washingtonia filibusta

[Steph]

Supposed to be the toughest Washy, but I'd keep it under cover for this winter and maybe even next in a bigger pot.

[pdid]

This is mine. It was given to me by a member of the forums around June last year as a 3 strap leave seedling.

Seems to be growing quite quickly!

[MikeC]

Quick update on the "rootless" filibusta.

Took a few snaps today of it. It's grown quite a bit considering I planted it out late autumn last year and it's been through -10 on a few nights.

[JBALLY]

I would say you have done well with that considering it was a bit of a gamble. If the plant you first received was in front of me now and I had the £100 pound in my hand I probably would not buy it, but that would be a different case if the plant looked as it does now.

[GREVILLE]

Glad yours has settled in, MIke.

I received a similar one back in June and I think it has settled in. It looks healthy if growing rather slowly. I assume the roots are more active at the moment than the leaves.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Wow I'm pretty amazed that it's still alive to be honest as it looked pretty sad for itself when you first got it. Well done!

[Dave Brown]

Quick update on the "rootless" filibusta.

Took a few snaps today of it. It's grown quite a bit considering I planted it out late autumn last year and it's been through -10 on a few nights.

Are you actually back in Swindon now

and you say it took a few nights of -10C. What protection did you give it ?

[MikeC]

Hi,

Yes I'm back in Swindon now.

Protection wise consisted of indcandescent rope lights (about 130w of heat and light) wrapped around the trunk and the growing point. Then stuffed the centre of the palm with scrunched up hort fleece and then threw a very large dust sheet over the whole thing.

Removed the hort fleece and dust sheet during sunny days above freezing.

Seemed to be enough, just a little leaf scorch as damage on the original leaves.

[Dave Brown]

Hi,

Yes I'm back in Swindon now.

Protection wise consisted of indcandescent rope lights (about 130w of heat and light) wrapped around the trunk and the growing point. Then stuffed the centre of the palm with scrunched up hort fleece and then threw a very large dust sheet over the whole thing.

Removed the hort fleece and dust sheet during sunny days above freezing.

Seemed to be enough, just a little leaf scorch as damage on the original leaves.

Sounds about equivalent to mine, but I'd never be able throw anything over it as too tall now.

[Yorkshire Kris]

If they can grow and survive in Swindon they should have a fighting chance planted out for me. Thanks for sharing your experience with this palm.

To clarify was the scrunched up fleece in place for days/weeks or months?

[The Codfather]

I would of thought the lights would of been the key.

[Dave Brown]

I would of thought the lights would of been the key.

a combination of lights and something to trap the warmed air from escaping, ie the dust sheet and fleece, or in my case it is the parasol

[MikeC]

I removed the scrunched up horticultural fleece pretty much every morning, assuming it was forecast to rise above freezing during the day. If the day was forecast to be very cold all day I left the palm covered with the fleece and the dust sheet (it was actually two dust sheets overlapping in the middle to be big enough to cover the whole palm). The lights were only on in the evening and switched off in the morning.

I think it's a pretty tough beast really.

I'll take some better pictures when I get time.

[Dave Brown]

I think it's a pretty tough beast really.

I suspect that the warming of the air when the lights are on reduces the humidity, which is also good for the palm

[eddie]

I suspect that the warming of the air when the lights are on reduces the humidity, which is also good for the palm

You're right Dave, I've had a sensor inside the shelter during winter, the warming of the ropelight reduces humidity inside the shelter. I can't remember how much, but the humidity was definitely lower inside than outside. Dry and cold, like the desert, mine survived -12 outside without any damage that way, inside got to -4 at the end of a two week non-stop freeze. During a longer strong freezeperiod like we had this year, the ropelights are eventually freezing, as does everything btw, making the temperature inside the shelters drop below 0. First couple of days are ok and frostfree even if it's -10 outside.