Traveler's Palm had a whacky winter

I planted this Ravenala last summer and it did well it's first couple of months in the ground til it got cold in December. then it kind of went into hibernation, sorta. Suspended animation?

didn't grow at all until this spring and then it opened an ugly surprise...

I think it had to do with the soil. Too much clay, too much standing water over a week or so period last winter, don't remember when. we didn't have a whole lot of rain so it's kind of a mystery.

Originally i had placed a lot of sand underneath when I first planted it, but the gardener missed the spot I marked by about a foot and a half so I told him to move it over and when he did, he didn't bother to add the sand under the new spot. I'm going to work on that before summer's over to try to get some sand at least around it.

About a month later, along came this new spike

The darn leaf looked strange as it aged...

I celebrate every time this guy opens a new frond. I've been giving it steady fertilizer over the spring/summer so far. I heard they're big feeders.

slowly they uncurl... step by step, inch by inch!

i like how they new frond just sort of emerges or "slides" out of the neighboring frond's petiole.
I know, they're not a true palm, but they're one of my favorite trees when they mature.
If you have any new Ravenala photos to share, post 'em up. I'll post up some more of this one as summer goes by.

They truly are cool.

I doubt mine will ever look like this one, a shot taken by palmbob,

but you never know, that's why we're giving it a shot.! They look almost surreal to me when they're mature.
If I can just keep it protected from the wind, who knows, in about 20 years....

half palm tree, half bird of paradise
This one taken by mustangman826 and posted just this last June in case you missed it.

this one competed with a hedge until the foliage was trimmed back.
Note the pups that sprung up on both sides of it's root ball.
contributed to the plant files by fisherwink...

this what the Ravenala looked like when I planted it last year in May...
I posted a thread back then if you'd like to review the progress.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/725417/

It looked better when it was in living in a pot!

Interesting pattern of the frond as it unfurls.....

hope I'm not boring anyone.
so far 54 views and not a comment.
I know they're not a palm but they're still cool.

I planted its axis parallel with the fence in the hopes that it would fan out that way eventually. But true to it being a Traveler's Palm, it is twisting itself clockwise a little. The frond closest to the camera has actually pointed itself to due west. And the furthest frond has twisted itself in front of the leaf in front of it.

I think we are all too fascinated by the continuing saga of the unravelling Ravenala to actually SAY anything. For my 2 cents you have a lovely plant , no matter which way it faces. This is one of my fave plants as I am a fan of all things Strelitziaceae. Check out some of the cool photos in the Plant Files here: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/b/Strelitziaceae/none/none/cultivar/0/

Ciao, KK.

Edited for spelling!

This message was edited Jul 23, 2008 3:15 AM

the new frond hasn't quite opened yet...

...and already it's starting a new one!
this new growth appeared literally overnight as there was no sign of it yesterday.

here's an update if anyone cares... =-)

The most amazing thing I've noticed is that the newest frond appears larger and has opened up more than the one it emerged from. It might be that it gets more sun than the other one... hmmm.

Hi FoF,
I think that's pretty normal for all the Streletzia relatives - the leaves get bigger every time until they reach the mature size. This is one of my fave plant groups I have spent a lot of time hunting about for info on them but there isn't all that much to find, and I think some of the online stuff is a bit suspect (what a surprise, NOT!). What I would really like to know is a good way to tell S. alba and S. nicholai apart when they are small plants. I have a WBOP but I am not sure which of the two species I actually have.

TTFN, KK.

So Kaelkitty, based on your observations, how long do you think it will take before this one forms a trunk?
As far as your question about the two species, I haven't a clue...

Hmm? trunk. That would have to be wait and see, I'm afraid. My total hands on experience with Ravenala has been the seeds I purchased last year which never came up, darn it! At a guess, I'd say trunking would begin when the base of the plant approaches the diameter of a mature trunk and yours has a bit to go yet.

TTFN, KK.

FondOfFronds, I always wanted a Ravenala for my garden. We are in the same zone (I am in central SD). HOw's yours doing so far this winter?

It doesn't do as well in winter as it does in summer. A former member on here, osideterry, told me they stop growing whenever the temps dip below 57F, I believe is what he told me. Right now it's in the middle of opening a new frond but it's been stuck in the same position for about a month now, as the new growth is still all rolled up.

In the summer, it's one of the fastest growing things in the yard but in winter it just kind of stops... we've had several weeks of abnormally warm weather so that might help to get that new frond open.

As long as it survives the winters and thrives in the summer, I will consider it a winner in my yard. They are so stunning when they get bigger, as the previous photos will attest. Since you've revived this old thread, I'll try to post a photo of it soon, with the new frond all curled up. I'm thinking it won't open until spring.

Well, as long as it goes through winter ok, than that's a winner! Yes, please post pics, I'd love to see them. Funny when you mention it's trying to turn away from the initial position. My plan was to also plant it parallel to a wall, and it will be funny if it decides it wants to grow in a different direction!

FOF,
does your plant see strong winds? That might be it's biggest enemy.

the good news is that it's in a semi-protected area from high winds. It does get tossed about especially lately with the Santa Ana winds.
Here's what the setting looks like. It's been in the low 80sF this week while most of the country freezes their behinds off!

since this thread was about how the Ravenala did over last winter, this is the state of that weird first leaf that opened last spring.
It's obvious that this tree will grow kind of ugly fronds over the winter, then when it warms up the fronds are spectacular. I couldn't believe it this last summer how well this young tree grew.



This message was edited Jan 16, 2009 6:19 PM

close up of that bad boy.

Look at the difference in height with the fronds that filled in after that ugly brown one. It seems to be enjoying all this hot weather lately.

The new growth so far this winter kind of became suspended animation a few weeks ago. This frond has been like this for the last month or so. I think the cold snap in December had sent it into semi-dormancy, only to have some very hot spells come up with rain in between to kind of shock it back into growing prematurely. Enough so that it developed a new frond rather quickly, then it just came to a stop when it got cold again. Now that it's been warm it seems to be growing a little bit more, but not enough to spring open that new frond. I hope it keeps shut as I think that will protect it when it gets very cold again later this month and February too.

We're not out of the woods yet regarding our mild winter. It will get cold again, I'll betcha.

Interesting leaf texture on that folded up frond.
The next five days are supposed to warm and sunny in the 70s. That might be enough to spring that sucker open.
When does I'll post pics.

FoF - Nice palm, but I love the grill area made out of rocks! Did you build that? We are planning our outside kitchen around the pool and I've noticed a few on here that I'd like to take ideas from.

when I bought this nice backyard back in 1999, it already had a house attached... =-)

in other words, the backyard had been built by a doctor who was planning to stay a long time when he got a job offer in Hawaii and had to sell it, so, the whole backyard rock, pool, jacuzzi and BBQ was already built when I bought the place.

The rock they used is crystal slate, it has crystal flecks all running through it which shines and kinda sparkles in the sunlight.

Oh yes, very nice... I remember that 2nd pic from when you posted it before. I love the pool and the landscaping. I could DO that kind of work, but I'm not imaginative enough to design it.... sighhhhhhhh. I have technical skills but no artistry (is that a word?!).

FOF, you have a lovely backyard! We actually have very similar taste, lol!
Seems to me your Ravenala is doing great! Tell me... did you get yours localy? (I'm close to you, in central SD).
Rob

I got it at Tropical Vibe nursery in Newport Beach, near the JW airport.
I also got at around the same time a ginger Alpinia purpurata which has since died and a Heliconia sheidiana which is not doing that well either.

I think the Heliconia will make a come back as soon as spring hits. Hope so anyway.
Some tropicals we can grow here, some we can't. I tried a coco palm once but it just didn't quite make it.

I just found out yesterday that the big tree growing on the other side of the fence is coming out. My neighbor has decided to completely relandscape his backyard and now I'll have a lot more sun, which is bad b/c I have a bunch of shade-loving tropicals growing under there and also my wind break for my Ravenala is going away somewhat so that's not good either. I might have to do some transplanting when I find out what the final plan will be.

Darn neighbors

haha FOF! And I am constantly complaining about my darn neighbors evergreen tree... Too much shade!
I have a couple of heliconia rostratas in my garden, they're not doing so well in the cold weather either...but it looks like they'll be fine once spring comes, we'll see...
I have a job right off JW airport, will look their address, thanks!

My neighbors bvilla is tearing up my GBOP and any future large plants I put in.