7A Mule progress over years

[WSimpson]

That is a nice palm Allen .  

I have my Butia which gives me a lot of satisfaction , maybe similar to that beauty of yours  . Mine took a little bit of a beating during that 6F last winter ,  but it's been relatively mild so far  this year ( 15F ) ,  so without any other Arctic air coming down ,  it should be really nice next summer . 

Will

 

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Looking great @Allen! Considering what it's been through. I know you protect them but I'm a little curious about your microclimate. Your house is brick+, near rock and concrete+,and the 6ft vinyl fence+. I guess my real question is about the pool,do you heat it because I've never seen it closed in a photo. If it's heated that certainly adds immensely to the microclimate. The added heat in the soil would be a+++. My pool is a skating rink

Anyways

Looks great 

[SeanK]

Too bad you didn't plant that mule closer to the 2nd story window. Hindsight is 20-20.

[ChicagoPalma]

Allen, why don't you ever do the box protection method for that mule, it would be way easier to open fresh air by lifting up the box, it only takes like an hour to assemble a large box, and even a frostcloth wrap or styrofoam would even do as insulation!

[Allen]

29 minutes ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Looking great @Allen! Considering what it's been through. I know you protect them but I'm a little curious about your microclimate. Your house is brick+, near rock and concrete+,and the 6ft vinyl fence+. I guess my real question is about the pool,do you heat it because I've never seen it closed in a photo. If it's heated that certainly adds immensely to the microclimate. The added heat in the soil would be a+++. My pool is a skating rink

Anyways

Looks great 

That sure helps being by the house and rocks, concrete but the pool is unheated.  It is usually closed from Dec-Mid March.  I don't think the fence does much but keep out deer.

27 minutes ago, SeanK said:

Too bad you didn't plant that mule closer to the 2nd story window. Hindsight is 20-20.

Trying to figure this comment out but if you mean the tall wall there are 3 Trachycarpus in there.  

23 minutes ago, ChicagoPalma said:

Allen, why don't you ever do the box protection method for that mule, it would be way easier to open fresh air by lifting up the box, it only takes like an hour to assemble a large box, and even a frostcloth wrap or styrofoam would even do as insulation!

Once you put up a box you don't want to take it down and I'd rather enjoy the palm as much as possible here.  I am not sure a 20' box is feasible there. 

I think the mule will grow out real well this year!

Edited January 26, 2024 by Allen

[SeanK]

I went back and looked at more of your pix. Yeah, I see the Trachies in that area now. Just thought that the 2nd story window gave you more access for wrapping. 

[Allen]

Had to wrap the last couple days under 20F so here is the unwrap video.  And don't ask how much longer I am keeping the palm.     Wrapping it is not too hard really.  You can see in the video it took under 5 minutes to unwrap and about 30 to wrap including getting stuff out and prep.  It will fill out and look great by June.  Hopefully next winter is milder and we can keep more fronds going.  It currently has a new one coming out toward the camera and another on the way.  Usually puts out 6-8 fronds/year

 

Edited February 19, 2024 by Allen

[Allen]

Here's a photo of how it looks today.  Top frond cut in half so it will be about 5' taller when a couple fronds grow out fully.

Edited March 3, 2024 by Allen

[Allen]

Video update

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wMQ0rAEGFb0

 

[Leelanau Palms]

Looking good! How is the Butia?

[Allen]

39 minutes ago, Leelanau Palms said:

Looking good! How is the Butia?

Doing good.  Tips of fronds burnt some. 

[Allen]

May 15th Mule Update

 

[Allen]

June Update Photo

[MIKE82397]

That guy!

[Ben G.]

12 hours ago, Allen said:

June Update Photo

I am really impressed that you have been able to get your mule to this point. I am sure it has been a fair amount of work for you, but it's a cool looking palm for a TN backyard. I would bet it gets lots of attention from visitors to your home.

[njpalmguy]

On 9/1/2023 at 6:42 PM, Hardypalms said:

I m in 7b, they sell them but they are real large.

People buy them and don’t protect. They fry.

Where can i get a small one, they seem to grow fast.

Great job!

Pat

(A pic of my Sabal palmetto)

nice Sabal man!

[Allen]

Looking Nice!

 

[Allen]

[Allen]

Looking pretty nice now

[Allen]

Pretty good for TN!

[ChrisA]

Such a good looking Mule! How much trunk do you think it put on this year?  Hope you’ll have a mild winter as well.

[Allen]

10 hours ago, ChrisA said:

Such a good looking Mule! How much trunk do you think it put on this year?  Hope you’ll have a mild winter as well.

I'm not sure on trunk hopefully not much as it's too tall!!

[Allen]

Montage 5 years in ground and 3 in pots!  Protected in zone 7

 

[Robbertico18]

This is awesome documentation to show yearly growth !

And a beautiful palm to boot!

[Allen]

RIP to the mule palm after 8 years.  After much agony I decided to cut the mule palm.  It is already done.  While I was able to protect the spear and mid fronds a few feet up it had grown too tall to be safe to reach on a ladder and I felt unsafe the last time I tried to wrap it.  Also the palm is soo tall that the fronds are above the first floor and we can't see them out our windows.  it is going to be replaced in spring with our large potted waggy.  Thanks to everyone for following along.  Since we first planted it I told everyone this would be the eventual result.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFKT2zlcMbU&lc=UgzhStMwFhGE08fGJrB4AaABAg

 

 

[SailorBold]

No!!!!! You should have left it to see it's hardiness!!!!

[PaPalmTrees]

16 hours ago, Allen said:

RIP to the mule palm after 8 years.  After much agony I decided to cut the mule palm.  It is already done.  While I was able to protect the spear and mid fronds a few feet up it had grown too tall to be safe to reach on a ladder and I felt unsafe the last time I tried to wrap it.  Also the palm is soo tall that the fronds are above the first floor and we can't see them out our windows.  it is going to be replaced in spring with our large potted waggy.  Thanks to everyone for following along.  Since we first planted it I told everyone this would be the eventual result.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFKT2zlcMbU&lc=UgzhStMwFhGE08fGJrB4AaABAg

 

 

I watch the video yesterday RIP. 😢 i saw one of the comments you said you cut it, can i see a picture of it cut?

[Allen]

12 minutes ago, PaPalmTrees said:

I watch the video yesterday RIP. 😢 i saw one of the comments you said you cut it, can i see a picture of it cut?

I don't have any pics of it cut.  

15 hours ago, SailorBold said:

No!!!!! You should have left it to see it's hardiness!!!!

Well the fronds get damaged under 20F or extended cold

[PaPalmTrees]

Just now, Allen said:

I don't have any pics of it cut.

Ok.

[Arecaceus]

Sad to hear but I understand. You are the one who would have to keep up with it for years to come.

[Allen]

54 minutes ago, Arecaceus said:

Sad to hear but I understand. You are the one who would have to keep up with it for years to come.

Here is a pic from last year's protection as sometimes it is hard to understand how big the palm is.  This is with the fronds cut in half, so about 5' cut off.  This year it would be about 5' taller.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBT0GgkDJQY

[N8ALLRIGHT]

Man you're palm has been an inspiration to all of us out here in non palm areas, but It's the reality of zone pushing. 

You can always plant a new one 

[Allen]

12 minutes ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Man you're palm has been an inspiration to all of us out here in non palm areas, but It's the reality of zone pushing. 

You can always plant a new one 

Here is what is going there

[Allen]

On 7/14/2021 at 10:55 PM, Allen said:

It had to be covered about 4 times last winter for a total of around 7-10 days, 2-3 days at a time.  Lights stay on it I just unzip this cover.  As it grows the trunk will get wrapped up and the cover will move up till it's too big to cover or it dies.  

From 2021

[PaPalmTrees]

1 hour ago, Allen said:

Here is a pic from last year's protection as sometimes it is hard to understand how big the palm is.  This is with the fronds cut in half, so about 5' cut off.  This year it would be about 5' taller.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBT0GgkDJQY

It's crazy how fast it grew, I remember seeing it on your youtube Channel  A few years ago and it wasn't that big It's a shame it had to go.

[ChrisA]

It had a great run Allen! I really enjoyed watching it grow, but your safety is more important.  Look forward to seeing the waggy fill that space.  Are uou going to plant it this spring?

[Allen]

6 minutes ago, ChrisA said:

It had a great run Allen! I really enjoyed watching it grow, but your safety is more important.  Look forward to seeing the waggy fill that space.  Are uou going to plant it this spring?

Yes probably April.  I went ahead and pulled the plug on the mule because I was going to have to wrap it again this next week.  I couldn't get anything high enough to dry cover it this year and it got wet in there from the snow and I had to remove the cover.    

[NMPalmjunky]

On 1/13/2025 at 4:13 PM, SailorBold said:

No!!!!! You should have left it to see it's hardiness!!!!

This made me laugh. I was thinking the same thing. 

[Las Palmas Norte]

On 1/14/2025 at 3:41 PM, Allen said:

Here is what is going there

There's a number of fairly decent sized T. wagnerianus palms here. They're rather scarce in comparison to fortunei. Occasionally there maybe some wagnerianus mixed in with fortunei in garden centers, less so nowadays as more awareness about the two has come to light. That will be a great palm for you which will grow much slower than a mule palm. Looking forward to your efforts being documented in the spring.

[Palmerr]

Man i loved that think so much it inspired me to get a mule palm that will stay in a pot a 2.5 feet tall ceramic pot, plant it till it gets big enough then plant it in the ground! prob next spring not this spring (This spring it will be left outside in that pot till its a good enough size) Ima grow lots of things this spring! Dwarf Orinoco Bananas Planted Owari Satsuma Mandarin oranges lots of cannas sabal palmetto sabal minor etc.