Hello everyone. I figured I'd discuss palms/plants living and growing in artificial environments. How is this possible? Do palms know they're in an artificial environment (like are they conscious of it, and adjust their grow around that)?

Here in Toledo Ohio we have at our local mall 13 decently tall Adonidia Palm Trees. They've been here growing since around 2004/2005 (when the mall was remodeled). They tower above a water fountain and are very much anchored into the floor of the mall.

How do these live under lower light conditions of NW Ohio? I assume the mall provides a lot of water, but how would you water such a large tree? The root system isn't even visible above "ground". Are it's roots buried somewhere?

The area where the palms are I've noticed is always slightly warmer than the rest of the mall. I think the consistant recirculating water fountain probably provides a little humidity. Also, I think possibly the inset lighting in the ceiling are grow lamps. They thrive though, pushing up new leaves that splay outwards and are quite large. 

According to photos of this Palm growing outdoors in Florida, these here in Toledo are evidently larger.

Does the mall have to go to great lengths to care for these or are they pretty much "set it and forget it" palms? I find it fascinating how they grow whilst indoors like this? We get 200 days of clouds on average here in Toledo OH. 

Does anyone have any information on artificial environments like this? 

Edited January 25, 201610 yr by RobustaEnvirons

That is awesome! That would be my favorite place to visit during the winter if I lived in Toledo.

5 minutes ago, nitsua0895 said:

That is awesome! That would be my favorite place to visit during the winter if I lived in Toledo.

It actually is my favorite place! I love it. I go there all the time. It's in the tail end of the mall where there's not a whole lot of foot traffic. I think they had these palms solely in mind when they remodeled this mall in 2004-2005. Even down to the way the cealing is shaped, it's archived shaped to all additional growth of the palms. The big skylights south-facing. And there are skylights all around the top of the room. It's warm there, and I just sit under the palms in nice chairs they have there. It's like my own refuge. Lol. 

I think these palms have adapted nicely to lower light conditions and get enough light to photosynthesize properly, or so it seems. Long leaves are often the result of low light and also greenhouse conditions. Plants grown in this way will most certainly burn instantly when brought into full sun. Acclimatization will take time. 

I have been trying to get many palms to get adapted to similar conditions (living room conditions) with much less light than what's normal in their natural habitat. Most palms can be stretched, even cocos nucifera. But you have to pay attention that other growing conditions like the right soil, humidity and warmth are met as much as possible. 

A major shopping mall in a nearby neighborhood used to have a grove of Howea forsteriana growing under a large glass dome. I loved visiting that mall as a child to see the palms only the oldest neighborhoods had howea of a comparable size. Eventually all the palms grew up into the dome, at least 12 -15m tall  The shopping center management decided to transplant the palms into a plam garden at one of the center car park entrances. The Howea looked great for a very short time outside. Being grown indoors they had no resilience agaist sun or wind it didn't take long for their crowns to be snapped clean off by the strong coastal wind, something Howea would normally have no issue dealing with. The lifeless trunks stood for quite a few months before being removed.

On 1/26/2016, 2:05:56, Kai said:

I think these palms have adapted nicely to lower light conditions and get enough light to photosynthesize properly, or so it seems. Long leaves are often the result of low light and also greenhouse conditions. Plants grown in this way will most certainly burn instantly when brought into full sun. Acclimatization will take time. 

I have been trying to get many palms to get adapted to similar conditions (living room conditions) with much less light than what's normal in their natural habitat. Most palms can be stretched, even cocos nucifera. But you have to pay attention that other growing conditions like the right soil, humidity and warmth are met as much as possible. 

I just wonder how the mall provides water to a thirsty beast like these indoors? Comparing their leaves to specimens grown outdoors in Florida, they do seem quite long and large. Its impressive. 

So far my W.Robusta have been doing decently well in my living room bay window (it faces south-southwest). I hope I can get them to thrive outdoors this summer and not experience any negative effects from the transition. 

28 minutes ago, RobustaEnvirons said:

I just wonder how the mall provides water to a thirsty beast like these indoors? Comparing their leaves to specimens grown outdoors in Florida, they do seem quite long and large. Its impressive.

They should have drip irrigation lines installed that run automatically, and possibly connected soil moisture monitors. I don't think a local janitor is taking care of them with a bucket. They have contracted the care of them out to people who know what they're doing.

11 hours ago, Pando said:

They should have drip irrigation lines installed that run automatically, and possibly connected soil moisture monitors. I don't think a local janitor is taking care of them with a bucket. They have contracted the care of them out to people who know what they're doing.

Well, that makes sense then. I've always been curious as to how they maintain these. Nothing is visible above ground. You can see a valve-like pipe next to the trunks, but that's it. It's surprising that they are anchored in so well in the floor. 

I wonder who they contract it to? There aren't any places around here that are very knowledgeable about palms. Believe me, I've scoured the city talking to all the greenhouses/nurserys in town. None in town know much at all about palms, let alone stock any (even in summer). 

Like you said, it's somebody (probably out of town I'm sure) that knows what they're doing. 

There should be a management office in the mall you can go to and find out, or ask one of the larger shops who the building manager is. Manager information could also be listed in the phone book or website.

Edited January 28, 201610 yr by Pando

13 minutes ago, Pando said:

There should be a management office in the mall you can go to and find out, or ask one of the larger shops who the building manager is. Manager information could also be listed in the phone book or website.

I think I will do that! I'd love to talk to someone about their palms. I go there 2-3 days a week as it is (especially during Fall/Winter).