Hardy Tropicals UK

Should really know what this one is, but I don't.

It's in the front garden of a house a couple of miles from me. The owner isn't a tropical enthusiast and didn't know the names of this one or any of the T. Fortuneii, 2 x Chamearops (sp) a huge dasirylion and a couple of huge multi head cordylines. They are all huge and in showroom condition despite having gone through the recent cold spell. His advice was - chicken manure! Whatever he is doing, he is doing it absolutely right

I think that's a Brahea armata and really nice one too. Didn't quite cut it in the hardiness stakes for me unfortunately.

Well, that is a beautiful plant Mike, and I'm not jealous at all
It looks a picture of health. It's pictures like that that makes you want to try again.

Di

I'd agree with Brahea. In habitat it is said to go down to -15C but it will need to be dry to achieve this. Mine has had a cover over it for 2008 and 2009 winters, 2010 winter it got a fleece wrap that has yet to come off. That is a nice looking specimen.

wonder how many years its been there? quite a few by the looks of it

fantastic palm. I hope I get one to look like that!

The chap who owns it says it was bought a few years ago as a small plant and it (along with the others in his front garden) have all grown extraordinaraly quickly. I have to re-iterate - this picture was taken a few days ago after *all that snow and cold* and the worst it appears to have suffered is some frond sagging under the weight of snow. It looks like it hasn't stopped producing new growth ever, regardless of season. His chamies were immaculate too. I do know the local area has a high ballast content in the ground naturally and I think he had weed suppressor under the pea shingle so I guess the chances of the roots getting too wet are reduced significantly. He said too, that if his Trachycarpus gets any bigger it will have to come out. It's about 12-14 ft at the moment!

Give him a coconut and see if he can succeed with that

You know, the more I look at that palm, the more im convinced he has a bloomin Bismarkia in his garden My deceased one looked completely different to that one.

It is a beautiful palm

Di

id love to know how you get one to look like that from a small plant in just a few years too.
the ones ive tried are much much slower than most of my other palms which is why it gets the most protection so i dont damage it

Very nice It looks like it is in a slightly raised bed, this with extra added shingle to the soil is the best way to grow a Brahea as they need very free draining soil...

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Maybe the chalk soil is also something it likes. I have seen pictures where they grow in a very rocky limestone habitad. And where you get water not to deep. Often growing together with Washingtonia.

Alexander

why does it look odd though? is it because we dont see any quality examples over here??

DiCasS wrote:You know, the more I look at that palm, the more im convinced he has a bloomin Bismarkia in his garden

A brahea of that quality in the UK is amazing, a Bismarckia would be a miracle.

Looks a lot like my Brahea Armata - which has made me feel rather smug

In the last few years increased shading has lenghtened the petioles but after seeing the photo I want to bring back full sunlight and get it looking sturdier again. Mine has been planted 16 years on a raised bed against a warm wall and has never shown the slightest damage including sailing through this winter.

There are others in the Kent area that do very well. I frequently drive past a large specimen set well back from the road in a front garden at West Wickham - big enough to be spotted at 30MPH! It seemed to have survived the 2009-2010 winter well enough. I must look out for it next time I drive past as I imagine it should have seen off this winter so far.