Araucaria Appreciation Thread

LoveMyPeppermill · May 8, 2023

Yes, I was reading the Wikipedia entries for Washingtonia robusta and Washingtonia filifera Part of the reason I asked is that Gary's fan palm appears to be more-or-less human height (otherwise, I presume, he couldn't have gotten such a good photo of the owl), and I was wondeing if that could be the same palm that grows so tall in California.

The Sabal palmetto, the state tree of South Carolina, is the one I want the NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation to start planting on streets here, now that we're officially Zone 7b.

frankifab · May 10, 2023

Hi Johnnie

I hope that you have a nice evening and that Thursday is a cool day for you

ChristianGianni · May 10, 2023

Hi John, hope your week is going well (*8*)

Araucaria · May 12, 2023

Good Friday evening Matthew, Frankie, and Christian! (*8*)

Christian, that guy is looking at his friend like, I'm gonna have you in the sack, buddy! :drool:

Frankie, I hope you're having a great Friday night.

Matthew, have you actually seen an Sabal palmettos in NYC? I was under the impression that you don't see them north of about Virginia Beach. The thing about those climate zones is that they are an average of minimum temperatures over the previous couple of decades, or about 30 years, I think. Individual years can be much colder or warmer, and you might still get a rogue frigid air mass that can zap plants that should survive most years. I would say that individuals should try to plant them in the mildest areas, or protected by buildings, etc. And if those Sabal palmettos do well, then Parks and Recreation could do larger plantings, once it becomes clear that it is safe to do so.

LoveMyPeppermill · May 12, 2023

Araucaria said:
Matthew, have you actually seen an Sabal palmettos in NYC? I was under the impression that you don't see them north of about Virginia Beach. The thing about those climate zones is that they are an average of minimum temperatures over the previous couple of decades, or about 30 years, I think. Individual years can be much colder or warmer, and you might still get a rogue frigid air mass that can zap plants that should survive most years. I would say that individuals should try to plant them in the mildest areas, or protected by buildings, etc. And if those Sabal palmettos do well, then Parks and Recreation could do larger plantings, once it becomes clear that it is safe to do so.

I haven't seen Sabal palmettos in New York City, no. And the city almost certainly wouldn't plant them, because they provide very little share. You're right, you don't see them north of Virginia Beach. But every few years the South Carolina Lowcountry gets (or used to get) a day or two of lows in the low 20s, and the palmettos survive. So, with the winters we've had lately, I can't help thinking they'd survive where the ocean keeps temperatures from getting too cold, and that's a fair bit of the city. but yes, a week of a very bad polar vortex would probably knock them all out. Oh well.