The northernmost Royal Palms on the Gulf Coast

[Xenon]

Here are a few photos taken on Tiki Island (an island in Galveston Bay).

Dead Royal...

Dead Triangle...

[Xenon]

Now to Moody Gardens on Galveston Island (a barrier island on the coast just east of Houston, Texas). There's got to be some super micro climate here, Schefflera, Strelitzia reginae, Cordylines, and Crotons were everywhere and didn't seem to be fazed at all...even after the worst winter since 1996. On to the pictures...

The grande entrance

Miscellaneous palms...

[Xenon]

Living Triangle Palms!

[Xenon]

Now the Royal Palms...most of them had quite impressive trunks(30+ feet). Most of them are pushing spears...

The giants...

This one is pushing a spear...

so is this one

[Xenon]

These weren't nearly as fortunate

[Xenon]

On to the Mule Palms...

[Xenon]

This was definitely the tallest and most beautiful Mule I've ever seen...

different angle

trunk with me for scale

[Xenon]

Who said Brahea armata doesn't grow in humid climates? Houston is ranked the #9 most humid city in the U.S., Galveston is even more of a sauna...the summer average LOW is 80F!

There were many nice silver Sereona repens on the grounds...

A young Bismarckia...

[Xenon]

Arenga enlergi seeds just out of reach...

A giant hybrid Phoenix

[Xenon]

A Zamia sp.?

Ficus microcarpa?

latex

[Xenon]

Caryota mitis? Suckers are alive...

Dead Dypsis lutescens, but already starting to resprout

[Xenon]

That's all for now

Jonathan

[Xenon]

Oops, I forgot to add this Everglades Palm...

[Xenon]

A nice Bismarckia, taken just after sunrise so not very silver...

young Bismarckias and dead Archontophoenix cunninghamias (the one on the far left is pushing a spear)

Lots of very nice looking Washingtonia filfera that have survived freezes, hurricanes, and almost anything else nature can throw at them...

Until next time,

Jonathan

Edited March 18, 2011 by Xenon

[awkonradi]

Very nice. Thanks for posting. My old stomping grounds. Grew up in Seabrook, TX.

[mjff]

Nice photos Jonathan. If they are pushing spears are they really dead? I had hopes that many of my defoliated palms that are pushing are still alive, but now I'm questioning my conclusion.

[Xenon]

Nice photos Jonathan. If they are pushing spears are they really dead? I had hopes that many of my defoliated palms that are pushing are still alive, but now I'm questioning my conclusion.

I don't grow palms but I think as long as they don't get a fungal attack they should be okay...

Jonathan

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I've found that crownshaft palms often die in mid summer following hard freezes (assuming they don't die outright). Better to replace and hope for a series of mild winters vs look at ugly palms for who knows how long. That's my vote.

[mjff]

I've found that crownshaft palms often die in mid summer following hard freezes (assuming they don't die outright). Better to replace and hope for a series of mild winters vs look at ugly palms for who knows how long. That's my vote.

I was just giving Jonathan a hard time. I don't have any crownshafts. In most cases the cold hardy palms I grow will be just fine if they start pushing after a bad freeze, and with the heat we get out here in most cases they look like nothing happened by early summer. Going to be interesting to see how long the Jubaeas take to regrow their heads. Under normal circumstances they hold 4-5 years worth of fronds. I'm hoping they can regrow them more quickly after being defoliated or they are going to look really funny for several years.

[Xenon]

Those Royals have been there for over 15 years, don't want them to go I think they should be fine after two summers, Galveston's average August LOW is 80F! Another thing, the airport officially recorded 25F as the low, but I saw bananas that hadn't fully died to the ground yet.

Jonathan

[Xenon]

After a long equatorial Galveston summer (which is still far from over, lows are in the 70s*F) the Royal Palms are looking great, even the smaller ones recovered!

[Xenon]

[Xenon]

Jonathan

[palmsOrl]

I think these royals look great. You can tell that they are at the absolute extreme edge of where they can possibly survive and this gives them character.

-Michael

[bubba]

Great too see that the Royals and other Tropicals have come back after the horrible Winter experienced by both Florida and Texas. I think it was worse here. Never knew Royals got that big in Galveston!

[Xenon]

Great too see that the Royals and other Tropicals have come back after the horrible Winter experienced by both Florida and Texas. I think it was worse here. Never knew Royals got that big in Galveston!

I think it was worse here in Texas. South Padre/Brownsville broke a record with an afternoon HIGH temperature of 32*F in February (the later half of the month was above average though). Surprisingly, according to fm 'richtrav', the larger coconut palms survived!

Edited October 9, 2011 by Xenon

[DoomsDave]

Who said Brahea armata doesn't grow in humid climates? Houston is ranked the #9 most humid city in the U.S., Galveston is even more of a sauna...the summer average LOW is 80F!

There were many nice silver Sereona repens on the grounds...

A young Bismarckia...

That's a great palm, nut not an armata.

Armies have much bluer leaves, with fewer leaflets.

Keep the pictures coming!

[Xenon]

Who said Brahea armata doesn't grow in humid climates? Houston is ranked the #9 most humid city in the U.S., Galveston is even more of a sauna...the summer average LOW is 80F!

There were many nice silver Sereona repens on the grounds...

A young Bismarckia...

That's a great palm, nut not an armata.

Armies have much bluer leaves, with fewer leaflets.

Keep the pictures coming!

Anyone want to guess what it is, if it isn't an armata?

[Xenon]

Here are a few more pictures...

Coccothrinax?

Zamia floridana

[Xenon]

Ficus elastica in a sheltered area (with palm trunks)

Which is more cold hardy?

Ficus macrophylla (with palm fronds)

Ficus elastica (with palm shadows)

[Xenon]

Dypsis decaryi and blue Sereona repens

Not so dwarf dwarf schefflera (with Sabal boots)

Tree schefflera with spindle palm

[Xenon]

Caryota mitis re-sprouting

Seagrape (with palm background)

Variegated Coral Tree with Seagrapes (and CIDP trunk)

An interesting pine (with Phoenix palms)

[Xenon]

A Royal Palm at an hotel across the street from Moody Gardens

Emergent Royal Palm...

That's all

Jonathan

[DoomsDave]

BLEAH

[Collectorpalms]

Not a Brahea Armata? Here it is:

[mjff]

Who said Brahea armata doesn't grow in humid climates? Houston is ranked the #9 most humid city in the U.S., Galveston is even more of a sauna...the summer average LOW is 80F!

There were many nice silver Sereona repens on the grounds...

A young Bismarckia...

That's a great palm, nut not an armata.

Armies have much bluer leaves, with fewer leaflets.

Keep the pictures coming!

Anyone want to guess what it is, if it isn't an armata?

I'm going to guess it is a Brahea clara. Not so much because of the color, I have some armatas that look the same, but the droopiness of the fronds. Armatas are usually pretty stiff.

[Collectorpalms]

More Brahea Armatas or Brahea Armata "Clara". Just one block inland from the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston. The left one is clearly stiff Armata, the right one looks more droopy.

brahea

Edited October 10, 2011 by Collectorpalms

[mike-coral gables]

I'm taking my chances with these guys (planted this past March) here in Mt Dora, FL (30 miles NW of Orlando). I am hoping that this 5000 acre lake will protect them this winter from damaging cold/frost. Wish me luck!

[Eric in Orlando]

Mike,

I saw some recently growing on the south side of Lake Apopka in Winter Garden and Oakland and also in Sanford on the south side of Lake Monroe. They looked like they had been there for awhile and had fared thru the last 2 crappy winters fine.

[mike-coral gables]

good to know Eric, thanks seems encourging. will let you know how they do. Did you notice that I also have a delonix regia on the far right of the pic? it will be interesting to see how that does.