Palm Trees of Vancouver!

[Shift]

Originally Posted by mcminsen

I've always wondered, do these trees get a trim once in a while or are they left to naturally shed their dead foliage?



False Creek Seawall near Yaletown, Jan.10 '18, my pic

The City maintains them - I've noticed the ones around English Bay / Sunset Beach being trimmed up to just leave the green tops every year or so. I like the more natural yellowed 'skirt' look but they like to clean them up.

[Metro-One]

Eventually they will need to be trimmed either way when the yellow fronds at the bottom become brown and messy.

Anyways, here is the palm / fern like plant I see often around here in Japan.

This is not the best example (first they are terrible quick cell phone shots, took these while leaving my workplace, and it has been trimmed back for the winter, and the last few nights have been around -3).

IMG_0741 by Ian, on Flickr

IMG_0740 by Ian, on Flickr

Since I have moved here temps have reached as low as -5 / -6 every winter so I know they must be somewhat frost hardy.

The fronds when grown out are more stiff and less lofty than the plant mcminsen suggested on the last page.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Eventually they will need to be trimmed either way when the yellow fronds at the bottom become brown and messy.

Anyways, here is the palm / fern like plant I see often around here in Japan.

This is not the best example (first they are terrible quick cell phone shots, took these while leaving my workplace, and it has been trimmed back for the winter, and the last few nights have been around -3).

Since I have moved here temps have reached as low as -5 / -6 every winter so I know they must be somewhat frost hardy.

The fronds when grown out are more stiff and less lofty than the plant mcminsen suggested on the last page.

Those you posted with the stiff leaves appear to be mature Sago Palms (not a true Palm), though this one I posted looks much older and less heavily cut back. You can get them at IKEA. Like a Monkey Puzzle Tree, Sago palms grow slowly when young and faster as they get more mature.

Commonly called sago palms, these attractive plants are neither ferns nor palms. The Cycas revoluta or sago palm is a member of the Cycadaceae or Cycad family, that very old group of plants that is closer to conifers and ginkgo trees than to palms.

These primitive, cone-bearing plants trace their origins back at least 200 million years and may be older than the dinosaurs.

One of the most primitive living seed plants, these living fossils have become the most popular and widely cultivated of all the Cycads. Native to southern Japan, the Cycas revolutas have been used as choice container plants and unusual landscape plants for centuries since their discovery in the late 1700s.

Sago palms can lend your landscape that tropical look and they are among the easiest plants to grow. They are fairly drought-tolerant, grow well in full sun and can adapt to temperatures from 15 degrees to 100 degrees. They thrive with attention and they tolerate neglect.

quote and image from: https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/2...rn-nor-a-palm/

[Shift]

^They used to have some of those in the courtyard of the Sheraton Wall Centre in the planters along Burrard St, but removed them a long time ago. Too bad they would have been big by now.

[trofirhen]

As I understand it, sago palms need hot, humid summers to grow properly. Even if they don't get a deep-freeze, I do not think they would grow well at all in Vancouver.

More importantly though, sago palm needles are very toxic. Dogs, who for some some reason sometimes chew on them, usually die. Only the pulpy interior is safe for eating, as pudding.

It seems that as exotic and pretty as they are, another kind of palm would be better added to the list of palms planned for Vancouver than these, like the Chilean and Pindo palms.

[Metro-One]

Thanks for the info guys!

Never knew about the poison aspect.

Even so a few planted in difficult to reach locations for dogs would be nice. I think even without the hot humid summers they would grow slowly.

As for other varieties I know that a few Washington Palms grow in Victoria. The Fraser Valley would be too cold but perhaps areas such as the downtown peninsula would be okay?

[giallo]

The pinto palm would be a nice addition to the flora of the city. Unfortunately, they probably don't fair well through the rare sub -10 cold snap. They had one planted near The Boathouse at English Bay back in 2002, but I don't think it survived due to a prolonged cold winter. It's not there anymore.

Maybe in a couple of decades, the pinto palm will thrive on the island and certain parts of the lower mainland.

[SpongeG]

I wish Vancouver had more arbutus trees they are amazing. I loved living amongst them on the island. I know they grow well in west van and up the sea to sky and south surrey, I wonder why they don't grow so much in vancity

coastal arbutus

[SpongeG]

Chamaerops humilis, [cam-er-ops] referred to as the Mediterranean Fan PalmIt has multiple trunks and this is a naturally occurring trait whereas with the Windmillpalm, noted above, individual plants must be placed together to achieve thiseye-catching effect. Facts about the Chamaerops humilis:•Growth rate is slow to moderate•Grows to 3 - 6 meters [10 - 20 ft.] wide as well as tall due to side-ward reaching trunks•Cold hardy to around minus 12 C/10 F. USDA zone 8-11•Once established it is tolerant of dry and hot conditions•A wonderful courtyard specimen with a sub-tropical accent•Europe’s most northern growing palm•Leaf type - palmate•Doesn’t require full sun; tolerates part shadeYou can learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachycarpus_fortunei … for instance - did you know that the Windmill Palmwas cultivated in China and Japan for thousands of years, for its coarse but very strong leaf sheath fibre, used for making rope, sacks,and other coarse cloth where great strength is important.For Vancouver Island and SW British ColumbiaThe humilis in Chamaerops humilis means low, humble since it doesn’t reach 30 to 40 feet like the Windmill palm. However what it loses in height it makes up for in breadth, as each individual trunk demands its share of space and sunlight. The Mediterranean Fan palm has varied landscape uses and is an absolutely picturesque stand-alone specimen, widely adaptable to many climates. It should be noted however, that in the Victoria, British Columbia area situated between the 48th and 49th parallel latitude it will require protection during major Arctic outflow events. Only for a few days in some years. Usually just a cover is sufficient, but a major outflow event could require the addition of incandescent lights. And as already stated, only for a few days. The effect is so attractive, however, you may not wish to remove them. Definitely, a Chamaerops humilis is a palm to consider for your home or business. (See the Plant Care page to learn how to protect your palm)

some interesting things to see/read on where I got that from
info above is from a site in victoria about palms that grow there etc: http://www.tropicoletrading.com/palm...ety%20info.htm

[SpongeG]

apparently jelly/pindo palms can be grown as well here up to -7.5c, they are native to brazil



http://www.tropicoletrading.com/palm...ety%20info.htm

[Conrad Yablonski]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I wish Vancouver had more arbutus trees they are amazing. I loved living amongst them on the island. I know they grow well in west van and up the sea to sky and south surrey, I wonder why they don't grow so much in vancity

Some of the largest most flourishing stands of Arbutus in all BC were once found along the Upper Levels highway but warmer weather conditions have allowed a natural fungus that attacks Arbutus to gain the upper hand now most of what you see are blackened trunks although a few patches are still found high on cliffs along the Squamish highway.

Barkley Sound still has large stands of Arbutus they add a lot to a trip on the Frances Barkley.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by Conrad Yablonski

Some of the largest most flourishing stands of Arbutus in all BC were once found along the Upper Levels highway but warmer weather conditions have allowed a natural fungus that attacks Arbutus to gain the upper hand now most of what you see are blackened trunks although a few patches are still found high on cliffs along the Squamish highway.

Barkley Sound still has large stands of Arbutus they add a lot to a trip on the Frances Barkley.

It is up to the cities and other agencies to start planting more Arbutus Trees, especially to replace those that have been killed off by the fungus (for example the few found around the pool in Stanley Park).

As far as I know it is not so much warmer weather that is enabling this fungus to kill off Arbutus trees (especially seeing how we are on the northern / coldest tip of their range) but a combination of a lack of periodic fires that once killed off older / infected trees and other species that crowd the tree canopy (it is no coincidence that Arbutus are generally only found in the driest portions of the South Coast of BC, extending down to Mexico) and an increase in ground disturbance activities (they hate their roots being disturbed, this also makes them incredibly hard to transplant. Also, I am pretty sure that it is an invasive fungus.

On the bright side, the fungus is a slow killer and before they die Arbutus trees blow their seeds like nothing else, so there is a good chance that they will develop an immunity eventually. There has been some return already noted in some of the areas that were the first to be decimated.

[mcminsen]

There is no shortage of palm trees around the Commercial Drive area.

And just for the fun of it, the last pic is of an Ogopogo (or maybe Puff the magic dragon?) shaped hedge.



Grandview-Woodlands, Vancouver, Feb.3 '18, my pics

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

I think if we planted more palm trees around the city seasonal depression wouldn't be as bad

[Metro-One]

That has been my thought for a long time. The Norwegian Maples they plant are bare for far too much of the year (compared to both native and other exotic species).

Here is a shot of mine from the Seawall a couple weeks ago. Loaded with berries!

False Creek Seawall by Ian, on Flickr

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

That has been my thought for a long time. The Norwegian Maples they plant are bare for far too much of the year (compared to both native and other exotic species).

Here is a shot of mine from the Seawall a couple weeks ago. Loaded with berries!

False Creek Seawall by Ian, on Flickr

Beautiful scene! Do you know what kind of palm that is?
And is there a palm that likes hot summers and mildish yeat a bit below zero winters?

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Beautiful scene! Do you know what kind of palm that is?
And is there a palm that likes hot summers and mildish yeat a bit below zero winters?

Those palms - and you see them all around Vancouver, being about the only species that'll grow there - are called Windmill, or Chinese Palms.
Their botanical name is trachycarpus fortunei and they are native to China, where the usually mild winters are punctuated by occasional cold snaps.
They can tolerate cold down to -15°C for a few days at a time.

Another palm, a little less cold tolerant is The Pindo Palm or botanically Butia capitata
which will survive in Seattle, but not in Vancouver. They're totally different, with 'pinnate' or long, feathery fronds, and are beautiful.

Most palms grow slowly, but depending on the species, do not necessarily need hot summers. In the Scilly Islands of Southwest England, there are
even the magnificent Canary Island Palms, whose presence is made possible by the islands' location in the Gulf Stream, with very mild winters.

[Metro-One]

I think a lot of the pindo palms in Seattle were damaged by the major 2008 cold snap.

You can see some in Tofino.

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Another palm, a little less cold tolerant is The Pindo Palm or botanically Butia capitata
which will survive in Seattle, but not in Vancouver.

Considering Seattle's record cold is colder than Vancouver's record cold I rather doubt that. The two cities have nearly the exact same climate, with Seattle's average low being 0.4°C warmer than Vancouver's.

There's also these things that I see more and more around Vancouver from one of Metro One's earlier pics from this thread:

[Metro-One]

I keep forgetting what those are called, but I did see more of them around Vancouver, especially downtown near the beaches.

Here is one of my favorite stands of Windmill Palms in Vancouver.

At Sunset Beach Park where Jervis St. meets Beach Ave.

Palms at Sunset Beach by Ian, on Flickr

Palms at Sunset Beach by Ian, on Flickr

Palms at Sunset Beach by Ian, on Flickr

Palms at Sunset Beach by Ian, on Flickr

And a couple nice ones in front of an apartment on Beach Ave.

Between Two Palms by Ian, on Flickr