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Florida Gardening

Things You Plant around the Base of a Palm?

16 years ago

Just looking for some ideas of what to plant at the base of a the Royal Palm in the front yard. It is close to the street, so I am looking for ideas on stuff that is common that a "plant thief" wouldn't help themselves to.

How about Liriope? I have even thought of a small Pothos so it can run up the trunk. I know that UF frowns upon it, so why do so many do it? For that tropical look.

Thanks...

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Comments (11)

solstice98
16 years ago
Purple Heart (you may call it Purple Queen), Firebush (pruned to stay short), Lily of the Nile.
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
Cliff - Go with the Pothos, great look as it runs up the trunk and the leaves get huge. No one will steal it either. Anything small you plant around the base will always look... small.
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Good to see the discussion warming up. I'll consider sulfur, in my desire to have palm trees. gk5040: well, that's exactly the point: I'm looking for palm trees that can stand cold. Also, there is zone 8 and zone 8. I'm a native of north Florida, zone 8, and I can tell you that our zone 8 here in Italy is a different climate entirely. I would like to try Sabal palms, though, the more cold hardy varieties. There are cold hardier palms, but the Sabal palm is native to and adapted to Florida and is a handsome tree, which is why your book lists it. I doubt seeds from North Florida would do much for me in Italy. Alex, thanks for the suggestions, which I will bear in mind. They're encouraging. Melissa
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atreelady
16 years ago
African Iris?
tropicalfreak
Original Author
16 years ago
Kate,

I don't have Lily of the Nile anymore. I left it at the house in Orlando. I do have Crinum (BellaDonna).

Ricky,

Do I get just a small pot of the pothos and let it do it's thing?

Treelady,

Isn't African Iris a walker?
fawnridge (Ricky)
16 years ago
Cliff - Yep. Go to WalMart or Target, get the cheapest one you can find in a hanging basket. Take the whole thing apart and plant chunks of the Pothos around the base of the palm.
tropicalfreak
Original Author
16 years ago
This is the area.... I pulled out the grass yesterday, forming a circle about a foot out all the way around.
PRO
Jan Sword-Rossman Realty 239-470-6061
16 years ago
I planted philodendrons about 6 years ago.
atreelady
16 years ago
Tropic, I'm not up on everything - what's a walker???

Here is a link that might be useful: African Iris
tropicalfreak
Original Author
16 years ago
Hey Treelady,

A walker is a walking iris. It blooms and then little plantlets develop at the tip where the bloom was, as the plantlets grow larger they get heavier until they finally reach the ground and take root. This is how they spread.
atreelady
16 years ago
Thanks Tropic. I have another Iris that does that very thing. Now I know!
bluesky7
16 years ago
I suggest caladiums, marigolds, or even Mexican Heather. They are quite drought tolerant and look real nice.

Sheri
bluesky7

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