I grow quite a few different ones in Sydney.
Alexander, Bangalow, Golden Cane, Triangle, Redneck, Metallic, Bismark, clustered Fishtail, Parlour, Cascade, Bamboo, Red Latan, Walking Stick, Atherton, Black, Wedding,
Loulou lelo, Lady, Dwarf palmetto, Foxtail.

An Areca, Chamaedorea ernesti-angusti & oblongata, Dypsis baronii, Licuala elegans, L. peltata, L. ransayi, Wallichia disticha.
That's all I can think of at the moment.

I have a bunch of baronii about 6 feet high, how well is yours doing Helen of Sydney ?

I have some seedling palms which have popped up in the garden. I THINK they are are Windmill palms. They germinate unders shrubs favoured by blackbirds so I guess the seeds are small enough for them to swallow.

I've read a number of threads on this site about the nasty root habits of palms but ... they are evergreen, they withstand the severe frosts and prolonged cold of the Canberra region and they look so tropical. Anyway, I don't have a swimming pool - I can't skate!

For me ...it has to be the four native palms to N.E NSW,
* Linospadix monostachya - Walking stick palm.
* Archontophoenix cunninghamiana - Bangalow palm.
* Calamus muelleri - Lawyer cane.
* Livistona australis - Cabbage palm.

My baronii is only a baby but it is going strong. Back to part of your original question - yes I am expecting alot from my palms this year as some have already started their spring growth.

5 wonderful cold-hardy species, which have survived at least -10C this winter. Phoenix canariensis; Washingtonia filifera; Chamaerops humilis; Trachycarpus fortunei; Butia capiata. There's something magical about seeing those exotic fronds and fans edged with an icy rime.

insignis,
You should have taken a photo, I would have loved to see it. LOL

Insignus, do you have any acanthus mollis? After a heavy frost that IS magical.

When my children were younger (or hardier?), they used to put out buckets/containers of water overnight and delight in playing ice "frisbies" in the morning. On a sunny morning the shattering shards of ice catching the sun is another magical sight.

I've taken a note of your cold hardy palms. Might add some to my "tropical wintergarden" collection, along with the acanthus, aspidistras and belladonnas (naked ladies). The belladonnas get planted amongst deciduous shrubs. They don't flower very well but the broad, dark green leaves look quite tropical amongst the bare shrubs and aren't affected by the frost at all.

Anyone, anyone out there, trying to plant/grow a new PALM this spring ?

Wombat,
Could have played ice 'frisbies' in Western Sydney if I had of known about it. The birdbath provided us with a lovely thick one on two mornings.
Helen

Helen, I will take photos next winter. I'm still trying to convince some of the Qld gardeners that frost adds another dimension to the joy of gardening ;-) Though sometimes after a particularly bad week I have to try and convince myself of this fact.

How are your wonderful Cordylines doing now after the winter? I was up in Sydney yesterday for a conference and felt very homesick and nostalgic for my 'first home'. Azaleas and Jasminum in full bloom. Just wonderful. I think Sydney is an ideal climate for sampling almost everything botanical. You can grow tropicals in micro-climates, sub-tropicals do well and the temperate plants just thrive. You can even get some autumn colour up there. I'm envious.

Wombat, the best local source of palms and other foliage plants is Living Simply in Pialligo. Their stock is high quality and well priced. They're the only place offering palms at a decent size that don't cost a fortune. (Even cheaper than Bunnings!) $50 for a large Butia capitata. And yes Acanthus is magical under frost. Ditto for bamboo leaves.

I'm growing Carpentaria Palms and Coconuts now.

insignis,
We had one of those particularly bad months (July) for frosts. I am still amazed at how well my garden coped. Some of my cordylines were covered in ice and they are still there, might have to remove a couple of leaves on some. Most have started growing again. Only the younger palms were a bit damaged. Yes I agree, we are lucky in Sydney although the area I live in has more extremes in temp than the city. Using or creating microclimates is the how I grow my tropicals.
Parts of Qld are hit with frosts.

'...frost adds another dimension to the joy of gardening' - Nope, I was more stressed. The joy comes in now, knowing that if it coped this winter then it will breeze through next winter (LOL)
Helen

I've bought three Chambeyronia macrocarpa and one Chambeyronia hookerii plus one Coccothrinax alta, one Thrinax parvifolia, three Ravenea glauca, three triangle palms and three cluster fishtail palms. Plus there's one Chamaedorea metallica. I've also gone crazy buying a heap of different cycads. Guess I'm finally coming to terms with living in the sub-tropics, and making the most of it

Hi aussiegal, what part of qld do you live in. I'm in brisbane so am praying my palms will develop. A bit further north would be more suitable.

Hi Al, thought you might like this one. Good luck. Peter R

Here is a link that might be useful: Palms

Im in brissy too waldon, so far the triangle palms and the cluster fishtails are absolutely powering on, after being planted out in summer last year, the others are only freshly planted, most have at least one new leaf. I've actually put some into pots.

Waldon, I can assure you that not all palms are tropical, and many in fact would prefer something cooler than Brisbane to 'develop'. Palm culture is poorly understood, particularly in sub-standard gardening literature. Because of this gardeners in the southern states don't try them, and notherners think they have a monoploy of some sort on the luxuriant look. If you were to visit Vancouver and Edinburgh, to name 2 locations, you would see healthy, mature palms. It's a case of matching the right plant to your climate. Many species would resent your hot & humid summers, and develop susceptibility to various fungal and bacterial pathogens. Palms are endemic to latitude 45 degrees north. This is not tropical nor even sub-tropical, but temperate. Try putting a Nannorhops in a Brisbane backyard! (native to central Asia, temps of -22C). Similarly there are cycads from the mountains of central China and the Drakensburg mtns of South Africa. Again these would fall over (rot) in your summers; prefering their habitat of snow, frost, and winter temps of -16C. As I said in an earlier posting I grow 6 species of palm, and 3 of cycad, without problem in temps of at least -10C.

Thanks for palm lesson insignis, not.

I have sub tropical/ tropical palms. I know the difference between temperate etc etc.

Always happy to oblige in the face of appalling ignorance.

Most of you people are funny!!!
:D

Does this mean emails at 100 paces?

Waldon,
Just to let you know that we now have our own tropical forum
at
http://www.au.gardenweb.com/forums/oztrop/
Thank you for your interest which helped get this up and running
Helen

I'm looking for a small clump of the Phoenix Reclinata (senegal date palm). No one near Grafton seems to even know of them. Any help? jonkosak@ceinternet.com.au

Palms that I have planted in NE NSW are
Archontophoenix alexandrae-easiest Archont to grow
Archontophoenix maxima-grows fast
Archontophoenix myolensis-moderate grower
Archontophoenix tuckeri-easy to grow
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana- say no more
Archontophoenix purpurea- robust when established
Laccospadix australasica-suckering-single stem and red grwth
Calamus hollrungii-cold sensitive but doing well
Calamus australis-easy as pie to grow-require trimming
Calamus caryotoides-nice little plant
Calamus muelleri- rampant, requires trimming
Calamus radicalis-moderate grower
Calamus aruensis-amazed that it has survived
Calamus moti-easy
Licuala ramsayi-easy inshade
Licuala.sp.aff ramsayi-grows faster than previous
Linospadix minor-intolerant of dry
Linospadix palmeriana-more intolerant of dry
Oraniopsis appendiculata-likelots of water-mine r in a creek
Wodyetia bifurcata-easy-some cold spots appear sometimes
Normanbya normanbyi-easy in shade and sun with water
Hydriastele wendlandiana-Most wouldnt believe I have this
Ptychosperma elegans-easy in sun shade
Ptychosperma macarthurii-grows slowly but steadily
Ptychosperma bleeseri-grows 1 leaf every 5 years
Cocos nucifera-Malay Dwarfs on trial-survied this winter
Livistona australis-easy
Livistona muelleri-slow as a snail but doing ok-needs sun
Livistona decipiens-easy
Livistona drudei-easy
Livistona languinosa-in ground for 10 months doing well
Livistona rigida-easy tolerates cold, surprisingly
Livistona.sp.Eungella-easy and fast growing
Caryota albertii
-slow but growing well.

I have tried Gulubia costata but they died inthe pots over winter.

I have tried Linospadix apetiolata (new name??)but they died in the Cairns heat, before translocating them to NE NSW.

I have many Pandanus spp also and they are also surprisingly tolerant of the cold apart from Pandanus lauterbachii which died but probably due to the fry as it grows in water- I have planted 3 large speciemens since then but havent seen them since Autumn.
I would ike to get any other Australian palms that i dont have esp the Livistona's and Calamus warburgii which I had 1 of and it died in the pot over winter.

Cheers from Kris

Woops:
and
Carpentaria acuminata and,
Linospadix monostachyus (typical form)
Linospadix monostachyus .ssp.equilateralis (maybe a syn. now)
From Kris

I may be late but I will add my list.

Areca catechu
Areca triandra
Areca ipot
Areca guppyana
Areca vestiaria
Archontophoenix alexandrae
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
Bismarkia nobilis
Calamus australis
Calamus aruensis
Calamus moti
Calamus caryotoides
Carpentaria acuminata
Caryota mitis
Chamaedorea elegans
Chamaedorea cataractarum
Chamaedorea metallica
Chamaedorea oblongata
Chambeyronia macrocarpa
Cocos nucifera "Malay Dwarf"
Cocos nucifera "Panama Pacific"
Dictyosperma album
Dypsis lutescens
Dypsis pembamus
Dypsis cabadae
Dypsis oleracea
Hydriastele wendlandiana
Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii
Hyophorbe vaughanii
Johannesteijsmannia altifrons
Johannesteijsmannia magnifica
Licuala ramsayi
Licuala peltata
Licuala elegans
Licuala naumannii
Licuala lauterbachii
Linospadix minor
Livistona chinensis
Livistona rotundifolia
Pinanga coronata
Ptychosperma elegans
Ptychosperma macarthurii
Ptychosperma propinquun
Ptychosperma sp. Celebes.
Rhaphis excelsa
Rhaphis humilis
Roystonea regia
Veitchia joannis
Veitchia (Adonidia) merrillii
Veitchia winin
Wodyetia bifurcata.
Plus a number of other undescribed Pinangas, Ptychospermas and Licualas.
Andrew.

How is your Calamus aruensis in winter???
Where are you situated Andrew??

Kris, I have a few of them and they are powering. I live in Bundaberg so my climate is warm subtropical. I have also grown in the past Calamus warburgii and Calamus hollrungii both are still growing at my parents place in Brisbane.
Andrew.

Andrew is there any chance of being able to aquire Calamus warburgii?
It is the only Calamus species that I havent got growing.
Please!
From Kris
I have species that you may want to aquire-Im passing through Bundy (or near to it) in December
From Kris

Kris,

The plant in question is growing in Brisbane. It has not seeded and is growing in the ground. As you would have experienced Calamus suckers can be difficult to remove successfully. If I do manage to get a couple going I will let you know. If I only get one going, it will be coming to Bundy with me for my garden!

Andrew.

Andrew,
where did you get the original Calamus warburgii??
Maybe I could chase one up myself.
Thanks from Kris
Have you tried Gulubia costata in Brisbane???

It was collected as seed from the Iron Range. I know that Curt Butterfield of Port Douglas did have some many years ago but he doesn't have any Calamus these days, they just weren't good sellers for him.
I don't know about Gulubia costata in Brisbane, I know of a few people who reckon it will grow there. It has been grown here successfully.

Andrew.

hello everyone,
I am late to join this forum but we are currently in the process of establishing a palm garden is Mandurah, WA. There have not been many contibutors in the forum from over this way, so hopefully this might encourage more western gardeners to join in.

Initially I was worried about planting tropical palms this far south but after seeing some of the wonderful specimins growing very well in and around Mandurah I eventually persueded the family to let me have a plam garden. We have begun to plant a variety of palms in the front garden, most of which I have seen growing very well in my local area. I have planted (common names)Bangalows, Triangles, Spindles, Golden Canes, a jelly palm, Majestics, a European Fan, a Bismark and a bunch of different cycads but I also have a heap more in pots ready to plant out including Hawaiian fans, Alexanders and Kentias . I would like to obtain a few more tropical palms like "teddybears" and other varieties of Dypsis as well as some various charmadoreas to underplant with once the more sun hardy varieties get larger.

Well I hope this might encourage some more West Australian gardeners to join in and contribute some of their knowledge about growing palms over this side of the country.

Adam Harbeck

My
email a
ddress Iposted a question and was refused. I dont understamnd where I went wrong.is joypinchbeck@bigpond.com

I expect my palms to DIE. Freaking weeds is what they are. Everywhere I turn...palms palms palms! Under my ficus hedge, poking up through my hibiscus, and growing inside my boogies where the spikes won't let me get to them!

Arrrgh.

jealous much? lol