Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:

Buga foiled again. I assume the thermometer was calibrated and certified by
an accredited agency:-)

Of course not, but even if several percent out (and I've taken averages
from 3 spots in my patch), the figures still look good.

Our figures are less exhaustive but an abbreviated form says:-
"It wern't half ot lad"

I noticed your tendency for the occasional abbreviation. It must be a
geographical quirk - "buga" there, "booger" here and I suppose ...
bugger the rest? Sorry it was predictable, but irrresistable.

I have a Taiwanese 'Sugar palm' (Arenga micrantha) ...

IIRC both the Basjoo and Sikkimensis were strutting their stuff. I can't
make a decent name for the potential offspring which incorporates Poole:-)

No, no, please, I'd hate to be immortalised in a nana. At serious risk
of being utterly non-PC (What me? Perish the thought!) I suppose it
could be Musa x Sikjoo, but maybe that's inappropriate ATM.

That palm sounds interesting. Had a read about it. Shade and likes moist
soil, so it could go on my wish list for the day when I have a space.

Ah, now you're talking, although in view of many folk's experiences, it
is probably too tender for growing 'oop't noorth'. It does do better
in more sun than so far described and tends to weaken if grown in
continuous deep shade once the leaves exceed 60cms. or so. The Palm
Centre have described it as being "hardy", due to its provenance (at
relatively high elevations in the ***Himalayas), but in practice it is
only really possible in sheltered, southern localities.

That said, it is a superb foliage plant with very impressive fronds
that are at first lime-green, deepening with age. The backs of the
leaves are pale, silvery grey adding to the overall appeal. Each
leaflet is regularly positioned, but irregularly cut and with an
eventual, total frond length of nearly 3 metres, it becomes a hugely
impressive palm as the shortish trunk extends. There seem to be far
more failures than successes, so I feel particularly pleased that it
seems to do well here. Well so far at least.

*** I should explain that my describing it as 'Taiwanese' is because of
its extremely close alliance with an Arenga that is truly native to
Taiwan and Ryukyu, viz. A. engleri, which is a much slower growing,
more tender, smaller version.