Time travel: to Spring and back again

[TerdalFarm]

I wasn't sure if this rambling post belonged here or in cold-hardy palms and figured that if in doubt, it is off topic.

This past week was Spring Break here in Oklahoma, for myself (a teacher) and my 7th grader. W had to work. We set off by car on Tuesday, determined to drive south until it felt like Spring. There were signs here already, such as a few callery pears (e.g., "Bradford") starting to bloom. As we drove south, the roadside Bradford pears progressed in their bloom, then somewhere in central Texas they were past peak. By the time we got to Houston, blooms were done and they were in leaf. Wow. Time travel! I felt that in one (long) day, we drove forward a month of more.

We checked into a Motel 8 just south of Houston and unpacked the station wagon:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8585291049/" title="Palms parking lot motel 8 NASA by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8251/8585 ... d0bb_o.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="Palms parking lot motel 8 NASA"></a>

[TerdalFarm]

Sabal palmetto were very common in residential and commercial landscaping. Date plams, and CIDP, were also common. There were some tall, slim Washingtonia robusta here and there. A few jelly palms, but not as many as I expected (having never been to the area). Some Queen palms, especially on Galveston Island (USDA 9b, vs 9a in Houston: http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/). No Trachycarpus. Only one Chamaerops that I noticed (at a McDonalds).

[TerdalFarm]

This was mostly a wildlife trip, so not too many palm photos. We camped at Sea Rim State park and had the whole 4,000 acres to ourselves.
Here, my son points out an Alligator:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8583841019/" title="Reed points out Alligator near boardwalk by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8583 ... dc76_z.jpg" width="490" height="640" alt="Reed points out Alligator near boardwalk"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8584954778/" title="Big old aAlligator in salt marsh grasses by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8391/8584 ... a074_z.jpg" width="640" height="448" alt="Big old aAlligator in salt marsh grasses"></a>

[TerdalFarm]

We drove briefly into Louisiana to eat. Same palms varieties grown residentially and commercially. Hoped someone would try something crazy like Cocos but no go, although there were some impressive Queen palms.

Reluctantly, we turned our sun-burned faces northward and drove, my flip-flop shod foot gently on the petrol pedal. end of the first day saw us in NE Texas. I stopped by a motel with Trachycarpus palm trees on display:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8582988996/" title="Trachycarpus palms in Motel 8 parking lot by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8229/8582 ... aeb6_z.jpg" width="383" height="640" alt="Trachycarpus palms in Motel 8 parking lot"></a>

[TerdalFarm]

Yesterday, we woke up and drove north to McCurtain County, Oklahoma. I drove past the famous Red Slough area, noted for the NE-most Alligator population, plus the seed source for commercial Sabal minor McCurtain. We headed further north to the northern-most of Sabal minor "McCurtain" population I know of.

Here are a few snap shots from yesterday Notice I am no longer in flip-flops and shorts. I had boots, wool socks, long pants, and layers. And was still cold. Air temps were above freezing, and wet. (As I type this, back up in Tulsa, it is snowing.)

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8586658724/" title="Sabal by sidewalk below power station by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8523/8586 ... 8b50_z.jpg" width="563" height="640" alt="Sabal by sidewalk below power station"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8585557463/" title="Sabal palm on rocky slope by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8527/8585 ... 24c0_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Sabal palm on rocky slope"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8586658504/" title="Sabal clump by power station by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8376/8586 ... 3c78_z.jpg" width="640" height="482" alt="Sabal clump by power station"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8586657444/" title="Strap leaf Sabal palm by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8383/8586 ... 663f_z.jpg" width="640" height="521" alt="Strap leaf Sabal palm"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8585561771/" title="Erik admires Sabal palm clump by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8506/8585 ... 0fdb_z.jpg" width="640" height="578" alt="Erik admires Sabal palm clump"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8586660116/" title="Erik stands holding Sabal stalks by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8517/8586 ... e4ae_z.jpg" width="567" height="640" alt="Erik stands holding Sabal stalks"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8585560839/" title="Erik kneels before Sabal palm by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8378/8585 ... 47cf_z.jpg" width="640" height="620" alt="Erik kneels before Sabal palm"></a>

[DesertZone]

Very cool, thanks for sharing.

[lucky1]

Great photos, Erik.
Must've been nice to get into flip-flops in one day's travel.

If I could grow what Houston grows in palms, I wouldn't bother with a Trachy either.
Imagine...Date palms, CIDP, Washies, Queens, Chamaerops.
Great varieties in that zone, I wouldn't NEED any more than that.

The Sabals in McCurtain county look fabulous, completely untouched by any cold.
Just think in a few more years what it'll look like as Sabals keep spreading.


Thanks for the travelogue, Erik.
Hope you left all the gators there...

Barb

[TerdalFarm]

I already know I can fly someplace where flip-flops are appropriate, but it was liberating to just drive there.
This photo shows that I didn't even need them, plus shows why palms overwinter along the Gulf coast so well.
Yes, will look for jobs in the Houston/Gulf coast area. W has never been, but is willing to relocate there on general principle. She burned the last of the firewood while I was gone and was not happy about that.
But I would grow a Trachy there. I think they look good, and the cold-hardiness (+ heat tolerance) is a bonus.


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drterdal/8587412505/" title="Erik in surf by drterdal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8517/8587 ... a0d8_n.jpg" width="216" height="320" alt="Erik in surf"></a>