Texas Palms

[jwitt]

3 hours ago, JeskiM said:

Somebody needs to mow the "grass" in that last picture there !

-Matt

Looks like palm seedlings. 

I say don't cut .....

[Robert Cade Ross]

2 hours ago, jwitt said:

Looks like palm seedlings. 

I say don't cut .....

lol 10 years from now a clump of 200 robustas 

[JeskiM]

1 minute ago, Robert Cade Ross said:

lol 10 years from now a clump of 200 robustas 

It'll be too late to mow them then,  Lol.

It would be a sight to see though.

-Matt

[Robert Cade Ross]

3 hours ago, JeskiM said:

It'll be too late to mow them then,  Lol.

It would be a sight to see though.

-Matt

😹😹😹😹 I might do that on the edge of my property for laughs- I just need to get a bunch of seeds lol 

[fr8train]

Here's a few from a bike ride the other day. Boerne, TX

[Ben G.]

Glad to see more CIDP survivors in central Texas!

[fr8train]

3 hours ago, Ben G. said:

Glad to see more CIDP survivors in central Texas!

Yes, they're tough for sure. Hopefully this winter is mild, I still haven't seen them in their full glory. 

Here's a butia pair from today's bike ride. 

[MarcusH]

On 8/25/2024 at 6:31 AM, mulungu said:

There are several armatas still on the River Walk. There was a nice thread with additional pictures of the Southside Brahea armata and Riverwalk B. armatas a while back:

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/76105-old-brahea-armata-in-southside-san-antonio-texas/

I had to go downtown for jury screening a couple of days ago and snapped a few more pics of some on the River Walk:

Museum Reach armatas:

 

A closeup:

 

Another nearby:

 

On the Downtown Reach in partial shade:

 

 

A small one at La Villita on the River Walk:

 

 

Also, I vaguely recalled an internet rumor many, many years ago about there having been a mule palm at the Old San Francisco Steakhouse by San Antonio airport at some point but was never able to find documentation. Once I got a chance to swing by, and didn't see a mule palm from the outside, but they did have this B. armata:

 

From the inside, clipped from a photo (not mine) on their website:

Last year I collected a bunch of seeds. Still growing. Soon I'm going to collect more and spread them all over the NE side.  

 

[Robert Cade Ross]

25 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

On 8/25/2024 at 6:31 AM, mulungu said:

There are several armatas still on the River Walk. There was a nice thread with additional pictures of the Southside Brahea armata and Riverwalk B. armatas a while back:

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/76105-old-brahea-armata-in-southside-san-antonio-texas/

I had to go downtown for jury screening a couple of days ago and snapped a few more pics of some on the River Walk:

Museum Reach armatas:

 

A closeup:

 

Another nearby:

 

On the Downtown Reach in partial shade:

 

 

A small one at La Villita on the River Walk:

 

 

Also, I vaguely recalled an internet rumor many, many years ago about there having been a mule palm at the Old San Francisco Steakhouse by San Antonio airport at some point but was never able to find documentation. Once I got a chance to swing by, and didn't see a mule palm from the outside, but they did have this B. armata:

 

From the inside, clipped from a photo (not mine) on their website:

Last year I collected a bunch of seeds. Still growing. Soon I'm going to collect more and spread them all over the NE side.  

 

Send me seeds lol 

[MarcusH]

16 hours ago, Robert Cade Ross said:

Send me seeds lol 

I will !!! With all the other palms around I hope I grab the right ones lol.  I think last time when I was collecting seeds from that area I have noticed some seeds that looked different from Filifera. 

[PA-TX2024]

It's pretty nice to see that there's still plenty of Robustas still standing in SA after 2021. Even seen some new ones growing too.

[Meangreen94z]

San Antonio river walk , Oblate College of Theology, and large Brahea edulis at private residence 

 

[PA-TX2024]

1 hour ago, Meangreen94z said:

San Antonio river walk , Oblate College of Theology, and large Brahea edulis at private residence 

 

Nice to see that they're growing new Robusta on the riverwalk.

[ChrisA]

I’m really impressed with those CIDP in Boerne.  They look better than any ive seen remaining in SA!  Also nice to see those new robustas on the Riverwalk, they will be fun to watch grow up over the next several years.  I planted two youngins next to my pool last spring and they are doing well and have probably quadrupled in size since then. I did protect them during the January cold snap as it was their first winter, but I’m planning on letting them go au naturel this winter, unless something insane comes along! 
 

Went to Palm Buddha last weekend and saw lots of eye candy. Only bummer about this place is there are no labels or prices. They’ve got loads of trunked Sabal palms, but being no expert at telling them apart (unless super obvious) I think they’ve only got Palmetto and Mexicana.  Also lots of what I think are mules, at trunking size.  Y’all can tell me if I’m right.

Also there was a Livistona I wasn’t sure of, is it just chinensis??

[Chester B]

@ChrisA you are correct on both palm ID's.

I hate nurseries that are bad at having prices on things.  I have one here that almost has no order to the chaos of their garden center.  The majority of things aren't priced and and least half aren't even labelled.  It's a big place too, so are you expected to round up all the plants and take them to the counter for ID and pricing?  Part of the reason I haven't actually bought anything there yet.

[PA-TX2024]

More surviving Robusta on i-35, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio.

[PA-TX2024]

Nice duo of Robusta, Central San Antonio.

[ChrisA]

13 hours ago, Chester B said:

@ChrisA you are correct on both palm ID's.

I hate nurseries that are bad at having prices on things.  I have one here that almost has no order to the chaos of their garden center.  The majority of things aren't priced and and least half aren't even labelled.  It's a big place too, so are you expected to round up all the plants and take them to the counter for ID and pricing?  Part of the reason I haven't actually bought anything there yet.

That’s how I feel too.  They’d likely sell more if they were more upfront about the pricing and ID’s.  They likely mostly deal with landscaping contractors who haggle for better prices but up charge the end-customer to maximize profits. Very low chance that I will buy anything from here unfortunately as they are very niche.

 

 

[fr8train]

11 hours ago, ChrisA said:

That’s how I feel too.  They’d likely sell more if they were more upfront about the pricing and ID’s.  They likely mostly deal with landscaping contractors who haggle for better prices but up charge the end-customer to maximize profits. Very low chance that I will buy anything from here unfortunately as they are very niche.

 

 

I agree with both of you.

That said they have, or had, a giant silver Mediterranean fan palm. I've always wondered how much they wanted for that and how old it was. I've never seen one for sale that size. 

[Meangreen94z]

Since on the topic of Washingtonia. Here are a few filifera leaning specimen Lake Austin. Picture doesn’t do their width/height justice.

[PA-TX2024]

2 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

Since on the topic of Washingtonia. Here are a few filifera leaning specimen Lake Austin. Picture doesn’t do their width/height justice.

I kinda wish Austin had Robusta again. But every winter since 2021 in Austin has been too harsh for Robustas. 

[Dwarf Fan]

4 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

Since on the topic of Washingtonia. Here are a few filifera leaning specimen Lake Austin. Picture doesn’t do their width/height justice.

I know exactly what you mean. I have seen hundreds and hundreds of Washys here in Corpus Christi but the diameter of the base of the trunks on this filifera dominant duo made me pull my car off to the side of the road to snap a pic of those two fatties!

*Obligatory pic doesn’t do justice disclaimer, they were very “girthy” in person I am talking THICK!

[jwitt]

39 minutes ago, Dwarf Fan said:

I know exactly what you mean. I have seen hundreds and hundreds of Washys here in Corpus Christi but the diameter of the base of the trunks on this filifera dominant duo made me pull my car off to the side of the road to snap a pic of those two fatties!

*Obligatory pic doesn’t do justice disclaimer, they were very “girthy” in person I am talking THICK!

That is "pure" palm porn!

I'm spent!

[Xenon]

Guess I'll dump these pics from early July here...Westheimer Rd in West Houston. Excuse the potato quality, just drive by spam click and hope for the best.

Sorry I'm a dancing trunk lime green leaf robusta lover. Severe columnar trunk dull green leaf filifera is not for me 😝

[PA-TX2024]

7 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Guess I'll dump these pics from early July here...Westheimer Rd in West Houston. Excuse the potato quality, just drive by spam click and hope for the best.

Sorry I'm a dancing trunk lime green leaf robusta lover. Severe columnar trunk dull green leaf filifera is not for me 😝

Unfortunate to see a lot of standing pencils (dead Robusta).

[Xenon]

1 minute ago, PA-TX2024 said:

Unfortunate to see a lot of standing pencils (dead Robusta).

Large mass plantings out in the open like this are great for gathering survival data though. I only see the live ones now 😆 and they are looking great

[Robert Cade Ross]

19 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Large mass plantings out in the open like this are great for gathering survival data though. I only see the live ones now 😆 and they are looking great

There’s a large planting of robustas and hybrids visible next to the freeway . I don’t remember the street name but they are visible as you head out to Katy from 288 . Probably 150+ palms 2021 survivors 

[Robert Cade Ross]

Pindo palms anyone? lol 

Pasadena - south Houston neighborhoods 

[jwitt]

@Dwarf Fan

I find it telling how well these filifera do in humid climates. Contrary to popular belief. 

I have often thought soil was key(acidic vs alkaline) with filifera. With filifera sulking in acidic conditions.

I find this interesting about Corpus Christi soils. From Wikipedia 

"Corpus Christi is situated on fluvial deposits that are of Holocene—Pleistocene age. Although no solidified rock occurs naturally at the surface,[17] the Deweyville Formation of sand, silt, clay, and gravel, is locally indurated with calcium carbonate (caliche) deposits."

Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime 

Just my thoughts 

 

[Robert Cade Ross]

1 hour ago, jwitt said:

@Dwarf Fan

I find it telling how well these filifera do in humid climates. Contrary to popular belief. 

I have often thought soil was key(acidic vs alkaline) with filifera. With filifera sulking in acidic conditions.

I find this interesting about Corpus Christi soils. From Wikipedia 

"Corpus Christi is situated on fluvial deposits that are of Holocene—Pleistocene age. Although no solidified rock occurs naturally at the surface,[17] the Deweyville Formation of sand, silt, clay, and gravel, is locally indurated with calcium carbonate (caliche) deposits."

Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime 

Just my thoughts 

 

There are tons of pure filifera in Galveston- specifically at moody gardens half of them have weird wonky trunk rot damage . 

[jwitt]

@Robert Cade Ross I see a difference. Although subtle. I personally believe it is soil related with filifera.  My thoughts.  

Love Galveston, was there this year.

Galveston 

Corpus

 

 

[jwitt]

Just will keep this short. Don't really want to rabbithole this great thread.  

People who have studied filifera in their native groves, have written about and sought clues as to why filifera in some locales outside their native areas,  have thicker, stouter girth than the native groves.  I have never seen a conclusive answer.  One theory was/is slower growth outside their native areas.  I think the Corpus example disproves this, as I doubt the Corpus filifera are slow. 

Hence my soil thoughts.  I have seen some other examples that also lead me down this road. 

Just my thoughts.  Did not want to glum up this post, so sorry. 

Anyways, more Texas palm pics please!

[Robert Cade Ross]

20 minutes ago, jwitt said:

Just will keep this short. Don't really want to rabbithole this great thread.  

People who have studied filifera in their native groves, have written about and sought clues as to why filifera in some locales outside their native areas,  have thicker, stouter girth than the native groves.  I have never seen a conclusive answer.  One theory was/is slower growth outside their native areas.  I think the Corpus example disproves this, as I doubt the Corpus filifera are slow. 

Hence my soil thoughts.  I have seen some other examples that also lead me down this road. 

Just my thoughts.  Did not want to glum up this post, so sorry. 

Anyways, more Texas palm pics please!

Some Texas grown royals for ya  

[Chester B]

I received this nice Butia x Jubaea today. I’m looking forward to see how this one does.  This will be a nice addition to the other 14 Butia and Butia hybrids that I have. 

[ChrisA]

On 9/11/2024 at 10:31 AM, fr8train said:

I agree with both of you.

That said they have, or had, a giant silver Mediterranean fan palm. I've always wondered how much they wanted for that and how old it was. I've never seen one for sale that size. 

I think I saw a very large Silver Med in fact!  If I get back I’ll try to get a photo.  It’s a bit of a maze to walk around, but I want to say it was near the main parking lot? 

[fr8train]

2 minutes ago, ChrisA said:

I think I saw a very large Silver Med in fact!  If I get back I’ll try to get a photo.  It’s a bit of a maze to walk around, but I want to say it was near the main parking lot? 

Nice! It was, yes. 

[Ben G.]

On 9/11/2024 at 6:59 PM, Robert Cade Ross said:

Pindo palms anyone? lol 

Pasadena - south Houston neighborhoods 

I love these. I am a big fan of "tall" butias. You don't see big ones like these often enough in my opinion.

[fr8train]

2 minutes ago, Ben G. said:

I love these. I am a big fan of "tall" but as. You don't see big ones like these often enough in my opinion.

Agreed. 

[Ben G.]

8 minutes ago, fr8train said:

Nice! It was, yes. 

Is this what you all are talking about?

I took this photo there back on May 10th.

[fr8train]

3 minutes ago, Ben G. said:

Is this what you all are talking about?

I took this photo there back on May 10th.

I think they had a bigger one somewhere in there, in the middle of that cluster in the parking lot, but now I'm questioning my memory. Either way those are a nice size, and you don't see them for sale often, especially at that size.