Moody Gardens, Galveston, Texas (Post-2021 Freeze)

[GoatLockerGuns]

Pictures from Moody Gardens, Galveston, Texas taken on February 26, 2022.  Shots of palms and other tropical stuff taken outside on the grounds, and inside the Rain Forest Pyramid.

[amh]

Great shots.

[Xerarch]

Excellent, have they attempted to replace any of the tender stuff outside that they lost? Royals, Cook Pine, etc.

[GoatLockerGuns]

9 minutes ago, Xerarch said:

Royals, Cook Pine,

I saw no Roystonea regia (Royal Palm), Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine), or Araucaria columnaris (Cook Pine) at Moody Gardens, or anywhere else I went on the island.  My assumption is that these bit the dust last year.  I hope I am wrong though, and that some survived.

[Xerarch]

15 minutes ago, GoatLockerGuns said:

I saw no Roystonea regia (Royal Palm), Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine), or Araucaria columnaris (Cook Pine) at Moody Gardens, or anywhere else I went on the island.  My assumption is that these bit the dust last year.  I hope I am wrong though, and that some survived.

Oh I've already written them all off as goners up there, but was wondering if they are re-planting.  Already many foxtails replanted here and a few royals.  For whatever reason royals are hard to come by in nurseries, foxtails and bottles are in much greater supply.

[Collectorpalms]

1 hour ago, Xerarch said:

Oh I've already written them all off as goners up there, but was wondering if they are re-planting.  Already many foxtails replanted here and a few royals.  For whatever reason royals are hard to come by in nurseries, foxtails and bottles are in much greater supply.

They lost all their Pines according to the garden manager, including the largest one in Texas.

[Xenon]

1 hour ago, Xerarch said:

Oh I've already written them all off as goners up there, but was wondering if they are re-planting.  Already many foxtails replanted here and a few royals.  For whatever reason royals are hard to come by in nurseries, foxtails and bottles are in much greater supply.

Tons of new foxtails...possibly even more than queens palms . Saw some Adonidia too 

 

8 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

They lost all their Pines according to the garden manager, including the largest one in Texas.

This was the tallest remaining cook pine in Galveston.  But there are/were larger ones in the RGV (many of them also died or were at least moderately damaged). 

[Collectorpalms]

10 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Tons of new foxtails...possibly even more than queens palms . Saw some Adonidia too 

 

This was the tallest remaining cook pine in Galveston.  But there are/were larger ones in the RGV (many of them also died or were at least moderately damaged). 

Garden Manager said they had the state record holder.  Just repeating what I was informed. I do not have a ruler.

[Xerarch]

1 hour ago, Xenon said:

Tons of new foxtails...possibly even more than queens palms . 

 

I'm afraid I have to agree, I've probably seen more newly planted foxtails than queens.  Foxtails are gorgeous of course but I wonder/doubt if people really understand what they are in for.  In spite of last year I still say queen are quite a long term winner here if cared for while foxtails are short to medium term in most parts of town, maybe long-ish term on the island if timed just right but hands down more tender than queen at any rate.  A handful of normal-ish years in a row will sort out what stays and goes.

[Collectorpalms]

Does that cycad outdoor plant ID say Macrozamia Sp.? The one at Zilker sign says Macrozamia moorei… which is the hardiest of Macrozamia?

I think online some look like miniature CIDP.

Edited March 2, 2022 by Collectorpalms

[GoatLockerGuns]

15 hours ago, Xerarch said:

but was wondering if they are re-planting.

Did not see them replanting Roystonea regia or any Araucaria sps.  The only recent mature plantings (or re-plantings) I saw were of Phoenix dactylifera along the south end of Termini-San Luis Pass Road (near Beachside Village Beach).

[GoatLockerGuns]

T

5 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

Does that cycad outdoor plant ID say Macrozamia Sp.?

The first outdoor cycad picture is labeled Macrozambia johnsonii.  The second outdoor cycad picture is labeled Macrozambia miquelli.  Both are on the backside of the hotel.  Of course, they also had that Mule labeled Washingtonia robusta, so take those labels for what they are worth.  If someone who knew better told me they were actually something else, I would not question it.

[Joe The Palm]

nice to see some queens survived  

[SubTropicRay]

In the group photo of the Queens (photo#15?), there is one fat trunk that has been decapitated.  I think that one was a Roystonea.

[bubba]

Is there any place in Texas where are the Date (Phoenix) bear edible fruit? I am told that in Florida the only edible dates are found in the dry Keys

[Little Tex]

1 hour ago, bubba said:

Is there any place in Texas where are the Date (Phoenix) bear edible fruit? I am told that in Florida the only edible dates are found in the dry Keys

I know of some in and north of Rio Grande City, Also at Fort Ringgold, The Simon Mall in McAllen, I also saw one in Kingsville, at a gas station of all places.

(Not my photo)

[bubba]

I am not surprised that the RGV may produce edible dates from the Phoenix species. My belief is that it is necessary to have truly dry and nearly desert like conditions to produce edible dates ( like Cali/Arizona). What is the quality of the edible dates in the RGV? Are they sweet like Cali or bland?

[Little Tex]

15 minutes ago, bubba said:

I am not surprised that the RGV may produce edible dates from the Phoenix species. My belief is that it is necessary to have truly dry and nearly desert like conditions to produce edible dates ( like Cali/Arizona). What is the quality of the edible dates in the RGV? Are they sweet like Cali or bland?

I don't know, I just tried not to step in them. I assume they were edible because of their shape and size. RGV mostly grows citrus and melons.