Livistona Nitida in zone 8?

[Joe NC]

21 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

@Joe NC where did you source that from? Sorry if you mentioned it already in the thread, I just skimmed through

Ebay.  I think the seller was Texas Cold Hardy? I'd have to go back and check.

[DAVEinMB]

2 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

Ebay.  I think the seller was Texas Cold Hardy? I'd have to go back and check.

Well I hope it's not because i think that's no longer an option

[RJ]

6 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

Well I hope it's not because i think that's no longer an option

I haven’t seen him here in awhile? Is he no longer selling palms?

[Joe NC]

8 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

Well I hope it's not because i think that's no longer an option

Good news, it was not TCHP.  Bad news, it was Palm_flora a seller from CA, and they don't seem to be selling anything anymore.

[palmhort]

@Joe NC nice growth!! What a beauty!  here is an update pic of mine.  Hopefully it will make it thru this winter as well. I just love the super fast growth!!

[DAVEinMB]

57 minutes ago, RJ said:

I haven’t seen him here in awhile? Is he no longer selling palms?

I think that freeze really f*ed him up

[DAVEinMB]

14 hours ago, Joe NC said:

Good news, it was not TCHP.  Bad news, it was Palm_flora a seller from CA, and they don't seem to be selling anything anymore.

Damn, well that's too bad. Thanks for looking 

[RyManUtah]

15 hours ago, DAVEinMB said:

Well I hope it's not because i think that's no longer an option

@DAVEinMB - I’m fairly certain Phil has these available at JM 

[DAVEinMB]

31 minutes ago, RyManUtah said:

@DAVEinMB - I’m fairly certain Phil has these available at JM 

Awesome man thanks!

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have been wondring about this particular palm as it seems it is being heavily used  here in FL for larger scale landscaping  in condo / apartment / housing developments as well as on higway  / road berms / medians / shoulders.    Can anyone here positively ID these as Livistona Nitida? 

[Fusca]

5 hours ago, DCA_Palm_Fan said:

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have been wondring about this particular palm as it seems it is being heavily used  here in FL for larger scale landscaping  in condo / apartment / housing developments as well as on higway  / road berms / medians / shoulders.    Can anyone here positively ID these as Livistona Nitida? 

These are Livistona decora (ribbon palm).

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

1 hour ago, Fusca said:

These are Livistona decora (ribbon palm).

That's what I thought and why I asked.  The trunk markings are very similar, but the trunks themselves seem thinner on Decora.   Thanks! 

[Joe NC]

On 9/8/2021 at 6:21 PM, DAVEinMB said:

@Joe NC where did you source that from? Sorry if you mentioned it already in the thread, I just skimmed through

Texas cold hardy.

Also, it didn't like 19 degrees and .25 inches of ice....

[knikfar]

On 9/16/2020 at 10:31 AM, Joe NC said:

I'll give this thread a bump.

I planted one (too) close to a SE facing wall of my house in Z8a. It was mostly just an experiment, and my thought process was that it would die eventually some cold winter before getting too large. It has only been planted out for 1 very mild winter, but since being put in the ground it has taken off in growth.  (maybe 1.5' tall last year at this time, now at least 5') 

Now, I'm kind of scared that it might actually make it. (and I wish I had planted it a couple feet out from the wall)

If it makes it to trunking size, it will develop a lean away from the house... right?

 

 

I recently ordered one from Lowes and I've been waiting till I can be pretty confident we won't have anymore low 20s temps for the season before I plant it. But I have about a 3' wide space between the east wall of my house and my AC unit. That's where I'm planning to plant it. I'm in Raleigh so I don't expect to have an experience like yours where it REALLY takes off I anticipate mine will die back each winter and resprout each spring. But it'll be interesting to see how it goes. 

[Swolte]

On 2/24/2022 at 8:29 AM, knikfar said:

I recently ordered one from Lowes

Hold on... Lowes carries L Nitida?

[knikfar]

On 2/26/2022 at 11:54 PM, Swolte said:

Hold on... Lowes carries L Nitida?

Nope. I'm sorry. I meant Chinensis. 

[DAVEinMB]

On 2/6/2022 at 6:10 PM, Joe NC said:

Texas cold hardy.

Also, it didn't like 19 degrees and .25 inches of ice....

Has it recovered? 

[Joe NC]

10 hours ago, DAVEinMB said:

Has it recovered? 

Yes, and probably gained a couple of feet of overall height.  Maybe 10 or 12 new leaves? It grows fast.

I think probably 75% of the damaged fronds eventually completely browned and were pruned away.

Don't mind the assorted vines that need to be pulled out of that spiny mess. (Yes there is a cucumber in there)

 

 

[DAVEinMB]

21 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

Yes, and probably gained a couple of feet of overall height.  Maybe 10 or 12 new leaves? It grows fast.

I think probably 75% of the damaged fronds eventually completely browned and were pruned away.

Don't mind the assorted vines that need to be pulled out of that spiny mess. (Yes there is a cucumber in there)

 

 

Right on, definitely looks happy/healthy. I just picked up a small one and I'm trying to figure out where the hell to put it. My protected canopy area is pretty much all used up. I do have some real estate against the house on a somewhat south facing wall but there's zero canopy

[Chester B]

33 minutes ago, DAVEinMB said:

Right on, definitely looks happy/healthy. I just picked up a small one and I'm trying to figure out where the hell to put it. My protected canopy area is pretty much all used up. I do have some real estate against the house on a somewhat south facing wall but there's zero canopy

I have one planted against a west facing wall. It has no cover over it. Seems to be doing well, but slow growing for me. If I can do it than you’re more likely to have success than me with your overall warmer climate. 
 

Fronds are always flawless after winter unlike Livistona chinensis. 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Chester B

[DAVEinMB]

25 minutes ago, Chester B said:

I have one planted against a west facing wall. It has no cover over it. Seems to be doing well, but slow growing for me. If I can do it than you’re more likely to have success than me with your overall warmer climate. 
 

Fronds are always flawless after winter unlike Livistona chinensis. 

I have an l. Decora that's been in the ground through 2 seasons and it seems to be pretty happy so far. I guess if their climate preferences are similar the nitida should enjoy its new home as well

[knikfar]

On 7/30/2022 at 9:25 AM, Joe NC said:

Yes, and probably gained a couple of feet of overall height.  Maybe 10 or 12 new leaves? It grows fast.

I think probably 75% of the damaged fronds eventually completely browned and were pruned away.

Don't mind the assorted vines that need to be pulled out of that spiny mess. (Yes there is a cucumber in there)

 

 

This is making me a tiny bit nervous. I planted one right up against my foundation, under the eaves. I’m in Raleigh so I’m expecting it to behave like a die back perennial and never really gain much height. I’m zone 7b but really close to 8a and also in an urban area. So I’m thinking right up against my foundation is a solid 8a. 

[Collectorpalms]

8 hours ago, knikfar said:

This is making me a tiny bit nervous. I planted one right up against my foundation, under the eaves. I’m in Raleigh so I’m expecting it to behave like a die back perennial and never really gain much height. I’m zone 7b but really close to 8a and also in an urban area. So I’m thinking right up against my foundation is a solid 8a. 

You do not have to worry much if you are going to let it die back every year. Most importantly is sun, the more sun the faster they grow. I do not think they are any more hardy than Washingtonia Robusta.. and not as hardy as a Washingtonia hybrid.

I planted many palms along the foundation, they all bent outward, but not enough for one queen that hit the gutter, but it  was a ENE planting, so It bent back toward the sun ( house) eventually.

[mnorell]

It seems from the reports above that, prior to the 2021 Great Texas Freeze, L. nitida fared better in the slightly drier Texas cold than they did in my garden in wetter southwest Mississippi. I'm curious, what was the outcome after the Texas freeze of '21? I don't recall seeing any reports of L. nitida's success in recovering throughout Texas. Though of course there are many Washingtonia robusta and W. x 'filibusta' that came back in astoundingly cold spots. Does anyone have any success stories? It would be interesting to see where in Texas the "survival line" was for this species, as well as for L. chinensis, L. decipiens/decora and L. saribus, as a point of comparison to Washingtonia.

[Collectorpalms]

1 hour ago, mnorell said:

It seems from the reports above that, prior to the 2021 Great Texas Freeze, L. nitida fared better in the slightly drier Texas cold than they did in my garden in wetter southwest Mississippi. I'm curious, what was the outcome after the Texas freeze of '21? I don't recall seeing any reports of L. nitida's success in recovering throughout Texas. Though of course there are many Washingtonia robusta and W. x 'filibusta' that came back in astoundingly cold spots. Does anyone have any success stories? It would be interesting to see where in Texas the "survival line" was for this species, as well as for L. chinensis, L. decipiens/decora and L. saribus, as a point of comparison to Washingtonia.

Here are some Livistona stumps and a couple survivors from NW Houston. I think the one tall one that left is a Decipiens, but not sure….  This area only stronger Hybrid Washingtonia survived. More than 50% died. 
 

A few Chineses of mine survived 4F, but just recently in the last couple weeks one died. Personally, I had bad experience with Saribus and Decipiens, and their thorns that I took them out long ago. I had a Mariae that I loved I lost to either 17F or 15F. 

[mnorell]

Thanks for posting those, Ryan. I'm surprised to see even those L. chinensis with aerial trunks having survived. The tall maybe-decipiens mystery species seems a little odd-looking in the crown but it's very impressive that it made it. Who can blame it for looking a little out of sorts even a year and a half later? At least those Rhapis and Chamaedorea are on their way back. And aside from those strong-willed herbaceous materials (Musa, Hedychium, Curcuma, Colocasia, Alocasia) pictured, I also notice Jatropha integerrima and some sort of Bauhinia in the one bed. I had observed Jatropha's ability to rebound strongly from the roots after I planted some in my old Natchez garden and they popped right back year after year. It's always refreshing to see those resilient, fast-growing materials that help diffuse the devastating losses. Do you know what temps and duration were experienced in that Houston garden?

[ZPalms]

On 7/30/2022 at 9:25 AM, Joe NC said:

Yes, and probably gained a couple of feet of overall height.  Maybe 10 or 12 new leaves? It grows fast.

I think probably 75% of the damaged fronds eventually completely browned and were pruned away.

Don't mind the assorted vines that need to be pulled out of that spiny mess. (Yes there is a cucumber in there)

 

 

Hello! How is it doing and is it still alive? 🤠

[Joe NC]

2 hours ago, ZPalms said:

Hello! How is it doing and is it still alive? 🤠

Still very much alive.  

0 winter protection.  Survived a low in the mid teens?  The freezing rain is what really made it mad.  It hates ice on the leaves.

75% foliar damage?  

Normally I'd not prune out anything that has a trace of green left until it puts out several new leaves, however I'm selling my house and needed it to look good.

This resulted in my pruning nearly all of the leaves off, leaving just the emerging spears.  In the past 2/3 weeks it has already put out new leaves.   It really does grow fast enough to quickly look decent after total defoliation.

Probably around 6 feet of trunk now?

Sadly I'll be leaving all of my palms, so no more updates....   

[ZPalms]

14 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

Still very much alive.  

0 winter protection.  Survived a low in the mid teens?  The freezing rain is what really made it mad.  It hates ice on the leaves.

75% foliar damage?  

Normally I'd not prune out anything that has a trace of green left until it puts out several new leaves, however I'm selling my house and needed it to look good.

This resulted in my pruning nearly all of the leaves off, leaving just the emerging spears.  In the past 2/3 weeks it has already put out new leaves.   It really does grow fast enough to quickly look decent after total defoliation.

Probably around 6 feet of trunk now?

Sadly I'll be leaving all of my palms, so no more updates....   

Wow! thats good to hear its alive, expected damage with ice but very cool it still made it! That's so sad though that your moving 😭 Do you intend on still growing palms? your stronger than me because I'd be digging up and tossing everything on a trailer. 😂

Two more questions but did you supplement it with water and what soil was yours planted in?

Apperciate the update!!!! 🤠

[Fusca]

45 minutes ago, Joe NC said:

Sadly I'll be leaving all of my palms, so no more updates....   

Sorry to hear.  If folks over there are anything like here 90% chance the buyers will take out the palms.  Anything unusual that you'd like to keep you can negotiate with the buyer to remove at a later time if not convenient.  I've had this written into a contract a couple of times before.  If course if you're moving to a harsher climate or overseas it's not applicable.

[Joe NC]

2 hours ago, ZPalms said:

Wow! thats good to hear its alive, expected damage with ice but very cool it still made it! That's so sad though that your moving 😭 Do you intend on still growing palms? your stronger than me because I'd be digging up and tossing everything on a trailer. 😂

Two more questions but did you supplement it with water and what soil was yours planted in?

Apperciate the update!!!! 🤠

Soil is fairly heavy clay.  It's planted with cactus and agave.... haha.  However I do aim the hose at it every now and again.  I'm guessing more water = more growth.

 

2 hours ago, Fusca said:

Sorry to hear.  If folks over there are anything like here 90% chance the buyers will take out the palms.  Anything unusual that you'd like to keep you can negotiate with the buyer to remove at a later time if not convenient.  I've had this written into a contract a couple of times before.  If course if you're moving to a harsher climate or overseas it's not applicable.

I'm moving to New England.... so not super "palmy".  I'm bringing one hybrid trachycarpus to protect, and some needles to let fend for themselves.

The potential buyer I'm under contract with wrote me a letter specifically saying she loves all the plants... so hopefully they survive.  I'm making the assumption that everything will be toast, and to never look back.

I really should have tried to rehome some of my fancy stuff, like jub and trachy hybrids... I just ran out of time.

I have a utility trailer full of plants that can survive and will come with me...

[Swolte]

Man, this is an old thread! I can probably answer my own question by now...  
😁

My nitida from TCHP is still alive after all the misery thrown at it the past 6 years, including several 3-month droughts with record high temps as well as record low temps during winters (protected without heat source, all winters 8a or lower). Needless to say, growth has been slow.



I am frankly surprised it returns. Last year was the first time I actually thought it looked good and it was one of my favorite palms (see old pic)

[Chester B]

11 hours ago, Swolte said:

My nitida from TCHP is still alive after all the misery thrown at it the past 6 years, including several 3-month droughts with record high temps as well as record low temps during winters (protected without heat source, all winters 8a or lower). Needless to say, growth has been slow

I left a TCHP nitida back in Oregon, and it survived every winter too.  Sounds like we got ours at the same time.  I've got two new ones here so we'll see how they do.

[Fusca]

15 hours ago, Swolte said:

Man, this is an old thread! I can probably answer my own question by now...  
😁

Needless to say, growth has been slow.

Speed picks up considerably if given lots of water during the heat of summer.  @Chester B, sounds like we all sourced nitida from Joseph around the same time.  They can grow as fast as Washingtonia if given enough water.

[ZPalms]

about to see me watering mine like crazy 😂

[Chester B]

8 hours ago, Fusca said:

Speed picks up considerably if given lots of water during the heat of summer.  @Chester B, sounds like we all sourced nitida from Joseph around the same time.  They can grow as fast as Washingtonia if given enough water.

The two I have here were strap leaf last year, now they are small palms and I planted them about a month ago.  They didn't skip a beat and are growing quickly in my boggy area of the yard.

[Jubaea_James760]

This was back in March. Definitely starting to pick up speed. Almost 6ft. to the top of the leaves.