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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
Hello
I've only recently become interested in gardening since inheriting a garden with my house a few years back. So please bear with me on this... :-) I have a lovely 'palm tree' in the front garden. It was pretty neglected up until recently, but now I removed the 'dead' leave from the bottom, as the thing grows. Here are some pictures... if someone can please identify the plant/tree, and tell me howe I should look after it, and how high I can expect it to grow, I would be very appreciative. (Please note images are quite large in size - OK if you have broadband) http://www.jayandsarah.com/palm1.jpg http://www.jayandsarah.com/palm2.jpg Now I have noticed only recently, something is happening at the top of the plant/tree! Something is growing at a strange angle: http://www.jayandsarah.com/palm3.jpg Can someone please tell me what it is??? And what i should do (if anything) to maintain it... :-/ Many thanks Jay |
#2
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
"Jay" wrote in message I have a lovely 'palm tree' in the front garden. It was pretty neglected up until recently, but now I removed the 'dead' leave from the bottom, as the thing grows. Here are some pictures... if someone can please identify the plant/tree, and tell me howe I should look after it, and how high I can expect it to grow, I would be very appreciative. It's a Cabbage Palm also known as the Cornish Palm but actually isn't a true Palm at all, it's real name is Cordyline australis. One of the largest ones I've ever seen is just down the road from here and it's just two storey house high and has a canopy about 12ft around, looks magnificent. My own ones are about 15ft tall and only just branching out after flowering for the first time a few years ago.. Just pull off the dead leaves and cut off the flower/seed panicle when you get them when it goes brown and after the birds have eaten all the seeds. Otherwise leave it to do it's own thing. -- Regards Bob Some photos of my plants at..... |
#3
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
Thanks for the information, Bob!
I've no idea how old this one is, but I've lived here for 5 and a half years, and I think it was only a foot or so tall when I bought the house. I'm a bit worried about it growing TOO tall! Regarding the flower/seed panicle - (a) It it possible to take the seeds and plant them? and (b) Is there any chance I will damage the tree if I cut the panicle now? Do they keep appearing? Many thanks, and thanks for excusing my ignorance. I have so much to learn! Regards Jay "Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... "Jay" wrote in message I have a lovely 'palm tree' in the front garden. It was pretty neglected up until recently, but now I removed the 'dead' leave from the bottom, as the thing grows. Here are some pictures... if someone can please identify the plant/tree, and tell me howe I should look after it, and how high I can expect it to grow, I would be very appreciative. It's a Cabbage Palm also known as the Cornish Palm but actually isn't a true Palm at all, it's real name is Cordyline australis. One of the largest ones I've ever seen is just down the road from here and it's just two storey house high and has a canopy about 12ft around, looks magnificent. My own ones are about 15ft tall and only just branching out after flowering for the first time a few years ago.. Just pull off the dead leaves and cut off the flower/seed panicle when you get them when it goes brown and after the birds have eaten all the seeds. Otherwise leave it to do it's own thing. -- Regards Bob Some photos of my plants at..... |
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
"Jay" wrote in message ... I've no idea how old this one is, but I've lived here for 5 and a half years, and I think it was only a foot or so tall when I bought the house. I'm a bit worried about it growing TOO tall! Regarding the flower/seed panicle - (a) It it possible to take the seeds and plant them? and (b) Is there any chance I will damage the tree if I cut the panicle now? Do they keep appearing? Many thanks, and thanks for excusing my ignorance. I have so much to learn! Well I don't think they ever get too tall, say 20ft after a long time, which is not a tall tree. However if it does get too tall for you then you can cut it down cut the stem into a couple of lengths, plant them, and you will then get suckers/offshoots developing which you can use as cuttings. Yes it is possible to take the seeds, if you beat the birds to them, sow them in April and keep them warm 60°F min. If it's last years flower panicle then by all means cut it off now, I did mine months ago. If it's this years then it's probably only just starting to flower and if you cut it off that's it for this season. Incidentally it's only after they start to flower that they start to branch. We all have to learn and never stop doing so.i.e I saw my first thumbnail sized Rose Chafer yesterday in an Iris flower of mine, what a stunningly beautiful insect. -- Regards Bob Some photos of my plants at..... |
#5
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
:-)
Thanks Bob. It may sound a daft question, but is there any way to stop it branching? At the moments it's just about a safe distance from the house, but I'm worried that if it branches out, it may go towards the house. The person who planted it (ie the former houseowner) pplanted at a little too close I think... Cheers again Jay "Bob Hobden" wrote in message ... "Jay" wrote in message ... I've no idea how old this one is, but I've lived here for 5 and a half years, and I think it was only a foot or so tall when I bought the house. I'm a bit worried about it growing TOO tall! Regarding the flower/seed panicle - (a) It it possible to take the seeds and plant them? and (b) Is there any chance I will damage the tree if I cut the panicle now? Do they keep appearing? Many thanks, and thanks for excusing my ignorance. I have so much to learn! Well I don't think they ever get too tall, say 20ft after a long time, which is not a tall tree. However if it does get too tall for you then you can cut it down cut the stem into a couple of lengths, plant them, and you will then get suckers/offshoots developing which you can use as cuttings. Yes it is possible to take the seeds, if you beat the birds to them, sow them in April and keep them warm 60°F min. If it's last years flower panicle then by all means cut it off now, I did mine months ago. If it's this years then it's probably only just starting to flower and if you cut it off that's it for this season. Incidentally it's only after they start to flower that they start to branch. We all have to learn and never stop doing so.i.e I saw my first thumbnail sized Rose Chafer yesterday in an Iris flower of mine, what a stunningly beautiful insect. -- Regards Bob Some photos of my plants at..... |
#6
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
On Mon, 24 May 2004 06:28:47 +0000 (UTC), "Jay" wrote:
It may sound a daft question, but is there any way to stop it branching? At the moments it's just about a safe distance from the house, but I'm worried that if it branches out, it may go towards the house. The person who planted it (ie the former houseowner) pplanted at a little too close I think... If it does branch it will pose absolutely no problem at all. We have thousands of them planted down here - many barely inches away from house and hotel walls. All are perfectly fine and pose no risks whatsoever. Cordyline australis is a 'terminal flowerer' - in other words, growth terminates in a flower spike. After flowering, new shoots at the base of the spike develop, taking anything from 1 to 4 years to grow big enough to flower. If your plant produces a flower spike it will branch out. Of course you could select just one shoot and remove the others, but this will result in a very lop-sided and rather ugly specimen. Cordyline australis is at its very best when branching freely, producing many large spikes of rather sweetly scented flowers. They can become rather spectacular - not only when in flower, but later when heavily laden with white or lilac, pea-like berries. Generally (but not always) birds will only touch the berries when most others have been eaten. Here, Jackdaws eventually feast on them, but not until late November. As a result we get flowering (creamy white through to pinkish white depending upon the plant) in May lasting a couple of weeks, followed by berrying which starts to look good by mid August and remains highly ornamental until early winter. I really do urge you to simply let your plant 'do its own thing'. It wont' pose any risks to people or structures and will get better year on year. If you follow this lengthy link, it shows a parterre of Cordylines down on the sea front that were planted a while back and are now starting to look rather fetching http://groups.msn.com/Torbay-theEngl...hoto&PhotoID=5 Dave Poole Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C. Growing season: March - November Drop 's' when mailing |
#7
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
Thanks, Dave.
I think I'm best to leave it then. In fact, I'm now looking forward to watching it grow! :-D Thanks again Jay "Dave Poole" wrote in message ... On Mon, 24 May 2004 06:28:47 +0000 (UTC), "Jay" wrote: It may sound a daft question, but is there any way to stop it branching? At the moments it's just about a safe distance from the house, but I'm worried that if it branches out, it may go towards the house. The person who planted it (ie the former houseowner) pplanted at a little too close I think... If it does branch it will pose absolutely no problem at all. We have thousands of them planted down here - many barely inches away from house and hotel walls. All are perfectly fine and pose no risks whatsoever. Cordyline australis is a 'terminal flowerer' - in other words, growth terminates in a flower spike. After flowering, new shoots at the base of the spike develop, taking anything from 1 to 4 years to grow big enough to flower. If your plant produces a flower spike it will branch out. Of course you could select just one shoot and remove the others, but this will result in a very lop-sided and rather ugly specimen. Cordyline australis is at its very best when branching freely, producing many large spikes of rather sweetly scented flowers. They can become rather spectacular - not only when in flower, but later when heavily laden with white or lilac, pea-like berries. Generally (but not always) birds will only touch the berries when most others have been eaten. Here, Jackdaws eventually feast on them, but not until late November. As a result we get flowering (creamy white through to pinkish white depending upon the plant) in May lasting a couple of weeks, followed by berrying which starts to look good by mid August and remains highly ornamental until early winter. I really do urge you to simply let your plant 'do its own thing'. It wont' pose any risks to people or structures and will get better year on year. If you follow this lengthy link, it shows a parterre of Cordylines down on the sea front that were planted a while back and are now starting to look rather fetching http://groups.msn.com/Torbay-theEngl...hoto&PhotoID=5 Dave Poole Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C. Growing season: March - November Drop 's' when mailing |
#8
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
"Dave Poole" wrote in message ... On Mon, 24 May 2004 06:28:47 +0000 (UTC), "Jay" wrote: It may sound a daft question, but is there any way to stop it branching? At the moments it's just about a safe distance from the house, but I'm worried that if it branches out, it may go towards the house. The person who planted it (ie the former houseowner) pplanted at a little too close I think... If it does branch it will pose absolutely no problem at all. We have thousands of them planted down here - many barely inches away from house and hotel walls. All are perfectly fine and pose no risks whatsoever. Cordyline australis is a 'terminal flowerer' - in other words, growth terminates in a flower spike. After flowering, new shoots at the base of the spike develop, taking anything from 1 to 4 years to grow big enough to flower. If your plant produces a flower spike it will branch out. Of course you could select just one shoot and remove the others, but this will result in a very lop-sided and rather ugly specimen. Cordyline australis is at its very best when branching freely, producing many large spikes of rather sweetly scented flowers. They can become rather spectacular - not only when in flower, but later when heavily laden with white or lilac, pea-like berries. Generally (but not always) birds will only touch the berries when most others have been eaten. Here, Jackdaws eventually feast on them, but not until late November. As a result we get flowering (creamy white through to pinkish white depending upon the plant) in May lasting a couple of weeks, followed by berrying which starts to look good by mid August and remains highly ornamental until early winter. snip Dave Poole Dave are there clones which do not set fruit/seed mine never has although it flowers ever year. Or am I just treating it badly! -- Charlie, gardening in Cornwall. http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs) |
#9
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'Palm Tree' ID & help please!
On Mon, 24 May 2004 19:32:07 +0100, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote: Dave are there clones which do not set fruit/seed mine never has although it flowers ever year. Or am I just treating it badly! Charlie, There must be very many variants and it would not surprise me that at least a few might be non fruiters. If it flowers, there should be no reason for it not setting fruit - unless the flowers are imperfect or self-sterile. I've seen at least 5 different flowering types/ styles: Brilliant creamy, almost yellow- white, comparatively large flowers, very dense upright flower spikes. Bright white, medium sized flowers on very large, pendulous spikes. Translucent white small flowers on dense reddish tinged upright or semi-pendulous spikes. As above but with fully pendulous spikes. White flowers on very sparse reddish spikes. Leaves can be between 1.5 cms. and 10 cms. across and vary between the familiar floppy dishmop-look to being half normal length and stiffly upright. Leaf colour varies from brilliant green through to dull grey-green and at least one or two show some orange tones in the leaf midribs a la Cordyline indivisa mode. As mentioned before, berries are usually white, but I know of at least one very broad leaved plant with poor flowers but superb berries that colour deep lilac, ageing slowly through to white. Dave Poole Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C. Growing season: March - November Drop 's' when mailing |
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