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Axel, Filling in the pool/ koi pond, as seen in these pictures, opened up an area for several more palm species. Archontophoenix, Burretiokentia, Bassalinia, Chambeyronia, Pritchardia, Bentickia, Howea, Syagrus, Rhopalostylis, Geonoma, Dypsis, Chamaedorea, Cyphophoenix, and Pinanga are some of the genus growing in that former pool area. The new area for planting was created three years ago.

A little trip into the gardens today for a spot of planting with the garden team. Rick ackland the garden curator is right behind getting the palms into the garden. And I will say it’s not only palms he is working on with the garden, the major improvements he is implementing are going to change the botanical gardens into something that will be a must see on any botanical gardens list. And if we can get a lot more palms in there even better, all palms that get planted are going into the database Hortis which is linked to Kew botanical gardens. So this project will be a vital link in the chain for palm conservation in the future. And iam in it for the long run as long it’s permissible to do so, and a big thank you to @palmtreesforpleasure Mr Colin Wilson for donating a lot of the palms you see and backing me up. Future generations will have something to look at!

This Thai palm has been in the ground awhile now and the large, attractive,segmented leaves are pliable and relaxed rather than stiff and thick. Well behaved and good scale. Me likes this one. Tim

My Cyphophoenix Nucele has been slow to start but plugging along , as they say. I have a similar climate to Jim and I anticipate a nice growth rate once the C. Nucele and Chambeyronia Pyroformis get established . The New Caledonia palms give a tropical feel to a temperate garden. Harry

I've been over to Indonesia a few times in the last couple of years. Always interesting to see the sights...beaches, rainforest, volcanoes and all the local culture etc...so very different to home in Darwin! Suprisingly not as hot as I thought it would be. But all that volcanic soil, good rainfall and tropical temps makes for a very lush landscape...Have seen quite a few native palm species growing in natural habitat, plus the milions of coconut palms everywhre (although the Rhino Beetle is doing a fair bit of damage unfortunately) Fortunately it is only a two and a half hour flight to Bali from Darwin, and reasonably priced. Internal fights are super cheap. Over the top of Kilingking beach So many volcanoes on the flights from Darwin to Bali and from Bali to Java Rural life Plenty of bamboo forests Rural villages everywhere in Java Pinanga javana Caryota rumphiana Calamus sp Corypha utan Areca catechu Caryota rumphiana Plenty more if you'd like to see...

They are still coming up after 11 months, they sat on the heat mats for about 9 months, in a community pot with a plastic bag over them. Coco coir perlite mix, just slightly moist. So dont give up on your seeds originally there was about 30 seeds and i would say at least 95 percent germination rate. The seeds were locally sourced as a gift.

Hello :) , I finally got the V. Splendida seeds today! Their total is actually 6 but the seller gave one bonus! I've soaked the seeds in warm water and we'll just wait in 72 hours. I will always give updates of this palm whenever I can!

Have always liked these medium sized palms and fast growers in my location. Produce seed regularly, providing offspring for other locations in the garden. The pair of taller palms in the one photo are the mother plants for the smaller plants. Tim

The only way is to mulch and hand weed, no chemicals involved which is even better. And another gardening tip is try not to let the weeds in. Once those weeds enter and set seed every year of seed is 7 years of weeds. A canopy also stops the weeds in combination of mulch, in my main ornamental garden there are practically no weeds and the new establishing areas have a few weeds. By creating the canopy over time it builds itself into a living bio sphere of a living ecosystem you created that Mother Nature balances it all together!

Just a big old flowering Chambeyronia hookeri today, heading down the driveway!

After watching the locals in Hungary pick up snails around there garden, I kinda thought hmm I might try them, and did so. I guess us Australians are not refined enough for such fine dining as escargot. A meat pie and and a bit of tomato sauce or a sausage sandwich is how far we have come when it comes to such fine foods!

No no no, it’s not good in your soil , the roots grow through it, and when you plant your palm the stuff goes everywhere. I myself use styrofoam box’s to germinate in so iam guilty of using this environmental hazard material. It’s slowly being fased out in the food industry in Australia. Fish mongers use the box’s, chemist use the box’s to get medicine in that needs to kept cool.

I suppose you could use it . I use perlite . I just bought a pretty big bag at Ace for $10. The thing with styrofoam is that it is hard to contain. Little pieces go everywhere when you break it up. Harry

Brahea elegans showing the armata portion of its genetics .

I'm not sure which species of Hura these are, most likely Hura polyandra. These are growing in my hometown, they went through 2011 and 2021 and they're still growing nicely. These have been becoming popular slowly, I still don't know where people get these from. I know they are native to Mexico but I have never seen them on sale. There are more trees in town but are not as impressive and old. I think these could grow well in South Texas if they do well here. They gain size pretty fast like if it were a tropical Ficus. Locations: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xBJXPKgQX6wmMWuo8 https://maps.app.goo.gl/99u4HkwB8g9s2mMR9

It appears I have a lot more leaves to grow before my ones look like that beauty in sunny Hawaii!

It spouts here in South Florida every day. I just reached down in my yard and pulled out a dozen in one hand and I don't even have a royal palm on my property.

H. polyandra or crepitans would be the only two choices in the Genus, w/ poly having the wider distribution across Mex. between the two. ( H. crepitans = Caribbean Basin / southern Cen AM / Northern S. AM. ) Interesting tree regardless though i might be mindful of where they are planted ( Seeds are released quite violently, hence one of it's other names being " Dynamite Tree " ) YT short vid discussing it. Seed can be flung at a rate up to 160mph/ 240km/h https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZWGFQ-K67jc Have seen specimens of these growing in Baja when street view touring ...and in Sonora, so i'd imagine surviving in S. TX. should be pretty easy.

I thought I had killed this clump of rostrata by putting it into the ground too early. It got absolutely pummeled by the cold and wind and all of the stalks started snapping and dying. Look out pitiful the clump looks as a Look out pitiful the clump looks as a whole 😂 After all of that, I’m proud to say that I finally have a a rostrata putting out an inflorescence!

Thank you all! As one who enjoys botanical gardens , even when on holiday , I often try to picture the volunteers responsible for the enjoyment of others. A day spent touring one of these treasures is a day well spent. Harry

The beauty of the pinkish inflorescence on a King palm . The first time I’ve seen the flower open before the leaf base falls . The color was lost a bit when I zoomed in to capture the image , but it sure is colorful to the eye. . It looks like I will be germinating more Archontophoenix . Harry I have quite a few babies from this palm . The Cunninghamiana has a pinkish inflorescence , unlike the white color of the Alexandrae in our courtyard.

Hello :) , I got some fresh new salak fruits, I believe here in Indonesia they sell these fruits 1kg for only a dollar, it taste incredibly sweet and sour at the same time! Just for an info that these fruits I got are called Salacca Zalacca Var. Pondoh (Salak Pondoh) which are cultivated a lot here in Indonesia especially in Java. There are also the other types like Var. Amboinensis and Var. Sumatrana but I haven't tried it yet, but the most popular ones among all of them is the Var. Pondoh (Salak Pondoh). Btw I am planning to also grow the seeds and just grow them in a pot or polybag without planting it directly on the ground because its a type of a clustering and clumping palm and it has a really spikey sharp needles!

Yea , probably not next to the hot tub!! Location , location , location. Harry😂

Richard , you are an inspiration! Yes , some take quite a while but seeing that sprout or sprouts is a reward . This past several months or so I’ve been dabbling in germinating seeds that @DoomsDave gave me , also seeds from the Sullivans and my own or friends palms . The amount of time each species takes varies significantly. Harry

Yes , I’ve experienced that recently . I potted up about ten Chrsalidiocarpus Blacki seedlings that germinated and already lost two of them . They just weren’t strong enough to survive the transfer . The majority are doing well though. The C. Decipiens that germinated using the baggie method are going strong but only about half of the seeds sprouted . I think the new greenhouse will help the seedlings get through the first year or so. I do plan to add low level heating in the winter. My old greenhouse had a boat heater ( from our sailing days) set on low just to keep the temp up to almost 60f until the sun came up. In nature most seeds don’t survive but enough do to keep the species going. Many factors at play there. Harry

I never thought about roots clinging to or growing through styrofoam. That would be enough to keep me from trying it . My concern was just the mess it can create . I did use aquarium gravel (white) , that I got somewhere for a pond I was building , when I was out of perlite . It seemed to mix in the potting soil ok but not as good as perlite. That’s why I bought the big bag of it recently. Harry

Being in NC, your palms have limited growth potential and should be fertilized accordingly. That is, not as much as subtropical areas. I think that you should use a lesser amount than listed on the product and you will be fine. When you circle the palms with the fertilizer, just take note where the overlap is and don’t recover that spot too much. Theoretically if the roots of each palm overlap, they should both be able to uptake the nutrients so the overlap wouldn’t matter. But you could create a concentration in that area that might cause burn so it’s better to limit the application. What fertilizer are you using?

I have not had that issue , but then I only fertilize the palms that need it . I use an organic powdery fertilizer that mixes in easily with the damp soil . I haven’t had any overlapping consequences fertilizing palms that are close together . We don’t get a lot of rain and I water manually with a hose. Harry I fertilize these , in the second photo , before spreading fresh bark down . In the first photo only the Chambeyronia and Dioon get fertilizer . I spread the fertilizer about 12”-18” out from the trunk and mix it in the top soil . Then I move the bark back . I have seen others broadcast fertilizer throughout the yard , but I target the drip circle of individual palms. Harry

I think all you really need is a circle cleared around each palm , break the soil surface within the circle with a claw , soak the soil , then fertilize the next day and mix the fertilizer in . Harry

The other thing is that some of the smaller ones eventually become larger ones! Like that Dioon Spinalosa that some refer to as “Giant Dioon”. Ask me how I know 😂. Harry Night time here . It just opened a new set of fronds.

Here is another member of that cohort of FB babies. It is about 15 ft tall with a swollen base. Petiole coloration is a dull orange-red. No obvious sign of distichous leaf arrangement so far. Filtered light in morning and late afternoon, otherwise full sun. Growing in black volcanic cinder and compost. At about 8 o'clock you can see a white fuzzy blob in the background. Check the 'Color Thread' to see the current Prestoea acuminata bloom. Standard 5 Gal (20 L) bucket for scale. I got seeds of the very similar Orania ravaka several years ago. They geminated quickly and looked ok in pots, but withered away after I put them in the ground. No idea what went wrong.

Yet another photo of Prestoea acuminata var montana in bloom. Opens pure white, then becomes pink, and finally dark red with green fruit. Never fails to draw in visitors to the garden. I'm not sure if the geckos are hunting the many bees attracted to the flowers, or something else. But you gotta love those blue eyelids. Geckos were introduced in Hawaii decades ago and now number in the billions. The Kalij pheasants love eating them, but don't put a dent in the population. Plenty of geckos make themselves at home inside my house. And my first Pinanga speciosa has gotten too tall to appreciate the colorful crownshaft, so I've planted some babies. Just starting to hint at the coming show.

Neither Parajubaea nor Butia are self cleaning palms and, therefore, the hybrid is not as well. Occasional pruning of old dying/dead fronds is necessary.

The only problem is I keep saving all the good places for all the good stuff, and that’s a problem because I have so many good ones! 🤣 Richard

Coco coir perlite mix just slightly moist, bottom heating set at 30 degrees celcius, in a container of your choice at lest six inches deep. Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours if they are not freshly picked!

Update of my B hapala after another year or 2 of growth since the last photo. Really bulking up before producing clean trunk. What’s more noticeable to me now looking at this is how quickly my nearby Cyphophoenix elegans is growing (white trunk and crownshaft to the right).

Pendulum’s hanging out.

Woohoo, based on my current work schedule a meeting I can attend!!!

I definitely agree that trachycarpus usually looked better in cooler summer climates like the Pacific Northwest and maritime climates of northern Europe. I do see some here in Texas that look good sometimes. They are usually in half a day or more of shade though. This particular windmill did look better on Saturday than in the Google maps image above, even if it won't win any beauty contest. I kinda like the smooth look though, since it reminds me a little of the cocothrinax that were all over when I was at Guantanamo Bay:

Yes I am staying in this neighborhood and it is quite hit and miss with what's surviving and what's dead. Foxtails were all damaged and had about a 20-30% mortality rate Royals were all damaged - I have seen all of them recovering (there's not as many here vs Foxtails. Why? I don't know. I'd prefer Royals since they seem more robust) Christmas - major damage, up to 40% mortality rate Bismarck - Foliage damage, recovering (including those along the Turnpike) Mules - 0 damage Coconut - the single coconut I know of, which is next door so I have been seeing it everyday, took a beating but it is recovering. I'll see if I can snap a photo of the tree itself later. I'm glad that the owner knows what he's doing - this coconut was thriving pre-freeze. Bananas and Bird of Paradise - Completely defoliated, Bananas recovering, a few BoP stalks dead, rest are recovering Some Alexander (King) Palms off of Narcoossee/Tavistock Lakes Bv - up to 40% mortality rate, the survivors look terrible yet alive The landscaping across the neighborhood, which once was very rich and tropical, has since been neutered due to the advective freeze that drove temps down into the mid 20s. By Winnie Palmer Hospital near Downtown Orlando - Foxtails severely damaged with a couple completely cut down.

One could say that the coronata is a lot of bang for a little buck! Super easy to grow and germinate. A good old landscaper’s favourite palm. It may be common and not as great looking as some other Pinanga palms , but its good enough to stand next to them in the garden and look just as spectacular!

Two palms that have surprisingly taken the cool weather quiet. The Calyptrocalyx was the biggest surprise as they are quite fussy, and the dypsis was a surprise as well for such a tropical looking palm. Either way both have lived through my winters in the ground with temperatures dropping down to 2 degrees celcius.

I just happened to be driving through Seguin today, and I spotted some nice old palmettos at a city park: Given their height, these are likely quite old. I imagine they have seen some pretty extreme cold, heat, and drought over the decades. I hope you all have a had a happy Father's Day!

Thank you for your reply😃 @Kreps , Yes I will make updates on my salak palm, the palm is currently still developing its another frond so I'll be back soon to check up on the palm😁

Did you sell your palm?

Love the glossy leaves on these

They are indeed, yes I get seeds, hand pollination gives the best results. I usually get around 500 seeds each season. Another few weeks and this lot will be ready to harvest!

A few seeds are setting on the lytocarum in garden. A fantastic palm that’s easy to grow. Super tough and very forgiving. I would say a bit slow growing to reach maturity in a subtropical climate. But once they get there they don’t look back. Very predictable and a great learning palm to grow, just put them in the shade as seedlings and away they grow.

Most elegant palms…here are 3 planted together.

No way in hell its drier out here than Arizona. Maaaaan you guys are making me wanna buy a royal. That would honestly be a dream come true.