Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Palms for Zone 9a Japan


RuJPN

Recommended Posts

Hello Palmtalk!

New member here living in Japan and I need some input on palm selection.
I'm not too familiar with USDA zones, but from what I understand I'm technically in zone 9a.
A little about the climate; Last time we had a record low under 20F was in 1985 when we had 19F. The coldest ever recorded temperature was in 1919 when we hit 11F, and 13F in 1954, so I think those days might be behind us. Hopefully. 
As I said it's zone 9a (if I understand correctly) but it's not a warm 9a, during last years winter which was fairly typical we had 11 nights with freezing temperatures in december, 19 in january and 8 in february.
The freezes are typically in the low to mid 20s and by 9am any frost has usually melted.
The daytime average isn't much better at around 45F during those months.
From may we start seeing daytime temperatures in the mid 70s, that will turn into high 80s and low to mid 90s during june, july, august and september with high humidity.
Yearly rainfall is a high 51 inches, with the highest rainfall in june and july, and the least during the colder months november to february.

So now to the palm selection.
What's available at the garden centers around here are Trachys, Butias (I'm not sure which one since we call all of them cocos palm), canary island date palm and sago palms.
I currently have a small Trachy in a pot that I dug out of a ditch on my familys land, but I want some others as well. Butias are pretty expensive starting at $800 with a foot of trunk, CIDP is about the same.
Since the local availability is pretty limited I'd like to grow some from seed. I'm aware that it'll take time, but I can always get some trachys to tide me over in the meantime.
Given our climate do you think any of the following are a definite no-go, any additions or substitutions that you would recommend?
Washingtonia Filibusta or Robusta
Butyagrus mule palm
Chamaedorea radicalis
Livistona Nitida
I would also like a Brahea armata but I understand they don't like the humidity.
What I really  would like is a Queen, but with our cold winters I'd had to protect it like crazy.

Thank you for reading and please excuse and spelling misstakes.
 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi @RuJPN welcome to Palmtalk!

I am also located in USDA zone 9a near zone 8b and it sounds like we have similar winter low temperatures.   Main difference is here we rarely have extended periods of freezing temperatures (last February was a rare exception) and we warm up quickly.  I think all of your palms listed will do fine - in fact I was growing all in your list prior to the terrible freakish freeze we had when it went down to 9F and 13F on consecutive nights.  I lost my CIDP, Washingtonia filibusta and Livistona nitida (unprotected) but others survived.  Like you our selection of palms here is limited and I grow many from seed.  I'm addition to what you listed I also grow Livistona saribus (green petiole form), Livistona decora and chinensis, Parajubaea sunkha, Copernicia alba and prunifera, Chamaerops, Arenga engleri, Trithrinax acanthacoma, Hyphaene coriacea, Rhapis excelsa, Chamaedorea microspadix and cataractum, Phoenix dactylifera and theophrasti, Sabal guatemalensis and uresana and 'Riverside ', Brahea clara 'icy blue ' and calcarea.  The B. clara is as blue as my armata and is humidity tolerant.

Jon

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 2

Jon Sunder

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you  @Fusca !

San Antonio seems to have a bit higher average lows and a longer period of warm weather. I'm envious. A lot of the the other palms you are growing seems to be iffy in my climate, but it wouldn't hurt to try them from seed. I especially like the Copernicus alba. As soon as rare palm seeds get some good stock I'm ordering a bunch! I'm really tempted by the Brahea clara too, I just wished it had the stiff leaves like the armata. But beggars can't be choosers. 
Again thanks a million!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, RuJPN said:

Thank you  @Fusca !

San Antonio seems to have a bit higher average lows and a longer period of warm weather. I'm envious. A lot of the the other palms you are growing seems to be iffy in my climate, but it wouldn't hurt to try them from seed. I especially like the Copernicus alba. As soon as rare palm seeds get some good stock I'm ordering a bunch! I'm really tempted by the Brahea clara too, I just wished it had the stiff leaves like the armata. But beggars can't be choosers. 
Again thanks a million!

Here is a recent pic of my blue C. alba.  Love its color but it is prickly!  Bought it as a strap-leaf seedling in 2017.  Protected from 9F and 13F temps this past February with lights and blankets.

 

And my Brahea clara protected under mulch.

 

 

IMG_20210620_165621_hdr.jpg

IMG_20210620_165415_hdr.jpg

Edited by Fusca
  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1

Jon Sunder

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautiful! I love the fronds of the Alba, seems to be a pretty fast grower too! The B.clara is looking very nice too. I'm glad they survived!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Washies are a poor man's palm. The only nice ones I've seen are in PHX. Brahea is way too slow to grow. I'd suggest Livistona and look for some Butiagrus as a pinnate palm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@SeanK A mule is on the list for sure.

As for the Washies, I think they are beautiful palms and if they can make it in my climate they will be quite rare. I've seen thousands of Trachys and maybe 3 Washies, so I'm in no way bored with them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/18/2021 at 8:18 AM, RuJPN said:

Hello Palmtalk!

New member here living in Japan and I need some input on palm selection.
I'm not too familiar with USDA zones, but from what I understand I'm technically in zone 9a.
A little about the climate; Last time we had a record low under 20F was in 1985 when we had 19F. The coldest ever recorded temperature was in 1919 when we hit 11F, and 13F in 1954, so I think those days might be behind us. Hopefully. 
As I said it's zone 9a (if I understand correctly) but it's not a warm 9a, during last years winter which was fairly typical we had 11 nights with freezing temperatures in december, 19 in january and 8 in february.
The freezes are typically in the low to mid 20s and by 9am any frost has usually melted.
The daytime average isn't much better at around 45F during those months.
From may we start seeing daytime temperatures in the mid 70s, that will turn into high 80s and low to mid 90s during june, july, august and september with high humidity.
Yearly rainfall is a high 51 inches, with the highest rainfall in june and july, and the least during the colder months november to february.

So now to the palm selection.
What's available at the garden centers around here are Trachys, Butias (I'm not sure which one since we call all of them cocos palm), canary island date palm and sago palms.
I currently have a small Trachy in a pot that I dug out of a ditch on my familys land, but I want some others as well. Butias are pretty expensive starting at $800 with a foot of trunk, CIDP is about the same.
Since the local availability is pretty limited I'd like to grow some from seed. I'm aware that it'll take time, but I can always get some trachys to tide me over in the meantime.
Given our climate do you think any of the following are a definite no-go, any additions or substitutions that you would recommend?
Washingtonia Filibusta or Robusta
Butyagrus mule palm
Chamaedorea radicalis
Livistona Nitida
I would also like a Brahea armata but I understand they don't like the humidity.
What I really  would like is a Queen, but with our cold winters I'd had to protect it like crazy.

Thank you for reading and please excuse and spelling misstakes.
 

If I was in Your location, and looking briefly at your climate online. I’d see myself growing.

trachycapus Wagnerianus. Or other cultivars 

Canary Island Date Palms - if room permits. But seem out of me place there. 

Arenga Engleri for sure!

Chameadora Microspadix. 

Lady Palms galore 

Livistonia Chineses

i would pass on Brahea. But might try Sabal Uresana.

Mediterranean fan palm green and silver.
 

Washintonia Hybrids seem out of place. 

mules, butia would be fine too. A mule would trump both a queen and a butia. 

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.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

If I was in Your location, and looking briefly at your climate online. I’d see myself growing.

trachycapus Wagnerianus. Or other cultivars 

Canary Island Date Palms - if room permits. But seem out of me place there. 

Arenga Engleri for sure!

Chameadora Microspadix. 

Lady Palms galore 

Livistonia Chineses

i would pass on Brahea. But might try Sabal Uresana.

Mediterranean fan palm green and silver.
 

Washintonia Hybrids seem out of place. 

mules, butia would be fine too. A mule would trump both a queen and a butia. 

Thank you for taking the time to even check out the climate, much appreciated!

Our yard is pretty small at about 2000sqf, so I might be able to fit one large-ish palm, I think I like the mule a little bit better than the CIDP for that. 

I'm really liking the Arenga Engleri and the C. Microspadix and might give them a shot. That sabal is beautiful as well, great suggestion. 

As for Trachycarpus and lady palms, that was a hard 'no' from the wife, especially the lady palm, apparently they look like something out of the showa period to her (1926-1989) haha. But I have a potted trachy and might buy one more just to have something to look at while the other ones grow.  Besides, they are bullet proof here so even if others bite the dust at least they'll make it. 

Personally I think both CIDP and washingtonia would look ok, we have a western style house as do our neighbors on both sides, and to the south is an apartment building so there isn't anything visibly Japanese they would clash with. If that is what you meant, I might have misunderstood!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...