Tony, isnt it amazing, I only got a sprinkle last nite, my friend who lives near you said that the winds were like hurricane flashbacks!! Good luck with your cuttings!
Pat

Hi Pat, Long time no see!

Winds were as bad or worse than any hurricane we had in the past.

Where ya been ?

Tony

Hey, night two, I'm still dry and you got another downpour, it's just so amazing to me... wonder if Kate's been getting any rain? I've have some medical issues the past year or so, but am finally on the mend. I've been mulching like crazy since I havent mulched or tended to my yard in almost 2 years!!! I have a whole new generation of weeds, and I had almost gotten my beds to be weed free. Oh well, keeps me moving. I'm so tempted to remove the pool like you and MaryBeth did. I've thought of trying to raise Koi in it. Loved those pics.
Pat

Hi Pat,

glad you are on the mend. I do recall you were having challenges.

I weed daily it seems and I am still loaded with em.

Burying the pool so far was a wise move. If you are going to be in the area let me know, you can check and see if there is any hint of a pool ever being here.

cya
tony

Tony-put my name on one of those Tapioca cuttings, she begs...as she is praying for the demise of your beautiful tree.......

Cindee,

done

Here is a pic of how they will look if I am successful in rooting em. Its the one on the left.

{{gwi:901947}}

Sorry about your Tapioca Tree, Tony... We haven't had even the slightest breeze here, in days. It is brutally hot, and no rain in sight.. My poor plants are wilting daily.

The rain we had weeks ago was apparently just a tease..

I'm back to dragging hoses..

Lisa

We were lucky here..nothing yesterday, but this afternoon had over an inch of rain...hail in Melbourne, tho. I was glad the banana leaves didn't get shredded...no brug limbs broken...just wet and hungry birds.

I was in Jupiter Farms about two weeks ago and all the ditches were full of water.

Crazy weather we are having.

see cindee drool!!!!!!!! Lovely, Tony. I don't care what St. MaryBeth says, you are the Bestest!!!

You're right Sumala, two weeks ago we had probably 10" of rain around here. Swales were full, mosquitos came out in full force, frogs breeding everywhere.
Since then though, not a drop of rain. Very still, thick, HOT, sunny and humid. Not real pleasant gardening weather.
No wind around here, Tony.
I have noticed that tapiocas never seem to be well rooted. They tend to fall over just from their top heavy growth. And they lose lots (most) of their leaves in winter. They don't freeze well either. Even cool damp roots kill them. I have started them from cuttings before. Beautiful plants!

Pat, I didn't get the high winds although I did get the rain! Almost 2 inches in 1 hour, with a few moments of penny-sized hail. Pool overflowed, pond came 1/2 way across the yard leaving tiny fish stranded when the water went back down. Poor little things will be good fertilizer for the lawn although they will be a bit stinky for a couple days.

Tony, I think we bought those tapiocas at the same time. At the first Biosphere gathering, right? I lost mine last fall when it came out of the ground for about the 15th time. I don't believe I'm exaggerating - it was at least 15 times in one summer. Lost probably isn't the right word because what really happened is that I finally snapped and said "Fine. You want to be out of the ground, you can STAY out of the ground!" The whole thing got tossed. Guess I wasn't as dedicated to saving mine as you have been with yours. I would recommend a well-sheltered spot where you can anchor it or stake it. It's a lovely plant and worth the effort.

Kate

Kate,
Yup we got em the same day.

Here is a pic of it I found. It was a little larger and more full when it went down, I really do like it and do deal with its inabilities. I dont know why, just do.

{{gwi:901948}}

Wednesday we had the wind and hail storm north of Saint Cloud. Ripped the canvas off the porch, snapped a couple bay trees in half and now our gazabo or whatever you call those metal and canvas buildings will be history. We tried to bend it back, but the roof section parts are too bent. We will use the corner posts in the corners of our raised bed and grow the beans up them! At least this time the wind didn't get to our tomatos as they did last year.

Other than wind protection, is there any other 'inabilities' of this plant?

Sorry about your loss! I didn't see this post before I wrote my own. We lost a 15' duranta, half my cassia was riped off and my orchids were sent flying all over.

I have no personal experience in this but from what I have been told, the cassava (tapioca) plant is not normally grown for foliage but more for the root. It's roots are sold in local markets here labeled as either cassava or yucca and can be prepared like boiled potatoes. I have tried it but to me it tastes a little dry, grainy and stringy.

I have been told a small healthy 3-5' tall plant can produce tubers big enough to buckle driveways sidewalks etc. And like a sweet potatoe, once you plant it, you may have it around for a long time.

However, if you like it, all you have to do to make more plants is break off each individual branch and bury it deep (like a tomato plant) and it will do the rest. Looks like Tony could have started another 200 hundred or so.

Hi Cindee,

We have had the plant for a couple yrs now and like with Kate, it has been moved a few times before settling in its spot out front.

This is the first time it has snapped the entire trunk, but the winds were reported at 60+mph the evening of the storm, PLUS it is located such that the water pouring off the roof caught the top of the plant with a lot of force.

Nothing bothers the plant, it looks pretty darn classy when it grows. Freezing temps may nip it some and even make it look pretty darn bad, but it comes back.

I have never had one yet come up from any root fragments.

I have had em stay in a container with no ill effects.

Its not a woody plant at all. Its quite soft and brittle.

Sumala, When I transplanted it, I saw the tubers and wondered if they were edible or how tapioca is made from it. What I got out of the articles was that it required an awful lot of processing otherwise it is toxic to some degree. After that, I lost all curiosity in the roots.

I potted up maybe 10+ and stuck one big branch in the ground out by the lamp post. It would be interesting if that one roots.

I should know in about 10 days if these cuttings are going to make it. They usually do.

Sorry about your Tapioca, Tony!

That sure was pretty. And I like the coleus you used underneath it. Nice combination.

I'd be tempted to make some kind of support system for the next one. Maybe attach it to the house somehow... it's too pretty to lose another one.

If the cuttings take, I would like to give it a try again. I really liked the plant. I agree that the processing of the tubers is too intensive for me to think about making tapioca but I'll grow it just for the pretty leaves.
Kate

Tony, we also got the high winds over here near Sea World. I came home from the hospital to find large tree limbs scattered all over the road and yards. Nothing was bothered at my house. It is as if a shield protects me. Neighbors on both sides had wind damage. It was a very intense storm
I would like one of the tapiocas if you have enough. I am so sorry for the demise of your glorious plant. Did it scream long and loud when it was destroyed? Poor Poor tree and I feel your pain, Tony. Sww you soon, Linda