Palms for Sarasota

annafl

annafl

Esteemed Member
2,243
24/02/13
567
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Sarasota, FL zone 9b/10a United States
I very much consider myself a palm novice, but would like to plant some interesting, not so common palms in my garden in Sarasota, FL. Trying to look things up in Palmpedia and palm dictionaries I realize never give the whole story. That's why I'm hoping you'll give some input.

Since I've lived in this (house 8-9 years), the coldest winter was the winter of 2010. It got down to 27-28 two or three times. Most years the low is 33-35, with much warmer days inbetween. Presently I have some coccothrinax, a couple of chamys, a couple of Beccariophoenix, arengas, copernicia alba, and a zombie that have done well with all winters. The Beccariophoenix madagascariensis balked in 2010, but is now beautiful. I also have some miscellaneous palms that have not been thoroughly tested by harsh winters (a cabadae, dypsis Pembana, burretiokentia hapala, Kentiopsis olivioformis). The following are the palms I'm considering. I don't even know if I'll be able to find them yet. Thought I'd ask here and get a short list first of ones that might survive/thrive. Please help if you can. Thanks!

Clinostigma savoryanum
Dypsis Onilahensis
Dypsis Saintlucei
Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum
Hyophorbe varschaffeltii
Calyptrocalyx forbesii or other in species
Carpoxylon macrospermum
Ravenea Hildebrandtii
 
Ana - I would ask Jim Glock what his experiences are on what palms have done well for him. You can't beat having a long time palm grower with a similar growing conditions for advice. You can save $$$ resources by not repeating what he has learned. Faith Bishock would be another valuable experienced person to ask.
 
Ana,

Do you have preferences? For example, do you prefer pinnate or palmate, clustering or solitary, sun or shade, huge or dainty? Do you like spiny palms, blue palms, red leaf palms, etc?

There are so many to choose from. Do you want rare or unusual palms? Do you want palms ready for the ground, or can you grow up smaller ones before planting out?
 
Ana - if you could control yourself at the Searle Brothers Extravaganza, beyond the croton section - there is a selection of palms for sale rarely found in any other nursery. Jim Glock is also there to provide advice from his multiple years of growing palms in Fort Myers.
 
Ana, another species I just thought of is, Beccariophoenix alfredii. It's proven to take upper 20's with no damage. It also will give you a similar appearance to a coconut look. A very tough palm that some of the growers in central florida are growing.
 
I think a Talipot palm would be a very interesting addition if you have the room. No one else in your area would have one. Its a very impressive bold species once it starts cranking. Corypha umbraculifera - check the Wiki. Jim Glock has a beauty in his Fort Myers garden.
 
Moose said:
Ana - if you could control yourself at the Searle Brothers Extravaganza, beyond the croton section - there is a selection of palms for sale rarely found in any other nursery. Jim Glock is also there to provide advice from his multiple years of growing palms in Fort Myers.
Click to expand...
Jeff Searle said:
Ana, another species I just thought of is, Beccariophoenix alfredii. It's proven to take upper 20's with no damage. It also will give you a similar appearance to a coconut look. A very tough palm that some of the growers in central florida are growing.
Click to expand...
Ron, I've gotten many of my palms exactly there, of course. I've spoken to Jim every time I've gone in that section. Thanks.
Jeff, I have a small Beccariophoenix alfredii that's doing well. I have a large (15-17ft.) Beccariophoenix madagascariensis that I got at your nursery years ago. It had a little trouble in 2010, but has done great every other winter and is beautiful. Love it. Thanks.

Ron, I don't really have the room remaining for a Talipot palm. Wish I did! Thanks.
 
Anna, when I first started growing palms here in Sarasota I approached it with the thought that what I can grow here is a subset of what can be grown in the Miami area. In the coastal parts of Sarasota and on the islands that may be the case, but here in Palmer Ranch where I live I found that not to be the case. My winter night lows are almost always 5-10 degrees F lower than in Miami and the highs are often lower, but the soil in part of my yard is pretty acidic, which gives me a lot of opportunity to grow stuff that normally has a hard time in South Florida. For example palms from the Amazon. I have thriving specimens of Mauritiella armata and Euterpe oleracea. Euterpe gets set back every winter, but is back growing strong by mid-April. I used to have a Clinostigma savoryanum, but it died from bud-rot last summer when we had one-and-a-half times the normal rain. However, my friend on Bird Key has a C. savoryanum that's growing well. It's small but can be seen from one of the bridges. What I'm dealing is now is - I'm moving and I'm not sure the soil will be identical in my new yard, and how many palms will make it. Also my yard is not without problems that are uncommon for Florida. I couldn't keep a Coccothrinax or a Leucothrinax alive. C. barbadensis that likes it alkaline (I guess) spent 2 years in the ground planted as a 7-gal and died. When I tried to dig it out, I could just pull it out in the shape of that 7 gal container. In 2 years the root went around the original potted soil all rootbound, but none advanced beyond into my native soil.
 
Also I had a Calyptrocalyx leptostachys that's been doing well for about a year-and-a-half then died this spring. It seemed to have mostly surface roots and needed to be kept moist all the time. Irrigation was not enough in the dry season.
 
Wow, Alex, you picked some really rare ones and kind of long shots. I guess I go more for just pushing the zones a little bit. My soil started on the basic side, but I haven't tested it in years and have been piling organic matter into it the whole time, so I don't quite know. Of the above I mentioned, I ended up getting a carpoxylon macrospermum. It is about 5 feet tall and got sunburned right away. It seems to be hanging in there though and just put out a nice, pretty, adapted leaf. Nice to 'see' another Sarasotan here.
 
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