Hardy Tropicals UK

I had a washy for many years at an old property, planted in 2003.

For years I thought it was a Robusta but looking at some old paperwork it appears is was a Filifera from Mulu.

Product : Washingtonia filifera - Cotton Palm
Option : 120-140cm
Price : £95.00
Quantity: 1
Subtotal: £95.00


Now what is interesting is that for about seven years I never gave it any protection whatsoever (it was planted in Swindon in a south facing corner close to a house wall). It always bounced back every spring, even though cold wet made a mouldy mess of the leaves.

Perhaps the filifera is the better palm for the UK after all?

MikeC wrote:I had a washy for many years at an old property, planted in 2003.

For years I thought it was a Robusta but looking at some old paperwork it appears is was a Filifera from Mulu.

Product : Washingtonia filifera - Cotton Palm
Option : 120-140cm
Price : £95.00
Quantity: 1
Subtotal: £95.00


Now what is interesting is that for about seven years I never gave it any protection whatsoever (it was planted in Swindon in a south facing corner close to a house wall). It always bounced back every spring, even though cold wet made a mouldy mess of the leaves.

Perhaps the filifera is the better palm for the UK after all?

How fast does it grow compared to a robusta? I'm guessing much slower?

Always the possibility that your identification was right and Mulu's was wrong?

Conifers wrote:Always the possibility that your identification was right and Mulu's was wrong?

No I've had a few Robustas and a Filibusta since and it always puzzled me that my first washy had huge leaves that were covered in cotton fibres compared to my more recent palms.

I'm pretty sure looking back now it was a Filifera.

It grew quite fast.