Bismark Palm

[Steph]

This year it can go outside, I intended it go out last summer but there was a cold start and I knew by then we'd be having a scaffold over the house so it never moved.
Besides I need to change the curtains and clean that window!

[kata]

Nothing more than what winter does to everyones windows Steph, thats why we have spring cleaning.

Mine will need cleaning, I had Suckers with cards on my window...nice little round rings when the cards and suckers are removed..

Bissy Is alive and looking good, window don't matter, neither do the curtains.

[TroyDonovan]

Bismark wont grow in Hobart i tried a big one 4 yrs ago . Anything south of Sydney in Australia is a waste of time this palm need a warm . hot climate

[Half Hardy]

To grow this palm well you will need a daily maximum of at least +31c and a minimum of at least +18c by night.

All forum members would do better to grow Brahea Armata instead.

biulldango

With all due respect , i'm not sure i agree with those temps.Surely they dont need to be that warm.I am growing one in my greenhouse,it rarely, if ever, gets anywhere near 31c and it definitely doesn't reach 18 c at night.It's sending out two very healthy looking spears .I haven't had it for very long(about 6 months),so perhaps too early to tell yet.

I agree with the brahea suggestion,another option would be copernicia alba(not hardy,but will take reasonable amount of cold),while not as attractive as a bismarckia,it seems to be quite happy even with the lousy summer we have just had.

Humble pie time Billdango was right and i was wrong My Bismark has been in the greenhouse all winter.I wrapped rope lights around the pot to keep the roots warm until the rope lights melted!I then had the greenhouse heater(set on the low heat setting) pointed towards the pot to warm the greenhouse to a min. of about 5c.but focus the heat on the bismarckia.
That "healthy new spear" i mentioned hadn't moved a millimeter.I just gave it a tug ,it has pulled and is rotten.
I dont really understand how it has rotted because as far as i know the temp in the greenhouse has never gone below zero.Anyway i am going to try and save it.I know people use h2o2 to stop the rot but do i just pour it in and leave it or try and dry it out after its been in a while(maybe use a hairdryer)? Its still under cover so i don't need to worry about rain getting back down the hole.Any tips would be much appreciated.

[karl66]

Lots of people i've spoke to have tried them even in pro heated polytunnels!!, they look good for a while then bang there gone. first fell for them in the canaries many years ago, soon realised the practability . karl.

[Steph]

Mine is still OK but its in the dining room, popped one new leaf over winter and has a anither waiting to open.
I'll let it out during the summer.

[billdango]

To grow this palm well you will need a daily maximum of at least +31c and a minimum of at least +18c by night.

All forum members would do better to grow Brahea Armata instead.

biulldango

With all due respect , i'm not sure i agree with those temps.Surely they dont need to be that warm.I am growing one in my greenhouse,it rarely, if ever, gets anywhere near 31c and it definitely doesn't reach 18 c at night.It's sending out two very healthy looking spears .I haven't had it for very long(about 6 months),so perhaps too early to tell yet.

I agree with the brahea suggestion,another option would be copernicia alba(not hardy,but will take reasonable amount of cold),while not as attractive as a bismarckia,it seems to be quite happy even with the lousy summer we have just had.

Humble pie time Billdango was right and i was wrong My Bismark has been in the greenhouse all winter.I wrapped rope lights around the pot to keep the roots warm until the rope lights melted!I then had the greenhouse heater(set on the low heat setting) pointed towards the pot to warm the greenhouse to a min. of about 5c.but focus the heat on the bismarckia.
That "healthy new spear" i mentioned hadn't moved a millimeter.I just gave it a tug ,it has pulled and is rotten.
I dont really understand how it has rotted because as far as i know the temp in the greenhouse has never gone below zero.Anyway i am going to try and save it.I know people use h2o2 to stop the rot but do i just pour it in and leave it or try and dry it out after its been in a while(maybe use a hairdryer)? Its still under cover so i don't need to worry about rain getting back down the hole.Any tips would be much appreciated.

I know I was right as I tried growing this palm when i was living in Queensland Australia.

Even there it was boringly slow but it was still a palm worth trying if you live in a hot and humid climate.

As I said before it would be best for forum members to spend their money on a nice large Brahea armata then throw it away on a Bismarkia.

Only if you live in Kew gardens greenhouses would you have a chance with this one.

rgds billdango

[Freebird]

I also had one once ......it died overwintering in my conservatory

[Steph]

Mine is still OK but its in the dining room, popped one new leaf over winter and has a another waiting to open.
I'll let it out during the summer.

[Half Hardy]

I also had one once ......it died overwintering in my conservatory

Better to have had,loved and lost,than never to have had at all
A bit like the £50 it cost me

[Nathan]

Mine is still OK but its in the dining room, popped one new leaf over winter and has a another waiting to open.
I'll let it out during the summer.

Don't worry, I'm sure it will be dead soon

[Steph]

I'll keep you updated but its in its third year now.

[Rod]

To grow this palm well you will need a daily maximum of at least +31c and a minimum of at least +18c by night.

All forum members would do better to grow Brahea Armata instead.

biulldango

Hi Bill - We grow Bismarckias in New Zealand in the north island - daytime average max temps are around 24°c - 26°c during the hottest months, while overnight lows average 14°c - 16°c

GOOD IDEA - Regarding growing Brahea armata