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Posted

Hi, I always read about palms that need "plentiful water" and those that will not tollerate drought but rarely with any quantification. I live in Bermuda, we average around 60" of rain per year, fairly evenly distributed. August is both the hottest and the rainiest. Our climate is considered transitional between tropical rainforest and humid subtropical. Link below for anyone interested. So a decent amount of precipitation and constant humidity.

The problem is that in the summer, the rain comes sporatically but intensely. So in July/August/Sep, we regularly go 3 or 4 weeks with no rain. Not CA drought, but the grass definitely gets brown in summer.

Forgetting juvenile palms and those in pots, do I need to worry about palms that need "plentiful water"? In general, I'm not talking about the extremes like C Renda. WE have a limited number of species occurring in large quantities, but Royals, Ptychosperma, Adonidia, D Lutescens, Cocos, Dictyosperma, Thrinax Parviflora, Pritchardia all thrive here, just to name a few.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Bermuda#Climate

Posted

My take on it has always been "don't let the soil dry out."   For different soil types, that may require different amounts of water. 

  • Upvote 2

Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone 1990: 9a  2012: 9b  2023: 10a | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a

30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

Posted

My experience is that there is a wide range in toleration of "partial dryness". I would especially beware of letting the soil go dry around Dictyocaryum or Neoveitchia. Palms with large leaves are susceptible unless they have grown extensive root systems. Just my opinion.

  • Like 1

Mike Merritt

Big Island of Hawaii, windward, rainy side, 740 feet (225 meters) elevation

165 inches (4,200 mm) of rain per year, 66 to 83 deg F (20 to 28 deg C) in summer, 62 to 80 deg F (16.7 to 26.7 Deg C) in winter.

Posted

If survivability in absence of regular water is the way we define drought, then root ball size, soil, temperature and humidity and wind in air are also impact variables in controlling evapotranspiration.   Each climate has different challenges.  In arizona the clay soil holds water well but the leaves lose it so fast due to the hot sun and low humidity, that the roots rate of water intake cant keep up.  Bigger leaves mean more surface area is heated and higher water losses.  In florida with high humidity but sandy soil, its hard to keep the soil wet, so roots that dry out or unable to get nutrition may die back.    I think in florida 30 days without rain is a drought.   

 

  • Like 2
  • Upvote 2

Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

Posted

I agree with you on that Sonoranfans, and conditions leading up to a given period of time are very important in determining how much dry weather it will take to cause excessive dryness and drought.  We have had .10” of rain in the past week at my location, but it has tended toward mostly cloudy for some of the day and highs have only been reaching the lower 90s with higher daytime humidity, so things aren’t drying out as quickly, thankfully. 

After today, rain chances go way down and I think it is safe to say this rainy season has been far from the best here.  Other spots not far away have had it way better.

I would never purposely let the root zone of any potted palm get below barely moist.  Additionally, I suspect that, if anything, I keep my palms (potted and otherwise) a little wetter than they need to be.  I virtually never see any problematic effect from this during the hot season, when highs are 70F+.

The hydrophobic, sandy soils here (when they dry out completely) are the bane of my existence.

  • Like 1
Posted

we have had 4 consecutive days of rain here, 2 moderate and 2 heavy(more than one inch).  Seems like its been ore wet than usual.

 

Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

Posted (edited)

Wow, I have had almost 7 consecutive days of rain in Clearwater, 9.5" between just Monday-Wednesday this week.

Edited by SWFLchris
  • Like 1
Posted
  On 7/12/2019 at 4:58 PM, palmsOrl said:

I agree with you on that Sonoranfans, and conditions leading up to a given period of time are very important in determining how much dry weather it will take to cause excessive dryness and drought.  We have had .10” of rain in the past week at my location, but it has tended toward mostly cloudy for some of the day and highs have only been reaching the lower 90s with higher daytime humidity, so things aren’t drying out as quickly, thankfully. 

After today, rain chances go way down and I think it is safe to say this rainy season has been far from the best here.  Other spots not far away have had it way better.

I would never purposely let the root zone of any potted palm get below barely moist.  Additionally, I suspect that, if anything, I keep my palms (potted and otherwise) a little wetter than they need to be.  I virtually never see any problematic effect from this during the hot season, when highs are 70F+.

The hydrophobic, sandy soils here (when they dry out completely) are the bane of my existence.

Expand  

 

  On 7/12/2019 at 9:28 PM, sonoranfans said:

we have had 4 consecutive days of rain here, 2 moderate and 2 heavy(more than one inch).  Seems like its been ore wet than usual.

 

Expand  

 

  On 7/12/2019 at 11:00 PM, SWFLchris said:

Wow, I have had almost 7 consecutive days of rain in Clearwater, 9.5" between just Monday-Wednesday this week.

Expand  

Agree w/ palmsOrl, the hydrophobic soil ( sand w/ some organics in it where i lived in Bradenton) was horrible there in Florida.. Would have to slowly be soaked before holding water well. Have similar conditions in parts of the yard here but not nearly as pronounced ( absorbs water easier/ faster when we get a good rain ) 

Also see a lot of location to location variability w/ summer season rains here as well. Downtown Phoenix, or a neighborhood on the west side of the valley ..or even 2-6 miles from the house can get a good soaking, sometimes repeatedly, and I'd be lucky to see . 10" of rain July-October. Can swing the opposite direction also. Overall, higher elevations, and reletively flatter, lower elevation areas from roughly Tucson on south / south east see more consistent regional rainfall though even there, some places win the jackpot while others remain dusty during monsoon season. It's only when the remnants of a tropical system hang out over the state that many areas see decent consistent or excessive rainfall.

  As Tom ( Sonoranfans) mentions, clay-y vs sandy soils can influence factors related to how something grows / survives periods of drought, especially where it is hot.  Many plants here, Inc trees / large cacti will pull moisture up from deep in the soil during times of significant drought. Very few large-leaved native trees here in the low  desert and most of those are restricted to river courses where water is more available.  If everyone here stopped watering landscapes containing introduced  plants w/ larger leaves, only those w/ some degree of drought tolerance  would hang on, palms included.  

  • Like 2

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