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Above normal temps and below normal precipitation. One good one bad. Predictions are a wet fall/winter with a scorcher of a summer for 2027.

Damn that thing is beautiful. More than I deserve. Sprouting seeds maybe sell the babies.

Initially I read that Brahea wer just a no-go in Fl, so I didn't try any. But I have a Nitida and Clara doing well for years. I had to move the Clara because it was in a low-ish shady area that had way too much rich soil. It survived the move to a full sun and high-and-dry area. It took a year to start growing again, but should eventually look nice! Similarly, try Copernicia Alba for a sunny spot!

I figure I better start up one of these threads as I have a feeling it may be a dramatic year. Anyway, it has been pretty warm here. Wales had 25-26C today and I had 22C here. Tomorrow it will be 26C / 79F in London… The fires are already back with a vengeance, despite many places having the wettest winter on record. The past few weeks have been pretty dry and warm however. 5 active fires at the time of writing this, but it is the Marsden wildfire has been wrecking havoc. All the roads in the area shut off. Helicopters coming in tomorrow. We will see what the maximum is tomorrow in London. I would say 25-26C but it may reach 27C. I have a feeling the fires will be out of control the next few days…

I'd go with variegation, it doesn't look like a nutrient deficiency to me.

Update 4/10/26: The newest spear that was starting to emerge pulled. Poured some H2O2 in the crown and dried it out as good as I could. Will continue to monitor. No rain in the forecast for the next 7 days and likely beyond, so little to no risk of water getting into the crown aside from H2O2 if I decide to do that again. Might do the H2O2 + Daconil next time.

" " very " interesting " stuff encountered while out on " Operation Scotch Bonnet " ... Which i did not find, unfortunately. Then again.. While no name Coffiea arabica starts do show up at this and other local nurseries so often, don't recall ever seeing large plants like these anywhere, here esp. These are Geisha. ..Of course i picked up one of the no names to trial both indoors and out under the back patio. Standard Guava, Strawberry < and/or Lemon Guava > and some Dragonfruit var. i did not get a name next to the Coffee plants in this same block of edible Tropicals .. Surprisingly large < for local nurseries " > Plumeria " Singapore " specimens. Furcraea ..macdougallii?? i think.. Nice sized Aloe Ferox ..Labeled as such anyway.. First time i have ever seen decent - sized Bursera fageroides in -any- nursery, esp. any non specialty nursery outside Tucson . $ = a pretty good buy for the size. Not uncommon to see these in nurseries here but, ..seems everyone has them in stock right now.. Calliandra haematocephala, the big leaved / big - sized form. Another " new " Mandevilla.. Mandv. X " Fired Up " ..A likely cross involving one of the rarer / obscure sps from Brasil. Flower color is actually more intense than is captured in the shots. Perfect shade of mid range Orange, with hints of Red and Magenta.. In my hands to trial as soon as i find a smaller sized spec. On a side note: If you are still calling the bush - type Mandevilla " Dipladenia " stop it.. That name hasn't been correct since the genus was lumped in with Mandevilla, back in 1933. Only reason it is still muttered? the ole' timer, Home Despot -esque end of the Nursery / Hort. trade. If you want to be taken seriously as a plant person, don't tie yourself to old, Home Despot - level plant knowledge. ...As inaccurate as calling Hippeastrum " Amaryllis " In that case, they are 2 separate Genus.. Amaryllis = 2 species from South Africa. No native sps in the New World. Both are terrestrial. Hippeastrum = 116 currently known species native exclusively to the New World. A few are epiphytic. ...Anyway.... First time ever seeing Medinella on a shelf at -any - nursery in AZ. These are M. myriantha. Anthurium polystictum... Some ...eeUGGGEE Ficus microcarpa / nitida.. Canopy like this is what you want if you want to grow sun tender palms / other " tropical -esque " stuff that can handle our heat / " cold " in a very sun savaged climate /part of the world.. If i had the space, this is exactly the kind of yard - level microclimate i'd be in the process of developing, only using trees like our near -native Ficus sps instead of any non - natives., others like TX. Ebony, Mesquite, Ceiba, and Pseudalbizia sinaloensis.. BIG, High - canopied trees that provide BIG, high canopied shade that can face the heat.. ...Speaking of Palms? Not the happiest looking specimen, ..but.. ..A rare sight in a local nursery now that might be a steady flow tomorrow???... ..As mentioned, no luck finding any Scotch Bons.. Lots of Reapers, Ghosts, and Bhut Jaloka on the tables though.. Settled w/ a Chocolate Hab. for now.. Digging around after getting back to the house, that might be fine for the " 100+K level Hot Stuff " Pepper trials since there appears to be a mild / Sweet Scotch Bonnet variety that is easy on the heat, but will provide the same Scotch Bonnet flavor for Jerk and hotter Southwestern inspired recipes.. That + the unique flavor profile < and heat > of the Choc. Hab. should make for some interesting eats.

Jubuteasaurus albertoii

My interior NorCal/Sacramento suburb garden: Bauhinia bloom bonanza this month. Keeps local hummingbirds well fed (B. candida and B. blakeana). That's a Butia yatay in the foreground.

Tag says Aiphanes horrida (cannot find this)

Jubea the Hutt? 😜 or Jubea the But (pronounced like the first syllable of Butia)?

Greetings! Just a reminder this weekend is the Spring Fever plant show and sale in Winter Garden, FL. The CFPACS will be hosting a booth and will be offering a variety of palms for sale. Here is a list of available palms for sale on Saturday. Hope to see y’all there! Price List April 2026.pdf

Nice. Last picture I took of mine was 2023. Bad me. LOL Will get a new one as soon as the rains stop, maybe 3 days from now as we getting "another" Kona Low. This was a 1 gal in 2020.

Hello everyone thank you all for your advice, what I end up doing was removing some of the granular fertilize on top of the soil, and we had few days of rain and looks like its getting better, tomorrow I will try to take some pictures and post them here, thank you all once again!

This year will be more of a work-in-progress year. A lot of stuff has been removed, a lot of stuff will be added. This year might be the year of the Brahea and Livistona plantings. The success of Brahea edulis here has been a motivator to bring more species from this gorgeous genus in for a try. The bed was condensed to a circular scallop bed to make room for a path in this area. Due to the success of Brahea edulis thus far, the former desert bed is getting an expansion with copious trials of Brahea aculeata, Brahea brandegeei, and a few Brahea 'Icy Blue'. All but one of the plantings was grown from RPS seeds picked up last year at this time. About half of the bed is still empty, but there are more Brahea armata, Brahea dulcis, and Brahea 'Icy Blue' waiting for their turn. There might even be a Nannorrhops ritchiana here at a later date. Start of desod - notice how un-Florida-like the soil is here A few views of the first plantings in this area. More to come.

It is a disgrace that the St James Park station has been offline for 2-3 months now! Goodness knows how warm it would have recorded yesterday, but I suspect at least 27C there. I screenshotted the PWS’s near to it. Look how warm they were, although it is central London with UHI. I had 26C here… I see some places managed 23-24C today as well. I had 22C here at 1pm but a cold front came in and dropped it back down to 15C by 5pm this afternoon. Like the Fremantle Doctor. Very windy as well. How is this for crazy as well… Barcelona in Spain hasn’t recorded a temperature above 21C yet this spring. Yet. And London has already had 26-27C.

Here's my Bauhinia lunarioides, raised from seed, now in bloom too!

Saw this specimen today on my way to pick up grandchildren from school:

Most of the flowers are on the ground

Went by this P. elipticum today and got better pictures. Huge specimen. Got 2inches of rain yesterday and wind.

Progress:

Oenothera pallida by night, Pt. 2 ..Daylight.. Sidewalk Shorty " at night... ..and in the morning.. Shyer - planted specimen.. 🤔 Thinking it's time to double up on the special fert. this year to balance all the growth accelerating N from years of feline deposits here.. As big as it is now, it should be covered in flowers.. Trusty, potted specimen.. Calla Lily hybrids trials Ipomoea hederacea = two weeks from sprouting to flowering = crazy.. Bursera schlectendalii, Male / Pollen - bearing specimen. Clitoria mariana w/ more colored new foliage.. Flowers starting to form already too. Oxalis sp.. A weed ..of sorts.. but stays short like the Dichondra, green 96% of the year, and lures in any and all Nananthus iole and some other smaller flutter butts passing by ..so, it stays..

Standing by.

we are plannng on opening up Sabal palmetto Bridgeport WED April 8th,2026 after the cold weather passes; what a winter 2025-2025 In early 2026, Bridgeport, CT, experienced significant cold, with a low of 2°F recorded on February 8, accompanied by record-setting cold high temperatures of 17°F and dangerous wind chills. A cold weather protocol was also activated in January 2026. Temperatures in March 2026 are ranging from the mid-20s to mid-40s°F. Key 2026 Temperature Details (Bridgeport, CT): February 8, 2026: A low of 2°F was recorded, which was 23 degrees colder than the normal low for that date, according to CT Insider. Record Cold: On Feb. 8, 2026, the high only reached 17°F, setting a new record for the coldest high temperature, breaking the previous record from 1994, CT Insider. Wind Chills: Wind chills were dangerous, falling to between -10°F and -20°F on Feb. 8, 2026. The palm has seen colder temperatures The lowest temperature recorded in Bridgeport, CT , over the last 20 years was -6°F (-21°C), set on February 14, 2016.

The freeze put a beating on the garden and all of the other gardens in the area. Most of the tropical and subtropical palms in the area suffered heavy damage or are dead already. More will likely die as the temperature rises and fungal infections spread. Some of the palms that I figured would die are still alive, and some that I figured could survive the onslaught are slated for the bone pile. It's not all bad news. The last 15 years were a period of experimentation and success with the survivors of 2010 and their offspring proliferating. After this event, there will undoubtedly be less of a local seed stock. Whatever is left has certainly passed a big test in regard to advective cold. Come spring, the garden will begin to take on a different look. There should be more open space and some different plants taking their shot at becoming staples in the landscape. With recent rainfall patterns and winters not as amenable to growing true tropicals, there is a garage full of more cold-and-drought tolerant species that are slated to make an appearance. Stay tuned