Palms in Melbourne, Victoria

[Daryl]

Just got back from a few days in Melbourne...brrr was it cold down there in mid-winter! Definitely not good palm weather...3 days of cold, blustery wind and rain...fortunately there was a sunny, picture perfect day in between...so I was able to walk around the botanical Gardens there without getting drenched.

Canaries and Washies are popular street palms there...these are in Albert Park, home of the Australian F1 Grand Prix

Jubaea chilensis in the Botanical Gardens...there were several old trees planted there, and several very recent plantings as well.

These recently planted Brahea armata came down from the Gold Coast about 2 years ago, and appear to be getting settled in now...one is even fruiting.

Livistona australis is commonly planted in the Botanical Gardens

This Parajubaea cocoides also came down from the Gold Coast and appears to be establishing well.

There were several different forms of Chamaerops humilis growing in the gardens...

[Daryl]

Here's a few more...

Livistona australis trying to mimic a Washingtonia

Hedescepe canterburyana...there were several of these planted and all appeared to like the climate there...

A dwarf Chamearops...very small crowns on this one

Lots of Trachycarpus fortunei around the gardens and around Melbourne city as well

Brahea armata

The 'whitest' Butia I've ever seen

[Daryl]

Washingtonia filifera...don't see too many of these back home in QLD

Canaries in the sun

Phoenix dactylifera

Livistona decora

Young Livistona nitida

Young Livistona fulva

[plantpirate]

They do have nice palms

gardens worth visiting good pics

[Miccles]

Ahh... memories !

Thanks for the photo's. I suspect that in the years to come, the Melbourne Botanic Gardens will have a host of new palms on display. They now have several members of staff who have recently acquired a keen interest in what can actually be grown down there.

Regards

Michael.

[Walter John]

The L.decora pic is a beauty Daryl, great photography.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Thanks Daryl

Were the Brahea armata and the cocoides transplanted from the " Field of dreams " ??

THe Hedyscepe certainly has grown alot in recent years !

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Beautiful palms, I'd say all those palms obviously don't think Melbourne is too cold, especially that hedycepe! Reminds me of Northern California.

[Kris]

beautiful visuals...

thanks & love,

kris.

[Daryl]

Here's a few more photos...

Various Rhopalostylis sp

Another Hedescepe with a bit of age to it...

Bizzie

Butia

L.australis with lumpy old trunk

This Jubaea was planted in 1904

[Jastin]

Great pics! I have a friend visiting from Melbourne right now!

[doranakandawatta]

Beautiful photos, Thank you, Daryl!

[Tassie_Troy1971]

another great round of pics Daryl .

The 2nd Hedyscepe is even nicer than the first .

I am surprised that the extreme 48 C temperatures didnt kill these palms 4 yrs ago !

[Daryl]

Hi Troy, I guess because they are in shade? BTW, yes, those Braheas etc came from the FOD!

Daryl

[J. australis]

Those Brahea stopped me in my tracks the first time I saw them in the gardens. Ermagerd, transplanted! I'm really glad these palms had expert treatment at the Queensland end, 'cos it has worked a treat.

They will enjoy our brutal extremes of temperature, especially the baking heat.

Much like my Livistona victoriae, planted on a pile of rocks and big on the whole freezing/ burning thing.

[tim_brissy_13]

I visited the gardens a couple of weeks ago for the first time in over a year. It's great to see everything growing so well and a few new additions (love the Parajubaea). The 3 Hedyscepes all copped a beating during the heatwave 4 years ago but have fully recovered. The smallest (I'll add a photo tomorrow) has put on impressive growth recently. The new Brahea armata plantings look great and the Bismarck is starting to establish itself.

Btw, awesome L. victoriae Jo! I've always wanted to get my hands on one of those.

[J. australis]

Hi Tim, you're welcome to visit the palms have gained a bit of size in the decade since you last saw them. And they have a lot of new friends.

[tim_brissy_13]

I've got a few photos of my recent trip to the Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens. Its great to see everything looking so healthy after a tough few years. Here's a close up of one of the three recently transplanted Brahea armatas. Already setting some seed on their distinctive long inflorescences.

And a photo of the Bismarckia that Daryl showed with myself for scale. Between friends lets just say I'm 6' (ok maybe 5'11 1/2''). This one is really taking off now, it has more than doubled since planting a few years ago. Two others in the group haven't had that burst of growth yet but are hanging in there and looking alright.

[tim_brissy_13]

The RMBG has many clumps of Chamaerops, this one is particularly large and impressive, with my much better half for scale.

The new Parajubaea coccoides is an exciting new palm for the gardens. The Melbourne gardens are undoubtedly among the most beautiful I've seen, however in terms of variety of palm specimens it falls behind other Australian public gardens. Its great to see new ones being planted and hopefully this Parajubaea will grow into an impressive specimen.

[tim_brissy_13]

As I previously mentioned, the three Hedyscepes in the gardens were all daily beat up by the heatwave in 2009. Perhaps the most famous of which of the palm lawn was burnt badly, as it receives full sun for a large portion of the day. It has now nearly fully recovered, the oldest frond attached is stunted, showing the affects from the growth point damage from over 4 years ago. This gives a good idea of the growth rate of Hedyscepes in Melbourne. I'd say the crown has about 12 healthy new fronds since the heatwave, so about 3 fronds per year. My little ones at home put on maybe 2 per year at best, so they speed up with age.

The smallest of the Hedyscepes was the least affected being in the fern gully section of the gardens. This one has accelerated its growth since forming a trunk.

[J. australis]

Those palms are not the only thing that's grown! Last time we met, I was taller than you .

I must get down to Geelong Botanic Gardens again and take pics ...gave them some Parajubs about 5 years ago and they were booming along, at last sighting.

[tim_brissy_13]

Yeah its been a while Jo. I'll have to take you up on your offer sometime soon, I can only imagine the size of some of your Parajubs that I saw as seedlings all those years ago. I too have to get back to the Geelong gardens, I've only been once and it must have been 7 or 8 years ago. I remember they had a mammoth Jubaea and a chunky Nikau just about to form trunk that must be getting tall now.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Thanks Tim for the Pictures .

That Hedyscepe has definately grown alot since i saw it in old pictures absolutely gorgeous specimen . My largest Hedy in full sun makes 3 leaves a year now as does the Lepidorrachis moreana . Howea belmoreana is only good for 2 full fronds a year .

My largest now trunking Kentia does 4 leaves a year now .

[Daryl]

Jo, have more of those Braheas available if your'e interested...

[J. australis]

Jo, have more of those Braheas available if your'e interested...

Hey Daryl, thanks for letting me know. I am sourcing some stock for a local tree nursery and would love to hear more. Would you mind sending me a PM will lots of dollar signs and brutal numbers in it?

[coops 3214]

Wow the rhopy at the geelong botanical gardens has atleast 10ft of clear trunk so there not that slow then,

[JasonD]

Washingtonia filifera...don't see too many of these back home in QLD

 

 

Canaries in the sun

 

 

Phoenix dactylifera

 

 

Livistona decora

 

 

Young Livistona nitida

 

 

Young Livistona fulva

 

 

 

I love the shot of the Livistona decora through the arms of the pollarded tree. 

[john_tas]

Great post surprised to see the bismarkia doing so well

ill be there in the next few weeks and will give an update 

[Sir Oxylon]

Tim Brizzie alerted me to the best Bismarckia in the state. When you are in Melbourne John go to Flinders Street railway station head south over the Yarra River on Swanston Street and as soon as you get to the south side there is a very impressive Bismarckia on the east side of the bridge. Better than the ones in the botanic gardens which are further down the same road.