Do large Bismarckia transplant well?

[DoomsDave]

Howdyall:

Someone in the Ventura California area would like someone to dig their Bizzy with about 20 feet of trunk and is willing to let them have it for free.

I've heard differing stories on how well they move.

Experiences, anyone?

dave

[trioderob]

they are the most famous of all palms for not transplanting well when large

[Zeeth]

I don't know how the nurseries in Miami do it, but they're pretty common palms to plant as landscape specimens in Florida. I think they're root-pruned months in advance though.

[Daryl]

From what I've seen they are not the easiest palm to move, but certainly can be transplanted. We root pruned one a few months before transplant, and couldn't get back to water it in a very dry spell. It lost a lot of leaves because it was so dry. It was then transplanted and has survived to this day, growing a new crown, although not entirely regrown yet.

[Gonzer]

You'd have problems with just 20 inches.

[Jeff Searle]

Wow....this So-Cal hood is a tough go.

[Ken Johnson]

It is easy to do if you do it right. You know the drill Dooms....

[rick]

  On 7/17/2015 at 12:16 AM, Ken Johnson said:

It is easy to do if you do it right. You know the drill Dooms....

So I get that some palms are more difficult to transplant than others but are any palms untransplantable? By that I mean are there any palms that once planted into the ground can't be moved without killing it?

[robsp2000]

I see these all the time installed on the sides of highways in Miami. They have 10-12 feet of trunk. I've seen probably 50 one day with supports on them and they definitely had the lower fronds taken off.

[Dave-Vero]

There's also been mass plantings of Bismarckias along roads. A small forest of them on the Florida Turnpike toward Ft. Pierce.

[_Keith]

I was under the impression they were extremely difficult to transplant when small, but not when large.

[Danilopez89]

I've seen BIG BOXED specimens with at least 8' of trunk almost die from the planting shock. I would not try it myself. I'd rather have a pro like KenJ. dig it. But after seeing your KO transplant, I say you can dig that 20 footer yourself Dave. One shovel, one man, one bizzie. Do you dare...?

[Ken Johnson]

  On 7/17/2015 at 3:17 AM, rick said:

  On 7/17/2015 at 12:16 AM, Ken Johnson said:

It is easy to do if you do it right. You know the drill Dooms....

So I get that some palms are more difficult to transplant than others but are any palms untransplantable? By that I mean are there any palms that once planted into the ground can't be moved without killing it?

There are some I would like to try...Lodoicea?

[DoomsDave]

  On 7/17/2015 at 5:46 AM, Danilopez89 said:

I've seen BIG BOXED specimens with at least 8' of trunk almost die from the planting shock. I would not try it myself. I'd rather have a pro like KenJ. dig it. But after seeing your KO transplant, I say you can dig that 20 footer yourself Dave. One shovel, one man, one bizzie. Do you dare...?

No. I don't dare.

[Josh-O]

NO....NO....NO.....

I just had a buddy dig and crane out a specimen with 25' of clear trunk. last year.(HOA 35')

not a good outcome

[Brad Mondel]

No. The answer is no.

And I saw a free one on Craigslist that was about 9' clear trunk. It's too risky to move.

[LilikoiLee]

The nursery where we purchased our Bismarckia warned us to make sure we put it where we would never want to move it because it had very sensitive roots and should not be moved. An internet search supported that statement. It's great to know that some people have transplanted theirs without problems, but if Bismarckia are expensive there as they are in Hawaii you might not want to risk it.

Lee

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

Preparation is the key. Root prune beforehand. they are indeed temperamental from containers, but well prepared large trees are moved all the time here in FL. But once moved, they should be well watered for a good while, which in CA might be an issue???

[doranakandawatta]

  On 7/20/2015 at 9:14 PM, LilikoiLee said:

The nursery where we purchased our Bismarckia warned us to make sure we put it where we would never want to move it because it had very sensitive roots and should not be moved. An internet search supported that statement. It's great to know that some people have transplanted theirs without problems, but if Bismarckia are expensive there as they are in Hawaii you might not want to risk it.

Lee

having been a Bismarckia killer, I confirm what Lee is saying.

Guilty Philippe

[DoomsDave]

  On 7/22/2015 at 5:33 PM, doranakandawatta said:

  On 7/20/2015 at 9:14 PM, LilikoiLee said:

The nursery where we purchased our Bismarckia warned us to make sure we put it where we would never want to move it because it had very sensitive roots and should not be moved. An internet search supported that statement. It's great to know that some people have transplanted theirs without problems, but if Bismarckia are expensive there as they are in Hawaii you might not want to risk it.

Lee

having been a Bismarckia killer, I confirm what Lee is saying.

Guilty Philippe

I'm the Bismarckia Dr. Mengele by comparison.

I've killed them all.

[OB Burt]

Some people up the street had a 6-8ft one installed, don't know if it was a transplant or boxed. After a short while they decided they didn't want it and their neighbor 2 doors down took it. That's been about 3 years now and it still lives.

I have had bad luck with silvers but my green bizzie has been with me for over 15 years. However, it is about as slow as a Livistona Chinesis

[SouthFLA]

Mature bismarckia is VERY easy to transplant, but it must be done the right way. Most mature fan palms should be relocated in this same method: Remove ALL the fronds and keep the root ball saturated for at least 6 months after the move. Root ball size is irrelevant and advanced root pruning is completely unnecessary.  Most run into problems when they try to move a palm with a full or partial head of fronds - not recommended. Move palms in the warmest time of the year for best results. Below are some photos of Bismarckia nobilis (silver Bismarck palm) being relocated along the FL Turnpike in Miami FL. The move is usually done on the same day with no advanced root pruning. This method has a 98% survival rate. The palm pushes out a full head of fronds within 1 - 2 years afterwards. The last photo is 4 - 6 months after transplant, you can see the new fronds beginning to develop.