In this country? Washingtonia

[Si]

so I don't agree the height equals colder in winter

Tell that to the Tresco Washy, it must have survived for years, being 30 ft tall in '84
what on earth killed it? harsh words - lol
you leaving that umberella off this winter then Dave?....didn't think so.

[Conifers]

so I don't agree the height equals colder in winter

Tell that to the Tresco Washy, it must have survived for years, being 30 ft tall in '84
what on earth killed it?

I'd guess 13 Jan 1987, when they had -7° with gale-force E winds straight from Siberia.

[Si]

so I don't agree the height equals colder in winter

Tell that to the Tresco Washy, it must have survived for years, being 30 ft tall in '84
what on earth killed it?

I'd guess the 1986-87 winter, when they had -7° with gale-force E winds straight from Siberia.

the original title was - "On the edge of extinction in this country? - Washingtonia.
with a 'question mark' I'd love to be wrong.

it's not about being right, or wrong, it's about getting some nice plants established.

Q: If a 30ft+ tree can 'croak it' in surely the most southerly position in the UK, it's only a matter of time
before they're all completely wiped out.

The most southerly point of the UK -The latitudinal position of the UK - is higher than those frozen states of North Dakota, the weather will, unfortunately, always win in the end.

[Dave Brown]

Q: If a 30ft+ tree can 'croak it' in surely the most southerly position in the UK, it's only a matter of time
before they're all completely wiped out.

I presume they made the age old mistake of not understanding hardiness

Hardiness is a set of conditions that the plant can endure, survive and grow year on year. Temps, humidity, water. drainage, nutrients, sunshine, light, wind, etc, etc, etc

Washingtonia filifera is a desert palm able to take -12C in very dry conditions. Scilly Isles were able to tick the box on temperatures, but must be about the worst place in the UK for ticking the box on dry atmosphere. My guess is that 1987 winter caused some damage, and the constant high humidity allowed rots to ravage it in summer.

Washingtonia robusta, although not as cold tolerant as filifera, robusta has far more boxes ticked for hardiness in UK.

[Si]

Hardiness is a set of conditions that the plant can endure, survive and grow year on year. Temps, humidity, water. drainage, nutrients, sunshine, light, wind, etc, etc, etc

It's soooooo boderline, hope your right mate.
all the best with this coming winter

im going in the garden - suns out again, we seem to be giving you guys the jet stream these days?

[Nathan]

Any big ones you see are planted out are certainly from greenhouses, Dave's is pretty unique I'd wager.

Wrong. Barry's was planted out small, as was the one at the Chelsea Physic Garden, as were the original ones at Ventnor & as was mine

Dave is quite right that if Tresco had a W. filifera it would have been wet that killed it rather than cold, W. robusta are far better suited to the climate of the UK, though only in milder areas...

[jungle jas]

Lets be realistic here neither are suitable for the UK, its only a matter of time. It fun to pit your wits against the elements though.

[Dave Brown]

Lets be realistic here neither are suitable for the UK, its only a matter of time. It fun to pit your wits against the elements though.

W robusta will almost certainly be hardy in Southsea, and extreme luck here as well

[cheshirepalms]

I have 6 seprated seedlings form 2 multistalk plants purchased for £3, it took a couple of months but they have started to take. i intend on keeping them in the greenhouse, for optimum growth and protection, until they are too big to keep in there.( as dave suggests)Then trial pots and ground planting at that point.

[Yorkshire Kris]

I've kept a smallish filifera ? cross alive in Yorkshire for 6 years, 4 of thoses outside and 2 in the garage.

[Si]

maybe the 'site' should be called 'Hardy Tropicals South East coast' then
cos washy's only have a tiny chance of survival in that tiny area - and this winter may get them

[Conifers]

Q: If a 30ft+ tree can 'croak it' in surely the most southerly position in the UK, it's only a matter of time
before they're all completely wiped out.

I presume they made the age old mistake of not understanding hardiness

Hardiness is a set of conditions that the plant can endure, survive and grow year on year. Temps, humidity, water. drainage, nutrients, sunshine, light, wind, etc, etc, etc

Washingtonia filifera is a desert palm able to take -12C in very dry conditions. Scilly Isles were able to tick the box on temperatures, but must be about the worst place in the UK for ticking the box on dry atmosphere. My guess is that 1987 winter caused some damage, and the constant high humidity allowed rots to ravage it in summer.

Washingtonia robusta, although not as cold tolerant as filifera, robusta has far more boxes ticked for hardiness in UK.

Should add, that on TROBI the Tresco specimen is noted as "also recorded as W. robusta", so there was some doubt about its identity.

[JBALLY]

There will always be washingtonia of a reasonable size in the uk so long as the likes of b & q still keep knocking them out by the thousands and for alot of them the future looks brief but in milder areas there will be suvivors growing to good sizes and you may be just be thinking realistically or not but certainly pessimistically while optimists (or fools) like me will be planting them out when they get too large to overwinter under glass. Mine will not survive very long but as protection methods get more drastic and the area they are growing more favourable the odds of a grand specimen get more likely. As I said mine will eventually have to be planted when they get too big , I have five with one being six feet but all were only £2.50 each so if only summer bedding they will keep coming and if I protect and they last a cople of mild winters just think what ones planted in our milder costal areas and miroclimates can achieve just the fact that a 30ft pant died shows it can be achieved and one just the same size as it down the road might have survived. Now they are more freely availible for little money the chances of more big ones surviving and doing well have only gone up, the freakishly cold winters so far have not wiped out all the big ones as some survive and with more and more being planted out the chances of individual plants are good .When people like Dave etc planted them out for them to grow into big plants they were not freely available so now they are extinction I dont think.

[Dave Brown]

maybe the 'site' should be called 'Hardy Tropicals South East coast' then
cos washy's only have a tiny chance of survival in that tiny area - and this winter may get them

You are sounding very bitter here. We have never said everyone will be able to grow everything.

In milder winter areas, with good microclimate, and in harsh winters with some effort on the part of the gardener, some will survive.

[Si]

maybe the 'site' should be called 'Hardy Tropicals South East coast' then
cos washy's only have a tiny chance of survival in that tiny area - and this winter may get them

You are sounding very bitter here. We have never said everyone will be able to grow everything.

In milder winter areas, with good microclimate, and in harsh winters with some effort on the part of the gardener, some will survive.

I do sound bitter, it's no fun losing one as I did last year I'm more mad than bitter tbh,
I hope the handful in London the south coast and yours do well Dave. absolutely!

That 30+ ft'er snuffing it, in the Scilly Isles is completely depressing. Robusta as well, apparently?