Palm trees in Nanaimo

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by lloyd, Nov 12, 2003.

  1. lloyd

    lloyd Member

    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    12 Nov.'03

    Hi,

    I am interested in planting some Palm trees. I am close to the ocean (Hammond Bay Rd) in Nanaimo. However, I don't know anything about Palm trees, what kind to plant, how & when to plant them, their care, etc.. Also, I do not know where would be a good place to buy them (quality, cost, shipping, etc). If you have any suggestions please let me know.

    Thank you.
     
  2. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    2,345
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada.
    I would suggest you visit Long Lake Nurseries in Nanaimo, talk to Gord or Wayne, they are long time nurserymen that are familiar with your area. Palms that will survive in the lower mainland are windmill palm, fan palm, pindo palm and a few others with minor winter prep and care.
     
  3. Den_Vic

    Den_Vic Member

    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    deleted
    Lloyd: Palm trees for Nanaimo

    Hello Lloyd

    The most common palm trees on the coast are Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill palms). Most folks in zone 8a like your area don’t protect their Windmill palms once established. I don’t protect seedlings in Victoria. (Zone 8b). Seedlings are very slow but I try them for fun. I select seeds from female Trachys in my garden or other locations in Victoria.
    In spring, I sow the seeds. I wait about three months, and then I hand out seedlings to local folks who want to try them. I hand out small palms to local parks people.

    Palms are related to grasses. The seedlings look like wide blades of grass.
    The first batch of ground germinated Windmill palms in my area where germinated in Saanich as a fun experiment to see what would happen. Approximately 1000 seedlings germinated. They were given to Keith at Happy Palms Nursery in James Bay (Victoria). Keith grew the palms into juvenile specimen. He sold them to nurseries. I collected 5000 seeds twice from a big female Trachycarpus in Esquimalt.
    –The “Esquimalt Queenâ€. He grew thousands of palms from those seeds. He has thousands of juvenile palms. Enough to create a grove out of Victoria’s Inner Harbour. He left thousands in pots during the freeze.

    A hardier palm, not that you really need a hardier palm than a T. fortunei (in your region), is the Trachycarpus takil palm. It produces larger fronds. I think that one of the tallest palms on Vancouver Island is located in Nanaimo (T. fortunei). A tall one (T. fortunei) is located in Duncan. Duncan is a colder area.

    More common than T. takil is the rigid Trachycarpus Wagnerianus. It has more exotic and very rigid fronds. Grown in zone 8. I don’t protect Waggies in Victoria. I treat them like Windmill palms. Add water in summer with 20-20-20 fertilizer.
    You can cross a T. fortunei with a Waggie. There’s a nice T. fortunei X wagnerianus in Victoria. There’s another one in North Van. That one is located a ways above sea level. The owner likes it because it handles heavy wet snow without tattering. My potted Waggie was not even phased by wet snow and the cold.

    “Las Palmas Norte†in Lantzville is the best place to get exotics in your area.

    Trachycarpus nanus is not available yet. It is small, sometimes bluish like a C. humilis var cerifera. -Probably the cold hardiest Trachy.
    Trachycarpus martianus is more of a palm for Victoria.
    T. latisectus is also more of a palm suited for the Victoria area.

    Trachycarpus princeps is the nicest form of (the known) Trachycarpus genus. It was discovered only a few years ago. Several BC residents have grown seedlings from imported seeds.
    Experts say that it is hardy like a Windmill palm.

    The newly discovered Trachycarpus manipur will only be available by the form of seeds to BC residents. I think that ordering time is over for a while. The palm has yellowish fruit like T. princeps but it has a bare trunk. The frond undersides are covered in a waxy substance that is silvery in color –just like princeps. Is this one as hardy as princeps? We’ll find out in a few years. Experts think so...

    Trachycarpus geminisectus has interesting leaflets. It has not yet been distributed outside its native habitat. Little is know about T. geminisectus. I'd like to have one because of the odd foliage.

    All Trachycarpus palms are palmates (round leaves).

    The toughest pinnate (feather leafed) for your area is Jubaea chilensis. It grows slowly and is pricier.
    Butia needs protection on a winter cold spell like you had this January.

    All your questions can be answered on the Northwest Palms forum.

    Cheers
     
  4. Wes North Van

    Wes North Van Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    North Vancouver BC Canada
    .


    Another very hardy palm is the chamearops humilis or common name european fan palm. It can produce more than one trunk and is also a palmate form.
    A couple of others that I am trying is sabal minor and sabal palmetto.
     
  5. Palm Nut

    Palm Nut Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver BC Canada
    Wes..

    I think I've asked this before, but in photo below, would a t. wagnerianus be suitable in this spot? It faces northwest direction. The spike dracaena suffered in the "Big Freeze of 2004" and it looks horrible. Its too bad because it was at least 10' tall, and it was really cool because although you cannot see it in the photo, there is a rock light that we had highlighting it.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Wes North Van

    Wes North Van Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    North Vancouver BC Canada
    Kyle

    It appears from the photo that this area is in the sun and not shade most of the day. Am I correct? If so it would be ideal for a t. wagnerianus. This palm looks great even as a young palm and will stay that way due to the rigid fronds. They will not bend from the snow or wind.
    I hope to get one at the palm society plant sale coming up in May. Check out the website www.hardypalm.com for more info.
     
  7. Palm Nut

    Palm Nut Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver BC Canada
    I'm thinking instead of moving my cordyline to that location and where it is now put the cordyline baueri I just bought. When is it ok to transplant?
     
  8. Wes North Van

    Wes North Van Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    76
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    North Vancouver BC Canada
    Kyle

    Beginning of April to mid April.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 2, 2004
  9. Den_Vic

    Den_Vic Member

    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    deleted
    Nanaimo palm tree photos

    There is a Nanaimo palm page on the Palm Trees of British Columbia website.
    If you are new to palms in that region, try Windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei).

    URL:
    http://palmtrees.cybersites.ca
     
  10. Does anyone know which species of palm are tucked up against the federal building on Front St in Nanaimo? I suspect the palms you referred to earlier in this posting are the older ones located on Terminal Ave.

    Thanks.
     

Share This Page