Beccariophoenix alfredii

[Jdiaz31089]

Following Dave's advice, I've been generous with the amount of water I give beccariophoenix alfredii - and boy does this palm love it. This palm doesn't even bat an eye in full sun and endless weeks of 110 degree weather. 

[Jdiaz31089]

Lots of water + lots of heat = lots of new growth

 

 

[Jdiaz31089]

A couple of the beccario's friends this morning - Wodyetia burificata. I also just planted bougainvillea "Mauna Kea" against the brick there. It's a white-flowered, thornless bougie (!!!). I've read that the white flowered varieties aren't as cold-tolerant as the the standard reds/purples but I figured i'd give it a shot. This bed gets full sun and has excellent drainage. If I have any chance at growing tender tropicals, this spot is the spot they'd grow in. 

 

[Jdiaz31089]

Dypsis decipiens, slow but steady grower. Also, a purple-tinged bismarkia is photo-bombing in the background, and brahea armata behind that. 

Edited August 29, 2017 by Jdiaz31089

[Jdiaz31089]

Phoenix rupicola - how long do you think it'll be before it trunks and starts going vertical?

[Jdiaz31089]

Lastly, Sabal yapa. This is in my shade garden and only gets early morning sun.

[topwater]

1 hour ago, Jdiaz31089 said:

 I also just planted bougainvillea "Mauna Kea" against the brick there. It's a white-flowered, thornless bougie (!!!). I've read that the white flowered varieties aren't as cold-tolerant as the the standard reds/purples but I figured i'd give it a shot. 

 

Nice alfie!  Thornless Bougie!!!  Whats your USDA grow zone?  I love to look at Bougies (your red one is really lighting up), but I dread having to touch them, ouch, ouch, and ouch . 

Edited August 29, 2017 by topwater

[Jdiaz31089]

7 minutes ago, topwater said:

Nice alfie!  Thornless Bougie!!!  Whats your USDA grow zone?  I love to look at Bougies (your red one is really lighting up), but I dread having to touch them, ouch, ouch, and ouch . 

Yea! I thought the same thing when I saw the bougie. They had a handful of them at a local nursery by my house. Most of their plants are propagated on site and they tend to have some pretty neat stuff. I was surprised by the lack of spines on this one. I have several bougainvilleas - San Diego Red, Barbara Karst (in the picture), California Gold, and now Mauna Kea. I love bougies, but like you, hate having to get up close to them. The spines are murderous and somehow always find a way to stab you. I've had the long spines of Barbara Karst go through my shoes! I really hope Mauna Kea grows just as well as the others. 

I'm in USDA zone 9b/Sunset zone 9 (not sure if you are familiar with sunset zones). We're in what Sunset calls the "banana belt" of central, inland California. Cold air drains to the lower-elevation sunset zone 8, which is interestingly also USDA z9b. We are usually spared from the heavier frosts that occur just a few miles west. 

[Jdiaz31089]

20 minutes ago, topwater said:

Nice alfie!  

Here's a better pic. Behind it, a rambunctious reclinata.  

On another note, I should really stop planting unfriendly, spiny plants. 

[topwater]

32 minutes ago, Jdiaz31089 said:

Here's a better pic. Behind it, a rambunctious reclinata.  

On another note, I should really stop planting unfriendly, spiny plants. 

I know, I can't help it either.  I just planted 6 more (Juanita hatten ?) to hide the ugly back side of my office.  I suspect I will live to regret it.  I bet the white bougie will do well at your place, they seem to be cold hardier than they get credit for. In 9b TX they will defoliate with a freeze but they come back like the wrath of God. 

[topwater]

Man, I'd love a big reclinata and rupicola both, sweet. 

[Jdiaz31089]

These were both 5-gallon plants two years ago. They grow fast with plenty of water and heat. 

 

I just noticed you were in TX. Hope you're all alright down there!

6 minutes ago, topwater said:

Man, I'd love a big reclinata and rupicola both, sweet. 

 

[DoomsDave]

8 minutes ago, topwater said:

Man, I'd love a big reclinata and rupicola both, sweet. 

Maybe when the water recedes?

Reclinatas would stand a chance, I think, though Rupies are a bit tender to the cold.

[quaman58]

Randy (Inland palms) is growing the P. rupicola in Beaumont, which gets it's share of cold every winter. It's definitely more cold sensitive than most Phoenix, but is trunking & looking better & better. I'm glad to see the Beccie doing so well at your place; looks great!

[topwater]

6 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

Maybe when the water recedes?

Reclinatas would stand a chance, I think, though Rupies are a bit tender to the cold.

How do they compare with roebellinis, those dudes are like weeds here?

[DoomsDave]

1 minute ago, topwater said:

How do they compare with roebellinis, those dudes are like weeds here?

They freeze at 20 F, from my experience. Maybe lower in wetter conditions?

Worth a try, in any case. Just give reclinatas some room. They can be the best barrier, or the most heinous nuisance with their spines.

[topwater]

11 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

They freeze at 20 F, from my experience. Maybe lower in wetter conditions?

Worth a try, in any case. Just give reclinatas some room. They can be the best barrier, or the most heinous nuisance with their spines.

Thanks, good to know. If it ever hits 20f here, it will be an unmitigated palm disaster.  This town will be solid dead queens and roebellinis as far as the eye can see.  I'm sure it will happen one day, hopefully after I kick the bucket    2011 was by far the worst winter I've seen, several days in the upper twenties low around 24, 25 I think. Nothing else has been close since 1990 at least. 

[Jdiaz31089]

2 hours ago, topwater said:

I bet the white bougie will do well at your place, they seem to be cold hardier than they get credit for.

I got a picture of Maona Loa bougainvillea at lunch. Completely harmless

 

[topwater]

2 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

28 minutes ago, Jdiaz31089 said:

I got a picture of Maona Loa bougainvillea at lunch. Completely harmless

 

Wow!  I'm in love. When I googled, one place said its a dwarf bougie. True or not true? 

[Jdiaz31089]

52 minutes ago, topwater said:

 

Not sure if it's a dwarf actually. I read both that it is a dwarfed variety, and that it can grow to 15' tall and wide. I'm not sure which is true. 

[necturus]

20 degrees didn't kill all the queens and roebellini here. I've only seen one big queen that died out of hundreds. Small ones croaked, of course. A good number of roebellini died, but a surprising number made it. Bougies died to the ground, but a lot have came back with a vengeance and are blooming.

[topwater]

2 hours ago, Jdiaz31089 said:

I got a picture of Maona Loa bougainvillea at lunch. Completely harmless

 

Wow, you're touching it and I don't see blood, must be the real deal.  If they get big, I need 6. Ill gladly dig up my babies and replace. 

[topwater]

I bought six of these on close out, couple of bucks a pop.  Would be so happy to have an unarmed variety.  Thanks  

 

 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2017 by topwater

[topwater]

53 minutes ago, necturus said:

20 degrees didn't kill all the queens and roebellini here. I've only seen one big queen that died out of hundreds. Small ones croaked, of course. A good number of roebellini died, but a surprising number made it. Bougies died to the ground, but a lot have came back with a vengeance and are blooming.

Good to know.  Houston seems to be a real sweet spot for queens. In CA I gather they are too water needy, in FL they evidently have nutrient and fusarium problems,  in Houston you can plant and ignore. I guess their ubiquity here goes under the category of, if it's inevitable, might as well relax and enjoy.   A well grown queen really can be a knockout palm. 

[Hammer]

1 hour ago, topwater said:

Good to know.  Houston seems to be a real sweet spot for queens. In CA I gather they are too water needy, in FL they evidently have nutrient and fusarium problems,  in Houston you can plant and ignore. I guess their ubiquity here goes under the category of, if it's inevitable, might as well relax and enjoy.   A well grown queen really can be a knockout palm. 

Queens grow like weeds here in CA.

[DoomsDave]

16 minutes ago, Hammer said:

Queens grow like weeds here in CA.

In more ways than one

Sorry

hadda say it!

[topwater]

6 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

4 hours ago, Jdiaz31089 said:

I got a picture of Maona Loa bougainvillea at lunch. Completely harmless

 

Wow!  I'm in love. When I googled, one place said its a dwarf bougie. True or not true? 

[topwater]

Sorry, couldn't get rid of that. 

[topwater]

16 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

In more ways than one

Sorry

hadda say it!

No more than everywhere else. ROFLMAO 

Edited August 30, 2017 by topwater

[sonoranfans]

21 hours ago, topwater said:

How do they compare with roebellinis, those dudes are like weeds here?

roebeliniis seem to be about 2-3 degrees more cold hardy than rupicolas.  

[donalt]

I know this is probably taboo to say, but I "over fertilize and water" my palms for years. They look amazing, growth is phenomenal. Only caveat is you should curtail fertilizing by September so that they are not too active during winter. In the event of threatening cold, it's not advantageous to have a flush of tender new growth that is so susceptible to the cold. Otherwise, go for it !!

 

[Alberto]

8 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

roebeliniis seem to be about 2-3 degrees more cold hardy than rupicolas.  

I don´t agree at all, Rupicolas are a lot frost hardier.

[Silas_Sancona]

On Tue Aug 29 2017 15:43:51 GMT-0700, Jdiaz31089 said:

Not sure if it's a dwarf actually. I read both that it is a dwarfed variety, and that it can grow to 15' tall and wide. I'm not sure which is true. 

While it can be kept shorter, I've seen it reach 15'.

Best " dwarf, and totally Thorn-less" Bougainvillea is " Torch Glow", which is also called Hawaiian Torch in some places. Very common landscape staple around town here and can be kept to whatever height you want. Is considered more of a bush type and doesn't grow as fast as the vining/ scrambling types ( San Diego Red, Calif. Gold,  Barbra Karst, etc)  Makes a nice Bonsai subject both in the ground or in a container. Smaller, more closely set leaves, tighter branching structure, and takes full sun/ nuclear heat with ease, and doesn't seem all that cold sensitive. Probably takes about as much cold as your standard Boug. Have seen nice specimens even in the colder sections of town. While flowers are smaller, more are produced per cluster. Stunning in bloom and not nearly as messy when the bracts fall off.

While the Megenta- flowered type is the most commonly sold here in Phoenix, the series also includes White, Orange, and pale Pink flowered varieties. Wish I'd have grabbed one of all 4 colors before leaving Florida. Not sure why the other colors aren't seen in nurseries here. They are the only bougs, besides the tree type( B. arborea) that supposedly has fragrant flowers, I'll grow.

I'll try and get a couple pictures of some specimens across the street tomorrow.

[Jim in Los Altos]

2 hours ago, Alberto said:

I don´t agree at all, Rupicolas are a lot frost hardier.

I fertilize the heck out of my palms in mid to late October and it makes the existing foliage much more cool/cold hardy than without fertilizing. I'm willing to risk a tender new frond in the winter in order to keep the rest of the palm tougher and more vigorous during our long cool season.  It's worked really well for me. My several neighborhood P. roebelenii often show bronzing or browning of leaf tips during frost events and mine never do and stay deep green as do my more tender palms.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Jim in Los Altos

[Jdiaz31089]

That's good to know. I'm willing to try that out.

15 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

I fertilize the heck out of my palms in mid to late October and it makes the existing foliage much more cool/cold hardy than without fertilizing. I'm willing to risk a tender new frond in the winter in order to keep the rest of the palm tougher and more vigorous during our long cool season.  It's worked really well for me. My several neighborhood P. roebelenii often show bronzing or browning of leaf tips during frost events and mine never do and stay deep green as do my more tender palms.

 

[sonoranfans]

On 8/30/2017, 6:51:00, Alberto said:

I don´t agree at all, Rupicolas are a lot frost hardier.

Cold hardy and frost hardy are not the same of course.  Frost tends to be more severe closer to the ground and the roebelinii is notably shorter when both are full grown.  When I lived in Arizona my yard hit 21 degrees overnight in 2007 in a radiational cold event.  My roebelinii, with no overhead nearby, was burned to the ground but came back fairly quickly.  My rupicola of similar small size(3') had survived a 26F degree event a year earlier with minimal damage, but was killed outright at 21F  I cannot speak for frost as I dont have any roebeliniis in my florida yard, but my rupicolas took a fairly heavy frost at 28F and didnt flinch.

[Josue Diaz]

Here's a 1 year update on this palm.

[GottmitAlex]

2 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

Here's a 1 year update on this palm.

Looking good!!!

[RedRabbit]

How important is well draining soil for BAs? I’ve got a spot I’m thinking about putting one, but water tends to pool there after it rains. I was going to put a majesty there but there may be a change of plans on that.

Edited April 4, 2021 by RedRabbit

[rprimbs]

19 hours ago, RedRabbit said:

How important is well draining soil for BAs? I’ve got a spot I’m thinking about putting one, but water tends to pool there after it rains. I was going to put a majesty there but there may be a change of plans on that.

Ours is growing clay-dg with no soil amendment.  It's been in that spot about eight years.  Gophers got the older ones I didn't cage.