Yard/Landscaping Progress

[DAVEinMB]

Alrighty match starts at 7:30 let's get another quick one in. 

Syagrus Romanzoffiana (standard):

Got this one for $14 in Charleston last summer and I honestly don't remember the size, but I'm guessing 1 gallon. I relied on my siting for this one and didn't give it any help. Southeast exposure, morning sun, and pine tree canopy. It's also a few feet from the dryer vent and the HVAC unit - how much those things help, I dunno but worth mentioning. I'm very surprised with how well this little guy handled its first go in the ground. Very little burn, immediately trying to grow with the recent steady warmth.

[DAVEinMB]

16 minutes ago, palmbrad said:

Same for my livistona decora in 2018 as well as my livistona nitida. I have a livistona decora x mariae that was small and in a very sheltered spot as well as covered with blankets which is the only reason I believe it survived.

It's amazing how much something like a sheet helps at times. I really want to add a nitida to the collection, based on what I've read i think one could do well here. Your decora x mariae has gotta be a looker.

[Chester B]

16 hours ago, DAVEinMB said:

It's amazing how much something like a sheet helps at times. I really want to add a nitida to the collection, based on what I've read i think one could do well here. Your decora x mariae has gotta be a looker.

I have a nitida that I put in the ground about a year ago about the same size as your decora (same source).  Ultimate low was 24F, around 36 hours below freezing during our ice storm unprotected.  It is planted close to the house on the leeward side and is surrounded by vegetation, so it is in a favored microclimate.  Aside from that one event most nights this winter were mild, rarely dropping below 29F.  Lots of rain though (as usual) and there is no brown tipping, or more importantly black spotting on the fronds which is common here on all but the hardiest palms.  In speaking with others nitida may be the most cold hardy Livistona aside from chinensis, so is worth a shot for you.    

[palmbrad]

18 hours ago, DAVEinMB said:

It's amazing how much something like a sheet helps at times. I really want to add a nitida to the collection, based on what I've read i think one could do well here. Your decora x mariae has gotta be a looker.

 

[Fusca]

I only have strap-leaf seedlings of Livistona mariae x decora, but even at that size the red color really shows up after some cold weather exposure!  

[DAVEinMB]

7 hours ago, Chester B said:

I have a nitida that I put in the ground about a year ago about the same size as your decora (same source).  Ultimate low was 24F, around 36 hours below freezing during our ice storm unprotected.  It is planted close to the house on the leeward side and is surrounded by vegetation, so it is in a favored microclimate.  Aside from that one event most nights this winter were mild, rarely dropping below 29F.  Lots of rain though (as usual) and there is no brown tipping, or more importantly black spotting on the fronds which is common here on all but the hardiest palms.  In speaking with others nitida may be the most cold hardy Livistona aside from chinensis, so is worth a shot for you.    

That's awesome info, thanks a bunch. I planned on getting a few things from Texas cold hardy this spring (nitida was on the list) but the polar blast really put the kibosh on that. I'm hoping things get back to normal for him before to long but no word yet. 

[DAVEinMB]

Some more updates. 

Yucca Cane (Yucca Elephantipes?):

Not a care in the world. I have this guy sited in a very sheltered location on a south wall. Has house as well pine tree canopy and has a good bit of wind protection. Not the sunniest of spots but it really doesn't seem to mind. Growth rate appears to be increasing as well. These things grow really oddly, I'm still trying to figure it out. 

[DAVEinMB]

Strelitzia Nicolai: 

Exposed foliage shows 25-50% burn, portions of the plant up against the house and under roof canopy virtually unaffected. This one is also pushing new growth. I'm debating on building some sort of canopy for this one, just not sure how quickly it will grow into it. Then again I may just let it fend for itself. No protection given this winter, just relied on siting.

[DAVEinMB]

Rhapis Excelsa:

No drama here. This is planted right next to the white bird of paradise. Unaffected by this winter. Also received no help. 

[climate change virginia]

The mid atlantic had a warm winter. Where I live we only got down to 25F.

[DAVEinMB]

4 hours ago, climate change virginia said:

The mid atlantic had a warm winter. Where I live we only got down to 25F.

For sure. These past two winters were very mild for us here. 

[DAVEinMB]

Cyperus Alternifolius:

From zero burn to 100% based on how exposed they were. I have these planted at the base of one of my mules so in time they should have solid canopy. These things also propagate very, very easily so they are getting sited all around my property to see how they do in different spots. 

[DAVEinMB]

Asparagus Aethiopicus:

Smooth sailing for the "tiny arborvitae forest".

[DAVEinMB]

Washingtonia Robusta: 

Most of the fronds have some degree of burn but nothing too terrible. Didn't think mid to upper 20s was enough to make these burn but it is what it is.

[DAVEinMB]

Phoenix Sylvestris:

Don't think this thing knows what time of year it is. Any warm day we had it was attempting to slowly push new fronds and it has almost zero foliage burn. Needless to say I'm surprised by how tough this thing is showing it is and optimistic for its long-term survival.

Edited March 20, 2021 by DAVEinMB

[DAVEinMB]

Syagrus Romanzoffiana var Litoralis:

More foliage burn than the standard queen but it is also sited in a much more exposed location. Siting is on a south facing wall so it gets a ton of afternoon sun but has no canopy. I did wrap this palm the night we dipped to 24 but didn't provide any supplemental heat. The rest of the winter i let it be. Excited to see what it does this growing season. 

[DAVEinMB]

Chamaedorea Microspadix and Radicalis:

These also came through unscathed and were pushing inflorescence throughout the winter.

[DAVEinMB]

Ok now for some of the negatives. 

Phoenix Roebelenii - 3 different plants, 2 very different planting locations - all 3 burned to different degrees and all 3 spear pulled. I'm done thinking I can get one of these to live any length of time here. 

Phoenix Dactylifera x Roebelenii - 1 gallon plant planted this past spring in a sunny location under Robusta canopy. Spear pulled in late January iirc, been nursing it along since. Should know shortly if it's going to pull through. 

Phoenix Dactylifera - 3 gallon plant planted this past spring in a sunny but exposed location in the middle of the yard. Spear pull around the same time as the above cross, same situation. 

Ravenea Rivularis - big box buy planted in a very protected location with tons of canopy that receives filtered sun. Completely defoliated but spear remains firm.

[Buggle]

1 hour ago, DAVEinMB said:

Ok now for some of the negatives. 

Phoenix Roebelenii - 3 different plants, 2 very different planting locations - all 3 burned to different degrees and all 3 spear pulled. I'm done thinking I can get one of these to live any length of time here. 

Phoenix Dactylifera x Roebelenii - 1 gallon plant planted this past spring in a sunny location under Robusta canopy. Spear pulled in late January iirc, been nursing it along since. Should know shortly if it's going to pull through. 

Phoenix Dactylifera - 3 gallon plant planted this past spring in a sunny but exposed location in the middle of the yard. Spear pull around the same time as the above cross, same situation. 

Ravenea Rivularis - big box buy planted in a very protected location with tons of canopy that receives filtered sun. Completely defoliated but spear remains firm.

I'll never understand why the big box stores are always well-stocked with pygmy date palms that are 100% not hardy yet won't sell queen palms and other much hardier selections! I'm north of you, and I have a queen that has survived 3 winters including this one and another that has come through 2 winters, unprotected away from the house, completely unscathed. What kind of logic is this? Pygmy date palms just suck and I'm tired of seeing them. C. radicalis/microspadix are also unheard of, I had a landscaper tell me they don't live since you don't see them anywhere do  you? I had one grow back from the 2018 freeze that killed pindos and sabals.

 

[DAVEinMB]

2 hours ago, Buggle said:

I'll never understand why the big box stores are always well-stocked with pygmy date palms that are 100% not hardy yet won't sell queen palms and other much hardier selections! I'm north of you, and I have a queen that has survived 3 winters including this one and another that has come through 2 winters, unprotected away from the house, completely unscathed. What kind of logic is this? Pygmy date palms just suck and I'm tired of seeing them. C. radicalis/microspadix are also unheard of, I had a landscaper tell me they don't live since you don't see them anywhere do  you? I had one grow back from the 2018 freeze that killed pindos and sabals.

I feel the same way. I often times feel like there must be a logical explanation but then again things don't necessarily have to make sense and the answer could just be "that's the way it is". Big box always has Chamaedorea Cataractarum readily available here as well but neither of the 2 species that are better suited for our climate. When I visit nurseries I tend to bring up palms like Microspadix and Radicalis in the hopes that I'll come back and see some for sale one day. Most places aren't familiar with them and I guess there's a number of reasons for that. 

How big are your queens? I'm just starting my journey with attempting them here and only one (Uruguay) is planted away from the house. 

[Chad king NC]

Awesome photos and great looking yard.  You have a lot of zone pushing going on too. Nice to see such a variety where all you usually see are sabals and pindos.

[DAVEinMB]

14 minutes ago, Chad king NC said:

Awesome photos and great looking yard.  You have a lot of zone pushing going on too. Nice to see such a variety where all you usually see are sabals and pindos.

Thanks man! Yea I'll protect when need be (if I'm able) and let it ride otherwise. Hopefully the marginal stuff sticks around long enough to enjoy. Trial and error gardening for sure. 

[Laaz]

Good seeing you again Dave. You'll have some planting to do when you get home... Good luck with that F&$king yucca!

[DAVEinMB]

1 hour ago, Laaz said:

Good seeing you again Dave. You'll have some planting to do when you get home... Good luck with that F&$king yucca!

Thanks Todd you too. Gonna be a nice day in the garden, new plants and cold beer 

Hahaha yea thanks 

[Fusca]

For what it's worth,  4 different species of (expletive) yucca sailed through our historic freeze unscathed while a 5th species showed only slight damage thanks to the ice.  As a result my yuccas were one of only a couple of green plants in the week following the freeze so I appreciate them more now.  Ouch!  But I will try and keep my distance.  

[PricklyPearSATC]

On 3/20/2021 at 5:25 PM, Buggle said:

 

I'll never understand why the big box stores are always well-stocked with pygmy date palms that are 100% not hardy yet won't sell queen palms and other much hardier selections! I'm north of you, and I have a queen that has survived 3 winters including this one and another that has come through 2 winters, unprotected away from the house, completely unscathed. What kind of logic is this? Pygmy date palms just suck and I'm tired of seeing them. C. radicalis/microspadix are also unheard of, I had a landscaper tell me they don't live since you don't see them anywhere do  you? I had one grow back from the 2018 freeze that killed pindos and sabals.

Pygmy dates are small enough to be sold in the houseplant section.  That's where they are currently residing at my local Lowes.   (btw: a cheap source of sago palms is the houseplant section!)

I know what you mean about the hardy Chamaedorea species.  Never see them for sale around here.  Queens are common here, but they are never sold in the houseplant section like pygmy dates.  Queens probably take up too much real estate indoors.   I didn't see them at my local Lowes last week, but they will show up outside the garden center along with CIDPs in April/May.  Larger specimen pygmy dates will show up outdoors too.  

Edited March 23, 2021 by PricklyPearSATC

[JLM]

9 minutes ago, PricklyPearSATC said:

I'll never understand why the big box stores are always well-stocked with pygmy date palms that are 100% not hardy yet won't sell queen palms and other much hardier selections! I'm north of you, and I have a queen that has survived 3 winters including this one and another that has come through 2 winters, unprotected away from the house, completely unscathed. What kind of logic is this? Pygmy date palms just suck and I'm tired of seeing them. C. radicalis/microspadix are also unheard of, I had a landscaper tell me they don't live since you don't see them anywhere do  you? I had one grow back from the 2018 freeze that killed pindos and sabals.

Pygmy dates are small enough to be sold in the houseplant section.  That's where they are currently residing at my local Lowes.   (btw: a cheap source of sago palms is the houseplant section!)

I know what you mean about the hardy Chamaedorea species.  Never see them for sale around here.  Queens are common here, but they are never sold in the houseplant section like pygmy dates.  Queens probably take up too much real estate indoors.   I didn't see them at my local Lowes last week, but they will show up outside the garden center along with CIDPs in April/May.

Here the Pygmy Dates are set out in the blazing sun with the outside stuff at both Lowe's and Home Depot here and is not labeled as inside. That's how they make their money though.

[PricklyPearSATC]

6 minutes ago, JLM said:

Here the Pygmy Dates are set out in the blazing sun with the outside stuff at both Lowe's and Home Depot here and is not labeled as inside. That's how they make their money though.

they will be outside here too

[DAVEinMB]

On 3/22/2021 at 2:50 PM, Fusca said:

For what it's worth,  4 different species of (expletive) yucca sailed through our historic freeze unscathed while a 5th species showed only slight damage thanks to the ice.  As a result my yuccas were one of only a couple of green plants in the week following the freeze so I appreciate them more now.  Ouch!  But I will try and keep my distance.  

Lol yo yuccas are definitely tough especially for how tropical they can look but jesus Murphys are they mean. It almost seems like if you look at them wrong they're drawing blood 

[Fusca]

1 hour ago, DAVEinMB said:

Lol yo yuccas are definitely tough especially for how tropical they can look but jesus Murphys are they mean. It almost seems like if you look at them wrong they're drawing blood 

Yes, they don't get nicknames like "Spanish dagger" or "Spanish bayonet" for being soft and cuddly!

[DAVEinMB]

A new look out the front

[Buggle]

On 3/20/2021 at 9:06 PM, DAVEinMB said:

I feel the same way. I often times feel like there must be a logical explanation but then again things don't necessarily have to make sense and the answer could just be "that's the way it is". Big box always has Chamaedorea Cataractarum readily available here as well but neither of the 2 species that are better suited for our climate. When I visit nurseries I tend to bring up palms like Microspadix and Radicalis in the hopes that I'll come back and see some for sale one day. Most places aren't familiar with them and I guess there's a number of reasons for that. 

How big are your queens? I'm just starting my journey with attempting them here and only one (Uruguay) is planted away from the house. 

This is one of them and ironically for the first time in years I got queen palms at Lowes yesterday for $69 each! I've been requesting queens from another nursery and these people who sell pygmies and giant tarwas and Washies immediately tell me they won't survive! It's dumb because queens are cheap anyway so they are worth trying as they can survive most winters. The one in the picture hasn't been affected at all by this winter.

[DAVEinMB]

14 hours ago, Buggle said:

This is one of them and ironically for the first time in years I got queen palms at Lowes yesterday for $69 each! I've been requesting queens from another nursery and these people who sell pygmies and giant tarwas and Washies immediately tell me they won't survive! It's dumb because queens are cheap anyway so they are worth trying as they can survive most winters. The one in the picture hasn't been affected at all by this winter.

That first picture looks an awful lot like a Mule. 

That's awesome that Lowe's has some! If your area got some maybe myrtle will have stock this year too. 

[DAVEinMB]

Well sadness has befallen me. 

The decora's newest spear looked a kinda rough so I gave it a little pull and sure enough...

Gave it a hydrogen peroxide drench and gonna keep an eye on it. Luckily we're into consistent warm weather so that should help it. The second newest spear feels solid. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by DAVEinMB

[Buggle]

1 hour ago, DAVEinMB said:

That first picture looks an awful lot like a Mule. 

That's awesome that Lowe's has some! If your area got some maybe myrtle will have stock this year too. 

Uh oh, really? That would explain things if it is, and that would be pretty bad because I bought these 4 others based off of the success of that one! I have another larger queen in a protected area that isn't as happy, although still very alive. The strange thing is, I can't remember where I ordered that one. Through my recollection, it just kind of "showed up", and I figured I ordered another queen and forgot, because I would have remembered ordering a mule. It came in 2018. I doubt they would accidentally send a mule instead of a queen?

[DAVEinMB]

9 minutes ago, Buggle said:

Uh oh, really? That would explain things if it is, and that would be pretty bad because I bought these 4 others based off of the success of that one! I have another larger queen in a protected area that isn't as happy, although still very alive. The strange thing is, I can't remember where I ordered that one. Through my recollection, it just kind of "showed up", and I figured I ordered another queen and forgot, because I would have remembered ordering a mule. It came in 2018. I doubt they would accidentally send a mule instead of a queen?

Do you have any closer pictures of the trunk and foliage? Also does the foliage on that one feel a bit stiffer than the other queens? I mean stranger things have happened, if you were accidentally sent a Mule that's not a terrible thing; they're more expensive and more likely to survive in our neck of the woods. Either way it's a good looking palm and seems to be happy so I say let it ride 

[DAVEinMB]

Update time  and a good news one at that. 

Got some spear pull survivors. 

Livistona Decora: 

Really quick recovery for this guy. I noticed the issue and had spear pull on March 24th. It's been less than 2 weeks and it's completely pushed out the rotted section of spear. I gave it a ton of hydrogen peroxide and kept a tarp over it any time we had rain in the forecast. 

[DAVEinMB]

Phoenix Dactylifera x Roebelenii:

I can't remember when this one spear pulled but I may have mentioned it somewhere in the thread. It was sometime in January or February. I treated with peroxide and kept it as dry as possible. This one was pretty easy to keep dry because of its size, 5 gallon bucket did the trick. I wasn't super hopeful for this one because of how small it is and my last attempt at trying to save a phoenix. Needless to say i was stoked to see a little bit of growth. 

 

[DAVEinMB]

Phoenix Dactylifera:

Same situation as with the Dactylifera x Roebelenii and same time frame. I had to get creative to keep this one dry. I used some cord to tie up the fronds and had to trim them some to knock down the overall height. After that I wrapped it in 2 shopping bags and a collapsible chair bag. Any time it was nice out i removed the wrapping and let it get as much sun as possible. It looks gnarly but I'm pretty sure the picture shows emerging growth. I poked at it a bit with a flat head screwdriver and it definitely moves like a piece of a spear. Either way it's not black in there so that's a good sign. 

[Jtee]

On 3/20/2021 at 3:28 PM, DAVEinMB said:

Washingtonia Robusta: 

Most of the fronds have some degree of burn but nothing too terrible. Didn't think mid to upper 20s was enough to make these burn but it is what it is.

My robusta had more burn than green and we had mid to high 20’s probably around 25 or more nights