Hampton Court Butia

[Rob S]

While i was in the Hampton Court area on the London/Surrey border last Thursday i went to look at an old Butia that has been in the front garden of a property beside the river for many years and was astonished by how much it had grown and it's pristine condition after a succession of bad winters, in fact at the time of viewing it was just above freezing and snowing heavily! Didn't have my camera but here's a good picture from last years Streetview although the car is slightly in the way, it's actually about a metre taller now;

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=hampton ... 13.52,,0,0

[paulrm71]

Bizarrely I was also in the area today (teddington) and saw a massive butia easily twice the size of the Hampton one. I'll try and get a street view of it later

[Rob S]

Please do, i'm not familiar with that one!

[rburrena]

My home town Butias do great here

[Addictedtopalms26]

Very nice! I bet those properties are worth a fortune looking onto the thames. I thought Butia had thicker trunks but its proberly because I haven't seen many above 1 metre tall! lol

[paulrm71]

Sorry cant get this street view to work properly on iPad. The big butia was up the high street after crossing Kingston bridge. It must be a mile or so up the high street on the right hand side. Looked like a big apartment block and it took centre place.

[Rob S]

Well i've looked all around Kingston and up the High Street and i can't see an enormous Butia, can you be more precise?

[medjool]

A huge Butia in Teddington sorry i have looked too! and cant find it!

[rburrena]

Is this the one?

http://goo.gl/maps/4LrUQ

[paulrm71]

Apologies all, I can't pinpoint the exact location as I was driving from strawberry vale and came out at Kingston bridge, but I can assure you there is one. Rburrena this may be it but I thought this was a Cipd?

[Nathan]

Very nice! I bet those properties are worth a fortune looking onto the thames. I thought Butia had thicker trunks but its proberly because I haven't seen many above 1 metre tall! lol

The Butia in the first post was planted as a trunked imported specimen, you can tell by its skinny trunk & small crown...

[paulrm71]

After feeling guilty that I couldn't pinpoint the butia that I had mentioned earlier, I took a trip down there today. Rburrena, yes you are correct, that is the butia. It must be getting on for 12 foot high, one to watch for the future anyway.

[Rob S]

Not really twice the size of the Hampton Butia is it but i appreciate your enthusiasm! I believe the Hampton plant is a Yatay and the other is Odorata! Nice find though!

[paulrm71]

Yeah I suppose not height wise, but it has a nice thick trunk.....would have cost a packet to buy as well!

[rburrena]

Not really twice the size of the Hampton Butia is it but i appreciate your enthusiasm! I believe the Hampton plant is a Yatay and the other is Odorata! Nice find though!

You have to be there, you cant tell from photos but it pretty much is twice the size in terms of trunk and diameter of the fronds. Overall it is probably almost as tall as the hampton court one even though it doesnt have much trunk yet. Huge