http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2052/
Any Texans out there who have this tree. One of the Florida comments mentioned that they are cheap and plentiful....but not from what I've seen in Texas. It is the only palm I've seen that seems to be clean (nice smooth trunk) and not as much dead leaves to die....anyway....was at a HD and they had smaller ones for 30 bucks each! Quite a deal since the large ones I've seen all summer at HD's are going for almost $300.
Problem is I bought and then checked it out on Dave's. I'm a tad disappointed about the fruits that it drops and the heavy bushels of pollen stuff that clump up in there. Seems hard to imagine cleaning it since the trees get sooo large.
But I have them and will put them in....near a patio. Any tips on care would be great. Some questions the link didn't answer is about how much do they grow in a year AND what is the life span on these? I'd imagine not much since they grow fast.
Thanks in advance!
Queen Palm Tree....
Hi TNN
I don't have that palm, just wanted to say it's pretty.
When I first moved to Texas I wanted a palm, because we couldn't have them up north. So I put in 3 Mexican Fan Palms. They are pretty but you don't want to get close to the trunk, it will rip you to shreds.
Ouch! That seems to be a characteristic of many palms...the trunk or the fronds attack! LOL. That's why I'm no fan of the saga which is extremely popular in Texas...though it does look better trimmed up like a tree.
I used to have some of these in Mexico, they are a great tree and I found that the birds ate most of the fruit, the wind took the pollen, but the mess I had to deal with was the droppings left by all the birds. I would not plant these near a patio but a little farther out in the garden. This is one of the best palms you can grow but I have never seen one live through a frost.
Mitch,
Thanks for the info. Yep, I've read about the frost in all the comments on it. I guess I'll give it my best shot!
Maybe an electric blanket? lol
HA! I've heard that banana trees die back to in the frost...but that they will come back...and heard the same about the queen palm? Guess we'll test that theory. =)
Palms and banana trees do not have the same growth habits. Most bananas will not regrow from the same trunk but rather new shoots, the old trunk dies. If you palms head dies there is not side shoot to grow.
I must have the exception.... my banana always grows back up from the same trunk... it also has pups but the main trunk has come back for the last three years. Each year it is just larger around.
I think that y'all are missing one important link here: once the mother trunk BEARS it dies - if it doesn't bear it will continue growing.
ah.. thanks... I haven't ever gotten any fruit off this thing! *giggle
Mine either renatelynne!!!!!!
I get fruit off mine only IF I keep it inside for the winter
mitch! I would have to dig the thing up first! It was hard enough digging to put it in! *giggle
They just look so pretty even without the fruit...but I did read an extensive thread (think in tree forum) on banana trees and I kid you not...there is a Canadian who can get fruit from his banana tree and it's planted outside. There were tons of interesting ideas on how to protect it from the cold from piling hay all around it and dressing it with Christmas lights to keep it warm...etc.
I don't claim to be an expert at anything except putting my foot in my mouth but I understand that it takes several months so overwintering w/o any frost damage will let a banana make 'nanas. Down at Cape Carancahuah which is on St hwy 35 smack dab between Palacios and Pt. Lavaca we have a house on the water(200' ft pier, etc) and a ton of banana trees that cover one side of the tool shed. We have had several good batches of bananas. We only planted 1 banana there about 15 yrs ago. We cut them off the "tree" while the were still green and hung them in the garage to ripen. Sure are good! Also have an avocado tree there and it's at least 12 yrs. old..Forget what they say about avocados bearing when they get that old. That dude never has and I don't expect it to. Maybe I need to think positive....
Looks like the "norther" is hitting but taking its sweet time here near Katy. Oh for some stew and cornbread for dinner.....
Ann
I want chili when it's cold
How am I to know which one I have? There are 2 listings on Dave, one with only 2 comments, both favorable and another with mixed reviews:
http://davesgarden.com/ps/search.php?search_text=queen+palm
I'm not a big palm fan at all but if I were to plant one, the only one would be the queen palm. I do think it's pretty and elegant. Good luck!
knolan: i totally agree--not a fan either, especially the mean saga palm---but saw the queen in the valley and was quite impressed!
TNN, try showing it on the Plant Id forum, maybe someone can tell the difference.
I like the Pindo Palm...it's smaller than most and really pretty.
Here is my favorite palm. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2223/index.html In TX you would have to bring it in on cold nights. They sell these by the thousands here and you have to be in Z10 to put it in the ground. I picked seed in Feb and planted them. They are just starting to emerge from the soil.
ooooohhhhh.....that is a pretty palm.
Wow, the trunk is beautiful!
Florida is blessed with some extraordinary palms...Spindal plam
In Tampa we are about as far south as Corpus, but, because of the ocean infulence we have a milder climate.
Most of our palms are from very warm climates.
We have landscape plants that most Americans think of as house plants.
We are lucky here, we have palms of all kinds. Too bad it is so darn humid.
dale: holy wow LOVE the fan palm in your yard!!! gosh that first pic you posted is awesome!
Tir_Na_Nog,
None of the above palms are in my yard. I only have the Areca. My front half of this duplex is 12X15. I keep most of my plants in containers. Most the photos I post are in clients yards or the near neighbors.
This is my beautiful rental.
I saw these in a yard on my way back to work from lunch. If I had the space for them in winter I would have to have this pair at my front steps. They are one of the best for containers, all in this genus are graceful http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=veitchii&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search&searcher[genus]=Veitchia
Back when I lived in Austin I had a client in San Antonio, Castle Hills, just off the 410. One of the neighbors had planted http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/51657/index.html in their front yard. They seemed to be doing well. I would guess that south or east of downtown would be a better climate for the marginal palms that the NW Hills.
I miss being able to go to the Botanical Garden over by Ft Sam, they always had such interesting things going on summer or winter.
I lived there and completely missed the botanical gardens! I'll have to visit. =)
Darn, I have the second variety with the mixed reviews. Queen Palm Arecastrum Romanzoffianum.