washingtonia robusta how hardy

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stephenprudence

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by stephenprudence »

it averages around 14-15C in the summer in Scilly Isles. Shocking thats even less than parts of Northern Scotland on average. Here I would only expect about 2-5 leaves to grow on my Washy in ANY given summer, hot or not.
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Dave Brown
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Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by Dave Brown »

It depends on size Stephen. Once a mature size.... ie a full width crown of leaves it speeds up dramatically. Mine has accelerated markedly over the last 4 or 5 years. :wink:

1st May 2007 after winter damage cut off.
010507 washingtonia.jpg
5 Months later 7th October 2007
071007  Washingtonia robusta.jpg
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stephenprudence

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by stephenprudence »

Have to compliment your Washy Dave, it looks absolutely fantastic at it's best. Mine's still fairly small obviously so I know what you're saying. Next summer, I think rather than growing on, it'll be growing through a recovery processes. I expect it to losr its spear, and perhaps the other fronds, but it should be back to full crown by the end of next summer :)
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Las Palmas Norte
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Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by Las Palmas Norte »

I'll, or should I say "winter", will be putting mine to the test over the next while. I have an enclosure around it and burlap wrapped around the center growth point. No additional heat, just the enclosure. Results forthcoming in May 2009 :lol:

Cheers, Barrie.
dyls

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by dyls »

It seems generally true (in my limited experience) that most palms accelerate their growth rate as they get larger. Washies are a complete no-hope here (wrecked by wind, even if the winters are generally mild enough, and insufficient summer heat to really make them look good by August) but I still soldier on with them for some reason.

On the bigger palm/bigger growth rate, the most dramtic difference I see is between my small chamaerops humilis and the large one. The small ones put out perhaps 3 or 4 fronds per summer. The large one puts out 15 or more in the same time period and grows extra trunk at the same time. Also, pots and not pots - my CIDPs that I got 2 years ago (before I knew how big they got - the label said "6 feet in 10 years", then I found the truth...) that are in the ground, and bought as tiddlers are already bigger than the ones I have in pots bought at the same time, twice the size and look far healthier (in fact they seem to have really enjoyed the two soggy summers we've had since I've put them in).

I had a washie get through winter and start growing at a decent rate in 2007, only to be killed by summer rain, succumbing in around August. That wet summer killed 9 small washies. I still have the three survivors (which have now gone through two soggy winters and the two wettest summers in decades - last summer we got something like 200% of our normal rainfall).

I've also observed that washies grow much much faster when it's sunny even if it's not all that warm, the bigger one I have grew more in May alone than it did for the whole of June, July and August. May was sunny, June, July and August was almost continually overcast or bucketing with rain.
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Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by Dave Brown »

Dyls, I think an ideal palm for you if you don't go beloow -3C are Nikau palms. they can take wind as they come from a windy places (NZ and Chatham islands), these places are humid and cool in summer... Max 25C but nearer 16 to 20C. Main problem here is the radiation frosts to -5C which kills the leaves.

Washingtonia may enjoy the sun coming from Califonia and Mexico. Even when the air is cool the leaves get very warm in sun. :wink:
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derrick

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by derrick »

Thanks for the help dont see to many washingtonia about not large palms Only humilis fortunei .They have nice spines on leaves cut them in greece painful.
DaveP

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by DaveP »

When talking about places such as Tresco, I think it pays to bear in mind that although summers there are relatively cool, they rarely if ever see anything like the winter cold experienced on the mainland. As a result, few plants stop growing in winter and don't need a summer 'boost'. Plants flower there a good 3 or 4 months ahead of us and there's more going on in January than here in late spring! I see no reason why W. robusta shouldn't become massive on Tresco or grow pretty fast. A lot of other plants with an equal or greater heat requirement do exceptionally well there so I very much doubt its absence is due to poor growth. Friends of mine are quite pally with Mike Nelhams and go over most years. I'll get them to ask the question.

Surprisingly few Washys are planted here, although looking at the way folks plant CIDPs so close to their house walls & windows, maybe that's no bad thing. Noting Nath's comments about them in the Portsmouth area, the recent opening of a new B&Q mini warehouse here in TQY will probably result in a mass planting over the next few years :| There's one just around the corner from here that was planted in 2001. It looks to be nearing the size of the IOW plant and carries on growing in most winters. It doesn't get cold damage as such, but the massive leaves are ripped to shreds each year because it's in a very (relatively) cold, windy spot.
Nigel Fear

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by Nigel Fear »

Theres a Washingtonia [fillifera I think] thats growing on a roundabout in Basildon Essex totally exposed to the open air, thats still looking good after about 4 years,its about 6ft tall or so.
themes

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by themes »

Was thinking of planting my two Washingtonia in May to avoid the risk of heavy frost. Do you think I am being to cautious and can plant them earlier?
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Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by Dave Brown »

I would not plant until May, as planting into cold soil is a sure fire way of getting the sulks. If at all possible warm the soil before planting. If you measure soil temperature in pots during summer they are in excess of 30C on sunny days, the soil is a good 10C colder, and this may shock the palm into a sulk after planting out. :wink:

Soil temperatures tend to change slowly, so planting a warm soil ball into a cold planting hole will cause an unaturally rapid cooling of the soil ball :roll:
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themes

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by themes »

Thanks for the info Dave :wink: . I wanted to give them maximum time to establish themselves before the winter. I know from experience with robusta, albeit smaller size I planted to early in the year and the plant went into shock and totally defoliated..still has not recovered properly. May it is.

Adrain..if you read this, do not confuse me by saying something that contradicts Dave. Only five months to go!!!
GARYnNAT

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by GARYnNAT »

themes wrote:Thanks for the info Dave

Adrain..if you read this, do not confuse me by saying something that contradicts Dave. Only five months to go!!!
Why do they argue or something :D :DD :DD :D

Gary
mikefromniagara6b

Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by mikefromniagara6b »

Does fine here in zone 6b - indoors for the winter! :wink:
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Dave Brown
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Re: washingtonia robusta how hardy

Post by Dave Brown »

GARYnNAT wrote:
themes wrote:Thanks for the info Dave

Adrain..if you read this, do not confuse me by saying something that contradicts Dave. Only five months to go!!!
Why do they argue or something :D :DD :DD :D

Gary
No we don't argue, but we have different ways of growing things. :wink: He has a slightly warmer climate in general, but some vicious frosts, he has more rainfall etc.... and that dictates how you grow things to best advantage. Ultimately we both grow the same things well, but differently :wink:
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