Which palms struggle in Victoria/Melbourne?

[Gan Eden]

I'm interested to know what species would struggle in Melbourne's climate that would normally be seen in say Perth or even Sydney?

Same with exotics and succulents. Can Pachypodium's be grown successfully in Melb?

Cheers

Edited February 18, 2009 by Gan Eden

[Tyrone]

Bottles, spindles, triangles, foxtails, golden canes, rednecks, Ptychosperma elegans, Ptychosperma macarthurii, Dictyosperma's would all be a tough grow in Melbourne. They're not impossible, just a great deal harder than in Sydney or Perth, and nowhere near as fast growing. The biggest problem in growing things in Melbourne is the lack of water. So lack of heat, though a restricter, is not the most important restriction to consider. Basically anything brutally drought tolerant and capable of handling prolonged cool weather and searing heat with single digit humidity will be OK in Melbourne. Am I right guys? So any Brahea, or desert style palm would have half a chance.

Best regards

Tyrone

[tim_brissy_13]

That pretty much sums it up Tyrone. Of the palms you mentioned, I'd say bottles and P. macarthuriis are near impossible, I only know of 1 group of foxtails that look decent, one redneck, 1 Ptychosperma elegans and 1 Dictyosperma in all of Melbourne. The Dictyosperma was looking quite good last time I checked. Triangles are starting to pop up around the place, some can look good such as 2 robust young palms at my uni. Dypsis lutescens will grow, but mine is always damaged by cold winds in the winter. You could place Roystonea in the same group; possible to grow, but unlikely to ever look like they should.

[Gan Eden]

Wow I'm surprised Dypsis decaryii would struggle as they do ok up here as well as Perth, although we have the heat, humidity can be low along with rainfall.

Can Bissies do ok in Melb?

[chris.oz]

Wow I'm surprised Dypsis decaryii would struggle as they do ok up here as well as Perth, although we have the heat, humidity can be low along with rainfall.

Can Bissies do ok in Melb?

Bismarckia grows................. just . If in full blazing sun. Never looks much good though. Its a combination of things. Lack of consistent heat, and long dreary winter, however

its not the lows... it never gets very low here by the bay.

The best looking palms here are Howea and Rhapis humilis

Triangles grow quite well. However. Yes Tyrone all those others are so slow, loss of one leaf prematurely is a setback that the palm may never recover from.

[Mark Heath]

one thing that i have found is that Bizzies and Royals are both water hogs!!!! The more the better!! But royals will grow w/ wet feet while Bizzies have to have well draining soil. They both love the scorching full blazing sun here in Orlando Florida.

[Gan Eden]

These are some of my palms I grow in Kalgoorlie.

Edited February 19, 2009 by Gan Eden

[Miccles]

Melbourne certainly doesnt get the same number of outright warm/hot days (say for example 25C+) that Kal would in a year... maybe 60% as many (as a guess). And that's the key difference in my opinion.

The prolonged "cool" (sub 20C days, and cool nights) from late April to mid September prevents a lot of palms from growing here, and if they survive, they are S-L-O-W.

The big winners as far as I am concerned are Howeas (both types), Hedyscepe, Chamaedoreas, many Livistonas, Nikau's, Majestics (must keep the water up to them), queens (water a lot again), Ravenea Glauca (underrated star in my books), Brahea Edulis, Orianopsis, Chambeyronia and all archontophoenix (try to keep them sheltered out of the cold dry winds and they'll look superb).

Best of luck !

-Michael.

[Tyrone]

These are some of my palms I grow in Kalgoorlie.

I can see you've got that great, really red minerally rich soil out there. It sure beats sand.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Gan Eden]

These are some of my palms I grow in Kalgoorlie.

I can see you've got that great, really red minerally rich soil out there. It sure beats sand.

Best regards

Tyrone

Yeah, most plants including cacti love this soil, but I have lost some Cordyline's lately and don't know what is causing them to rot.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

So Tyrone, did you now spell out in this thread which palms would not work for you in your new place in Albany? I wonder how Albany compares to Melbourne.

I am surprised bismarckia don't look good in Melbourne, the two bismarckia that have been around for a while in the bay area look stunning, and they're not in what I would describe as a hot Summer climate. One's in Union City and the other one is in Jim Denz' garden, and both look fantastic most likely because of the abundance of water.

[chris.oz]

Ha,

I dont know why Gan Eden ended up in the stump head division, but last time I was there, palms were growing very well in Kalgoorlie. The usual suspects CIDP, Washies.....

Bismarckia will just grow in Melbourne, but the question is, is it worth it. Brahea armata grows really well and looks better in Melbourne.

[Peter G]

After living in Melbourne for a few of my non palmy years and from what I can gather about Albany, if it was me, I think I would prefer to grow palms in Albany.

Melbourne has it's bitterly cold/windy Winters and can top 40c in Summer.

Albany has a much more milder climate.

I 'm pretty sure Tyrone is on the move at the moment.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Ha,

I dont know why Gan Eden ended up in the stump head division, but last time I was there, palms were growing very well in Kalgoorlie. The usual suspects CIDP, Washies.....

Bismarckia will just grow in Melbourne, but the question is, is it worth it. Brahea armata grows really well and looks better in Melbourne.

Hmmm, ask me in a couple of years about mine here at 36N where it's not as hot in the Summer as in Melbourne, but perhaps a tad warmer in the Winter, maybe by then my bizzies will have gotten the ax and I'll have put some nice brahea in their place. I'm already growing their backups.

I really would like to know what about their appearance makes them look bad in Melbourne. Do they turn red? Do they not hold enough of a crown?

[Mike in Nelson]

Most Caryota would do OK in Melbourne, perhaps with the exception of mitis.

[tim_brissy_13]

Caryotas are a good option for us for something that looks a little different than the norm. None are fast growing but they generally look good. You are right Mike, mitis is too tropical for us however, I've seen it fail fairly early in our winter. There is actually a large Caryota very near to my house that I've only noticed over the last few years as it is now visible growing over the owner's house from its backyard. I'd say it must be 7-8m tall and has started flowering which will signal the end in a few years time. It looks to be of the maxima/urens/himalayana group.

I think Bismarckia can reliably grow well here if treated properly, however I've never tried due to space issues. The reason most look really scrappy is that they are underwatered here, and the fact that they take at least a few years to put on much significant growth above the ground imo. I've seen a few really nice specimens pop up recently. As Chris said, Brahea armata is still the easier option and will look great with little or no care.

[KrisKupsch]

Has anyone got "great" Chambeyronias in Melbourne or "warmer" areas of Tassie ?

Thanks Kris

[KrisKupsch]

Has anyone got "great" Chambeyronias in Melbourne or "warmer" areas of Tassie ?

Thanks Kris

[Mike in Nelson]

Caryotas are a good option for us for something that looks a little different than the norm. None are fast growing but they generally look good. You are right Mike, mitis is too tropical for us however, I've seen it fail fairly early in our winter. There is actually a large Caryota very near to my house that I've only noticed over the last few years as it is now visible growing over the owner's house from its backyard. I'd say it must be 7-8m tall and has started flowering which will signal the end in a few years time. It looks to be of the maxima/urens/himalayana group.

I think Bismarckia can reliably grow well here if treated properly, however I've never tried due to space issues. The reason most look really scrappy is that they are underwatered here, and the fact that they take at least a few years to put on much significant growth above the ground imo. I've seen a few really nice specimens pop up recently. As Chris said, Brahea armata is still the easier option and will look great with little or no care.

I have a C gigas in my garden which has proven rather slow so far. The good news is the new leaf emerged a month earlier this spring so I'm hoping for two leaves this summer instead of one. There is a Caryota (urens I think) in our local BG planted in deep shade. Don't know why they did that as it would do muchbetter in full sun.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Caryotas are a good option for us for something that looks a little different than the norm. None are fast growing but they generally look good. You are right Mike, mitis is too tropical for us however, I've seen it fail fairly early in our winter. There is actually a large Caryota very near to my house that I've only noticed over the last few years as it is now visible growing over the owner's house from its backyard. I'd say it must be 7-8m tall and has started flowering which will signal the end in a few years time. It looks to be of the maxima/urens/himalayana group.

I think Bismarckia can reliably grow well here if treated properly, however I've never tried due to space issues. The reason most look really scrappy is that they are underwatered here, and the fact that they take at least a few years to put on much significant growth above the ground imo. I've seen a few really nice specimens pop up recently. As Chris said, Brahea armata is still the easier option and will look great with little or no care.

I have a C gigas in my garden which has proven rather slow so far. The good news is the new leaf emerged a month earlier this spring so I'm hoping for two leaves this summer instead of one. There is a Caryota (urens I think) in our local BG planted in deep shade. Don't know why they did that as it would do muchbetter in full sun.

Our Summers are colder than Melbourne's Summers and gigas is a rocket here. I wonder if you either got a dud or a lowland form? The black Thai giant puts on about 3 fronds a year but given that they're about 3 meters long, I see no issue with the speed. Each ring is pretty far apart, so they go tall fast. They just want a ton of water.

[Jonathan]

Has anyone got "great" Chambeyronias in Melbourne or "warmer" areas of Tassie ?

Thanks Kris

They seem to linger and die slowly here Kris, too much cool for too long.

Maybe in a super warm microclimate....?

Melbourne is significantly hotter/less cold than the warmest parts of Tas.

Cheers,

Jonathan

[tim_brissy_13]

My Chambeyronia macrocarpa is a big winner here. It has now formed its first ring of trunk and is accelerating its growth. The overall dimensions of the palm are on par with those I've seen in more tropical areas. My C. var hookeri on the other hand has never really taken off. It holds less fronds and each frond is much smaller than the green crowns haft macrocarpa next to it.

My Caryota obtusa is slowly growing to be a large palm, however I can't get more than 1 leaf per year. It has sped up its growth this summer however, the new spear it is pushing looks like it will be a massive leaf.

Edited February 2, 2014 by tim_brissy_13

[Mike in Nelson]

Caryotas are a good option for us for something that looks a little different than the norm. None are fast growing but they generally look good. You are right Mike, mitis is too tropical for us however, I've seen it fail fairly early in our winter. There is actually a large Caryota very near to my house that I've only noticed over the last few years as it is now visible growing over the owner's house from its backyard. I'd say it must be 7-8m tall and has started flowering which will signal the end in a few years time. It looks to be of the maxima/urens/himalayana group.

I think Bismarckia can reliably grow well here if treated properly, however I've never tried due to space issues. The reason most look really scrappy is that they are underwatered here, and the fact that they take at least a few years to put on much significant growth above the ground imo. I've seen a few really nice specimens pop up recently. As Chris said, Brahea armata is still the easier option and will look great with little or no care.

I have a C gigas in my garden which has proven rather slow so far. The good news is the new leaf emerged a month earlier this spring so I'm hoping for two leaves this summer instead of one. There is a Caryota (urens I think) in our local BG planted in deep shade. Don't know why they did that as it would do muchbetter in full sun.

Our Summers are colder than Melbourne's Summers and gigas is a rocket here. I wonder if you either got a dud or a lowland form? The black Thai giant puts on about 3 fronds a year but given that they're about 3 meters long, I see no issue with the speed. Each ring is pretty far apart, so they go tall fast. They just want a ton of water.

Perhaps mine just needs more water. My A alexandrae was a slow starter for the first few years but has picked up the pace now, maybe C gigas the same.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Caryotas are a good option for us for something that looks a little different than the norm. None are fast growing but they generally look good. You are right Mike, mitis is too tropical for us however, I've seen it fail fairly early in our winter. There is actually a large Caryota very near to my house that I've only noticed over the last few years as it is now visible growing over the owner's house from its backyard. I'd say it must be 7-8m tall and has started flowering which will signal the end in a few years time. It looks to be of the maxima/urens/himalayana group.

I think Bismarckia can reliably grow well here if treated properly, however I've never tried due to space issues. The reason most look really scrappy is that they are underwatered here, and the fact that they take at least a few years to put on much significant growth above the ground imo. I've seen a few really nice specimens pop up recently. As Chris said, Brahea armata is still the easier option and will look great with little or no care.

I have a C gigas in my garden which has proven rather slow so far. The good news is the new leaf emerged a month earlier this spring so I'm hoping for two leaves this summer instead of one. There is a Caryota (urens I think) in our local BG planted in deep shade. Don't know why they did that as it would do muchbetter in full sun.

Our Summers are colder than Melbourne's Summers and gigas is a rocket here. I wonder if you either got a dud or a lowland form? The black Thai giant puts on about 3 fronds a year but given that they're about 3 meters long, I see no issue with the speed. Each ring is pretty far apart, so they go tall fast. They just want a ton of water.

Perhaps mine just needs more water. My A alexandrae was a slow starter for the first few years but has picked up the pace now, maybe C gigas the same.

They are slower when they are young. I have a smaller one that is slower.

[Mike in Nelson]

Caryotas are a good option for us for something that looks a little different than the norm. None are fast growing but they generally look good. You are right Mike, mitis is too tropical for us however, I've seen it fail fairly early in our winter. There is actually a large Caryota very near to my house that I've only noticed over the last few years as it is now visible growing over the owner's house from its backyard. I'd say it must be 7-8m tall and has started flowering which will signal the end in a few years time. It looks to be of the maxima/urens/himalayana group.

I think Bismarckia can reliably grow well here if treated properly, however I've never tried due to space issues. The reason most look really scrappy is that they are underwatered here, and the fact that they take at least a few years to put on much significant growth above the ground imo. I've seen a few really nice specimens pop up recently. As Chris said, Brahea armata is still the easier option and will look great with little or no care.

I have a C gigas in my garden which has proven rather slow so far. The good news is the new leaf emerged a month earlier this spring so I'm hoping for two leaves this summer instead of one. There is a Caryota (urens I think) in our local BG planted in deep shade. Don't know why they did that as it would do muchbetter in full sun.

Our Summers are colder than Melbourne's Summers and gigas is a rocket here. I wonder if you either got a dud or a lowland form? The black Thai giant puts on about 3 fronds a year but given that they're about 3 meters long, I see no issue with the speed. Each ring is pretty far apart, so they go tall fast. They just want a ton of water.

Perhaps mine just needs more water. My A alexandrae was a slow starter for the first few years but has picked up the pace now, maybe C gigas the same.

They are slower when they are young. I have a smaller one that is slower.

I've started to give mine a little more water to see if it makes any difference.

[chris.oz]

Has anyone got "great" Chambeyronias in Melbourne or "warmer" areas of Tassie ?

Thanks Kris

They seem to linger and die slowly here Kris, too much cool for too long.

Maybe in a super warm microclimate....?

Melbourne is significantly hotter/less cold than the warmest parts of Tas.

Cheers,

Jonathan

The jury is still out on Chambeys in my garden. I have a Hookeri and a macrocarpa standard, both put out one leaf a year, but they are getting bigger and bigger and they are generally holding 4-5 leaves. If they suffer a setback and lose one leaf its probably going to be curtains. The cold is no problem, the heat is no problem, its just a very slow process as an understorey palm.

The most dynamic collectors palms in my garden are Rhapis humilis and Brahea armata

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Has anyone got "great" Chambeyronias in Melbourne or "warmer" areas of Tassie ?

Thanks Kris

They seem to linger and die slowly here Kris, too much cool for too long.

Maybe in a super warm microclimate....?

Melbourne is significantly hotter/less cold than the warmest parts of Tas.

Cheers,

Jonathan

The jury is still out on Chambeys in my garden. I have a Hookeri and a macrocarpa standard, both put out one leaf a year, but they are getting bigger and bigger and they are generally holding 4-5 leaves. If they suffer a setback and lose one leaf its probably going to be curtains. The cold is no problem, the heat is no problem, its just a very slow process as an understorey palm.

The most dynamic collectors palms in my garden are Rhapis humilis and Brahea armata

I have the same problem with chamberyonia, painfully slow for me too. I get about a leaf a year on these. Watermelon is the worst for me, hookeri is the fastest.

[coops 3214]

My chamby only does 1 leaf a year also, it must be how they are, im in geelong