Palms in the heart of the Mediterranean

[pietropuccio]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pietropuccio/albums/

The album collects photos of palms grown in almost 50 years in a small garden on the northwestern outskirts of Palermo (latitude 38° 10' 43" N). Before the internet era it was very difficult to find palms other than those in cultivation for over a century, now everything is much easier and I am sure that many new species can be introduced into cultivation.

[Axel Amsterdam]

Incredible Pietro, this is the most diverse collection of rare palms i have seen in Italy (or Spain/France). Are people in Sicily or Lampedusa currently trying to grow cocos nucifera? 

[tim_brissy_13]

Amazing collection, a lot of wow palms!

Question - did you obtain the Chamaedorea benziei and carchensis both under those names originally? And do they show any differing traits? Until now, I had thought those in cultivation (at least in the USA) under benziei are now thought to be carchensis. I’ve got ‘benziei’ from possibly the best source of Chamaedorea in Aus so I’ll leave my tags as is for the moment but curious to know how they differ. 

[Neil C]

Wow, what a collection and even more impressive given your location!! My favourite must be your Guihaia.

Regards Neil

[Than]

Incredible collection! That garden must be like a paradise. I'd love to see a panoramic photo of it.

I fell in love with that Dictyosperma especially; what a beautiful specimen!

How you manage to grow all these stuff in a 9b (so I guess they have seen -1C) is beyond me. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Exceptionally impressive to see so many cool climate palms like Rhopalostylis and Parajubaea growing so well with the more tropical species like Dictyosperma and Hyophorbe and all thriving. 

[Phoenikakias]

  On 1/3/2025 at 9:04 AM, Than said:

Incredible collection! That garden must be like a paradise. I'd love to see a panoramic photo of it.

I fell in love with that Dictyosperma especially; what a beautiful specimen!

How you manage to grow all these stuff in a 9b (so I guess they have seen -1C) is beyond me. 

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Ha! He is meaning a Floridian 9B. By European standards he is deep in 10 B! Actually his place is warmer than Crete.

[Phoenikakias]

I did not see any Ravenea (or did I, so many plants), is that pure coincidence or is there a particular reason? Also I knew you used to gow also Gaussia spp. What happened to them?

[dalmatiansoap]

Beautiful collection! Gives hope although I'm far away from Your conditions

[Than]

  On 1/3/2025 at 10:43 AM, Phoenikakias said:

Ha! He is meaning a Floridian 9B. By European standards he is deep in 10 B! Actually his place is warmer than Crete.

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I am a Floridian 8A and a European 9A then 😒

[Phoenikakias]

  On 1/3/2025 at 1:47 PM, Than said:

I am a Floridian 8A and a European 9A then 😒

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Ha, I don't think 8A exists in Florida, even around Jacksonville.

[Than]

Perhaps the Australian zone system is more relevant to our climate

[Tomas]

Ciao Pietro, I am always impressed when going through you album, your colection must be the best in Italy I think.

You will have a lot of questions to answer, but allow one from me, what is the lowest temperature ever measured in your garden?

Tomas

[Phoenikakias]

An important question equally important are the mean temperature values during winter and spring.

[pietropuccio]

Thanks to everyone!

  On 1/3/2025 at 8:30 AM, Axel Amsterdam said:

Are people in Sicily or Lampedusa currently trying to grow cocos nucifera? 

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Hi, of course I tried too, especially to see when the vegetation stops irreversibly. Based on my experience even in the current climate conditions, it is impossible to grow a coconut in the entire Mediterranean, except in very particular situations and with winter protection in the first few years.

  On 1/3/2025 at 8:45 AM, tim_brissy_13 said:

Question - did you obtain the Chamaedorea benziei and carchensis both under those names originally? And do they show any differing traits? Until now, I had thought those in cultivation (at least in the USA) under benziei are now thought to be carchensis. I’ve got ‘benziei’ from possibly the best source of Chamaedorea in Aus so I’ll leave my tags as is for the moment but curious to know how they differ. 

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I have had the two species at different times and from different places. For the differences you can see the article on Principes 36: 188 (1992) on the IPS website.

 

  On 1/3/2025 at 10:46 AM, Phoenikakias said:

I did not see any Ravenea (or did I, so many plants), is that pure coincidence or is there a particular reason? Also I knew you used to gow also Gaussia spp. What happened to them?

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Of the Ravenea rivularis and madagascariensis (small) there are photos and plants, a small rivularis was decapitated this year by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. The Gaussia princeps was near the house and was destroyed during renovation work.

  On 1/3/2025 at 5:04 PM, Tomas said:

You will have a lot of questions to answer, but allow one from me, what is the lowest temperature ever measured in your garden?

Tomas

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At 1 m from the ground -3 °C

[pietropuccio]

Hi Tomas, when will you show us your garden?

[Janni]

I am deeply impressed! Beautiful collection! Although I don‘t know what impresses me more: the healthy and large palm collection or the fact, that you consider this a „small garden“ 😅

[Tomas]

  On 1/3/2025 at 8:35 PM, pietropuccio said:

At 1 m from the ground -3 °C

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It's quite low! I know Palermo city is actually frost free.

Which of the tender species surprised you the most surviving that cold spell?

I surely will post an update on my garden, but let's wait until the winter is over, it has not been freezing here in Rome since 2018 and I planted a lot of tender stuff so if taken pictures now, it could be I will have a lot of pictures to look at thinking how silly I was hoping they would grow 🤣

[gyuseppe]

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/forum/14-memorials/

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/4/2025 at 4:56 PM, Tomas said:

It's quite low! I know Palermo city is actually frost free.

Which of the tender species surprised you the most surviving that cold spell?

I surely will post an update on my garden, but let's wait until the winter is over, it has not been freezing here in Rome since 2018 and I planted a lot of tender stuff so if taken pictures now, it could be I will have a lot of pictures to look at thinking how silly I was hoping they would grow 🤣

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Hello Tomas,your remember me?

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/3/2025 at 8:37 PM, pietropuccio said:

Hi Tomas, when will you show us your garden?

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Hello Pietro !

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/3/2025 at 6:25 PM, Phoenikakias said:

An important question equally important are the mean temperature values during winter and spring.

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Hello my dear friend!

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/3/2025 at 11:05 AM, dalmatiansoap said:

Beautiful collection! Gives hope although I'm far away from Your conditions

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Hello Ante, do you remember me? You once sent me some seeds too

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/3/2025 at 9:43 AM, Jim in Los Altos said:

Exceptionally impressive to see so many cool climate palms like Rhopalostylis and Parajubaea growing so well with the more tropical species like Dictyosperma and Hyophorbe and all thriving. 

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Hello Jim, do you remember me? 

[Tomas]

  On 1/4/2025 at 7:22 PM, gyuseppe said:

Hello Tomas,your remember me?

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Hi,surely I remember you, how are you?

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/4/2025 at 7:39 PM, Tomas said:

Hi,surely I remember you, how are you?

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https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/forum/14-memorials/

[Jim in Los Altos]

  On 1/4/2025 at 7:29 PM, gyuseppe said:

Hello Jim, do you remember me? 

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Certainly Giuseppe. Is that you on Facebook as well? I will send you a friend request. 

[8B palms]

The collect is just outstanding and beautiful, you have created quite the palm oasis. Thank you for sharing. 

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/4/2025 at 9:32 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

Certamente Giuseppe. Sei anche tu su Facebook? Ti mando una richiesta di amicizia. 

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yes my nane is giuseppe delli paoli

[Than]

  On 1/3/2025 at 8:35 PM, pietropuccio said:

 

At 1 m from the ground -3 °C

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Do you get sub-zero temperatures every winter?

[troposphere]

What a stunning collection!  Years of patience and dedication are apparent.

What measures, if any, have you been taking to control the red palm weevil?

[pietropuccio]

  On 1/3/2025 at 8:35 PM, pietropuccio said:

At 1 m from the ground -3 °C

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Advanced age plays bad tricks, not -3 °C at 1 m of height, but at ground level and only on one occasion many years ago! But already at 30 cm the temperature was above zero.

Sorry for the mistake.

[pietropuccio]

  On 1/4/2025 at 3:22 PM, Janni said:

I am deeply impressed! Beautiful collection! Although I don‘t know what impresses me more: the healthy and large palm collection or the fact, that you consider this a „small garden“ 😅

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Thanks Janni! In fact the garden is small, 1200 m² all included, but there is the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus that works to make space...

[pietropuccio]

  On 1/4/2025 at 4:56 PM, Tomas said:

Which of the tender species surprised you the most surviving that cold spell?

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Ciao Tomas,

given that I have always tried everything, even those that had no hope, such as Cyrtostachys renda (!), Dictyosperma and Veitchia were a pleasant surprise. Best wishes for a mild winter like and more than the previous ones.

[pietropuccio]

  On 1/4/2025 at 7:24 PM, gyuseppe said:

Hello Pietro !

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Ciao Giuseppe,

welcome back! Very happy to know that you are out of the tunnel, hurry up to get fully recovered, the palm trees are waiting for you.

[pietropuccio]

  On 1/4/2025 at 11:06 PM, 8B palms said:

The collect is just outstanding and beautiful, you have created quite the palm oasis. Thank you for sharing. 

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Thanks to you.
As a child I was fascinated by stories set in the tropics. As I grew older, unable to travel for various reasons, I tried to create a small subtropical oasis. 😀

[gyuseppe]

  On 1/5/2025 at 4:35 PM, pietropuccio said:

Ciao Giuseppe,

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Hello and thank Pietro, life goes on
the plants in the garden are big and producing seeds, while those in pots unfortunately all died because I couldn't water them

any news from Sergio from Sabaudia? I can't contact him, I know he was sick too, is that true?

[pietropuccio]

  On 1/5/2025 at 8:56 AM, Than said:

Do you get sub-zero temperatures every winter?

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Sorry for the mistake, -3 °C at ground level, at 1 m height temperatures always above zero.

[pietropuccio]

  On 1/5/2025 at 10:36 AM, troposphere said:

What measures, if any, have you been taking to control the red palm weevil?

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Hello,

I used Imidacloprid on the ground for several years, but now I have given up for various reasons, I let nature do its thing, as nature is doing with me (I am 79 years old) 😀

[Than]

  On 1/5/2025 at 4:53 PM, pietropuccio said:

Sorry for the mistake, -3 °C at ground level, at 1 m height temperatures always above zero.

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Dang... for a moment I thought our climate is similar 😁

You are being bombarded with questions but if you don't mind one more: Did any of your species need "extreme" protection, i.e. heaters, wrap and Christmas light etc?