Massachusetts Palm Tree Help And Questions (MA)

[Palm Guru]

Welcome, wonderful people of Massachusetts, we are delighted you have joined this discussion about topics related to palm trees and plants. Whether you have a question about gardening, landscaping, planting, purchasing or just about anything, this forum will be open for all. We also have an Interior Design and Exterior Design section which has great design ideas or you can take a Virtual Tour of the Nursery, either way we are excited you are here!

Please be friendly and courteous and keep helping our planet with being green-minded and observant to wildlife and nature. So go ahead, post your questions or comments and enjoy!

[UMass Housewife]

I saw varied kinds of palm trees and then went to the ornamental section and saw alot of plants but what caught my eye, was the orange crownshaft palm. It reminds me of my honeymoon on the big island of Hawaii. We stayed at the Hilton and they had some of these around the parks and pool areas. Do they do good indoors and if so, what would I have to do to keep them alive and vibrant. I was going to hire a contractor to put them in along with a small waterfall inside the house but saw that this place had them and I wouldnt have to pay someone for something I can do myself. I would imagine I would have to get a humidifier as well for the palm, right.

[Boston Man]

Very nice looking and instructions are not so clean and clear as I had hoped for. I am planting outdoors and need to know how far I can plant it from the sidewalk. I have an oak tree that began lifting up part of my home and I don't want this palm to do the same. Does anyone know, how far I have to plant the palm so the roots dont pick up the sidewalk. thanks.

[Palm Crazy]

Hi, Right off good luck with the palm. First off, how large a tree are you planting? Typically the tree is more like a bush till it reaches a height of 10 feet or so, which I cant guess how many years that might take in our area. The bush like low growth is probably about 4 to 5' in diameter until the trunk actually starts to grow. I nursed a small plant that took nearly 5 years before the trunk even started to show and never got much larger than a softball. So from the aspect of people being able to pass down the walk without bumping into the fronds it would have to be nearly 3' in from the walk. If it is already an old tree and tall enough to walk under, then you might be able to plant it closer to the walk, but I would still recomend staying a few feet away due to the roughness of the trunk if a passerby were to accidently bump into it. As far as heaving the walk, palms really dont send out roots like an oak or maple do, they look more like a bulb with worm like tenticles that really dont get long or thick enough to do any damage. In my travels, I have seen large royal palm inches away from walks with no visible damage and typical Florida walks tend to be less thick than ours, because frost is not a concern, like up north. Might also point out that my Windmill palm did not make it , and I am curently trying some Needle Palms, which I have heard can take the cold. I will try to mulch them and wrap them up in the fall.
Good luck, and would be very interested in how the Windmill is coming along.

[tri state area]

What years did you graduate?

[tri state area]

What palms are good for umass, for the college rooms. Or for teachers at the univeristy. I love umass's campus. I think we should add more palms.

[sthe1]

I have never seen this palm tree before, its so beautiful i would love it in my house, maybe indoors though it looks amazing outside when its on its full size, it has exotic colors, its like a peace of Art, refreshing everytime you look at it, i hear that they love light, you can't put them in the dark area and they don't sit in water, does this mean they don't need a lot of water? i would buy one even though we don't have so much sun here in England

[sthe1]

Well i know this plant very well, i grew around banana trees in South Africa, they look beautiful and we had lot of banana's, we never bought any banana until i came to UK, i see that you can have them indoors? really my guess whould be then they stay a small plant with no bananas, i must say though when you have them in your garden they look nice and they are easy to look after

[sthe1]

Wow! i love this tree, i saw it at its full bloom, with its beautiful wild spread green leaves, it gives you proper sensation of tropical, exotic island feeling, the feeling of one being with nature, the feeling you get is pure pleasure, it also stores natural spring water, its stand out with its huge welcoming leaves, you can't help but to admire what nature has to offer

[sthe1]

What a lovely name, this tree reminds me of birds of paradise, one of the most beautiful creatures on earth, its stature sutable for indoors, orange sprouts stand out from its dark green leaves.
when i look at this plant, i visualize a hand showing off its beautifull, colouful, exotic flowers, its magnificent to look at!
Its a must have...

[Teddy is ready]

I want to send my aunt a palm tree in Mass. but dont know which one is good. She lives in Boston. She has lots of space but I am not sure which one would be best for her big backyard. Can someone help me? Any suggestions

[ASID Interior Designer]

Windmill Palm Trees (Trachycarpus fortunei) are one of the most cold hardy Palms available to date. Windmill Palms have Leaves that are arranged into symmetrical crown that is about 8 to feet wide & they contain Trunks that are usually covered with a loose mat of coarse gray or brown fiber that acts as a coat for the heart of the Palm, reason being it does so well In Freezing Temps. The Fur-like Material is almost Similar to Burlap & would be great for your Aunt's Backyard. Hope This Helped :]

[Brandon Delgado]

Is this the only Palm that will survive the winter here? I want to get every type of cold tolerant palms for my pool patio. Do they need more water because of the cold? I would sad if I got the wrong ones . Any help is greatly appreciated Thanks- B.D.