North Florida Cold Hardy Palms

[Fusca]

On 5/15/2020 at 11:16 AM, tank said:

I have tried W. filifera a couple times but they end up being unhappy and ultimately die.  Probably a mix of nutrient deficiency and humid/rainy weather.  I probably should try again....

Jason, let me know if you want to try again with some filifera-dominant filibusta seeds.  Got several fruiting trees near me.  Love the garden pics!  

Jon

[buffy]

Tank: What's the word on Tim Hopper? Is he still around? I know things went south on here with him, but I'm still wondering how is doing. I have a nice triple hybrid of his. 

[tank]

On 6/9/2020 at 9:27 AM, buffy said:

Tank: What's the word on Tim Hopper? Is he still around? I know things went south on here with him, but I'm still wondering how is doing. I have a nice triple hybrid of his. 

I don't really know.  I think he still lives in St. Augustine but I haven't heard from him since he dropped out.

[tank]

On 6/8/2020 at 8:12 PM, Fusca said:

Jason, let me know if you want to try again with some filifera-dominant filibusta seeds.  Got several fruiting trees near me.  Love the garden pics!  

Jon

Jon,

Thanks for the offer.  I've got a couple of Filibustas in the yard, although I didn't take any pics of those.  I'll let you know on the seeds.  Right now I can barely take care of the plants that I have in pots, much less take on any new ones!

[tank]

On 6/6/2020 at 12:15 PM, necturus said:

A little late, but how long has the Parajubea sunkha been in the ground? How do you water it in the summer time?

The P. sunkha has been in the ground for about 5 or so years.  I never water it.  I do fertilize once a year.  It has been a slow grower for me.

[tank]

On 6/8/2020 at 1:50 PM, ruskinPalms said:

Fantastic garden! Have you tried Dypsis decipiens or Pseudophoenix sargentii? I think both would appreciate the fast draining sandy soil and both are supposed to be fairly cold hardy. I know the Dypsis has been a big fail for most in Florida but it looks like you know what you are doing! 

Unfortunately, even with the warm past 9 years, we've still experienced a night or two every year nearly at or just below 20F.  That will kill or severely damage both of these palms.  Also, D. decipiens is a challenge.  I don't think drainage is the only challenge.  Nematodes are supposedly a major problem for these palms as well.  My soil has nematodes...

[8B palms]

My Butia x Parajubaea sunkha has been in the ground for 3-4 years.  I know I have heard the expression/saying 1st year sleeps, 2nd year creeps and 3rd year leaps, well I don't think this applies to this hybrid, mine is tiny maybe only 3 and some change feet tall, although it has done more this year than previous by far, on its second frond but is painfully slow, and has more Butia coloration.

[RJ]

9 minutes ago, 8B palms said:

My Butia x Parajubaea sunkha has been in the ground for 3-4 years.  I know I have heard the expression/saying 1st year sleeps, 2nd year creeps and 3rd year leaps, well I don't think this applies to this hybrid, mine is tiny maybe only 3 and some change feet tall, although it has done more this year than previous by far, on its second frond but is painfully slow, and has more Butia coloration.

That looks a lot like my BxPJc.  Probably the same age too... 

Edited June 12, 2020 by RJ

[8B palms]

So I have one of these also, it had bad root in the crown, hydrogen peroxide has taken care of it and the frizzle top frond has pushed out and a brand new normal spear is doing good and will hopefully be open here in the next few weeks  My only concern on the BxPJc is there are very fine spins.hooks on the petioles, so I have myself second guessing if its just a Butia, its not very green either.  I know there is great deal of variation in all hybrids or straight up pure palms.  I got both from Patric and I have never gotten something which wasn't the real deal from him. Does anyone else notice fine little sharp spines on the petioles of this hybrid

[kinzyjr]

On 5/15/2020 at 12:16 PM, tank said:

I have tried W. filifera a couple times but they end up being unhappy and ultimately die.  Probably a mix of nutrient deficiency and humid/rainy weather.  I probably should try again....

When you planted these, what was the siting like as far as light and soil medium?  I'm having decent luck with the ones I got from the Moapa Valley as well as the two I got from @TexasColdHardyPalms.

[8B palms]

They get sun until about 2:30 in the afternoon. I added organic s to the soil as basically in this part of Florida it's basically sand, it's on a drip irrigation in the winter when it's our dry season. The summer we usually get good downpours, if it's dry I can turn on the drip irrigation. My dwarf sugar palm, regular queen, Tracey princeps and 3 mule palms and regular Butia are all doing fine. 

[kinzyjr]

Spoke with Dr. John Rossi (see garden here if you haven't already) yesterday and asked him if he was having any luck with his Washingtonia filifera.  He said he was after putting some barriers up to keep rodents away.  In my case, my biggest pest has been some kind of caterpillar that likes to much on the new growth.  If you're in North Central Florida and having issues growing this palm, Dr. John might have some good pointers for you since he is having success and has a somewhat similar climate regime.

Down this far, I get a few that aren't happy in full sun for whatever reason.  As an example, the two I purchased from North Texas Cold Hardy Palms were planted originally in full sun in the front yard.  They were languishing and declining, getting "the yellows" whether we had rain or not and down to one healthy frond each.  I figured I was going to lose them anyway, so I dug them up and moved them to the back under the edge of my live oak canopy in a spot half way down a slight grade in my yard.  Both are making a comeback and have 3 healthy fronds plus another spear coming.  It's odd that they would make a comeback in part day sun after growing in a pot in full sun, but I'll take it.

[Steve in Florida]

5 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Spoke with Dr. John Rossi (see garden here if you haven't already) yesterday and asked him if he was having any luck with his Washingtonia filifera.  He said he was after putting some barriers up to keep rodents away.  In my case, my biggest pest has been some kind of caterpillar that likes to much on the new growth.  If you're in North Central Florida and having issues growing this palm, Dr. John might have some good pointers for you since he is having success and has a somewhat similar climate regime.

Down this far, I get a few that aren't happy in full sun for whatever reason.  As an example, the two I purchased from North Texas Cold Hardy Palms were planted originally in full sun in the front yard.  They were languishing and declining, getting "the yellows" whether we had rain or not and down to one healthy frond each.  I figured I was going to lose them anyway, so I dug them up and moved them to the back under the edge of my live oak canopy in a spot half way down a slight grade in my yard.  Both are making a comeback and have 3 healthy fronds plus another spear coming.  It's odd that they would make a comeback in part day sun after growing in a pot in full sun, but I'll take it.

It's likely that area has more organic matter due to the live oaks which helps to hold potassium longer in sandy soil.

[tank]

As an update, my wife and I sold this house a couple months ago.  Hopefully the new owners will continue to take care of the plants.

We moved into a new house in Gainesville, and while the new place has less palms than the old, it has a BUNCH of cycads and other cool plants.  I am currently tying to figure out where to plant some of the palms I brought with me into a very mature and very crowded garden....

Started a thread on the main forum as I also have a large palm with ganoderma at the new house and wanted to get some input on this as I have never had a palm get this disease/fungus.

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by tank