Palms and Yuccas

rp4111 · Post by **rp4111** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:51 pm

I wanted to share a bunch of pics of my palms, including my new Yucca Thompsoniana and cactus bed in Massachusetts.

My small trachy I planted last year that I got from someone in Florida. For protection over the winter I used a string of C7 lights and threw a garbage bin over it. It pulled through just fine with a little burning on one of the fronds that was touching the side of the bin. Oops!

Last Year

This Year

Here's the lanky trachy that I planted last spring as well. I used a Styrofoam box and wrapped the tree with two sets of C7 lights which only came on when temps hit 35 in the box. It looks a bit "rough around the edges" Seems the top of the fronds got a little cooked. However, it did put out a new frond over the winter and one more is coming up.

The new cactus bed I've been working on for the past few days with my new Yucca Thompsoniana that arrived today! The bed stills needs a bit more pea stone. Then I'll start ordering some cactus. Not sure exactly what to plant but im looking into getting one Agave, opuntia, and some type of hardy barrel cactus.

Thanks for looking!

ScottyON · Post by **ScottyON** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:09 pm

Hey Ryan.. Thanks for sharing! What zone are you in?? Would you be close to the NY state boarder?

rp4111 · Post by **rp4111** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:29 pm

Zone 6. I'm about 1 hour east of the NYS border.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:31 pm

Ryan, that Thompsoniana is gorgeous! What a find!

That first Trachy is ready to explode with growth...a healthy looking specimen.

That other one sure is lanky...it'll settle in this year.

What kind of Agave are you going to plant (I'm not knowledgeable on opuntia or barrels...others here are).

Barb

rp4111 · Post by **rp4111** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:20 pm

Thanks Barb. I was leaning towards an Agave Parryi. From my readings it appears to be very cold hardy.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:10 pm

Ryan,
the Trachy look fantastic--vastly better than mine. Remind me to ask you for winter protection tips next autumn.
--Erik

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 4:24 am

Your Thompsoniana looks great! I had a feeling you were going to be quite happy with the seller... I know I was with the one I got. Palms looking good too. One thing I've observed with the "lanky" trachies, they do fill out better once in better light/sun. I have a potted one which is about 6 feet tall. The trunk is only 18 inches tall! Talk about shade-grown/light starved. The last few fans that opened are where they are supposed to be in proportion to the trunk size. I think you will observe the same with yours being out in good sun. It will look a bit strange for a while though, at least until it fills in and you prune off the stretched fronds later on. Just don't be surprised to see a big difference in branch length with the new growth vs the older.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:08 am

A.havardiana and A.neomexicana are also good choices.
The former is supposed to be the most moisture tolerant-
no argument here.

rp4111 · Post by **rp4111** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 3:50 pm

Here's what I ended up ordering from high country gardens.

==================================
ORDERED ITEMS:
==================================
Item #: 12753
Agave parryi (Standard Pot)
Quantity: 1
Price Each: $6.99
==================================
Line Total: $6.99
==================================

Item #: 38880
Coryphantha echinus (Cacti Pot)
Quantity: 1
Price Each: $5.49
==================================
Line Total: $5.49
==================================

Item #: 46980
Echinocereus triglochidiatus (Cactus Pot)
Quantity: 1
Price Each: $5.99
==================================
Line Total: $5.99
==================================

Item #: 46981
Echinocereus triglochidiatus 'White Sands Strain' (Cacti Pot)
Quantity: 1
Price Each: $5.99
==================================
Line Total: $5.99
==================================

Item #: 49810
Escobaria leei (Cacti Pot)
Quantity: 1
Price Each: $6.99
==================================
Line Total: $6.99
==================================

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:46 pm

Post some pics when you get them

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:11 am

Yes! Please post some pics when these plants arrive. I've ordered the following from beavercreek here in Canada and I'd like to know how the $$$ value stacks up against the US suppliers! Keep in min that the dollar as I write this is 1:1:

18191 , Opuntia aurea 'Coombe's Winter Glow' , 1 , $8.00 , $8

18181 , Opuntia 'Dark Knight' , 1 , $8.00 , $8

18185 , Opuntia gilvescens 'Oklahoma Pancake' , 1 , $8.00 , $8

18203 , Opuntia imbricata v. arborescens 'Taylor's Santa Fe Red' , 1 , $8.00 , $8

14528 , Opuntia macrocentra (syn. O. violacea) , 1 , $8.00 , $8

18188 , Opuntia polyacantha 'Taylor's Red' , 1 , $8.00 , $8

18202 , Opuntia whipplei 'Snow Leopard' , 1 , $10.00 , $10

18793 , Pediocactus simpsonii assortment - 5 plants - all different , 1 , $30.00 , $30

17055 , Echinocereus triglochidiatus v. mojavensis SB1708 , 1 , $6.00 , $6

17043 , Echinocereus coccineus v. roemeri , 1 , $6.00 , $6

17061 , Echinocereus triglochidiatus SB1067 , 1 , $6.00 , $6

17073 , Echinocereus reichenbachii v. perbellus JRT301 , 1 , $6.00 , $6

17067 , Echinocereus viridiflorus , 1 , $6.00 , $6

I'm especially interested in 'Snow leopard' I've been trying to track that one down for some time!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:23 am

Paul
On my recent order I also ordered

Opuntia 'Dark Knight'
Echinocereus triglochidiatus v. mojavensis
Echinocereus triglochidiatus
I have some of the others on your list too-
in fact one of mine(pediocactus simpsonii(?) may be flowering today!
I will need to check that

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:57 am

Jim- It'll be a while before my simpsonii flowers up here! I didn't realize that you could grow them down there, what are your night-time temps in summer like? If I understand correctly, they loathe long term temps above 20c (70f)... i.e. they can take 45C in the day but need the cooler temps for night-time gas exchange...

I'm building up my collection of 'ball' type cacti. So far E. triglochidiatus (all forms) is bullet-proof up here!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:49 am

Paul Ont wrote:Jim- It'll be a while before my simpsonii flowers up here! I didn't realize that you could grow them down there, what are your night-time temps in summer like? If I understand correctly, they loathe long term temps above 20c (70f)... i.e. they can take 45C in the day but need the cooler temps for night-time gas exchange...

I'm building up my collection of 'ball' type cacti. So far E. triglochidiatus (all forms) is bullet-proof up here!

Night temps avg in the upper 60s June-July-Aug

Triglochs are tough,basically any of the barrels that shrink-up in fall are bomb-proof!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:12 pm

First cactus to flower this year-

<a href="http://s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -10003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -10003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

ROBRETI · Post by **ROBRETI** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:07 pm

Nice, HardyJim!
I am so ignorant in cactus science that all I dare to do is ask you what species is this? Will the flower open up more? Also, is there going to be a crown of flowers, or one flower at a time?
Thanks,
Rob

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:07 am

Pediocactus simpsonii
I think they do open wider,it was p/cloudy out so the flower was not fully open.
I believe it will have a crown of flowers but have to wait to know for sure,at least a couple at a time.

ROBRETI · Post by **ROBRETI** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 11:24 am

Thanks a lot, HardyJim!
Rob