Palms In Switzerland

[Dypsisdean]

Discussion thread for PALMS IN SWITZERLAND.

Marcel,

Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences. We love palm crazed people here, and you fit right in.

 

[fairbt]

Marcel,

Palms in Switzerland seems like an oxymoron. You mentioned the planting of palms many years ago, but are there any known "native" palms in Switzerland? Also, do you know what makes the palms you show in your note cold hardy. Is there something special about your Swiss palms versus let's say southern Italy palms?

 

[marcel]

There are no native palms in my country. For that it is too cold.
Except the south of Switzerland has got the perfect clime for Trachys.
The closest incidence of native palms from here is Chamaerops humilis at the mediterranean coast in northern italy.

But still an established Trachycarpus fortunei can be very tough and takes 5° F with no damage for a short time. I think it's more the healthiness of a palm that makes them hardier and of course also the origin.

Marcel

 

[marcel]

Since the weather has warmed up some of my palms have shown real bad damage. The two groupes of Chamaedorea radicalis have completely last their foliage. The same also the Sabal minor. But now I know for sure that its place is not sunny enough and it can not built up its full hardiness. It gets only filtered sun from 9am - 1pm.
For the Ch. radicalis I will pot them up again and just hope they may come back.
Their place is full shady, and that's probably not the best for my clime.

Some days ago I passed by at a countryside nurserie and I was very surprised to see a beautiful big specimen of Sabal minor! I have never seen any of them in my country. The one I have was from Germany.
Because of the good price I could not resist. Back home I tear out two
old rhododendron bushes and gave my front yard a bit more of a tropical touch!

Planting palms in my country is a game of losing and winning!

Marcel

 

[Eriksji]

I know of a Palm Nursery in Switzerland. His name is Marco Stänz in Losone Switzerland. He is also in a band called the High s. Great guy.

 

[Eriksji]

The nursery name is Magic Garden.

 

[bubba]

Marcel, Thank you. Palms in Switzerland is rather amazing to me!

 

[marcel]

Hi Eric,
Thank you, I will have a look at the magic garden when I'm next time there in ticino, southern Switzerland.

Bubba, it's not only amazing. It is totally exciting!!!

Marcel

 

[Dypsisdean]

Amazing enough to be included in the soon to be released Online Interactive Palm Magazine. Stay tuned.

Marcel, if you have any updated info, or new pics you would like included in the article, please upload them or let me know.

 

[marcel]

Dean,
Chamaedorea radicalis and sabal minor didn't look good after last winter as you can read in post #4, but all the rest is o.k.

My largest attention is directed to the butia x parajubaea hybrid that I have planted out this spring.

Marcel

 

[palmnerd]

Hey Marcel that Sabal minor is huge! I'll have to read back through some of your earlier posts to see what zone you're in. Have you thought of trying the Sabal x texensis? I think it is a natural hybrid of Sabal minor x Sabal mexicana.
It is a trunking form that seems to be the hardiest Sabal with trunk. I know there is the legendary Sabal sp. birmingham. As I understand it, that palm takes ages to grow a trunk. I don't know how long the x texensis take either; but maybe it's worth a try! Nice Sabal, marcel!

 

[marcel]

Sabals need a lot of heat to have good growth and produce their full hardiness. And that we don't have too much here.
Unfortunately also my free space is very limited in the mean time.

Marcel

 

[palmnerd]

Sounds fair with regard to space Marcel, my thought with regard to Sabals and heat is that you must have paid out a sum for that minor and it has the same love of heat as well. Anyway, when the mood strikes you to rip out other non palms consider the x texensis none the less. You'd be the only one in your area with that one.

 

[marcel]

I'm also the only one here with a sabal minor!
Actually it was not that expensive, it cost 250 $.
First I believe it will take our wet winters better than a x texensis, then there are no x texensis around here to buy, and when they would cost at least tree times that much.

Marcel

 

[marcel]

BTW, my S.minor looks very healthy and it has a healthy, big root system. But the spear has not moved a bit since I planted it?
Any thoughts?

 

[palmnerd]

Sabals as a rule don't like the transplanting process, from my experience. And the plant is going to spend it's first growing season or two putting down more roots. So it may take a while.
Sorry you don't like the Sabal x texensis idea. For about ten Euro or less you could order a pack of ten seeds from Toby's rarepalmseeds. Raise them in containers for a few years and sell off what you don't want. At least that's what I would do. The palm would turn into a huge tree within ten to fifteen years and cause a lot of commotion. But, enjoy what you do have and good luck!

 

[marcel]

BTW, my S.minor looks very healthy and it has a healthy, big root system. But the spear has not moved a bit since I planted it?
Any thoughts?

Now the spear has moved! But not as I wish!
A few days ago I recognised a brown spot at the emerging spear what looked like rotting to me.
I gave it a light tug and then I had it in my hand.

Why did it rot? What happened?
It has just been planted and was not exposed to frost since then.

Any thoughts?

Marcel

 

[ScotTi]

Marcel, Sabals are tough palms treat with copper fungicide or peroxide (pour into crown) and it should pull thru the bud rot. Scott

 

[marcel]

Thanks Scott, I will do that.
Unfortunately, this year it never stays dry for longer than two or three days.

Marcel

 

[palmnerd]

Marcel, Can you build a canopy over the palm to keep it dry? There is a lot of info on Sabal spear pulls at the following site.
http://members7.boardhost.com/PennHardyPalms/index.html?