new to the forum: what type of palm is this?

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:47 pm

Hi,

I purchased this in Canada. Somebody had it for ten years and he said that it is from Mexico. It's only 16" from the top of the soil.
I think that it's so small because the container is very small but I'm afraid to transplant it till Spring.

Thank you for looking,

Tavi

oppalm · Post by **oppalm** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:34 am

welcome bananieru . your palm appears to be a livistonia chinensis aka the chinese fan palm. They have proven to be great indoor palms for me. No pests and seem to survive quite nicley in lower light levels indoors. Good luck with your new palm.

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:21 am

Welcome to the forum! I don't think it will hurt it much to leave it in that pot until spring, like you said.

Bill

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Wed Sep 16, 2009 12:41 pm

Thank you,

This is a very nice forum but the tropical plant bug can be very addictive. I just order a few more palms and bananas.
(one trachy fortuney, one trachy wagnerianus, one washy robusta , one musa maurelli and one elephant ear).

The only other experience with tropical plants I have is with some musa bajoo bananas that I started to grow in the spring, but being too small I put them in pots and plan to keep them indoor this year.

This chinese fan palm is beautiful. I think it's a very slow grower. I have it for a month and it didn't change a bit.

Tavi

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:56 pm

Hi Tavi,
Welcome aboard.

You've got the palm "disease"

When you do repot it, palms prefer a tall and somewhat narrow pot (versus short and fat).
Allows the roots to develop downward which they do naturally.

Where in North America are you located?
Barb

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:27 pm

Hi,

I'm in Markham, Ontario. I updated my profile, but I have no idea what zone I'm in. (I know it's cold, at least a few degrees colder than in Toronto)

I started all this tropical plant hobby when I realized that I don't have any more room in my garden, and I should plant something that it's different then all my neighbours. (Once I finished my koi pond!)

But bananas and palms are really a thing of beauty.

Tavi

this is how far I got this year with a musa basjoo (the small one in front) and a Musella lasiocarpa (the one in the pot).

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 9:13 pm

Looking good with the lotus! I have 16 around that size that I have to over winter. Thank you agristarts for the cheap plants I figure I can over winter them if I give them no water.

Bill

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:16 am

That patio can only be made more beautiful with a palm or two! Or twenty.
You're off to a great start.

Thanks for updating your location.

Barb

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:55 pm

I thought that I purchased some plants from 'tropic to tropic' from BC, but the person at the other end doesn't answer anymore. Does anybody else know a source where I can buy hardy tropical plants in Ontario or Canada?

I'm interested in a trachycarpus wagnerianus mostly, but some other will be fine.

OT: I'm also looking for a Mayer improved lemon tree.

Tavi

another hoby: koi fishes. These are really hardy, I left them in the water over winter

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 1:34 pm

I wish I could help but I have no clue. Koi's are really cool I would like to have some myself one of these days. How deep does your pond have to be so they don't freeze? Do you use a bubbler or something?

Bill

ScottyON · Post by **ScottyON** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:48 pm

Oh absolutely my Canadian friend! You're closer than I am to an amzing place. Go to Coles Florist in Grimbsy Ontario. Check out the website at colesflorist.ca. There is also a place in Montreal which is further for you but closer for me. Montrealplants.com.. Enjoy. If you're looking for any pics of some of the plants I bought at Coles check out the pics I posted.

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:00 pm

Hi,

Bill, I made the pond myself, it took a while to learn all the terminology and how to deal with the water. In the beginning everything was green. Once you learn about filtration everything is ok.
As is very cold here during the winter, the pond has to be at least 4 ft. deep. Water has a special property: It's heavier at 4 deg. Celsius: wormer or colder it becomes lighter. That's why a 4 ft. deep pond will always be 4 deg. Celsius at the bottom of the pond.
Last winter was my first winter with a pond, I had 12 fishes and did not loose any. This year I added 10 more. I have only two that have some value, the rest I bought them when they were only 2", from Craiglist, around $5 each. I spent some time with them, now finally was able to make them eat from my hand. It's cool:-).
One more picture with kois:

Scotty, I'll check Coles Florist for sure, thank you.
Tavi