My most prized palm is a Butia X Parajubaea hybrid, and the best view of it from my driveway is blocked by 6 or 7 roses that I've had for 30 years. My garden guy is here today and he's out digging the roses up. I want a clear view of the trunk of the palm from the base up because it's very interesting being covered with a light colored excelsa. Roses do well here and have about 4 flushes a season, but I'm tired of getting stuck by the thorns and they are high maintainance. I'll miss them but they are GONE. I can plant lower growing annuals where the roses were for some color.

Sometimes we just have to get mean and not let the plants be the boss. I also cut off 5 of the lower fronds of the hybrid palm because they were always in the way of the path next to it. They were still green, but now I can walk under the fronds instead of around them.

Dick

My most prized palm is a Butia X Parajubaea hybrid, and the best view of it from my driveway is blocked by 6 or 7 roses that I've had for 30 years. My garden guy is here today and he's out digging the roses up. I want a clear view of the trunk of the palm from the base up because it's very interesting being covered with a light colored excelsa. Roses do well here and have about 4 flushes a season, but I'm tired of getting stuck by the thorns and they are high maintainance. I'll miss them but they are GONE. I can plant lower growing annuals where the roses were for some color.

Sometimes we just have to get mean and not let the plants be the boss. I also cut off 5 of the lower fronds of the hybrid palm because they were always in the way of the path next to it. They were still green, but now I can walk under the fronds instead of around them.

Dick

Dick -where are the pictures you brutal beast?

Moose,

I'll show you when it's cleaned up. It looks like a messy abortion right now. Lots of winter grass growing around the roses too.

Dick

You're thinking ergonomically Dick, I like it!

Sorry Dick, I've got the pictorial evidence. Here it is a month ago with winter weeds and the gnarly roses. The roses did make it really hard to get a good shot of that beauty. Good call on removing them, that beast needs to be front and center. The lighting was poor in these pics, so they don't show the palms true colors.

My most prized palm is a Butia X Parajubaea hybrid, and the best view of it from my driveway is blocked by 6 or 7 roses that I've had for 30 years. My garden guy is here today and he's out digging the roses up. I want a clear view of the trunk of the palm from the base up because it's very interesting being covered with a light colored excelsa. Roses do well here and have about 4 flushes a season, but I'm tired of getting stuck by the thorns and they are high maintainance. I'll miss them but they are GONE. I can plant lower growing annuals where the roses were for some color.

Sometimes we just have to get mean and not let the plants be the boss. I also cut off 5 of the lower fronds of the hybrid palm because they were always in the way of the path next to it. They were still green, but now I can walk under the fronds instead of around them.

Dick

I agree with that landscaping concept!

I think i am practicizing it too in my yard.

And, by the way, what could be the name of that hybrid? Parabutia? Butijubaea? Or any other?

It looks like a Halloween palm!!!

... Roses do well here and have about 4 flushes a season, but I'm tired of getting stuck by the thorns and they are high maintainance. I'll miss them but they are GONE. I can plant lower growing annuals where the roses were for some color...

Dick

roses and their thorns...ouch...

there's only one thing worst than performing roses maintainance...: hand weeding young Copernicia pots...ouch, ouch...

Dick, you're a lucky man. IN my case the wife would have killed out the palm in favour of the roses years ago...

Ben

Good move Dick, look forward to the "after" pics... I am sure the BxP is looking even better with the lower fronds trimmed off. Jv

Good for you, Dick! I am almost ready to remove and discard a palm I've grown since 1995. Cyphophoenix elegans, in ground since 2002, produces 1 new leaf every two years here in cool SF. Game over for this palm in my garden.

Good for you, Dick! I am almost ready to remove and discard a palm I've grown since 1995. Cyphophoenix elegans, in ground since 2002, produces 1 new leaf every two years here in cool SF. Game over for this palm in my garden.

Eegazooks Oh the slowness of New Caledonians, what do you do ? You gotta have these palms in the collection. C.elegans shouldn't take up much room though.

This thread brings back memories of the roses I used to grow. I too had them removed. I had my rose period, well and truly over now, I even bought books on the subject, in the end, the palms won out.

I also cut off 5 of the lower fronds of the hybrid palm because they were always in the way of the path next to it.

Yikes! That IS brutal!

Awwww...keep the Cyphophoenix elegans, it's doing its best for you there in SF. And yes, roses can be a pain, but nothing like trying to weed around, or trim a young Acrocomia (formerly Gastrococos) crispa, Ouch!!! It's like a little bush full of hypodermic needles.

-Michael

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

I know you have heard this phrase before, but the roses are gone and all the weeds and grass pulled around my hybrid palm, and it looks great. The palm looks even larger with nothing growing around it. I know there are still Bermuda grass stolons in the soil, but I will fertilize the area around the palm and hit the grass with Round Up in a couple of weeks.

I'm glad I had the roses removed, and now there are a couple of other areas in my garden that need brutal treatment.....Er, actually the whole place. I've found a good garden helper that doesn't need constant supervision, so I'm going to work him until he runs out of steam. He says he enjoys working in my garden because it's so peaceful, etc, so it's a win, win for both of us.

Dick

Yeah, Dick, sometimes you have to be ruthless.

I took out most of my roses, and gave them to my former girl friend (about 30 of them) and her garden rocks, and I use that as an excuse to visit her form time to time, even when her husband is home . . . .

I've got a few left, and they're going to be dug and potted up, and sold on Craigslist . . .

LOVE that fatty! Where can I get one?

And, when are you coming down this a-way, for a visit?

I don't know when I'll make it down South, but one of these days. The "fatty" is a Butia X Parajubaea cocoides, and Patrick Schafer may have some for sale. He has a new crop of Butia X Para TVT but I think they are small. Don't know if their for sale yet. His E-male is coolhybrids@wildblue.net He has some other cool cocoid hybrids too. His phone no. is 707 895-3722. He ships by mail.

Dick