Bismarkia Noblis in California

[el-blanco]

Since Bismarkia Noblis is tough as nails in So Cal I am wondering why is it not used more?  Your opinions??

Did you see the shot Peter Griffith took over at the Travel section of this site?  This is a shot he took :

I would love to see these planted more!!  This has got to be one of the best palms IMO.

Thanks for posting Peter!

Jeff

[Jim in Los Altos]

I think we'll be seeing more and more of them in southern and northern CA. When you see them in large numbers being sold at Lowe's and other large stores, there's no question that you'll be seeing more of them planted locally. The two I planted three years ago are getting big fast and more and more people are asking me what kind of palm they are.

[sonoranfans]

Bismarckia prefer a dry winter season, and wet hot summers, like on madagascar.  They grow well in the hot and dry here in AZ.  I suspect they will grow best in good draining soils in socal(offsets the wet winter), and better inland a bit for the heat that they crave to grow fast.  Perhaps they are not as numerous due to the large number of choices for palm growers in socal.  they also require a good open area, shouldnt be crowded with other trees, and they dont like shady areas.  They are all over here now in the nurseries, 15 gallons of 5' tall or so for $99.

[paulgila]

that is a good price for a bizzie that size.15 gal sizes here are closer to $300!

[MattyB]

I think you're thinking of 30 gallon sizes Paul like the ones at Home Depot.  Jungle Music has 15 gallons for between $150-$175 I'm pretty sure.  Jungle Music's seem to be more silver than the Home Depot ones lately.  I think Home Depot gets some rejects.

[Peter]

Kevin Weaver is one the best sources for Bismarkia's in Socal-great plants at great prices.

[paulgila]

(MattyB @ Jan. 14 2008,14:50)

QUOTE

I think you're thinking of 30 gallon sizes Paul like the ones at Home Depot.  Jungle Music has 15 gallons for between $150-$175 I'm pretty sure.  Jungle Music's seem to be more silver than the Home Depot ones lately.  I think Home Depot gets some rejects.

don't tell me what i mean,bradford!!!

ok,thats what i meant.

[MattyB]

Yeah, Kevin can really bake'em out there in Lake Elsenore.

[osideterry]

I think many people are hung up on fan palms in general. I showed some nice box-sized Bismarckias to a lady while working at Tropical Vibe. She said "Ug-OH!". She thought it was just a big grey washy.

By the way, I found a monster one in a residential yard in Vista last week. Huge. I'll post picture soon.

[deezpalms]

I've seen an increase in interest of bizzy's lately. I've also noticed more and more of them in peoples yards across San Diego. We've got a lot of really nice ones in 24" boxes that we sell for $250 at my nursery.

[sonoranfans]

(pohonkelapa @ Jan. 14 2008,14:41)

QUOTE

that is a good price for a bizzie that size.15 gal sizes here are closer to $300!

That is one of the few cases where Az prices would be better.  I saw nice CIDP 5 gallons(over 2 ft tall) at the home depot for $19.97.   Washingtonia robusta, queens, and chamaerops are also about that cheap this time of year for a 5 gallon.  I sure would like to be in driving range of a place like Jungle Music or JD Anderson for the great variety though.  But then again, my wife and I would probably just buy everthing in sight.

[paulgila]

those a nice,dave!

[sonoranfans]

here is one I planted this past april.  It was a ~7'tall 20 gallon, and at the time had 3 unopened spears.  I paid $199 for it.  This one opened a spear in mid november after a rain, the pic was taken right after the spear opened(in nov).  this palm saw 30 days of 110F weather this past summer, right after planting.  I used vermiculite, sand and compost to ammend the soil and dug a big trench around it.  I am still stunned at how well it came through our record heat(31 days of 110F+) for a first year plant.  It also opened 4 palms this year, its first year.

[Tad]

here is my first bismarckia, grown from seed, transpalnted twice, 8 years in its current location, total age about 12.

[Tad]

3gallons, these sell for 10.00 each, I am going to line the front of the farm with these this spring it will take about 40 of them.

[deezpalms]

(pohonkelapa @ Jan. 14 2008,12:48)

QUOTE

those a nice,dave!

Another good thing about our bizzy's is that we've been growing them here in Escondido, ca for almost two years so there is no acclimation time needed. Just plant that sucker n' watch her grow!! They get a really silver color to them due to the hot, full sun they get all day!

[Tad]

these go into 3's in about another month.

[Joe palma]

I think the biggest reason people don't buy them is that they are not tropical looking, aren't green and are a fan palm, which a good portion of people don't like.

I've met many folks who won't give them a second look.

Only us palm enthusiests get it! There awesome!

I have 15g, 4' plants for $80 (sorry, couldn't help myself!).  

[Tad]

Joe has a valid point, if its not a dypsis a lot of "palm" people dont give them a second look. They also can be a little intimidating for most folks who have smaller yards.

[Daryl]

How can anybody not like a Bismarckia?  Over here we don't have many Washies compared to California, so I guess the general public still likes fan palms.

I don't know how people can lump the two species together as 'fan palm' though. IMO there is no comparison.

Daryl

[paulgila]

wow,those are amazing!

[FRITO]

those bismarks are nice! Tad is yours starting the sway outward due to the jungle to the left? I don't think ive seen a bizzie with any "lean" before.

my bizzie is pushing through its first winter.....spring can't get here fast enough for it though.  It just decided to open a new frond this weekend after a nice rain, however the spear is only half way pushed up. ???

it needs heat and sun!

[sonoranfans]

(Daryl @ Jan. 14 2008,17:05)

QUOTE

How can anybody not like a Bismarckia?  Over here we don't have many Washies compared to California, so I guess the general public still likes fan palms.

I don't know how people can lump the two species together as 'fan palm' though. IMO there is no comparison.

Daryl

Now thats a beautiful brace of bismarckias.  Those fans must be 8' across.  Only a idiot could confuse them with washies.  I guess you aussies have less idiots.  Every palm newbie that comes over my house marvels at my juvenile bizzies, and two of them even went out and bought some(their first palms).

[Palmetro]

(deezpalms @ Jan. 14 2008,15:46)

QUOTE

I've seen an increase in interest of bizzy's lately. I've also noticed more and more of them in peoples yards across San Diego. We've got a lot of really nice ones in 24" boxes that we sell for $250 at my nursery.

Nice palms!! how old are they?? Is it true thas bismarckias cannot be transplanted???

[Ken Johnson]

Bismarkias can be transplanted. Any palm can be transplanted.

[mnorell]

I think one of the reasons many Californians don't see the qualities of Bismarckia is just because there are so few large specimens to be seen there at present. Since most SoCal people rarely (or never) visit Florida, they don't see the potential, and it will be some years no doubt before large specimens begin to dot the landscape and make an impression. But I will wager that anyone who visits southern Florida and sees the utterly magnificent stands of huge Bismarckias in freeway plantings, or lined up as field-grown specimens down in the Homestead/Redlands growing-ground areas, cannot help but be slack-jawed at their magnificence. Together with Roystoneas I think there is no other palm (save perhaps Corypha umbracelifera in flower) that can compare as a majestic beacon for attention!

The way to get a move on for this species in Cali is for somebody to put into motion a huge planting of these in the Coachella Valley, around P.S. or Rancho Mirage, and then you just watch people start to take notice...

[Kris]

Seeing your stills i thought even i will drop by...

but by zone happens to be 11 plus  

[Kris]

. .

[Kris]

they grow well in plastic water bottles & small sized pots too,as for the popular belied that they are deep root sinkers...

but for faster grouth bigger pots are preferred !

[paulgila]

(krisachar @ Jan. 15 2008,01:29)

QUOTE

Seeing your stills i thought even i will drop by...

but by zone happens to be 11 plus  

kris that is a great looking bizzie you have there!

i am curious where you get those black containers & what their original use is???

i hope married life is agreeable to you.

[Kris]

Dear Paul  

Thanks for the comments on the Bizie lady(Bismarkia Silver Form)..

And all those barrels that you have seen in all my post is avaliable in plastic scrap yard,where these are sent to the factories they have come from or sent to recycallying units near-by !

And these containers basically bring in soap oils for the detergent manufacturing units and for the paint manufacturing units.and they keep these barrels all cleaned-up,all one has to do is give a wash using cleaning powder used for cleaning our cooking vesels..and they are also cut open by the scrap vendor himself to our requirement.and believe me the prices are unbelievably low.

very huge barrel good condition cost me no more than 3 dollors and i bring them in my car..

And since i pay very little it gives me a liberty to destroy it while i have difficulty in removing the stuck palm...

And now to my married life,yeah its going fine at the moment.and she seems to be a flexible and open minded person.so i do not have any confrontation with her or idology clash..rest is in god's hand.since what is there in the books i don't know..but i have realised the joy of companion-ship ! a lonely person is an island to himself !which i was before joining this forum.you all have influenced my life in a great way_i cannot forget that..

lots of love to you_Paul,

Kris  

[happ]

(mnorell @ Jan. 14 2008,22:21)

QUOTE

I think one of the reasons many Californians don't see the qualities of Bismarckia is just because there are so few large specimens to be seen there at present. Since most SoCal people rarely (or never) visit Florida, they don't see the potential, and it will be some years no doubt before large specimens begin to dot the landscape and make an impression. But I will wager that anyone who visits southern Florida and sees the utterly magnificent stands of huge Bismarckias in freeway plantings, or lined up as field-grown specimens down in the Homestead/Redlands growing-ground areas, cannot help but be slack-jawed at their magnificence. Together with Roystoneas I think there is no other palm (save perhaps Corypha umbracelifera in flower) that can compare as a majestic beacon for attention!

The way to get a move on for this species in Cali is for somebody to put into motion a huge planting of these in the Coachella Valley, around P.S. or Rancho Mirage, and then you just watch people start to take notice...

Michael

Do you have any photos? & agree about the roystoneas in S. Florida [there are stands of royals in Miami that make me weak in awe  

BTW California gardeners love Florida  

The point about Bismarckia size is the problem for small lot gardens.  Unless this palm can tolerate shade there's no room in my garden    

Hotels are good sites for bismarckia [unlikely CAL-TRANS would properly water freeway plantings.

[el-blanco]

Nice photos everyone!!  I saw a spot in Dana Point that needs a commando planting of a Bizmarkia.  I think I may contact the city and see if they will buy one of these for an area and I will plant it for them free.  Dana Point has lined the main thoroughfare with Trachy's and Washies.  It looks nice but too much of the same thing.

Dave - Those at our nursery look great!

Jeff

[gsn]

Just my thoughts,

Dave mentioned in his travel thread!

(pohonkelapa @ Jan. 14 2008,23:56)

does everyone have a beautiful huge bizzie in the front yard there?  

very cool,actually.

Dave from So-Cal

They really don't do that well here, no not really.

Which 'splains a lot . . .

Maybe like the dypsis decaryi (triangle palm), which seems to struggle during your cold WET winters. I have heard of them rotting at the trunk base/ roots out there!

The Bismarckia nobilis maybe doesn't really like cold wet feet in the winter,or the prolonged cool spring? Maybe because of your climate it will be hard for them to really flourish once in ground? Maybe that is why you don't see many of the large majestic Bismarckia out there?

[Tad]

(FRITO @ Jan. 14 2008,17:59)

QUOTE

those bismarks are nice! Tad is yours starting the sway outward due to the jungle to the left? I don't think ive seen a bizzie with any "lean" before.

my bizzie is pushing through its first winter.....spring can't get here fast enough for it though.  It just decided to open a new frond this weekend after a nice rain, however the spear is only half way pushed up. ???

it needs heat and sun!

yeah its trying to get away from some of the other stuff in the bed, I plan on fixing that this spring thee are 2 or 3 liivustona chinensis that are getting a little tooooo rowdy back behind it, and a roystonea that  my wife stuck in way back when .

[Exotic Life]

Bismarckia pretty nice palms! Good picture's in this treath too!

Robbin

[palmaddict]

Here in San Diego I believe many of the Bizmarkias being sold by the box stores are in fact seconds from Florida.  They have a lot of green in the frond and lack the silver-gray that one hopes to have in the palm.  Attached please find two photos of Bizmarkias for sale in North San Diego County that are 15 gallons and the seller is asking $30, an amazing deal!!!!!  Nice color to them as well.  Please PM if you want the details.  I already have seven Bizzy's on my acre lot so no room for more.

Patrick

[palmaddict]

Second Shot:

[sonoranfans]

(palmaddict @ Jan. 15 2008,20:11)

QUOTE

Here in San Diego I believe many of the Bizmarkias being sold by the box stores are in fact seconds from Florida.  They have a lot of green in the frond and lack the silver-gray that one hopes to have in the palm.  Attached please find two photos of Bizmarkias for sale in North San Diego County that are 15 gallons and the seller is asking $30, an amazing deal!!!!!  Nice color to them as well.  Please PM if you want the details.  I already have seven Bizzy's on my acre lot so no room for more.

Patrick

Actually I have found that Bismarckia change color after rooting(2yrs) sometimes, and tend to green up a little on new spears, that then "silver" as they age.  Some of mine are blue/silver as opposed to silver.  Ambient lighting matters in the color, as the transmitted light(through the palm) has more green or blue and the reflected light more silver.  My most silver bizzie(pic in "groupings" thread) was planted as a greenish palm and changed to a silver/blue one.  When I first plant them, they look a little rough, greenish and worn.  If I use a flash at night to take pics, they always look silver(not blue or green) as the amount of transmitted light is nil with a flash.  A very strong dose of sunlight changes their color by altering the amount of transmitted light.

Dont mind me, Im just a nerd that studies the interaction of light and matter for a living.