Monday, May 17, 2010

Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)

For those of you that haven't heard of the Pygmy Date Palm, it is a really gorgeous fine leaved palm and definitely worth a look.  It seems to generally be rated as hardy above USDA zone 9a.  I've seen several instances of it being grown in 8b.

I came across the seeds in Edmonton at the Muttart Conservatory.  When no one was looking, I climbed up a few stones and grabbed about a dozen seeds.  Last night I removed the thoroughly dry flesh and began soaking the seeds.  They should be soaked for about three days.  It can take a whopping three months for germination!  I'll try and reduce this by soaking them a bit longer and providing high temperatures.
These palms tend to appreciate a little shade.  I'm thinking if they are planted is a relatively sunny understory or and overhang along a warm wall they should survive here.  I like to push things.  Worst case they die.  Best case I have some lovely palms!  I probably won't put them outside the first winter or two.  It is the case for most hardy palms that they are much more likely to survive with age (particularly size).

I have also started some more Moringa stenopetala seeds.  I've recently discovered that it may be possible to grow them like a tuber.  They can be planted out in the garden each spring and should provide and abundance of extremely healthy fresh greens.  In the fall they can be dug up and stored somewhere dry and cool.  They should then be perfectly fine when planted next spring.

Hopefully both of these little experiments work out!  By the way, I found this interesting tulip while walking yesterday.  I've never seen a combination of a black tulip and highly frilled edges before.  I just wish the picture turned out a little better.  I also saw the largest Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana) of my life!  Which is an odd statement given that just over a week ago I had never seen one before...

11 comments:

  1. Is that really a black tulip? It has frilliness like an iris, but doesn't look like one! This tulip is awesome!!! Makes me think of TWILIGHT (Vampires)!!! :0

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  2. Isn't that tulip just crazy? It has a bit or red toward the centre of each petal and then gets darker towards the edges. Very nice!

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  3. It's a parrot-type tulip, eh? I had a few of those that people sat on, so I never saw what they looked like. I know I ordered blackish-purple ones!

    Maybe next year. :D

    Also--huge monkey puzzle! Is that in BC!? I am jealous!

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  4. Someone sat one it? Unbelievable. People.

    Yes the Araucaria is in BC (Vancouver's east end). They're all over here in all stages of growth.

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  5. Yeah, that's a black tulip. It is tulipa "Black Parrot." I've got a couple of them and they're pretty neat. Look blacker on cloudy days.

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  6. I'll have to add it to the future plant list. It was in the shade so it looks extra dark.

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  7. I grew two Pygmy Date Palms from seed I purchased from someone a few years ago. With lots of heat, they sprouted quickly. Slow growers in my house, but I can wait. (Good to know someone else is out there "liberating" seeds. My favorite were seeds I found in the parking lot of an old hostel in Hollywood, CA. Asparagus setaceus weeds in the wild were kind of a sight for me to see!)

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  8. Yeah I take seeds whenever I can (unless I know they're saving them or it seems like they may be). I also grabbed some bananas but they weren't ripe yet. The seeds weren't even close. :(. I'll try lots of heat and grow them outside during the spring/summer/fall

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  9. I have a couple of those tulips in a mix of ddep purples and pinks. Love the texture and colour! There are lots of big Monkey tree's still around. They are quite a sight.

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  10. I think all good gardeners are thieves :-) I've nicked a few things from gardens before as well.

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  11. @Laura, I'm fixated on them every time I see them.

    @Dan, not thieves... spreaders of life! ;)

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