All Activity

Yes, how many would you like? I could be up for a trip depending. Itching to go to Miami for a mini-vaca

Tracy, that's interesting about the air-flow issue, I wonder if that may also make them more visible to lacewings or other predators and thus more readily predated? I realize now you probably already know this whole sequence of events during the big scale invasion and Tom Broome's article, etc, since you are obviously a skilled cycad grower for some many years now. One thing I omitted previously was that his article also stated that making a "coffee tea" with the leftover grounds and spraying this all over the top of the crown and on the leaves would provide additional benefits (if memory serves me), I assume through making the leaves very un-tasty to the establishing scale? I've used coffee grounds off and on for many years as mulch and I can't say if that made any pest-control difference for my own gardens, since I just never was conscious of any scale to speak of on anything, including any cycads or palms I was growing (and pertinent to this thread, I've not noticed any such issues with my Cyphophoenix nucele, which seems quite carefree here in the low desert). I did have a friend in Natchez who years ago installed a dozen or so mature Sabal palmetto in her yard, and a couple of years into that, they developed a terrible case of scale, all over the bottoms of the leaves...obviously not an easy fix since those leaves were about 12' above the ground. I suggested she use Harry's technique more or less, to spray water with a relatively small amount of mild dish-soap on the undersides of the leaves, and it worked...they disappeared and apparently never revisited those palms.

Life goes on with or without us, I kept telling the doctors they wouldnt listen! Richard

looks really good!

Geonoma would want at least 28 degrees Celsius, and try not to have a mix that is too wet just slightly moist squeeze a handful and if water drops come out it’s to wet, you learn the sound your after when you squeeze it and listen to that sound!

Rgr, thanks for the heads up and all the intel it’s a mix of geonoma palm seeds and passiflora. It’s too early to tell they have only been there for 1.5 months. Only 2 passiflora have sprouted so far. I will go ahead clean and repot everything asap. They were all under a heat mat at 22C, first time this happens. I’ll keep score on the progress. Best, G

Definitely an Arenga or Acoelorrhaphe. These like wet feet. If you want to go more rare, try Bactris setosa.

I also built a wonderful deck to sit on in my garden and a hothouse, boredom what’s that! And dont forget my scientist palm seed project!

My Phoenix Canariensis in zone 8a, southeast Slovenia, the pics were taken today as 17.12.25

It’s not rocket science as they say just love of palms that keeps me motivated! Iam not one that can sit around and watch life go bye just get into living!

Augusta, GA Zone 8B winter. We just had two cold nights back to back. One was down to 23 or 24 degrees I believe and the other was down to 22 degrees. Showing progression pictures from the before the first freeze of November 11th- 26 degrees for one night , after and after these two freezes. Hopefully the rest of the winter will be gentle for these palms so I can enjoy their true beauty once again when next summer comes around. I also would like anyone else to comment below with some pictures of their palms currently holding up during this winter season. These Washingtonias seem like they may hold better than the Phoenix Sylvestrises that I had in ground last year that were completely destroyed by the end of the winter. Haven’t used any additional protection this time other than christmas tree lights.

I have a Rhopalostylis sapida that is extremely upright like Troy's plant. It was labeled as "Auckland Form" when I purchased it. It's been a relatively fast grower for me in the SF Bay Area (compared to my other Rhopalostylis). My plant has been in the ground for about 12 years from a 5-gallon pot. It started flowering a few years ago, but it didn't produce any seeds until this year.

That's a great example of what a little time can do combined with effort! It's good inspiration for us all too thanks for sharing!

I believe that these are mature ones. They were dropping these beautiful açai berries all over the place. In my mind‘s eye, I seen them towering over my backyard in about 15 years.

they are beautiful ! and free to do what they want

Richard, where I live there are no snakes anymore, I have never seen such a big snake, I think that if I had seen it in my garden, I would have had a heart attack from fear

Here are some more pictures of the surrounding area

I took some pictures it has a really nice microclimate which walls and a vast tree canopy close and far from the ground. I also have a sprouted coconut on the shore of the creek(not on the island). The two sprouted coconut pictures are the same plant

Have you consulted Mavroides for this kind of protection?

Hi, Do you still have these? Are you ever in the Loxahatchee area?

Richard, thanks, that's too little. I also have to send Phoenix rupicola seeds to 2 people on this forum in Europe, but I've warned them that I'll send them at the beginning of 2026. In December, there's too much chaos in the Italian post office, and many envelopes get lost. again thanks Richard

That's particularly upright and must have caught the collector's eye. There are so many different forms around here. They would have evolved in dense forest.

Seeds are available at different times in Australia, your on the list for some next available batch. I wish to harvest my Metallica seeds but the postal service is slow now and with a lot holidays happening I will wait until the new year to harvest and post seeds out!

The shell really makes your plants pop out. I can't imagine where you found so much of it. You're very lucky. You are right to be concerned about excess calcium creating "nutrient lock". However,it has been my experience that the slow release over time does not harm the plants. The white shell you were using appears to be 120,000 years old and not from the beach. I would imagine it would cup the water with its shape and also cup fertilizer. A thorough soaking of the area should wash the fertilizer into your substrate. It's St Augustine Florida so the soils going to be sandy. I would recommend frequent applications of nitrogen over time.