Cycad revolta

We were so chuffed when we went to examine our exotics up on the deck the other day to discover our Sago palm which we got in December has shot up a new set of fronds ....

 

LOL - super specimen ....
this is one of our fan palms ....we call 'him' General de Gaulle ....

put in as a tiny baby palm about 6 years ago he now stands about two and half metres high... I've had to trim his trunk as he was put in a bad positiion (access change !) but he seems very happy ........ his 'son' is in another situation but only a tiny tot for the moment !

 

Thanks, M-L, all these exotics are new to us. We have a fan palm with only four fronds at the moment and have it in a large pot on the dining patio at the moment so it shouldn't get out of control!

General de Gaulle is fantastic and I guess grew so quickly because he's in the ground. I've noticed the Canary / Phoenix palms grow at a high rate of knots here as well. Our neighbour firstly trimmed the outer leaves off his, then a few days later chopped the entire top off ( :eek: ) but within two months it was huge, like fronds 2-3 metres long, so it appears he's dug the whole thing up! Shame! :(

We also have a Nolina (Elephant's Foot) and an Araucaria (Monkey Puzzle) up on the deck but they too are in large pots.

 

I wish my revoluta would grow some new fronds L of L, its been planted out now for three years and nothing, its still alive though.
General de gaulle has really grown well Mona Lisa, is it a trachy?, looks like one, thats really fast for six years, probably twice the speed they grow here.

 

Yes Pete .. it's a Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) ... They grow like fury here once they get going ... the little one has been in place for 2 years and this year has suddenly pushed up 2 new fronds ...so I expect by this time next year it will start to climb .....they need no attention at all ...just HEAT ..and they certainly get that M-L

 

I presume you get growth right through the winter?
Is the small one grown from seed?

 

Pete, maybe you should pot yours up and "baby" it along. These new fronds are only about a week old! Our Nolina is growing well also. You have one, don't you? I won a 50 Euro voucher for an exotic garden centre so we got some nice goodies ... and it cheered me up because our Puschka (white cat) had just died the week before. The Cycad was at half price, but FREE to me! Got it, the Nolina, a Carissa (Natal Plum, the thornless variety), a Polygala myrtifolia (Sweet Pea shrub) and a Justicia (Shrimp Plant) all for my 50 Euros ... had to pay extra 11 Euros for the Monkey Puzzle tree. Good, huh? Couldn't see to drive home in our little Clio! :eek:

 

Growth through winter depends on the winter really .... up to 2 years ago we had very mild but could be humid winters; things changed with the last 2 being much colder and virtually no rain at all ...once it gets warm however...we are looking at 25�°+ normally in March then things take off and by June/July unless some serious pruning is done we have a veritable jungle... both of these are from seeds given to me locally... M-L

 

You're obviously hotter than me M-L (in climate, I mean!). I think we must run about 5 degrees lower than you generally. I'm most impressed you did the General from a seed! Wow!

 

The cycad was in a pot but it got too big to keep moving and it was potbound, so I planted it out to take its chances.
You certainly got a lot of plants there for 50 unos, not come across carissa or polygala I dont think. The nolina (Beaucarnea) is different no chance outdoors here and they're getting pot bound as well, Looking for a new home for them.
Yeah well done ML on growing them from seed, I always think you can feel some satisfaction by doing it that way.

 

Uno, good game, we have that? :D :D :D

 

Uno what I mean :D

 

Did I miss something here, Pete .. it looks fantastic!

 

Yes but the point is, its not grown one frond since I planted it 3 yrs ago

 

Dont know if you know L of L, but dont move that cycad while those fronds are forming, if the plant gets turned the fronds will grow deformed.
Dont move it untill they harden up and become ridgid.