Livistona australis vs decipiens/decora

[AJQ]

I have had a reasonable sized Livistona decipiens which has struggled to put on any decent growth over the last 3 years due to having virtually No summers for the past 3 years, so very little in the way of the heat that I would normally expect.

I was lucky to get 2 or 3 fronds a year from it when the going was good.

Would a Livistona australis be a better bet due it's more southerly provenance and not require as much heat to keep it going?

Regards Andy.

Edited June 23, 2010 by AJQ

[Walter John]

for sure Andy..

[peachy]

It would do better than the decora I think Andy. The decora is a prettier palm by far. Australis has a really thick ugly trunk and they take up a lot of room till they get good height. They are about equal in growth rate for me. The Eungella Range sp of australis is my racehorse of the Livistonas. Decora is a water pig....I cant give mine enough. I guess its worth a try...just my opinion.

Peachy

[AJQ]

Thanks for the replies guys n girls. I have small Australis that I have recently planted as a test. My Decipiens is under a Mini G to recover after this awful winter we have just had, one of those once in 50 year winters. Normally we are a lot milder than the last. So if it doesn't pull through I am considering an Australis of a similar size to replace it. The Decipiens got to put on some decent growth around the trunk but not a lot up stairs over the 4 and a half years I have had it but at the moment there is no sign of life really. It has completely fried but the dead fronds and spears are still very firm and none have pulled ...yet. So come spring time if there is no improvement then it gets replaced.

Regards Andy.

[Rafael]

Mi decora pushed 2 new leafs in two months.

I have no experience with australis, but a potted one.

Regards.

Rafael

Edited June 23, 2010 by rafael

[AJQ]

Rafael, If mine pushed a frond a month over the summer( ie 6-7 fronds) then I would be a happy bunny!

I think your location is probably better suited for Decipiens than mine.

I have smaller one that I may plant next spring in a sunnier/warmer spot, I'll see how it does this summer in it's pot first.

Regards Andy.

[ricky]

Andy i think with any of these marginal palms in the UK it may be wise to also add soil warming cables to the planting hole to help protect the palm over winter and to kick start it back into growth the following winter i also think getting the biggest palm you can afford would help

ricky

[M@ximus]

Andy, here in north Rome, Livistona Australis grow very well, but had several demaged leaves after any winter.

Livistona Decora have slow growth, compared with Australis, but untouched by winter.

I found the best here is Livistona nitida,a perfect palm!!!

I mentioned only the 3 sp that i have in reasonale size, maybe there are some others sp that could have a good results ( as Livistona Lanuginosa), ma actually them are mainly young palms , and I don't know the real cold and wet resistance in my climate

Best M@x

[Rafael]

Andy, here in north Rome, Livistona Australis grow very well, but had several demaged leaves after any winter.

Livistona Decora have slow growth, compared with Australis, but untouched by winter.

I found the best here is Livistona nitida,a perfect palm!!!

I mentioned only the 3 sp that i have in reasonale size, maybe there are some others sp that could have a good results ( as Livistona Lanuginosa), ma actually them are mainly young palms , and I don't know the real cold and wet resistance in my climate

Best M@x

Livistona nitida might be quite resistance. I have got one ready to put in the ground.

The lanuginosa too, but it is quite sensitive to inbox travels. I ordered one 1m tall and almost trunked from Spain and, after 4 travelling days, it arrived and died two weeks later.

Edited June 24, 2010 by rafael

[AJQ]

Thanks again for the info.

Ricky, what sort of heating cables do you use and where would be a good place to source them from?

Are they solar powered or electrickery powered? As I'm considering this for another palm too.

Regards Andy.

[Roaringwater]

There is a nice specimen of Livistona australis growing at Glengarriff Bamboo Park in SW Ireland. It is planted in a damp spot in woodland, and has grown much faster than some other specimens they planted in full sun. They definitely like a lot of water, and shelter from other trees. The base of the palm is obscured by weeds, but I put my camera bag there to show the width. The camera bag is 14' wide.

I haven't been back to see if it took any damage last winter. I am growing Livistona nitida in my own garden, they seem to take the salt wind better than L. australis.

[AJQ]

How far are you from the coast Michael? I'm about 1 mile as the crow flies.

Regards Andy.

[Roaringwater]

How far are you from the coast Michael? I'm about 1 mile as the crow flies.

Regards Andy.

I'm literally on the coast- my garden stretches down to the top of the sea cliffs, and is totally exposed to salt-laden gales from the east. The plus side is the lack of frost, but the salt does for a lot of things. In time, when my shelter trees are bigger, much more should be possible. I always get fed up with waiting and plant things out too soon, but there have been nice surprises as well as disappointments.

[JasonD]

From the chillbox that is the west (ocean-facing, windward) side of San Francisco, I'd advise Livistona australis over L. decora. L. nitida, however, is very promising. L. decora we sell for areas with a touch of summer heat - daily highs >20C/68F in summer are best to keep decora looking nice. It's amazingly cold-hardy, though.

[Walter John]

You could also try L.mariae and L.rigida as well as L.nitida, let's not get hung up on australis being the only cold hardy Livistona

[AJQ]

How hardy are these two in comparison then Wal ?

How about their heat requirements too?

Regads Andy.