New Palms!

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 4:42 am

I've finally got my hands on my new Sabal 'Birmingham' and Sabal 'texensis' (Brazoria palm). I am very impressed with these palms, they are a decent size and very healthy. Pics to follow.

My plan is to plant these out next spring. They will need protection in my cold zone 4b/5a garden, but should also be completely worthwhile! Plus, they should be OK should the power fail briefly in the winter!

FYI- These came from Southcoastgardens, probably you're best bet (in Canada) to get some of the less common palms that are proving very worthwhile in the American Southeast.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:38 am

Excellent! I'm looking forward to the photos.
Those palms are indeed hard to find, even down here. My S. "Birmingham" are from seed; "Brazoria" will probably have to wait until I can drive to south Texas (maybe March). So, it is great you found a Canadian source. --Erik

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:45 am

Paul thats awsome dude!!!!! Was ther eany problems with shipping?

edit**** just checked the site out.... looks like im going to be a every poor person come spring!!

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 6:14 am

That's great news! You've been looking for a Birmy for some time now. You'll be surprised how fast that actually grow Paul, mine put out 5 full fronds since Feb. and almost has 6 open, not bad I'd say. My regular minors only put out 2-3 SLOWWW! Is your brazoria that amazing gun metal blue color? They are beautiful, I'll sure be on the hunt for some of them next year!

Can't wait to see the pictures.

Bill

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:12 am

You may need to send your S.Birmingham to Bill to see fast growth

I have heard a lot of people complain about their growth speed but..........
they are totally worthy and maybe you will have one of the happy ones that grows!

Brazoria is a great Sabal!

I have seen the least cold damage on mine of any Sabal I have grown,
even though it's only growing strap leaves,I find this very impressive
for such a young palm.

Also,as Bill mentioned-beautiful blue leaves,even on my other smaller seedlings
same with the McCurtain,man I have way to many seedlings!!!!!!!

ScottyON · Post by **ScottyON** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:43 pm

Did you get them delivered or did you go there??

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:49 pm

They have canna Musifolia

Okanagan desert-palms · Fri Nov 12, 2010 5:05 pm

Paul that`s great you could pick up those palms from southcoast gardens. I went through their catalog list and they only showed 3 gal. S.minor for $40. What are their prices and sizes for the S.birmingham and S.texensis?

John

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 7:05 pm

Kevin is willing to drive plants to Toronto, so he dropped them off here. So shipping was free...

John- I think that the palms are something like 50 + tax. They aren't listed because they're in limited quantities. I know for a fact that he is going to be going back to Gary's in NC this spring, and certainly will be picking up more of these palms.

Sabal x texensis 'Brazoria palm'
<img src="http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/44743 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMGP1443">

Sabal 'birmingham'
<img src="http://inlinethumb52.webshots.com/45939 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMGP1444">

The blue of the Brazoria is nice, I think the McCurtain that I have are a more 'rich' blue colour!!

Sorry for the quality of the pics, the palms are sitting in my kitchen until I move them to the greenhouse for the winter.

Okanagan desert-palms · Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:06 pm

That is one hell of a deal for those sabal`s. I`ll have to keep Southshore nursery on my radar for next spring. Thanks for sharing the pics and info. Here is a California nursery selling 15 gal. queen palms for $25 and 24 gal. for $125 shipping worldwide. I`ve asked the seller if they have other palms,yuccas and if they come with a phyto certificate. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 0574688510

John

willy1der · Post by **willy1der** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:23 pm

Nice looking palms,picked up a couple needles for 40$ at southcoast this summer,was cheaper than their cataloge price.I too noticed he had more palm than he advertised too!!!I will be heading their come spring to shop and it is only 2 minits from the beach and restaurants in turkey point,love the daytrips!!!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 8:25 pm

Paul,
thanks for the photos. Good looking palms and a very good price on them. --Erik

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:20 pm

Paul,
They were worth waiting for! Nice size, great price!
My money's on the Brazoria to win the blue contest in, say, 5 years.
(Unless your next palm is a Copernicia).

Will have a look at the southcoast site.
Let us know if he ever wants to drive out to the west coast.

Barb

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:12 am

Wow paul they look really good and healthy. Grats on the deal!!! Alll of his prices ar reasonable, and some are a steal!!!!

ROBRETI · Post by **ROBRETI** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:36 am

Good job, Paul!

I myself drove there in June and was overwhelmed by the selection.... SO, I bought a Brazoria (very blue in the middle, if you check a couple of websites, you'll be amazed by its eventual size; a leaf can easily be 1.5 M in diameter....), 3 large lagerstroemias Tonto and a deep red one, one large Trachy, an Eucalyptus gunnii (still growing and blue like steel... well, so far we have had only -2 C), Gardenias Kleim's hardy and an even hardier one, sorry, I forgot its name. Next year - if I have noney for it - I am going to order 50 tea plants from him - tea being my favourite drink. He is very knowledgable and quite honest; he showed me his own Tonto which he overwintered in the open; no frostbite up till its protection line and above it, well, it had to re-grow.

Good luck Paul!!!!
Rob

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:29 am

Ya, I'm pretty pleased with these. I think I'll put them in the ground come April with a cold frame around them.

Rob- If you're ever up K-town way, feel free to drop by!

Barb- I don't think he's planning a trip to the West Coast, sorry:( While we were talking he even mentioned that he was unimpressed with west coast nurseries in general, due to some unfortunate complications in getting plants shipped.

John- I think Queen palm is a little beyond the protection I am willing to give (so is Washingtonia robusta, though...). An interesting source though, thanks for that.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:41 am

I didnt see tea plants on there, just flowering camellia... then again like you say, he has more in person.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:41 am

Hi Paul,

great looking palms!! I'll have my S. 'birmingham' in a green house......we'll see how it does. Mine only pushed up 1 and 3/4 new leaves......it's planted in one of my warmest spots too.

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:39 am

I wished I go there as soon as I'll buy a ticket to Toronto...

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:45 am

LOL!
From Almaty, a plane ticket to the south would cost much less. I can only dream of what you could find for sale 2,000 km towards the tropics....
--Erik

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:53 am

Erik, I'm a kind of the Canadian citizen who's having a property in Toronto, ON, as well as a bunch of relatives I'd love to see... Of course I can fly to Bangkok for less then 1000 bucks but unlikely if Sabal grows there .

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:11 am

Yes, no Sabal in Thailand but many other great plants I'm sure.
I've carried home smallish palms as carry on luggage, even since 9/11, but I have not tried doing that on international flights.
--Erik

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 11:27 am

Oh, no! Don't try bringing anything "green" to US or to Canada. Never mind Australia or NZ too! Those guys do their work perfectly! I usually wash out the plants roots and have no problems crossing the Kazakh border customs control. But I won't try bringing plants to Canada.