More crotons

Phil Stager

Esteemed Member
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04/07/09
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Finally got rid of one old ilex bush - first two pics - to make room for some more crotons - last two pics. Crotons will go in the ground this weekend.
 

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Hi Phil:

Please, what is the name of the ivory colored interrupted croton on the left? Does it stay that color?

I'm sure your new planting addition will be lovely...
 
It is an un-named variety. It is more of a pale yellow due to a lot of sun. I also have one in more shade and a bit better color. The pale or faded yellows should turn pink later in the year.
 
Phil - I don't mean to hijack your thread but, I recently did some removal renovations just to accommodate 1 Palm & 1 Croton. This area was heavily shaded by a queen palm that had outgrown my needs. It was planted 16 years ago to provide shade and was meant to be removed when the understory plants got established. It ended up being a "not got round tuit" situation. The Syagrus romanzoffiana got so tall, I could no longer reach the brown fronds with a pole saw with an 16 ft. extension ladder. So, off with its head. :eek:
 

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The trunk was left a bit tall because of the orchid growing on the trunk that has been there for years. It blooms 4-5 times a year and has smallish orange flowers. It is a hybrid, Ascsenda Su-Fun Beauty "Orange Belle". A cross of Vanda Bangkapi X Ascosenda Pralor.

The second photo shows a budding inflorescence this evening. :)
 

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Next is the stump of the Phoenix roebelinii also planted 16 years ago. This palm kept crawling along the ground looking for sun. The spines got old when it needed the dead fronds removed. It also was very stretched. :(
 

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Located behind the Queen palm is a stretched European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) that was planted 16 years ago. It not only got shaded by the Queen palm, a very large Crepe Myrtle was over shadowing it as well. The Crepe Myrtle was removed. I was very suprised as to how hard of wood the Crepe Myrtle had. I love Crepe Myrtle but this one had not bloomed in three years due to heavy shade. :(
 

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A very stretched Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis) got topped. I dug out the center of the trunk and planted a Alcantarea imperialis pup in the void. This palm was just to the west of the Queen Palm. :rolleyes:

The second photo is another "topped" stretched Bottle Palm. The tool seen is being used to create a void to accommodate another bromeliad. :p
 

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Adjacent to the Queen Palm, this Calyptrocayx spicatus was found to be infested with palm aphids and ants. This palm was not doing very well and i assumed it was struggling due to the last two winters. While treating for the pests, I found that three inches of roots were exposed when the mulch was removed. A ring of rocks was placed around the palm and soil added to cover the roots. Amazingly it has responded very well in just two weeks. :rolleyes:
 

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All this work (two days) went on just to add 1 palm and 1 croton. I empathize what is involved with Phil’s project.

1st photo: This palm was positioned here for protection from the north winds in the winter, Pelagodoxa henryana.

2nd photo: The Columbiana was planted in this location for the same reasons. :)

3rd photo: Overall view.

Phil - what Coccothrinax species is that looking to get planted? :confused:

Yes Randy, less shrubs - more crotons. ;)
 

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Good luck with the Pely in the ground! No idea of the species for the small Cocothrinax; another missing tag.
Also a few pics of the completed project taken the other evening; and when I turned around 180 degrees, had to take a few of the thunderheads illuminated by the setting sun. Any other projects of this sort can wait until cooler weather.
 

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That looks awesome Phil. Next year at this time it should be another signature area of your garden! :cool: Do you know from whom you got the Coccothrinax? Maybe Mike Harris (Caribbean Palms) in Loxahatchee? :confused:

The Pelagodoxa henryana has got hurt the last two winters. Coupled with some neglect on my behalf. It is in a protected position and I can throw a blanket over it if it gets too cold. Figured it would do better in the ground keeping the roots warm. Got it from Action Theorey Nursery.
 
Ron , I think Pelagodoxa in Coral Gables needs no north wind protection. Paul Craft has been growing his in Loxahatchee for many years with good success. My big potted specimen has seen mid 30's inadvertently a few times without damage. I would not "test" it at temps lower than that.
 
Phil - The reason that I wanted to know if Mike Harris (Caribbean Palms) was the source was to help narrow an ID down. As you may well be aware, Mike collects his seeds from Cuba. Your Coccothrinax has thin leaves and distinguishes itself from the other Cuban Coccothrinax that Mike grows. My original gut instinct was that you have a Coccothrinax hiorami. There is one in the Moose Land I got from Mike as well albeit too shaded and stretched. I went to the palm and dug through the mulch to look for the tag to get proper spelling. I can't find the tag so a new one had to be made. If you lose a tag to a coccothrinax, it is usually hard to get an ID later. I am pretty certain you have a Coccothrinax hiorami there. :cool:

Ray - Claude's nursery is usually 5-6 degrees F colder than my place during the cold fronts. If they are surviving in Loxohatchee, that is great news. I also wanted some wind protection so the leaves will hopefully remain entire and not get "torn" into pinnate form. :)

Moose - yes, the Cocothrinax probably (but not positively) came from Mike Harris; tooooo colod here for Pelys....
 
That Craft Pelagadoxa in Loxtahatchee must have been protected.I good friend of mine had 10 (15 gallons size) and he lost all 10 in the freeze of 2010.They were in a greenhouse but it was not warmed.It hit 31 and they were all toast.I would try and find a place that gets some protection from North winds.
 
Mike, Paul's Pelagodoxa is pretty much in the open just north of his driveway and at 10 feet tall or so, would be pretty tough to protect. Aside from irrigation, his garden is pretty much on its own. The Pely took a beating but is alive and well. Like I said, my 4 foot tall potted one accidentally stayed out for a few mid 30's last December and got some tip damage only. It was inside for the really bad stuff in January 2010. Like Joey palms, I think this one can take down to near freezing without much problem but anything below that is lethal. There's a whole list of tropical palms I grow in containers that can handle the 30's with minor damage but a few degrees lower would do them in completely. The size of Paul's Pelagodoxa may also be helping it limp through the cold snaps we've had. He mentioned to me earlier this year that the palm had sent out an inflourescence. Perhaps this was cold induced. I doubt if a smaller one like mine would have survived the January 2010 cold at his place.
 
Wow ,I too have seen some super tropical palms survive seemingly impossible conditions.There is a sealing wax in Palm Beach close to the turnpike that has survived the last two winters unprotected.It has me scratching my head as more cold tolerant palms (cabada) in the same garden croaked.I think Paul is a lucky dude as he got a genetic mutant.The fact that is is flowering probably shows how stressed the palm was.I want some seed from that pelegadoxa as it is probably a super strong variant.
 
If you do not fertilize after September 1, this gives the palms a chance to "harden off". Not being in active growth and pushing new tender leaves when the cold fronts arrive is most beneficial. A feeding of K-Mag, Potassium and Magnesium sulfates, in September is another practice that is beneficial for cold weather tolerance. The elevated potassium hardens off the plant. The magnesium is an important mineral to aid in cold stress prevention. According to Dr. Jeff Block, higher levels of magnesium in a palm during cold events acts like plasma. You need Potassium and Magnesium in balance as they are co-dependent for the palm to metabolize (according to Drs. Timothy K. Broschat & Allen W. Meerow).

K-Mag should also be used on the crotons in September as well. According to Dr. Frank Brown, Potassium is an important mineral salt for hardening off crotons for the Winter's cooler temperatures. :D
 
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