pH and Phoenix Palms

[_Keith]

Soils in my area run on the acid side. And I just can't keep thinking about the P. reclinata I discovered a couple of weekends ago, planted in a sea of limestone, like in the middle of a crushed limestone parking lot and were the healthiest ones I have ever seen with a gorgeous dark green not always seen in this area. My one CIDP which is is brute indeed is planted in a hole where someone many years ago had buried brick and mortar. I had to use a pick ax to dig the hole.

Does anyone have scientific evidence or experience that Phoenix palm love lime? I don't recall ever reading that.

It sure has me thinking of applying a Limestone mulch, or just conventional liming this winter.

All input is welcome.

[SueH_AZ]

I can't give you any scientific info--only that the Phoenix species grow extremely well in central Arizona and our soil (and water) is extremely alkaline.

We have two behemoth CIDP in our backyard that had trunks the size of basketballs when we planted them 8 years ago.

[Cedric]

I can only add that where I live back home in South Africa where these things are native in the warmer parts they generaly grow around lower lying areas of swampy acidic black sandy soils. Though you do find them growing in rocky sand stone outcrops too along seepage lines where they are much shorter. I think they are not too fussy though.

Reclinata does vary in colour quite a lot in the wild ranging from grey green to dark dark green to bright medium green depending on how dry the soil is or availability of permanent water. These are pure reclinata not hybrids an all together different palm to many you see in gardens in America.

They also grow in my area in deep shade in wet areas of heavily wooded evergreen broadleaved hard wood forests and these are not usualy clumping but single and very tall with slender trunks and wide light canopy like a tree fern.

[Phoenikakias]

I never have issues with Phoenix spss (at least the most common ones, like Canary, Senegal, Cretan, Middle East, Pigmy and Indian date palms). My soil is alkaline and so my water and nevertheless those spss are the fastest growing, healthiest and most beautiful palms.

[Alberto]

I know that Phoenix rupicola has the best collor with a lot of lime.

[Cedric]

I think phoenix's are the king of all palms. I just love em this includes the good old canariensis. Think part of my love comes from the fact that they are so beautiful yet tough as old nails and will grow in the tropics to the bare desserts, can take icy weather and scorching heat some pretty extreme places and still look absolutely magnificent. There is also something about them that makes me feel at home that little something I don't quite know what, they seem to grow naturally or wild in some of the nicest places. There is nothing like coming across a grove of Phoenix palms for a shady cool relax.

Recently I was travelling in the North of Thailand Chiang Mai Chiang Rai and I saw date palm gardens, which surprised me, here you can grow coconuts anything basically but I didn't think date production woud be possible, growing these yes easily but producing dates, it was a surprise.

The other surprise was that they had a special cultivar of date palm there least i thought so as its not like any I personally have seen before they are spook silver like any Bismarkia or Copernicia around. Unfortunately I kept meaning to get me some but for one reason or another mostly curcuma hunting (there are some incredible second generation hybrids/mutations [genetic engineering] of these around that haven't yet reached any market hot off the press) I didn't but now very much wish I did. Most icy silver while others had an incredible obvious pinkish tone to the silver. Anyway I will keep an eye out next time in the markets of Bangkok there are sure to be some around there. Sigh and i have just the right place.

[Phoenikakias]

Unfortunately Cedric they are very difficult (and expensive when adults) to be protected in the Med from rpw and paysandisia