Posted by Jay on May 23, 2004, 12:07 pm
Hello
I've only recently become interested in gardening since inheriting a garden
with my house a few years back.
So please bear with me on this... :-)
I have a lovely 'palm tree' in the front garden. It was pretty neglected up
until recently, but now I removed the 'dead' leave from the bottom, as the
thing grows.
Here are some pictures... if someone can please identify the plant/tree, and
tell me howe I should look after it, and how high I can expect it to grow, I
would be very appreciative.
(Please note images are quite large in size - OK if you have broadband)
http://www.jayandsarah.com/palm1.jpg
http://www.jayandsarah.com/palm2.jpg
Now I have noticed only recently, something is happening at the top of the
plant/tree! Something is growing at a strange angle:
http://www.jayandsarah.com/palm3.jpg
Can someone please tell me what it is??? And what i should do (if anything)
to maintain it... :-/
Many thanks
Jay
Posted by Bob Hobden on May 23, 2004, 12:51 pm
"Jay" wrote in message >>
> I have a lovely 'palm tree' in the front garden. It was pretty neglected
up
> until recently, but now I removed the 'dead' leave from the bottom, as the
> thing grows.
> Here are some pictures... if someone can please identify the plant/tree,
and
> tell me howe I should look after it, and how high I can expect it to grow,
I
> would be very appreciative.
It's a Cabbage Palm also known as the Cornish Palm but actually isn't a true
Palm at all, it's real name is Cordyline australis.
One of the largest ones I've ever seen is just down the road from here and
it's just two storey house high and has a canopy about 12ft around, looks
magnificent. My own ones are about 15ft tall and only just branching out
after flowering for the first time a few years ago..
Just pull off the dead leaves and cut off the flower/seed panicle when you
get them when it goes brown and after the birds have eaten all the seeds.
Otherwise leave it to do it's own thing.
--
Regards
Bob
Some photos of my plants at.....
http://uk.geocities.com/hobdens@btinternet.com/index.html
Posted by Jay on May 23, 2004, 3:07 pm
Thanks for the information, Bob!
I've no idea how old this one is, but I've lived here for 5 and a half
years, and I think it was only a foot or so tall when I bought the house.
I'm a bit worried about it growing TOO tall!
Regarding the flower/seed panicle -
(a) It it possible to take the seeds and plant them?
and
(b) Is there any chance I will damage the tree if I cut the panicle now? Do
they keep appearing?
Many thanks, and thanks for excusing my ignorance. I have so much to learn!
Regards
Jay
> "Jay" wrote in message >>
> > I have a lovely 'palm tree' in the front garden. It was pretty
neglected
> up
> > until recently, but now I removed the 'dead' leave from the bottom, as
the
> > thing grows.
> >
> > Here are some pictures... if someone can please identify the plant/tree,
> and
> > tell me howe I should look after it, and how high I can expect it to
grow,
> I
> > would be very appreciative.
> >
> It's a Cabbage Palm also known as the Cornish Palm but actually isn't a
true
> Palm at all, it's real name is Cordyline australis.
> One of the largest ones I've ever seen is just down the road from here and
> it's just two storey house high and has a canopy about 12ft around, looks
> magnificent. My own ones are about 15ft tall and only just branching out
> after flowering for the first time a few years ago..
> Just pull off the dead leaves and cut off the flower/seed panicle when you
> get them when it goes brown and after the birds have eaten all the seeds.
> Otherwise leave it to do it's own thing.
> --
> Regards
> Bob
> Some photos of my plants at.....
> http://uk.geocities.com/hobdens@btinternet.com/index.html
Posted by Bob Hobden on May 23, 2004, 5:50 pm
"Jay" wrote in message ...
> I've no idea how old this one is, but I've lived here for 5 and a half
> years, and I think it was only a foot or so tall when I bought the house.
> I'm a bit worried about it growing TOO tall!
> Regarding the flower/seed panicle -
> (a) It it possible to take the seeds and plant them?
> and
> (b) Is there any chance I will damage the tree if I cut the panicle now?
Do
> they keep appearing?
> Many thanks, and thanks for excusing my ignorance. I have so much to
learn!
Well I don't think they ever get too tall, say 20ft after a long time, which
is not a tall tree. However if it does get too tall for you then you can cut
it down cut the stem into a couple of lengths, plant them, and you will then
get suckers/offshoots developing which you can use as cuttings.
Yes it is possible to take the seeds, if you beat the birds to them, sow
them in April and keep them warm 60°F min.
If it's last years flower panicle then by all means cut it off now, I did
mine months ago. If it's this years then it's probably only just starting to
flower and if you cut it off that's it for this season.
Incidentally it's only after they start to flower that they start to branch.
We all have to learn and never stop doing so.i.e I saw my first thumbnail
sized Rose Chafer yesterday in an Iris flower of mine, what a stunningly
beautiful insect.
--
Regards
Bob
Some photos of my plants at.....
http://uk.geocities.com/hobdens@btinternet.com/index.html
Posted by Jay on May 24, 2004, 2:28 am
:-)
Thanks Bob.
It may sound a daft question, but is there any way to stop it branching?
At the moments it's just about a safe distance from the house, but I'm
worried that if it branches out, it may go towards the house. The person
who planted it (ie the former houseowner) pplanted at a little too close I
think...
Cheers again
Jay
> "Jay" wrote in message ...
> >
> > I've no idea how old this one is, but I've lived here for 5 and a half
> > years, and I think it was only a foot or so tall when I bought the
house.
> >
> > I'm a bit worried about it growing TOO tall!
> >
> > Regarding the flower/seed panicle -
> >
> > (a) It it possible to take the seeds and plant them?
> >
> > and
> >
> > (b) Is there any chance I will damage the tree if I cut the panicle now?
> Do
> > they keep appearing?
> >
> > Many thanks, and thanks for excusing my ignorance. I have so much to
> learn!
> >
> Well I don't think they ever get too tall, say 20ft after a long time,
which
> is not a tall tree. However if it does get too tall for you then you can
cut
> it down cut the stem into a couple of lengths, plant them, and you will
then
> get suckers/offshoots developing which you can use as cuttings.
> Yes it is possible to take the seeds, if you beat the birds to them, sow
> them in April and keep them warm 60°F min.
> If it's last years flower panicle then by all means cut it off now, I did
> mine months ago. If it's this years then it's probably only just starting
to
> flower and if you cut it off that's it for this season.
> Incidentally it's only after they start to flower that they start to
branch.
> We all have to learn and never stop doing so.i.e I saw my first thumbnail
> sized Rose Chafer yesterday in an Iris flower of mine, what a stunningly
> beautiful insect.
> --
> Regards
> Bob
> Some photos of my plants at.....
> http://uk.geocities.com/hobdens@btinternet.com/index.html
XML site map
up
> until recently, but now I removed the 'dead' leave from the bottom, as the
> thing grows.
> Here are some pictures... if someone can please identify the plant/tree,
and
> tell me howe I should look after it, and how high I can expect it to grow,
I
> would be very appreciative.