Phoenix reclinata (or hybrid?)

[awkonradi]

I was on the coast in San Diego, California this weekend. Among many palms there, I was impressed with a clumping palm, which I think was Phoenix reclinata, or a hybrid or relative thereof. I have not seen these palms in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I would appreciate advice whether they could survive here. Sorry, no photographs, but they looked like any Phoenix reclinata retrieved by Google images. Thanks! Andrei

[DoomsDave]

awk!

Great to meet you!

You have come to the right place for information on palms . . . .

I'm in So-Cal, but P. reclinata will take a considerable degree of cold, down to about 20 F before suffering damage.

A lot will depend on where, exactly in Burlingame you are. If you're on an "air-drained slope" (Sunset Garden Book Zone 16) then P. reclinata ought to rock for you, no problem. Places at the bottom of hillsides will get colder, but probably still doable.

So, show us your garden!

We'll all coo . . . .

[Jim in Los Altos]

There are lots of P. reclinata in the Bay Area but you have to look for them. They do well in most of the area. If you're ever in Sunnyvale, there are some mature ones on Remington at Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd. One was kept as a double and has a tall coconut curved trunk look to it. I have some in my Los Altos garden and they've never had any winter damage. I got a neat street view google maps shot of it but couldn't transfer it to this thread.

[awkonradi]

Dave and Jim,

Thanks!

Andrei

[BeaumontTropics]

In the wise words of Dave, "Welcome to the Forum"

I started just over a year ago and a reclinata was one of the first I planted also. They are extremely durable, and can take a beating cold weather wise. A few things I'd suggest (actually recommended by Dave from SoCal...) don't bother using a rich mixture of soil. If you have native clay, they love it! Maybe throw down a little gypsum to break it up a little, but those pups love clay. Also, don't plant in January, when it's snowing. (that's a bad time to plant, evidently..) And lastly, don't soak the roots when you first plant. Just slam that puppy in the ground, backfill, and water in small doses in moderate frequency. Mine (because of the cold, i think) really rotted with too much water in too rich of a soil mixture.

Other than that, it's a solid plant I'm sure will take your climate. The forum might seem a little overwhelming at first, but most of these miscreants are harmless, and are usually very helpful. Good luck with the Palmage!

FINS UP!!

-eric

[DoomsDave]

A few other words o'wizz . . . .

P. reclinata don't take drought well. They're native to riverbanks in Africa.

GIve them room. Try, if you can, to give one at least a 6-foot-diameter circle of space; 8-10 is better. If you opt for less space, be prepared to prune out extra trunks.

You need males and females (on separate plants) to get seed.

Phoenix all hybridize promiscuously.

Full sun is best.

Will take a lot of shade, though.

Watch for the spines at the base of the leaves.

Keep us apprized, whatever you do!

[JasonD]

There are lots of P. reclinata in the Bay Area but you have to look for them. They do well in most of the area. If you're ever in Sunnyvale, there are some mature ones on Remington at Sunnyvale Saratoga Rd. One was kept as a double and has a tall coconut curved trunk look to it. I have some in my Los Altos garden and they've never had any winter damage. I got a neat street view google maps shot of it but couldn't transfer it to this thread.

There's an exceptionally beautiful specimen in the northeast part of Central Park in San Mateo. That's quite close to Burlingame.

I was at a property in Hillsborough a couple of weeks ago with a very impressive and healthy Phoenix reclinata X roebelenii specimen and several reclinata X canariensis-looking single-trunk trees.

They tend to be quite yellow in sandy soils in chilly San Francisco, though nutrition might have more to do with it than cold. Check out the specimen on 19th Avenue near Ocean Ave. & Sloat in SF. It's always been sickly yellow but continues to grow larger.

[mcwolf]

Yes, they can get big. This is so far the biggest one I have spotted in Cape Town. They grow actually quite well in sandy soil. Not sure where the yellowing in SF comes from. Maybe it's just too dry during summer?

[JasonD]

Yes, they can get big. This is so far the biggest one I have spotted in Cape Town. They grow actually quite well in sandy soil. Not sure where the yellowing in SF comes from. Maybe it's just too dry during summer?

Then it's the cold. Irrigation cancels out the summer-drought factor. After this summer I vow never to forget how darn cold it stays here.

[awkonradi]

Thanks, all of you, for the information and welcome! JasonD, thanks for mentioning the P. reclinata in the park in San Mateo. I will look at that this weekend. I live on the flats in Burlingame, so the climate at my house should be identical. The rear corner of my backyard deserves a new majestic tree (which I know may take much time to grow). I think a P. canariensis might be too huge. I think a P. reclinata, with about three trunks, might be OK. P. reclinata certainly are cool looking. Andrei

[awkonradi]

Here is the P. reclinata in San Mateo, which JasonD mentioned.