My Palm Garden in Gainesville, FL!

[kylecawazafla]

Winter is approaching, so I thought I'd take some photos! It was about 80 F today, which felt great! I wish it was like this all winter. Anyways, I hope the palms are protected now!

Overall view, with an Avocado tree towards the back right of the photo.

[kylecawazafla]

Here is a Monstera deliciosa. It froze to the ground at 29.7 F last winter. This is all growth from this year. I hope it doesn't freeze down again!

Butiagrus on the left and Majesty on right. These don't do too much!

Here is a Dypsis lutescens!

Here is an orchid I got in South Florida! I have many of these scattered around around the area.

[kylecawazafla]

Ficus elastica! It finally started growing this summer. Zero damage at 29.7 F!

Arenga engleri!

Allagoptera arenaria and Dypsis decaryi

This picture is smaller because it came out blurry. Prestoea acuminata. These grow in San Francisco!

[kylecawazafla]

Tillandsia fasciculata! There are a few of these scattered around too! Also, Tillandsia utriculata

Rhapis "super dwarf" from Singapore - one of the 'cooler' palms.

Calliandra haematocephala and Archontophoenix 'illawara'

[kylecawazafla]

Another tillandsia!

And what is this?? It's a strangler fig!! I think it's a Ficus benjamina... but I don't know if they reproduce around there. The leaves don't look like Ficus citrifolia, but it was growing right by some originally.

Schefflera actinophylla! This froze down to the ground at 29.7 F! Now it's back to the same size it started at.

Here is a Cocos nucifera! My favorite palm at the place!!! I hope this will one day produce coconuts.

[kylecawazafla]

These both started from scratch this season! Heliconia rostrata and Epipremnum aureum (Variegated pothos). They're very fast! The Heliconia froze down to the ground last winter, but rebounded!

Arenga micrantha. What's wrong with this palm?? Too much shade? Should I move it to a sunnier place? It's losing chlorophyl and turning white!

Here is a beautiful Strelitzia nicolai (White bird of paradise - BOP). It has grown very quickly within the last couple years!

[kylecawazafla]

Okay! Before and after photos now:

[kylecawazafla]

Some of these aren't that impressive! It's between now (Dec 09 and Apr 08)

Sabal causiarum

Before:

After:

[kylecawazafla]

An unknown Sabal, possibly Sabal rosei??

Before:

After:

[kylecawazafla]

Livistona mariae (front), livistona decora (L), Livistona australis (back)

Before:

After:

[kylecawazafla]

Copernicia alba

Before:

After:

[kylecawazafla]

Livistona saribus!

Before:

After:

[kylecawazafla]

Arenga pinnata! Sorry the first one is sideways! oops! This is very fast growing! It got some damage at 29.7 F!

Before:

After:

[kylecawazafla]

Bismarckia nobilis

Before:

After: (Now it's shaded by oleanders big time!! Monocot and Dicot growth rates can't compete!)

[kylecawazafla]

Majesty

Before:

After:

[kylecawazafla]

Wallichia densiflora

After:

[kylecawazafla]

This chamaedorea plumosa defoliated over the winter with 29.7 F, but it grew back quickly!

After:

[kylecawazafla]

Wodyetia bifurcata aka foxtail!

After:

[paulgila]

looking great,kyle!

[kylecawazafla]

Dypsis lutescens! Things are so green here in the summer Fortunately the winters aren't that bad either!

before:

After! You can see a Hyophorbe verschaffeltia and Archontophoenix cunninghamiana "Illawara" in the background.

[kylecawazafla]

And last, but not least (perhaps most!)!

Caryota 'himalayana'

Before:

Today:

Well, that's it! I hope you enjoyed the photos. Now you guys have to cross your fingers for a mild winter!!

[samirbouag]

La mort de Johnny ? J'ai du mal à me faire Hallyday

[FRITO]

Kyle, everything looks good, those are some nice species to be trying in Gainesville! Did the coconut survive the winter or was that added this year?

the A. pinnata and C. 'himilaya' are quick!

[bubba]

Way to good Kyle! Maybe El Nino will keep that Coconut going this Winter and far beyond!

[floridagrower]

Very nice collection. Do you mind sharing more cold hardy results for some of you more marginal palms?

[kylecawazafla]

Thank you! I hope the coconut makes it! I'm kind of nervous about where I planted it, since it's not right up against a wall, so it is kind of "out there". All of the more protected areas get much more shade, however, so I figured the extra light would do more good than harm! It's the only spot that I had available though. And "Frito"! The coconut was added this spring, so it has yet to see a winter! Cross your fingers!

Florida grower! I have a feeling the temperature varied a lot within the courtyard, since some of the palms are planted underneath a tree canopy, and there is probably a 7 foot elevation change that might have some major air drainage effects! Nevertheless, I say the temperature there last winter was probably 29.7 F! (-1.3 C?)

Palms that had major leaf damage were:

Dypsis psammophila (died later - but it was in a more exposed place)

Chamaedorea plumosa (it grew very quickly afterwards)

Some damage:

Arenga pinnata

Ravenea rivularis

Caryota 'himalayana'

Wodyetia bifurcata

No damage:

The rest!

I was very surprised by how hardy many of the palms were! The Dypsis lutescens, Lytocaryum, Archontophoenix, and Hyophorbe all definitely surprised me!

[Jeff Searle]

Kyle,

Everything is doing great, especially the Caryota. It really changed in one year and took off. Are you going to try more Chamaedorea species eventually?

Jeff

[BS Man about Palms]

Are these the "neglected" palms from another thread? They look pretty decent!

[Jon T]

Amazing plantings for a so-called zone 8. The USDA might call it that, but it looks like those subtropicals have been growing in a 9b or better for a decade! Impressive.

[Alicehunter2000]

Here's wishing we....um you have a warm winter. It has been raining up here for weeks now....really a wet winter so far. I pulled everything in so it doesn't drown in the wet/cool weather.

BTW Kyle I still have the "big G-ville avocado seed" plant. It is doing pretty well considering how I killed everything else with an overdose of Miracle Grow.

[MOlivera]

Thanks for all the pictures Kyle. What variety of avocado is that and how long has it been there? The orchid you have is Oeceoclades maculata. Try planting it on the ground. It is a terrestrial.

[Zeeth]

Good luck with that cocos! I think you might have a little better chances with a Beccariophoenix alfredii if the coconut dies this winter, but it might be too cold for that too. Maybe one of the up and coming coconut looking crosses that Patrick Shaffer is experimenting with might have some success where you are. Might be a good thing to look into

Keith

[ron@springhammock]

Hi Kyle,

That orchid looks like the Monk orchid, Oeceoclades maculata. It originates from Africa and there is some controversy over whether it should be exterminated from natural areas.

I gave my kids a tour of your palm garden a few months back as my wife was helping my daughter arrange her dorm room. Very nice job…lots of potential there.

[gyuseppe]

kyle beautiful, but many palm trees can grow in Gainesville !

[redbeard917]

Very nice. Thanks for the update. I have a 1 gallon Arenga micrantha that has the same problem with fading leaves. It is in a very shady spot in the greenhouse.

[tank]

Kyle,

Did they finally remove that latan palm?

Things are looking great. We should have moderate temps with lots of rain for some serious growing next year spring (crossing fingers), considering the drought conditions we had last spring/early summer. Your doing a good job.

Any pics of the Sabal uresana? Did it survive? How about the Cham metallica?

Let me know if you have room and permission for any more palms. Also, remind me and I'll donate some fertilizer for the spring.

[kylecawazafla]

Yes! This is the yard from the "neglected" thread (although it was more like abuse!). I didn't include some photos of palms, such as the Lytocaryum, Sabal domingensis, one of the Acrocomia, and Archontophoenix + a few more palms because they aren't pretty to look at. Sometimes is makes me cringe to see palms look so abused... maybe that means I like tropical plants too much? Some palms are totally gone too... they were either mowed over, ran over by a truck (not kidding!), or mysteriously disappeared.

Hey Jason, I was given permission to plant palms in areas where they have died. That leaves me with about 6 spots! I don't have any pictures of the large Sabal causiarum, but post #8 has the small one. It looks as if it has gotten smaller! The Sabal uresana does as well. I actually totally forgot about the Chamaedorea metallica. I haven't checked on it in a while, but it's hidden underneath some sago palms. Last I remember it was fruiting and doing great!

[tank]

The palms that look smaller are probably getting more light where they're planted and were possibly stretched before. I've got some plants to donate:

Kerriodoxa elegans (big 3 gal)

Trachycarpus wagnerianus (3 gal) (I know how you feel about Trachy's but this is a great uncommon palm for our area, so get over it!)

Trachycarpus nanus (3 gal)

Livistona rigida (1 gal)

Copernicia prunifera (3 gal)

Pheonix loureirri v. humulis (3 gal)

Livistona muelleri (3 gal)

Let me know if any of these look interesting. If you want the Kerriodoxia, you'll have to plant the T. wag as well , they're a package deal.

[tank]

Also,

Didn't you plant out two different Wallichia spp?

[kylecawazafla]

Hey Jason! Alright, I guess I'll have to add in a Trachycarpus or two then! I've got a great spot for one. Either next to the Washingtonia robusta or as part of the Livistona Quad, since that area gets colder than inside the courtyard. I'll call the lady in charge of marking off the ground to see if she will let this slide by... she should! I'm going to be in Miami/Seattle/Mexico for the next 3 weeks though! I only planted a Wallichia densiflora. I have three Arenga species though. Sometimes I accidently use their names interchangeably, like Arenga densiflora and Wallichia micrantha!

Thank you for the orchid ID guys!! I planted many in the ground as well, so hopefully those will take off! I kind of put them in the trees as an experiment to see if they'll root into the palm fibers.