So, as some of you probably saw me write about this place in another thread, and I said I would go back with camera in hand this time, when I went to pick up my needle palm. I did so today, and you can see the needle palm I picked up in the thread titled "needle Palm", and probably also in the thread called "New Addition - Trachycarpus Fortunei".

Before I post some pics, and the link to the photo ablum with all 28 or so pics I too, alittle bit about this place.

Its called Holly Woods & Vines nursery. It has been there for quite a few years ( probably 20?) and I discovered it originally in 2001. It is somewhat out of the way / off the beaten path for the D.C. Metro area, about 20 minutes or so SOUTH of DC/ Old town Alexandria on U.S. Rt 1. They have always had outstanding plants, selection, and pretty damn good staff too. They also probably have the lowest prices in the area of all the LARGE nurseries. As I said, in the thread about my "New Addition", I had not been there in 5 or so years, and the last time I was there all they had in the way of palms was a few Washingtonia's, and some Sable Palmettos which were planted outdoors in ground about 20 feet tall or so, on thier property. When I went back the first time last week I was extremely pleasantly shocked to discover they have really gone all out with the cold hardy palms and yuccas and and even some cycads now. They now have TONS of stuff, from smaller needle palms to HUGE needle palms, to very young T. Fortunei's to 15foot (clear trunk) tall trachy trees, to Yucca Thompsonia, Yucca Rostrata, Spanish Bayonet, and some VERY large blooming Agaves, and a few VERY LARGE Sago palms, as well as some 15foot Washingtonias, a few rather large European Fan palms (Chameromps Humilis?) and some smaller 10 gallon Washy's, and even a few 10' tall foxtail palms.

I got to speak to one of the staff people for a while, who seemed very knowledgeable about the cold hardy palms, yuccas, cycads..etc. I was told that for the Needle palms of all sizes, they are left completely out in the elements all year, through winter, unprotected, in pots. For the Windmills, kept in pots, outside all winter, they are "tubed" with the tops protected to keep them dry.

For the sago palms, European Fan Palms, they are kept outside in a cold frame. The only protection they get from the winter, is from the ice/ rains.. and from wind. Other than they they pretty much experience the outside temps, as the cold frames are fairly open, and are NOT heated.

I did not ask about the washys or foxtails, I forgot. All yucca's are left out in the elements completely exposed as well, and I also did not ask about the Agaves.

I was also told that the tree sized trachys run about 100 bucks per foot of clear trunk. I was told they sell quite alot of them, and that they offer a "protecdtion service" which most buyers of the larger tree sized trachys take advantage of. The nursery sends out staff to the client sites, and they tube and protect the trachys for them each winter, and come back in the early spring to remove the protection. I did not ask how much they charge for this service. The nursery itself is just about outside of the urban heat island, but is not far from the potomac river, which is much larger/ wider down there than it is up here. Just FYI, the potomac river is a brackish, tidal river until you get past Georgetown, in D.C. So, they belive they are in a solid zone 7B in thier location, close to an 8a, and they also believe, and confirmed what I have been suspecting for quite a few years now, that the down town areas of DC, and right along the potomac in the highly urbanised "concrete jungles" of Arlington and Alexandria, are a zone 8a. They, like me, know of many trachy's that are left unprotected in these areas, and do just fine. Apparently there has been a fairly large surge in demand for these cold hardy items in the last 4 to 6 years, judging by their sales, and the numbers of known trachys now in existance.

Anyway, For anyone that is in the area here, I highly suggest you pay them a visit. Its just a nice, neat place, with a fairly distinct personality. They do have a slight bit of "tackyness" going on as they have a few of those very large, brightly colored, light up LED "palm trees", as well as a working GIANT 25' tall "watering can" fountain. They also sell a few eletric motor scooters, and a really nice selection of very small, to vary large fountains/ water features. They are far and away the National Capital region's leading cold hardy palm place now!

Now... on to the pics, and the link. Ill only post 5 pics here so as not to overload the thread.

And, here is the link to the whole album. It's about 28 pics or so. Please do check them out!

Here is a link that might be useful: Holly Woods & Vines Trip, August 17, 2008