Mule Palm Update.

[Paradise Found]

Here is my BxS from two years ago and updated photo now.  Not the fastest for me, but seems very hardy so far. Maybe 10 12 years in the ground from a seedling. 

Anyone else having any luck with this mule palm? 

[Chester B]

I was wondering how yours was doing.  I have one in the ground and another in a pot that I was planning on growing for a while before I put it out but my Greenhouse got destroyed by the ice storm so number 2 needs to find a spot in the ground somewhere.

Not much to report at this point other than it has gotten a little spotting from our winter moisture.

 

[Paradise Found]

30 minutes ago, Chester B said:

I was wondering how yours was doing.  I have one in the ground and another in a pot that I was planning on growing for a while before I put it out but my Greenhouse got destroyed by the ice storm so number 2 needs to find a spot in the ground somewhere.

Not much to report at this point other than it has gotten a little spotting from our winter moisture.

 

Looking good man, they'll be growing big in no time with the Portland heat! I didn't know you had two, thats cool.  I think I have another smaller one in the shade palm tree understory, lol. 

Yea this winter was interesting all right, last week I had snow for three days non stop and total of 14" when all done. I was out of town the whole week so nothing was protected and no palms were damaged, just one of my dyckia in a pot little discoloration but all the rest are fine. I think It only got down to 29F next to the house and 27F- 28F out in the open.  

Do you have over head protection for yours? 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Paradise Found

[Chester B]

11 minutes ago, Paradise Found said:

Looking good man, they'll be growing big in no time with the Portland heat! I didn't know you had two, thats cool.  I think I have another smaller one in the shade palm tree understory, lol. 

Yea this winter was interesting all right, last week I had snow for three days non stop and total of 14" when all done. I was out of town the whole week so nothing was protected and no palms were damaged, just one of my dyckia in a pot little discoloration but all the rest are fine. I think It only got down to 29F next to the house and 27F- 28F out in the open.  

Do you have over head protection for yours? 

No protection, I want plants that can survive, if they can't then oh well.  I always have my old standard palms to keep my yard looking good.  However because I knew about the ice I threw some cover over a few of the small palms and my big sharkskin agave.

We hit 24F and somewhere between 36-48 hours below freezing but just barely.  That's the coldest temp in 5 years and it didn't phase anything, my issue was the 1"+ of ice on top of everything.  So much damage everywhere.  Even had a 30' Eucalyptus bend over and touch the ground, how it didn't break I'll never know.  It's righted itself for the most part but is touching the house now.  I have an arborist coming over to look at my street trees so I'll see what his thoughts are on it.

I'd gladly take the snow any day.  Glad your garden is unphased.  I know your canopy always helps.

And bring on the heat!  I hope its one of those years we hit triple digits in May.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Chester B

[Paradise Found]

Oh yeah I've gotten down a few time to 8a with lots of damage and below freezing for 4 days, yikes that was cold, that year I broke a record for snow fall at 17". Thank goodness we don't see that much to often.  I like were you have yours planted with the Butia close by for comparison.

BTW the frist spring flower is in bloom today a tall abutlion that is orange.  Hummers are going for it. 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Paradise Found

[Chester B]

I have that old fashioned Abutilon that flowers year round, but they got pretty hammered by the ice.  Lots of damage to the branches.  The variegated ones I have are not flowering right now.

Daffodils, tulips are up here, and the daylilies, rhubarb and hostas are making an appearance.  I've noticed the birds are singing a lot more and the frogs are getting quite loud at night now.  Spring is definitely on the way.

[Paradise Found]

14 minutes ago, Chester B said:

I have that old fashioned Abutilon that flowers year round, but they got pretty hammered by the ice.  Lots of damage to the branches.  The variegated ones I have are not flowering right now.

Daffodils, tulips are up here, and the daylilies, rhubarb and hostas are making an appearance.  I've noticed the birds are singing a lot more and the frogs are getting quite loud at night now.  Spring is definitely on the way.

Here's two plants to get for early spring growth (If you don't already have them), you've got to have... podophyllum spotty dotty really cool leaves and great dark red flowers. 

 

 

And the other early grower is cardiocrinum giganteum, nice to have big shinny elephant like leave in April, lol. 

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Paradise Found

[Chester B]

I don't have either of those.  I know Germantown Gardens here had a wack load of the Cardiocrinum bloom last year.

Your mule palm is looking great, how tall is it?  Tough to tell from pics

[Paradise Found]

Just now, Chester B said:

I don't have either of those.  I know Germantown Gardens here had a wack load of the Cardiocrinum bloom last year.

Your mule palm is looking great, how tall is it?  Tough to tell from pics

Mule is 7'-8' tall, leave are getting longer and longer.

[Chester B]

Much bigger than it looks, it's hard to get a sense of scale in a mature garden.  Very queen looking, I would be happy if mine ever reach that size.

[Paradise Found]

8 minutes ago, Chester B said:

Much bigger than it looks, it's hard to get a sense of scale in a mature garden.  Very queen looking, I would be happy if mine ever reach that size.

What? If you got the cash you can get bigger mule palms in WA in 24" boxes. check them out here... don't know how much but I bet its a big shinny penny. 

https://www.palmsnorthwest.com/mule-palm.html

Edited February 24, 2021 by Paradise Found

[Chester B]

There is only one place locally that sells them, but they are so expensive.  4 footer is about $200, I see the people in Florida buying the same size from Lowes for $79.  They also have ones much larger than the ones you've shown but the price is kind of insane.  The ones in the video are either $800 or $1000 each - no joke.

 

[Paradise Found]

13 minutes ago, Chester B said:

There is only one place locally that sells them, but they are so expensive.  4 footer is about $200, I see the people in Florida buying the same size from Lowes for $79.  They also have ones much larger than the ones you've shown but the price is kind of insane.  The ones in the video are either $800 or $1000 each - no joke.

 

Looks like my kinda place to shop, or at least look around. The one here, also sells King palms A. cunninghamiana, queen palms to tender for me beside you get a better price at the BB stores. Jubaea, Parajubaea torallyi one worth protecting if your into that, which you're not. lol. 

I'm not either into protecting out of my zone. 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Paradise Found

[Chester B]

14 hours ago, Paradise Found said:

Looks like my kinda place to shop, or at least look around. The one here, also sells King palms A. cunninghamiana, queen palms to tender for me beside you get a better price at the BB stores. Jubaea, Parajubaea torallyi one worth protecting if your into that, which you're not. lol. 

I'm not either into protecting out of my zone. 

Jubaea seem to be fine here, although you never see them, I think the price really puts them out of most people willing to give them a shote.  I have seen some blogs from local people with pretty big non trunking ones in their yards.  I have so many small Jubaea I don't know what to do with them all, I did give a bunch away.  There are two planted in my garden and I suppose I will add more as they get bigger in their pots.

I do have a bunch of queen palm seedlings from Ebay that I am growing out, I might keep one in a pot until it gets too big.  Some people have luck bringing them in the garage for a couple months.  My garage has high ceilings and southerly facing windows so it might work.

That same nursery has a wackload of Parajubaea cocoides, but they are some serious cash for a marginal plant that will need protection some/most? years.

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Chester B

[Fusca]

15 hours ago, Chester B said:

There is only one place locally that sells them, but they are so expensive.  4 footer is about $200, I see the people in Florida buying the same size from Lowes for $79.  They also have ones much larger than the ones you've shown but the price is kind of insane.  The ones in the video are either $800 or $1000 each - no joke.

That is high.  Sounds like Moon Valley!

[Chester B]

25 minutes ago, Fusca said:

That is high.  Sounds like Moon Valley!

This nursery is a really good one and their prices are very reasonable and they will often times work with you on prices.  I know in speaking with the manager that they paid a substantial amount for them a few years back, so they can't let them go for a loss.  It is what it is, I can't fault them for it.  If I were to factor in shipping on palms the size of theirs it's probably a break even situation.