Tropical Palms & Other

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by Sirius, Apr 25, 2016.

  1. Sirius

    Sirius Total Gardener

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    I have just gotten back from 2 weeks in Orlando.

    Saw some fantastic Palms and other plants.
    Really makes me wonder why I bother.:scratch: Struggling to keep a few cr*ppy tropicals going :yikes:

    Here are some palms to start:

    Bismarkia nobilis:
    IMG_6031.JPG

    Sabal palmetto

    IMG_6300.JPG

    I will post more photos as I get a chance.
     
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    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      I tried Bismarkia once, kept it going for a few years in a warm conservatory but it was never going to make it here.
       
    • longk

      longk Total Gardener

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      Because there is no point if it is easy :heehee: That's the fun bit for me anyway.
       
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      • Sirius

        Sirius Total Gardener

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        A variegated Hedychium
        IMG_6188.JPG

        longk,
        I like the tropical look.
        I grew up in the Southern Hemisphere and had an amazing garden which I gave up when I came to the UK. I suppose in some way, I am still trying to re-create that oasis that I once had :sad:
        Anyhows......
         
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        • Sirius

          Sirius Total Gardener

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          A few years ago I had a Hyphorbe.
          It eventually died but another fantastic Madagascan palm that we can't really grow here :sad:
           
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          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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            Pretty sure I have a plant of that variegated ginger, but lost the label and cant remember the name.:scratch::biggrin:
             
          • Sirius

            Sirius Total Gardener

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            Some interesting Crinums:

            Crinum asiaticum

            IMG_6315.JPG

            Crinum amabile

            IMG_6122.JPG
             
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            • longk

              longk Total Gardener

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              They grow that in the pool in the Lily House at Oxfords Botanic Gardens..................
              [​IMG]
               
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              • Sirius

                Sirius Total Gardener

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                Bambusa spp (I forgot to note the exact species)
                Would be fantastic if we could grow these here

                IMG_6028.JPG

                IMG_6029.JPG
                 
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                • WeeTam

                  WeeTam Total Gardener

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                  Its always a bit disheartening when abroad seeing all those lovely exotics and then flying back to grey cool Britain.
                  Having said that a large roll of fleece, a garage/shed,and a greenhouse/conservatory can enable the growing of many a exotic. Its just a short season,frustratingly.
                  Ive got the usual suspects, chusans, sago`s, black and yellow grove bamboos, yukkas, agaves, brahea armata, chamaerops humulis.
                   
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                  • pete

                    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                    If I could grow Bamboo like that, I'd probably be doing it.
                    As most of the ones we can grow are pretty unimpressive I've just never bothered.
                     
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                    • Sirius

                      Sirius Total Gardener

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                      WeeTam -
                      Yes, if the season was longer, there would be so many more exotics we could grow. Quite a few are hardy over the winter. But don't really get going in the summer. A few palms come to mind. Only throw up one or two spears at most. And their growth is sooooo sloooowwwww.

                      pete -
                      Not entirely true. There are a few bamboo that get decent sized culms in the UK. Phyllostachys and Chusquea come to mind.
                       
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                        Last edited: May 6, 2016
                      • JWK

                        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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                        There are some really impressive clumps of this just down the road from me at Wisley, it's nigh on impossible to find suppliers (at a sensible price) so I've grown some from seed last spring. So far they are about 6" high - they are very slow growing so I'm unsure I'll ever get to see mine 18ft tall or so.
                         
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                        • Sirius

                          Sirius Total Gardener

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                          Jungle Giants used to sell a species or two
                          I believe they have now been taken over by Bowden Hostas, but will still continue to sell bamboo.

                          As for being a sensible price......I got my C gigantea about 5 years ago. Paid quite a bit for it, but it has done well for me, so was worth it.
                           
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                          • strongylodon

                            strongylodon Old Member

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                            If we had anything remotely like warm summers here (I mean Dorset) my palms would be twice the size, the sandy soil attracts the frost so they struggle in winter and summer.

                            My Phylostachys nigra's new stems get bent and destroyed by Sparrows every year, they can't take their weight and fold over.:frown:
                             
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