Palms & Exotics Of Christchurch

[Rod]

Here are some Palms & Exotics that i took photos of today while taking a drive over to the seaside. ( Enjoy )

Aloe arborescens


A mix of Aloes, Agaves, Yuccas, Phoenix canariensis, Metrosideros excelsa & Araucaria heterophylla


Corymbia ficifolia ( Red & Orange varieties )


Phoenix canariensis


Phoenix canariensis


Phoenix canariensis


Syagrus romanzoffiana


Syagrus romanzoffiana

[Rod]

Syagrus romanzoffiana is not usually grown in Christchurch, as its too cold. Its only possible in Warm microclimates around Christchurch, usually close to the sea, or in the inner city or in the hill side suburbs. This specimen is a fantastic one for this far south in New Zealand.

[Nathan]

Syagrus romanzoffiana is not usually grown in Christchurch, as its too cold. Its only possible in Warm microclimates around Christchurch, usually close to the sea, or in the inner city or in the hill side suburbs. This specimen is a fantastic one for this far south in New Zealand.

I was just about to comment that I was surprised by that lovely Syagrus! I didn't think they would grow anywhere around Christchurch, amazing What sort of temperatures does that area get?

[Addictedtopalms26]

Great pictures, can we have some more? lol

Is it still your summer at the moment?

[Rod]

Syagrus romanzoffiana is not usually grown in Christchurch, as its too cold. Its only possible in Warm microclimates around Christchurch, usually close to the sea, or in the inner city or in the hill side suburbs. This specimen is a fantastic one for this far south in New Zealand.

I was just about to comment that I was surprised by that lovely Syagrus! I didn't think they would grow anywhere around Christchurch, amazing What sort of temperatures does that area get?

Hi Nathan - I would say it has never seen below -3°c ever.
I have a small 1m high Queen growing in my front garden that has seen three heavy snowfalls and some of the coldest winters i can remember. Its been planted for 1.5 yrs but has been through some really cold weather.
I am just experimenting with it and so far i am very impressed by the cold it has taken.

[Rod]

Great pictures, can we have some more? lol

Is it still your summer at the moment?

Thanks Scott - No its the beginning of Autumn now and have noticed a dip in temps already.

[Nathan]

Hi Nathan - I would say it has never seen below -3°c ever.
I have a small 1m high Queen growing in my front garden that has seen three heavy snowfalls and some of the coldest winters i can remember. Its been planted for 1.5 yrs but has been through some really cold weather.
I am just experimenting with it and so far i am very impressed by the cold it has taken.

Yep, they are pretty tough! I have no problem getting them through the winter here, they just grow so slowly that they eventually die after a couple of years. I have tried a few 'Queens' over the years & always the same... I did have a nice sized 'Santa Catarina' one that actually did grow, but I made the mistake of trying to speed up its growth by burying a soil warming cable in the ground around it & during the Iceland ash cloud episode a couple of years back we were stranded in Malta for 3 weeks, there was no rain while we were away & the irrigation I had set up failed & we came back to a cooked palm! I now have a small (with undivided leaves) one as well as a similar sized 'regular' Queen & surprisingly they both actually grow, if still slowly. I didn't know if planting them small would make a difference, but so far so good, even if it will be a while before they push out split fronds! What are the summer temps/averages like where that big one is planted? It is so frustrating that we are just that little bit too cool in the summer for them to grow here

[Rod]

Here's my little Syagrus Nathan - It has seen temps as low as -4°c
This is what i call a marginal 50/50 palm for my garden, it will either wither away and die or it will grow slowly and steadily.
Queen palms are; growing on the edge for me.

Syagrus romanzoffiana


New leaf this summer ( only one )


Trunk

[Nathan]

Nice little Syagrus I'm hoping the bigger of my 2 'seedlings' will produce split leaves soon, it pushes out 2 leaves a year & the base of the stem has thickened a lot since it was originally planted...

I did also consider buying a big one & keeping it in a pot right up against the house, in a corner that gets loads of sun, all the radiated heat from the brickwork! I thought about wrapping a rope light around the pot in the winter to stop the roots freezing too...

[TroyDonovan]

Nice collection of palms Rod

Are there many Rhopalostylis growing around the milder areas of Christchurch ??

Troy

[Rod]

Nice collection of palms Rod

Are there many Rhopalostylis growing around the milder areas of Christchurch ??

Troy

Hi Troy - yes there are Nikau's growing in mild spots of Christchurch.

[billdango]

I just found this thread and on reading it I was very interested to see that Syagrus Romanzoffianum is an on the edge palm for Christchurch.

I must add that I planted one in my side entrance here 2 years ago and while it isn't growing that fast it hasen't died yet either.

I do give it minimal protection on the coldest nights [winter 2010 -6c on 2 nights] but it seems to take -3c or -4c with no harm done.

I admit it only grows very slowly in our cool summers [about 2 leaves a year here in Southampton] but it still needs watching during very cold nights.

I generally chuck a blanket around it if -1c or lower is forecast just to be on the safe side.

I also used a hot water bottle next to the trunk if -3c or below is forecasted.

But I think the main problem here is our lower sun hours compared with parts of New Zealand as i noticed that your mean sun hours in Christchurch is about 2,144 hours compared with Southampton at only 1.775 hours a year.

Only the extreme south coast towns like Eastbourne or Southsea will get comparable sun hours to your City Rod so this makes most of the UK a no go zone for this palm outside.

Anyway that said I am giving this palm a try for a few more years and will write posts on its progress for the benefit of the forum but I think Nathan has the best chance out of all of us.

rgds billdango

[Rod]

I just found this thread and on reading it I was very interested to see that Syagrus Romanzoffianum is an on the edge palm for Christchurch.

I must add that I planted one in my side entrance here 2 years ago and while it isn't growing that fast it hasen't died yet either.

I do give it minimal protection on the coldest nights [winter 2010 -6c on 2 nights] but it seems to take -3c or -4c with no harm done.

I admit it only grows very slowly in our cool summers [about 2 leaves a year here in Southampton] but it still needs watching during very cold nights.

I generally chuck a blanket around it if -1c or lower is forecast just to be on the safe side.

I also used a hot water bottle next to the trunk if -3c or below is forecasted.

But I think the main problem here is our lower sun hours compared with parts of New Zealand as i noticed that your mean sun hours in Christchurch is about 2,144 hours compared with Southampton at only 1.775 hours a year.

Only the extreme south coast towns like Eastbourne or Southsea will get comparable sun hours to your City Rod so this makes most of the UK a no go zone for this palm outside.

Anyway that said I am giving this palm a try for a few more years and will write posts on its progress for the benefit of the forum but I think Nathan has the best chance out of all of us.

rgds billdango

Hi Bill - Yes its an ON THE EDGE PALM in most of Christchurch, it needs a nice warm microclimate to grow successfully here, but it can be done. I am testing it here in my garden ( i am central-south in Christchurch ) so far results have been surprisingly good. And i may have a chance at growing it. ( Fingers crossed ) Trials ongoing.
I have purchased 4x 1m+ Syagrus romanzoffiana at $20 each for more testing in my garden.

[MikeC]

Even more on the edge (or way over it probably) I've got two Syagrus Rom San Caterina palms outside in large plastic pots in Swindon. They have been out all winter, protected in the coldest spells.

They are still alive but looking somewhat sad after the long winter. Hoping for a corker of a summer to bring them back to full health.

[Westport007]

hi,

i'm currently germinating some queen palms at the moment and might give them a try outdoors here in west of ireland to see how they do in our wet but mild climate.I don't know have they been tryed outdoors in ireland before.Just looking for advice how old do you plant them out?i'm guessing they grow slow once germinated?