Strike Three And Your Out !

[ScotTi]

I have come up with a measure to keep or remove Palms (and other Tropicals)in my garden. Each one that gets 3 stikes against it from freezes are coming out. 1 strike will be awarded to the plant that receives 60 - 80% damage. 2 strikes are awarded to plants that receives 80% and above. On a no damage year a stike will be removed. What do you think? Example this Royal would receive 2 strikes from the 2009-10 winter.

 

[Dypsisdean]

Don't know Scott. That Royal looks like it's done pretty well for you. Maybe you need to make some adjustments or award some points for seniority.

If a palm is trunking and obviously a survivor in your zone, then maybe an extra grace period of a year to allow it a chance to look good again. After all, isn't that Royal one mild winter away from being beautiful again?

 

[ScotTi]

Don't know Scott. That Royal looks like it's done pretty well for you. Maybe you need to make some adjustments or award some points for seniority.

If a palm is trunking and obviously a survivor in your zone, then maybe an extra grace period of a year to allow it a chance to look good again. After all, isn't that Royal one mild winter away from being beautiful again?

Dean, The Royal needs 2 mild winters in a row to look beautiful again. For the 11 yrs I have had it, its only looked beautiful twice. Here is a pic of the Royal as of today after 50% of the fronds were removed weeks ago. Only 1 beautiful leaf is up there.

 

[ScotTi]

Game is over for Caryota obtusa, Arenga pinnata and Raphia farinifera, why put up with these wimps only to flower and die down the road.

 

[Dypsisdean]

Well Scott,

I have to agree with your basic premise. Too often in California the conversation would revolve around, "Are you growing X & Y?" The answer would be affirmative, and then the "Wow, that's great, I can't keep that one alive, I'll have to try it again." Then when you check it out in their garden, it has two fronds, and half of them are brown.

It's like the constant talk about having a coconut in California. Why use the space, when with so many new palms now available, it could be put to better use.

For example, beautiful palms like Dypsis onilahensis and Beccariophoenix alfredii are exhibiting some really good cold hardiness, and can also apparently tolerate some heat as well. I would be trying them instead of the Royals and Caryotas.

 

[MattyB]

Good topic Scott. I've been thinking about this lately since I got a (get ready for the brag) Pritchardia pacifica to live through Winter without any frost sheets or Christmas lights or the like. It's yellow, spotty and generally unatractive at this point. I'm sure after Summer it'll look pretty good, but if it squeeks through another winter it's sure to suffer similar damage. A small ratty plant doesn't draw too much attention, but what happens when it's holding 5 large fans all with yellow and brown spots and looking like hell? I'm assuming that eventually I'll be satisfied with the conquest and put the palm out of it's misery, just like you've done with your Caryota, Arenga and Raphia.

 

[ScotTi]

Matty, I gave away a few other Caryotas (no,mitis and urens) a couple years ago that did not do well with frost. Also gave away Livistona benthamii and jenkinsiana that just did not take the high winds that blow over the lake during storms and leaves always looked like crap. Here is a photo of Copernicia prunifera ( in ground 9 years) that always looked bad in the summer with new growth twisting down, but turned up right in the winter months. It was removed this weekend. The C. prunifera was just to close to the waters edge as it only had a couple nice roots the others looked rotted. There are a few more palms in the yard that better look good soon, or they are out of here also. My words that I now live by "Why have a palm that looks bad more than it looks good."

 

[Dave from So-Cal]

Scott:

Hmm.

That "sad" royal looks better than mine!

Went outside and screamed

 

[Moose]

Scott - who made the three strike list?

 

[ScotTi]

Scott - who made the three strike list?

Ron, Spring 2011 the Royal struck out. Replaced with a Mule (growing fast) and added Crotons to the spot. Do I miss the Royal? No! Also removed the C. prunifera in post #7.