Transplanting Livistonas, allagoptera, etc...

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

After literally months of looking at houses, I finally found a good short sale property with a mortgagee willing to get the paperwork done to close a sale. Wednesday is the day! Thursday is moving day for both home contents and some of the landscape palms. The relocation is about 175 miles (250km) So, I'm posting today to ask this audience about your experience moving 3 species: Livistona chinensis with 10' (3m) of brown wood, and mature, flowering and fruiting Allagoptera. When I had the Livistona planted, it defoliated...completely. So, I'm wondering if I should simply remove the foliage. What do you think

Next, I have a nice Allagoptera that is spreading out and consuming the patio and the nearby walkway. (A case of underestimating the eventual size of this species). So, I'm going to take it with me. How easy are they to move?

Finally, I'm considering the relocation of a very nice XButiagrus nabbondii. This plant would cost between $500 and $1,000 if I were to purchase it today. However, they grow so darn fast that even if I purchased a small one, I could probably have it to this size in 3-4 years. If I have it dug and transported, I'll spend $100 so I'm wondering how long it'll take to re-establish. If its going to stall for a year, I'd rather just buy 3 small ones and push them hard.

Thanks in advance!

[Alberto]

Keith, once I transplanted succesfully a big Allagoptera leucocalyx. Not the same spcies but I suspect it will be the same.

A good rootball is never harmful also................

[KrisKupsch]

Good question, I have a Livistona mariae mariae I need to transplant, its 15 years old but has no trunk, id hate to kill it. I look forward to other peoples posts. Cheers Kris

[Tampa Scott]

Keith, I have no experience in transplanting these three palms at the sizes you have. This reply is for support in you relocating them to your new home. You show some attachment to these palms and I say "take them with you". I have seen L. chinensis and Butiagrus relocated at large sizes,but not the Allagoptera. But you stated that the Allagoptera is not in a good location, the new homeowner may just chop it down anyways. Go for it!

[Jastin]

I read an article that said to not cut any leaves when transplanting which I have done for a few palms and they have turned out great. I know others will disagree with me but it's something I read. To me, it makes sense that the plant would know how many leaves to loose and we might cut to many off. The article was about transplanting large fan palms and their root development after cutting leaves and after leaving the leaves on for the plant to decide. The ones that were not cut showed more root development.

Anyways, this is the big move I did on my decora. It was way too big of a job and I would never do it again although it was a great experience and I learned a lot. Remember to root prune!

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=29083

[Mark Heath]

Keith,

The XButyagrus will stall for a year but what the heck, give it a shot anyways is what i would say! It will grow a little but will be slower than what you're accustomed to.

I transplanted a L.Chinensis and cut all the fronds off and it did fine. Took awhile to regrow but it is beautifull today.

Good luck w/ the move and where did you get a house? Winter Haven?

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Thanks everyone!

First, I'm not selling the palms current residence. I have it rented so I won't be losing them if i don't move them.

Mark, yes, the new place is on 1.4 acres not far from where 653 intersects withThompson Nursery Road. One could go broke acquiring palms for that much ground. It's going to be fun.

Well, I guess I'll find out how they do.

[Caribbean Palms]

Keith,

I moved five large Allagoptera arenaria that hade been in the ground over six years and didn't lose a single one. That was ten years ago and they are huge now.

I cut about half the green fronds off before i dug them just to make them easier to work with. They were dug with a good size root ball and replanted the next day.

Good luck!

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Mike, that's great news. That's basically what I'm doing too. They might be back in the ground the same day.

[Walter John]

I never moved my Livistonas when I moved house, I figured they would be easy to find and grow once again. I love watching fan palms grow from scratch anyway. I say leave it and get anothery. Can't help on the others.

[Ken Johnson]

P.M. me.

[Phoenikakias]

Good question, I have a Livistona mariae mariae I need to transplant, its 15 years old but has no trunk, id hate to kill it. I look forward to other peoples posts. Cheers Kris

Hate to say it but imo the mariae is a dog as far as transplanting is concerned, evn from a pot in to the ground!

[tank]

Keith,

I grew up in Garden Grove right next to Lake Ned, off of Cypress Gardens road, about 3 or 4 miles from where you're moving. Used to ride my bike from the house out to 653 then to Old Bartow Rd to Alt 27, to Dundee then home. 10 years ago there was NOTHING out in that area other than cows and orange groves (and hillbillies trying to run me down or throw change at me ).

I moved a Butiagrus from Tim Hopper's yard and it stalled for about a year or a year and a half, like Mark said, it has since picked up.

Have to think that it would have helped if we had had time to root prune it, which we didn't. I left all of the leaves on and the only damage that I could see was from the transport from St. Aug to Gainesville.

Have fun Polk County and good luck with your plants.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Keith,

I grew up in Garden Grove right next to Lake Ned, off of Cypress Gardens road, about 3 or 4 miles from where you're moving. Used to ride my bike from the house out to 653 then to Old Bartow Rd to Alt 27, to Dundee then home. 10 years ago there was NOTHING out in that area other than cows and orange groves (and hillbillies trying to run me down or throw change at me ).

I moved a Butiagrus from Tim Hopper's yard and it stalled for about a year or a year and a half, like Mark said, it has since picked up.

Have to think that it would have helped if we had had time to root prune it, which we didn't. I left all of the leaves on and the only damage that I could see was from the transport from St. Aug to Gainesville.

Have fun Polk County and good luck with your plants.

Hey Jason,

Typical short sale - should be called "long sale". Title company just found something today...geeze, we're 3.5 months into the process. Anyway, we're supposed to close Friday now. I appreciate the feedback. Once we actually get settled, feel free to 'bike right in" if you are in the area. I'm wondering how frosty it is out there. Can't believe people throwing change at you...what garbage. People can be so simple and mean. For what??

Anyway, not sure what I'm digging up yet. Today has been a rabid dog with fleas and I just haven't had the time to consider it any further.

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

I never moved my Livistonas when I moved house, I figured they would be easy to find and grow once again. I love watching fan palms grow from scratch anyway. I say leave it and get anothery. Can't help on the others.

Wal, I have quite a few little Livistona nitida seedlings to plant. They aren't as easy to get here, and they probably don't grow as fast as they would be there. PACSOA (a site I know you know well) implies Livistonas are touchy about being relocated. I can say thats been my experience too. Don't want to lose any.

BTW, I'm going to join PASCOA once I get settled at the new place. Great site!