The Red Tease - get on with it please!

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

OK, so close, this is a trailer only, in a couple more days, it's gonna be the real show! I don't want to miss the West Coast Santa Cruz premiere of a combustible adventures. But what a tease, it looks bright red.

Meanwhile, there are other reds to keep me busy: livistona rigida:

And the bizzie is just starting to swing from purple-red to silver. It looks cool with the reddish color, but I can't wait for the silver.

It's such a gift that chamberyona macrocarpa is so happy in our climate. I threw mine in the ground a few years ago thinking I was just flushing money down the toilet, but $15 for a liner wasn't that bad. Not only did it grow despite me totally neglecting it (lack of water in the Summer and zero fertilizer), but it's putting on new fronds in the middle of Winter. Given that we clock some 1200 hours of chill annually, it's nothing short of a miracle that this thing grows here. it sees mid 30's for many Mornings in the Winter.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Half way there, one more day?

[JEFF IN MODESTO]

Axel, Yea these guys are pretty hardy.

I can grow them without damage in the shade of my side yard and still get nice red leaves for about 2 weeks at a time.

I planted one a little bit away from my house and it lasted about 5 years without damage. Then one year it hit 24f-25f... BYE Bye.

Jeff

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

5 years out in the open is pretty dang good in Sunset zone 14/USDA 9b. I would have protected it if I were you. But I understand you don't like to bother. I am in USDA zone 10a (31F extreme average low) and it should theoretically be possible to grow it in the open I'd rather not bother having to worry about it. I keep mine by the house or under the canopy. I think I have 4 or 5 of these scattered about under the oaks, a couple of watermelon and regular ones of different ages and sizes.

Do you have a bismarck out in your front yard yet? You seem to have the ideal front yard for it, right where i dug out that white sapote and that banyan tree of yours that is loving it here.