one year Brahea Clara growth

[NorCalWill]

Still my favorite palm in the garden...

Since January, has put out 14 new leaves.

The first pic was taken exactly one year ago, 9/3/13

The second pic was taken this afternoon...9/3/14

And the third pic was taken around the same time in 2009 right after planting.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

What a stunning brahea, yours looks spectacular. It's a lot bluer than you had originally suggested. Brahea clara is hard to beat, especially in your climate.

[Stevetoad]

Awesome!

[NorCalWill]

Yes Axel you are right, it is hard to beat up here in my climate and I am surprised there aren't more in the area...although I understand why...they are hard to find.

I don't know of any others except the one in my back yard, well, make that the 3 in my back yard...I planted 2 more very small ones recently...

[Jim in Los Altos]

Fantastic looking Brahea! Phenomenal growth too.

[SailorBold]

Spectacular. I want to try one of those.. a factor being that fast growth rate.. aside from it being so beautiful. Armata is listed as 'hardy' for my climate... but I have never seen one... Something just tells me that 'clara' is not as tough.

I'm sort of a trunk snob... but in this case I would let that slide. Now I'm internet searching. lol

Did you see the leaves on that thing? It looks like a Sabal!

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Spectacular. I want to try one of those.. a factor being that fast growth rate.. aside from it being so beautiful. Armata is listed as 'hardy' for my climate... but I have never seen one... Something just tells me that 'clara' is not as tough.

I'm sort of a trunk snob... but in this case I would let that slide. Now I'm internet searching. lol

Did you see the leaves on that thing? It looks like a Sabal!

Clara is not as hardy as armata, I saw the difference in hardiness at Dale's nursery in Vacaville last Winter. The nursery is in the low part of a valley and got into the upper teens last December. But it's still pretty tough.

When I first saw a true clara, I also thought it was a silver sabal. The leaves are enormous!

[Sabal Steve]

Spectacular. I want to try one of those.. a factor being that fast growth rate.. aside from it being so beautiful. Armata is listed as 'hardy' for my climate... but I have never seen one... Something just tells me that 'clara' is not as tough.

I'm sort of a trunk snob... but in this case I would let that slide. Now I'm internet searching. lol

Did you see the leaves on that thing? It looks like a Sabal!

Clara is not as hardy as armata, I saw the difference in hardiness at Dale's nursery in Vacaville last Winter. The nursery is in the low part of a valley and got into the upper teens last December. But it's still pretty tough.

When I first saw a true clara, I also thought it was a silver sabal. The leaves are enormous!

The B. clara that I planted in the neighbors easement will have doubled in size from a 5 gallon in about a 4 month period it seems. Significantly faster than the S. maritima and S. blackburniana I planted to the sides:)

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Spectacular. I want to try one of those.. a factor being that fast growth rate.. aside from it being so beautiful. Armata is listed as 'hardy' for my climate... but I have never seen one... Something just tells me that 'clara' is not as tough.

I'm sort of a trunk snob... but in this case I would let that slide. Now I'm internet searching. lol

Did you see the leaves on that thing? It looks like a Sabal!

Clara is not as hardy as armata, I saw the difference in hardiness at Dale's nursery in Vacaville last Winter. The nursery is in the low part of a valley and got into the upper teens last December. But it's still pretty tough.

When I first saw a true clara, I also thought it was a silver sabal. The leaves are enormous!

The B. clara that I planted in the neighbors easement will have doubled in size from a 5 gallon in about a 4 month period it seems. Significantly faster than the S. maritima and S. blackburniana I planted to the sides:)

That would not be fair competition: comparing ANY sabal to a brahea clara to is like the tortoise and hare.

[SailorBold]

Palm duel !

[sergiskan]

what a beauty!!

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Not to steal Will's show, but here is a picture of the first clara I ever saw in person. These are the clara at East West nursery in Fallbrook, they're all gone now from what I hear. I bought a 24" box, and to this day that is the nicest clara I own.

IMHO any palm garden that doesn't have a brahea clara is an incomplete palm garden.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Here is the brahea clara I got from East West Nursery, she's a beauty!

[SailorBold]

Very nice... its up there with Livistonia concerning leaf symmetry... my opinion anyway.

I would squeeze one in between my trio of filiferas.... perhaps they would add some protection when they get large.. I don't know if there would be enough room....

Is that totally shade grown?

[JasonD]

Not to steal Will's show, but here is a picture of the first clara I ever saw in person. These are the clara at East West nursery in Fallbrook, they're all gone now from what I hear. I bought a 24" box, and to this day that is the nicest clara I own.

IMHO any palm garden that doesn't have a brahea clara is an incomplete palm garden.

Plenty of 36" and 48" claras on hand there (end of commercial message).

[smithgn]

Absolutely beautiful. Just got my hands on a couple of armatas but these claras are stunning. How would claras do in the southeast?

[NorthFlpalmguy]

Awesome growth and such a spectacular species. I have 100 brahea nitida seeds cooking at the moment. I was told the claras just did not grow well here so I guess I will never own one..

[Ben in Norcal]

Awesome growth and such a spectacular species. I have 100 brahea nitida seeds cooking at the moment. I was told the claras just did not grow well here so I guess I will never own one..

I thought B. claras were one of the more humidity-tolerant Braheas? I'd give one a go.

[DoomsDave]

The nice thing about Clara is that it will take a wide range of climates, including the moist climates of the southeastern U.S.

Don't know how hardy they can be though I suspect they handle freezes at least okay.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Awesome growth and such a spectacular species. I have 100 brahea nitida seeds cooking at the moment. I was told the claras just did not grow well here so I guess I will never own one..

I am sure you are aware of the fact that brahea nitida is a USDA zone 9b/10a brahea and doesn't stand a chance to survive a Perry 9a Winter. However, brahea clara is a USDA zone 9a/8b palm that's proven itself in parts of Texas so it has a much better chance to thrive in your climate.

[Alicehunter2000]

I got three this summer so I'll let you know how it goes....

[DoomsDave]

I got three this summer so I'll let you know how it goes....20140909_080717.jpg

I recall someone had a couple in Alabama that were doing all right. One of our old posters who no longer posts, I think.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I got three this summer so I'll let you know how it goes....20140909_080717.jpg

I recall someone had a couple in Alabama that were doing all right. One of our old posters who no longer posts, I think.

Brahea clara really is tough in dry Winter conditions in the Southeast, it's 8b in real dry conditons, but it's barely 9a in the cold rainy PNW.