybe beginner's luck?  :rolleyes:

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Jon Sunder

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On 3/7/2021 at 9:53 PM, Teegurr said:

Here's the monster dog.

 

20210307_095924.jpg

For his sake it's a good thing he's cute!  :lol:  Hope he grows out of that chewing stage soon.

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Jon Sunder

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I ended up getting a small red hibiscus, a gold dust croton, a Washingtonia robusta (3ft tall, $54), and a MULE PALM!!! (4ft tall, $90). Amazing deals at Lowe's! I was tempted to get a $20 Majesty Palm (2-3ft), but I didn't have room left, maybe next time. Pictures when they're planted.

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7 minutes ago, Teegurr said:

I ended up getting a small red hibiscus, a gold dust croton, a Washingtonia robusta (3ft tall, $54), and a MULE PALM!!! (4ft tall, $90). Amazing deals at Lowe's! I was tempted to get a $20 Majesty Palm (2-3ft), but I didn't have room left, maybe next time. Pictures when they're planted.

I wondered who would buy the mules. Now I know 1 of 4. They went pretty fast. What day did you get them?

you need some chicken Or hog! wire and fence off that area.

Edited by Collectorpalms

Current Texas Gardening Zone 9a, Mean (1999-2024): 22F Low/104F High. Yearly Precipitation 39.17 inches.

Extremes: Low Min 4F 2021, 13.8F 2024. High Max 112F 2011/2023, Precipitation Max 58 inches 2015, Lowest 19 Inches 2011.

Weather Station: https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KTXCOLLE465

Ryan (Paleoclimatologist Since 4 billion Years ago, Meteorologist/Earth Scientist/Physicist Since 1995, Savy Horticulturist Since Birth.)

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6 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

I wondered who would buy the mules. Now I know 1 of 4. They went pretty fast. What day did you get them?

you need some chicken Or hog! wire and fence off that area.

Just now. I replaced the gold dust plant with two cannas.

I got chicken wire

Edited by Teegurr
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How close can I plant my mule palm to my Bizzie? And the Washy to the mule?This is the set up I was thinking. Are they too close? The palms are all 7-8 ft apart.

16158231973178699288175791611242.jpg

Edited by Teegurr
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Not an expert on this by any means but we do have several mules, two mature, and the canopy can be quite wide. I’d say our mature fronds are 10-14 feet each in length. They love sun, as do bizzies, which can have a big canopy when mature so looking at your photo I’m thinking too close, at least from how I would plan and wouldn’t plan in straight line but stagger in yard unless meant to be along a path. I like curves in landscaping though. 

I know you said you don’t plan on staying long at that location but I would hope future owners there would keep both palms and for love of the palms I would plant with mature future in mind. They both can be beautiful specimen plantings so I look at them from that standpoint too. I know you referred to jungle so might not be in line with your plans. Nice buys there at Lowes! 

BTW noticing the shadow of a large tree in the photo. If that tree is staying, picture it with a canopy of leaves and shading that area where the palms have been staged. I’d want my palms, those two in particular to get full afternoon sun if possible for best growth.

 

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Zone 9b (formerly listed as Zone 9a); Sunset 14

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41 minutes ago, WestCoastGal said:

Not an expert on this by any means but we do have several mules, two mature, and the canopy can be quite wide. I’d say our mature fronds are 10-14 feet each in length. They love sun, as do bizzies, which can have a big canopy when mature so looking at your photo I’m thinking too close, at least from how I would plan and wouldn’t plan in straight line but stagger in yard unless meant to be along a path. I like curves in landscaping though. 

I know you said you don’t plan on staying long at that location but I would hope future owners there would keep both palms and for love of the palms I would plant with mature future in mind. They both can be beautiful specimen plantings so I look at them from that standpoint too. I know you referred to jungle so might not be in line with your plans. Nice buys there at Lowes! 

BTW noticing the shadow of a large tree in the photo. If that tree is staying, picture it with a canopy of leaves and shading that area where the palms have been staged. I’d want my palms, those two in particular to get full afternoon sun if possible for best growth.

 

I'm going to be keeping the straight line. The Mule right now has about 12 ft of space from the ground to the canopy. I'll most likely remove the branches above the Mule so it will have about 30 ft. The Mule and the Washingtonia are spaced 12 ft apart. The Bizzie and the Mule are spaced 13-14 ft apart. Here are some pictures.

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16158287077693830052250431746380.jpg

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Palms are planted! They are 13-14 ft apart. Wishing them luck on their growth journey. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

UPDATE: Added 2 calla lillies, Ti Plant, Easter Lily, 'Page' Mandarin, and Loquat.

For those wondering why the Washy has only one frond, my dog ripped off the rest, hence the chicken wire. That frond only took 2 weeks to open. This palm lives up to the fast growing hype!

 

 

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Oh dear. I was just checking to see what the pup ate today... give the pup his own Washingtonia to keep him preoccupied

Edited by Collectorpalms
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Current Texas Gardening Zone 9a, Mean (1999-2024): 22F Low/104F High. Yearly Precipitation 39.17 inches.

Extremes: Low Min 4F 2021, 13.8F 2024. High Max 112F 2011/2023, Precipitation Max 58 inches 2015, Lowest 19 Inches 2011.

Weather Station: https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KTXCOLLE465

Ryan (Paleoclimatologist Since 4 billion Years ago, Meteorologist/Earth Scientist/Physicist Since 1995, Savy Horticulturist Since Birth.)

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  • 2 years later...

Why do people "hate on tetrapanax"?

Edited by Than

previously known as ego

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7 hours ago, Than said:

Why do people "hate on tetrapanax"?

Tetrapanax is a great plant, very valuable in zone 9 because the leaves are good to about 27F; and the large stems will stay up even in a decent freeze. The bold leaves give a look that is hard to match. However, they have a couple of drawbacks: 1) they sucker and spread quite a bit, which is good news for some, bad news for others; 2) most importantly, the slightest touch of the leaves/stems will release a white powder into the air all around the plant, one that will just about ruin your respiratory system for a period of time. Sneezing, coughing, you name it. I used it all over the place when I lived in southern Mississippi, but I learned to leave it alone, or to hold my breath and quickly run away after pruning it. 

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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6 hours ago, mnorell said:

Tetrapanax is a great plant, very valuable in zone 9 because the leaves are good to about 27F; and the large stems will stay up even in a decent freeze. The bold leaves give a look that is hard to match. However, they have a couple of drawbacks: 1) they sucker and spread quite a bit, which is good news for some, bad news for others; 2) most importantly, the slightest touch of the leaves/stems will release a white powder into the air all around the plant, one that will just about ruin your respiratory system for a period of time. Sneezing, coughing, you name it. I used it all over the place when I lived in southern Mississippi, but I learned to leave it alone, or to hold my breath and quickly run away after pruning it. 

Ouch thank you for this information, I needed to know this

previously known as ego

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