I have gales here in most months of the year and December 2013 is no exception. The difference with the 23rd December storm is the size of the storm and direction of the wind. As the storm was HUGE I ended up with southerly winds gusting up to 69.8mph for 24 hours with the southerly winds blowing directly up the garden so there is little to filter it before it slams into the Washingtonia.
Washingtonia are quite wind proof and but damage normally occurs during the winter. The most common damage is broken leaflets or the fan gets split into segements right up to the hastula, causing the fan to collapse, but on this occasion (23/12/2013) the petiole was snapped with the leaf fan intact.
It takes considerable force to snap a petiole, so presume the leaf was bent down vertical by one gust, then caught by another violent gust before it was able to spring back up.
Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
- Dave Brown
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Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
- The Codfather
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Re: Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
Its a good job you dont need to put up the brolley over it at the moment !!!!!
AKA - Martin
Wish list - Big Palms or Dicksonia antarctica's but open to anything really.....Cash Waiting !
Wish list - Big Palms or Dicksonia antarctica's but open to anything really.....Cash Waiting !
Re: Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
I'm really surprised that it managed to do that.
Re: Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
I bet it has been slammed against a sticky out but on the trunk and snapped it that way.
very surprising either way.
very surprising either way.
Re: Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
Just a leaf, that's not so bad then. When I saw the thread title I thought it was going to be the trunk that had snapped
- Dave Brown
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Re: Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
If the trunk had snapped the wall would have also gone, and rather than 23rd December Storm, they'd be calling it a category 5Conifers wrote:Just a leaf, that's not so bad then. When I saw the thread title I thought it was going to be the trunk that had snapped
Funny thing is.... the mildest winters it suffers as much damage as the coldest. Coldest = toasted, fried leaves, and Mildest = ripped off leaves
Here 2007 after the mildest winter of 2006/7
Best regards
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Dave
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
Re: Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
I was on the edge of my seat, expecting a trunk snap! Thankfully just a leaf, impressed wind force to snap it like that though
Re: Wind broke my Washingtonia 23/12/2013
Strange....the leaves look fairly intact
When mine get damaged by the wind, the leaves get torn apart making the tree look really messy. Never had a petiole broken like on yours
When mine get damaged by the wind, the leaves get torn apart making the tree look really messy. Never had a petiole broken like on yours
Washingtonia Trachycarpus Cordyline? Bamboos Olive tree? Bananas