Hardy Tropicals UK

Couldn't help popping into my local GC today, and for once ventured into their 'houseplant' greenhouse. Some great plants in there, including some huge Strelizias for £125 (good price as they were massive!).

Found a fine line up of Pygmy Date palms. Resisted the temptation as thought I'd double-check these were a good price (and need to somehow make some space in the greenhouse first! ).

So .......... does £29.99 sound like good money at this size? Pretty sure it is, pic is taken on a table but about 4ft bottom of pot to top.

For a local, they have an amazing selection of palms and exotics ......... range of Trachys, Chaemarops, Brahea, Fargesias, really good quality Dicksonias, yuccas, monkey puzzle, good selection of bamboos, phormuims, cordylines .......... you get the idea! Sadly they never do a sale, but prices are fair and in some cases really good.

Also saw some Araucaria excelsa - never seen one before, not sure how big they get though or whether they are an indoors only plant. Must do some research!

Dawn Nurseries, Cheltenham if anyone local enough hasn't been there.

Yes, quite a good price for the UK. The only place I found that sold similar sized ones at that price was IKEA

Yes agree a decent price

Looks quite stretched and in need of repotting to me.

I bought one from ebay a couple of years ago with a lot more trunk for £40. I'd still say that's not too unreasonable a price though.

Thanks all. Yes, it would certainly benefit from a larger pot I'm sure! They had about 10 and this was probably the biggest trunk. Quite happy not to go larger than that, as with a quick trim of the lower greenery it should sit quite neatly in a nice pot around my seating area, and not too unwieldy to move into the greenhouse next winter.

Think I'll be popping back down there next weekend!

Just need to resist picking up one of a number of large pots of Fargesia mureliae Superjumbo they had there too!

It isn't stretched, that is how Phoenix roebelenii fronds are meant to look. If they are grown in full sun & not given enough water they can develop shorter fronds, but these are water loving palms that do best in at least dappled sunlight...

seems worth buying.

Worth buying if you're mild enough for them to survive.

Dont suppose anyone knows how hardy they are to generally in this country?

doncasterpalmguy123 wrote:Dont suppose anyone knows how hardy they are to generally in this country?

There is one in St. James' Park, not sure how long it's been there.

doncasterpalmguy123 wrote:Dont suppose anyone knows how hardy they are to generally in this country?

Not very, I had then spear pull at -2.5C, they did recover however but a further -2C the following winter finished them off...

That size was half price at £25 all 2013 at Homebase.... might be same this year when the garden section gets going again...

I did get one from Homebase (or B&Q) a couple of years back for that kind of money, but it was definitely nowhere near as big as the one I got!

Popped back on the weekend and chose the biggest specimen they had. Super healthy, 5ft tall from bottom of pot, 50 cm trunk and 13cm girth at the base. So much foliage on it I think I'll need to trim some of its 'skirt' off once I pot into something more permanent.

Spiky as hell though if you get too close to the trunk!

Was tempted to get one at £20

Mowgley wrote:

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Was tempted to get one at £20

Very big for £20! I might have to replace mine - but really want to bring back mine from the dead after leaving it outside all winter.