Dead butia capitata...oh dear :(

[jezza]

My Capitata was looking in great shape until a month ago when it suddenly went brown and dead looking. I had only moved it into the greenhouse once i had built it, maybe that was it's demise, but today not just one spear pulled, but the entire centre pulled out, and with ease....

HPIM5368.JPG

[simon]

Oh no Jezza that's a bummer. I doubt that putting it in the greenhouse would have killed it. Perhaps it was something to do with that -12C you had .

[jezza]

The same batch in B&Q that this one came from are all dead as well, so i assume it's fate was sealed before i bought it. I've had spear pull, but never an entire centre of the plant

[Dave Brown]

wow Jezza, sorry to see that. I had assumed Butia capitata was hardy over most of the UK, but it does say hardy down to -12C. What they do not say is how big they need to be before they are that hardy. Mine has taken -8C with no problem when it was smaller but it was bigger than yours when I bought it. That is, sorry was, quite a small palm.

[Simba]

Sad to see the demise of such a beautiful palm, no matter how large it was, or how long you'd had it...

[Jellybob]

Hay Jezza, was that the Butia you got from B&Q? Because I think they have just been selling the ones that got frozen soild over the winter. I went there the other day and they were still selling washingtonia from last summer at no discount. All of this stock was last years!

[jezza]

Hay Jezza, was that the Butia you got from B&Q? Because I think they have just been selling the ones that got frozen soild over the winter. I went there the other day and they were still selling washingtonia from last summer at no discount. All of this stock was last years!

Yes it was, bought it in january for £15. I was leaving it in the shed overnight whilst i was building the greenhouse then it went in the greenhouse after, so it didn't get frozen after i bought it.

Dave, at one point i had a whole week of constant -8 to -12 at night, yellowy Trachycarpus sailed through it as did all my chammys.

Anyway i visited focus diy this morning and they're selling 3 - 4ft robustas for £14.99. Three guesses as to what replaces the butia

[simon]

I wouldn't really say a Washingtonia replaces a Butia. They are nowhere near as hardy and you will end up replacing them next year with something else. If I were you I would save my pennies and buy a larger Butia or even a similar sized one that wasn't frozen in its pot by the retailer.

It's harsh but there is a false economy in buying non hardy plants just because the sheds are selling them discounted.

[Jellybob]

I would agree with Simon. I have several robusta, the only one that should be okay is a nice size one in a large pot that come's in over winter...when it get's too big, I'll think of some other plan. But a small one, three together jobby pulled two spears...If the lot die's I won't be buying any more. An un-frozen, non B&Q Capitata will be bought in it's place.

[jezza]

I have room indoors for a robusta for a couple of years, in the greenhouse after that. For £15 if it lasts 3 years i'd be happy.

[simon]

Not saying don't buy one, Jezza. Just don't see it as a replacement for the Butia. Buy another Butia and get it in the ground in the spring. It will have all summer to settle in and will be hardier in the ground than in a pot. Hopefully we won't have another winter like the last.

Don't let a bad experience put you off a beautiful and solid palm. Mine has sailed through this winter without a mark.

[jezza]

For the butia i would like i need lots of ££££££

[GARYnNAT]

jezza its the risk you take with smaller palms, they do not have the bulk to take extreme cold without good protection. If you go to the Amulree meet check out Simons capitata's, they are sourced from Nigel and are good plants at a reasonable price (specialy with the discount ) I had one of Nigels from Simon a few years ago, it has grown fast in the ground and even now in its pot ready for mocing it is romping away

Gary

[Mick C]

Jezza if you're on a tight budget then Ian Potterton sells small plants for £6 on Dave Ison's site. Not big obviously but well worth the money. I don't know what the postage charges would be, I picked mine up.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.ison2/page37a.html

[jezza]

No no on the amulree meet, guess what, bloody working

But i am hoping to get down to the crews hill garden club soon so shall have a looksee there.

Then again, i won't have hardy issues with these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/A-PAIR-OF-FAN-PAL ... 240%3A1318