Brahea armata

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Tue Aug 27, 2013 5:12 pm

Our Brahea is pushing its fifth and sixth spears since being uncovered in late April. Age: 8 years old from seed. In ground since May 2012.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/9612176214/" title="Brahea armata 757 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2846/9612 ... 0896_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Brahea armata 757"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/9608939463/" title="Brahea armata 758 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5441/9608 ... c935_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Brahea armata 758"></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/9608943119/" title="Brahea armata 756 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7348/9608 ... 5f36_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Brahea armata 756"></a>
You can see last years leaves are green, this year's are blue.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/9612143992/" title="Blue hesper palm by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5448/9612 ... 86bb_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Blue hesper palm"></a>
Hard to tell, but the trunk has tripled in girth this season!!
Thanks for looking!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Aug 27, 2013 7:15 pm

Super nice!

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 2:40 am

it does look happy!

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 2:41 pm

Gotta ask.....how have you been protecting it over the winters with such obvious success?

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 3:25 pm

Scott, it begins with this at first sign of frost:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/8173597451/" title="Brahea armata by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8349/8173 ... 8d4a_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="Brahea armata"></a>:
The top flap can be opened up easily. Inside are 9 Christmas bulbs on a 35-45f thermocube. When true cold sets in, with extended cold, a layer of 2" Styrofoam goes around the outside of all sides of the glass and further covered with 6mm vapour barrier with a 3" thick layer of roxul insulation on the top. I try not to peek inside more than once every four to six weeks, but if we have a hot day or two forecast I peel back the plastic, the roxul, and open a top flap for inspection and fresh air. It was in there for six full months! I think I watered twice and lightly. I took no risk in early box removal. It was my first box on and last box off.
In short I dressed it in layers, appropriately for the weather.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Wed Aug 28, 2013 3:27 pm

Very cool!...and it's worked! Now maybe it will pick up some speed in growth and put you to the test ever fall!

Great looking palm. I have 1 I got from Jungle Music but it's in a pot.........and a few seedlings I started. Nice palm to have.

Thanks for sharing the pic.

andym · Post by **andym** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 3:25 pm

Six leaves

Crikey I'm lucky to get two leaves even in our warmer summer. Heres mine still quite small and manageable

I have been reliably informed that mine is a "Clara" form. Theres a guy in the UK selling off Brahea Armatas with big trunks
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brahea-armata ... RTM1178011
This is a good price for a palm that size. Me? no thanks... I'll stick to small ones that die quicker

BTW I cover mine for the winter from wet and just pile dried Bracken around the base and growth point

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Fri Aug 30, 2013 3:27 pm

Andym, that is a FINE looking palm! great Blue color too.

I sure wish they had the growth speed of a Mexican Fan Palm.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Sep 04, 2013 12:57 pm

Heres mine still quite small and manageable

Wow, Andy, that's lovely.

Adam, great idea dressing it in layers for winter.
I was worried about 6 months of darkness but obviously your method worked well.
Seeing your B.armata success, maybe I will leave my little one in the ground after all.

Love the way the trunk is developing its "bulb" appearance.
Sure sign it's happy.

Barb

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:03 pm

Great plant! I'm growing one in a pot, started from seed by a friend.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:05 pm

I've had really good luck with seed germination...although it takes a while for them to sprout, once they do they pick up speed and germination rate has been very high.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:07 am

Now that Adam proved B. armata can overwinter protected in Canada, I'll leave this little guy in the ground this winter.
Planted it (a little too high in the soil) during a warm spell in early March.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/9681589178/" title="009 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5456/9681 ... 41e0_c.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="009"></a>

But its twin, potted, looks more blue:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/9673725755/" title="012 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5491/9673 ... 9883_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="012"></a>

Barb

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Thu Sep 05, 2013 11:52 am

Barb, those are beauties. And so you have a backup, in case power fails for an extended cold spell.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Sep 05, 2013 12:34 pm

Thanks Adam.

You might recall what these B.armata "twins" have been through...before someone told me to NOT ever disturb the roots.

viewtopic.php?t=4638&highlight=dimethoate

So...it's probably sheer fortune that they're even alive.

These two have been through hell and back.

Barb

Henoh_Croatia · Post by **Henoh_Croatia** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:15 am

Seedscanada, Andym & Lucky1, great looking palms. I have one in ground since spring 2012. I don't use any heat source, just heavy mulch, fleece and cover against rain and snow. So far this method worked for me.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:03 am

Looks super!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:44 pm

Wow, Henoh, no heat source would be wonderful.
You're so fortunate to be in a 7b.

Great looking palm!

Barb