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View Full Version : Two years growth of a Butia in zone 7a...


Randy4ut
07-29-2008, 02:38 PM
<TABLE width="90%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>After looking at how fast bananas grow and feeling like my palms just sit there year after year, I looked at a few pics from '06 and thought I would share. Guess if you see something all the time, you do not realize how much things do grow...
Here is one of my Butia's from July '06...

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n225/randy4ut/Palms%202006/100_0960.jpg


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And here is the same Butia as of yesterday...

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n225/randy4ut/2008%20New%20temporary%20pics/100_2685.jpg

So, I guess palms do grow afterall, just not as fast as our nanners!!!

saltydad
07-29-2008, 04:53 PM
Randy- Love the growth....great looking Butia. You give me hope; maybe I'll try a Butia in my 7A garden. So far I overwinter Trachycarpus fortunei, Sabal minor "McCurtain", Rhapidophyllum hystrix, and Livistona chinensis. Would love to have a pinnate palm! What do you do for the winter for the Butia?

Randy4ut
07-29-2008, 06:11 PM
Howard, if you can overwinter a Livingstonia in your 7a, you would not have any trouble with a Butia... I tie mine up a bit, wrap with mini
Christmas lights and then wrap with frost cloth. I did not turn the lights on any last winter until we hit lows of 11F two mornings in a row and only had the lights on for about 4 hours each morning. They are alot tougher than most think... Good luck if you go for it!!!

austinl01
07-29-2008, 09:07 PM
Randy, that's a beautiful pindo palm. I like the frond shape and color a lot. It's amazing how fast palms can grow but they're nothing like bananas! I notice banana growth from day to day and palm growth from month to month. Thanks for the post.

turtile
07-30-2008, 07:21 AM
Randy- Love the growth....great looking Butia. You give me hope; maybe I'll try a Butia in my 7A garden. So far I overwinter Trachycarpus fortunei, Sabal minor "McCurtain", Rhapidophyllum hystrix, and Livistona chinensis. Would love to have a pinnate palm! What do you do for the winter for the Butia?

I planted a 1 gal Butia eriospatha and 3 gal Butia Bonnetti. Both survived unprotected after 3 nights of 14F here in Delaware. They should get hardier through time. They seem to do better in shaded areas (roots absorb less water when cold).

Bananaman88
07-30-2008, 12:35 PM
Nice Butia, Randy! You should see them down here in Houston! They are one of my favorite palms. They produce a nice little fruit that supposedly can be made into jelly, hence one of the common names, Jelly Palm.

I see the variegated Xanthasomas I sent you are taking off nicely!

saltydad
07-30-2008, 12:44 PM
Ok, you all convinced me. I just ordered a B. eriospatha. What the hey, banana and palm growers in zones 7 and colder are nothing if not adventurous!