Hardy Tropicals UK

Hi guys

Over the weekend I bought a canary palm and yukka from ebay and drove over to Yorkshire to pick them up. The Yukka will remain indoors but I wondered if the canary could go out. I currently have bulletproof fortunei and waggys along with tree ferns and fatsia. I have overwintered my new additions, a T rex as well as less hardy palms including a small canary palm. I have no idea how well the canary has done until I unwrap. I live in Glossop Derbyshire and need advice wether to plant outdoors permanently, indoors permanently or bring indoors over winter as I do not have room for a greenhouse? TIA

They will survive near the coast here in Cornwall but I am only 4 miles inland and even a mild winter sees them off, you can of course protect them. personally I prefer to pot grow and bring in as that way its always in good condition. and of course if they dont die they are far too big for most gardens!!

charliep wrote: ↑Mon Feb 03, 2020 5:44 pm They will survive near the coast here in Cornwall but I am only 4 miles inland and even a mild winter sees them off

That's interesting, I thought you were milder than me, so it must be the lack of summer heat combined with the frosts? I see them all over Greater London and they're 'tough as old boots' here, my area gets -6C and they grow even farther out where it gets colder.

Wouldn't want mine inside ......

Arlon, that's a beauty now... have not seen pics for years.

Hi Ryan, You don't tell us how cold it gets in the winter were you live, this is crucial? My opinion is if it wont grow outside were you live, don't bother with it, they grow that big you will not be able to bring it indoors for long unless you live in a high ceilinged wide doored mansion!!!!!! I am lucky were I live on the Mawddach Estuary They grow without protection except leaf mulch round the base. I don't think it has any thing to do with summer temperatures as I suffer from the Atlantic effect, slightly warmer winters but slightly colder summers. I should say it is only a degree or two in either direction but it is enough. Plant it out and let it take its chance.

The palm will soon outgrow its space if kept inside. It looks a bit delicate suggesting it has been grown inside and lacks the toughness and sturdiness of an outdoor grown specimen.

If you want to place it outside leave it in partial shade at first to prevent etiolated leaves from scorching. Don't put it in full sun till late summer by which time it is best to plant it in the ground. It will need protection the following winter and if it survives it can be toughened up with the full sun treatment the following year.

An ideal Phoenix for indoors would be P. roebelinnii.

They don't really suit pot culture but it'll do better in a large container compared to planting out in Glossop which usually gets very cold in winter.