Beaucarnea
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- Spination
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Beaucarnea
Last year, this trio fit nicely under a glass shelf, about 4 feet from the ground.
The variegate though has added a few inches, so I had to do some rearranging today. Good to go now for at least a couple of years.
- Geoff
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- Spination
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Re: Beaucarnea
Thanks for the correction, I believe you are right. When I got it, I just assumed they had it ID'd right. Lesson: Never assume.
- Agave_fan
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Re: Beaucarnea
I recently purchased a Beaucarnea recurvata that had a description tag on it stating it was cold hardy to 10F. However, I cannot find any credible indication in my searches that any species of Beaucarnea is cold hardy to those temps so I am seriously thinking about returning it as I purchased it for an outdoor plant.
I saw misc forum claims (not this site) of plants making it through -22 degree temps but no credible resources for this being particularly cold hardy. Anyone have input on the cold hardiness of this plant?
I saw misc forum claims (not this site) of plants making it through -22 degree temps but no credible resources for this being particularly cold hardy. Anyone have input on the cold hardiness of this plant?
- Spination
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Re: Beaucarnea
I also have 2 actual but non-variegated Beaucarneau recurvata, that resided this last winter right alongside the B. guatemalensis that Geoff kindly ID'd for me. We had an unusually tough winter in terms of the # of freezing lows for what we're used to. For the first 3/4 of freezing night lows we had, the greenhouse kit they were in was unheated. Right off the bat, in December, we got hit with 30, 26, 28, 30 in succession, and after a 2 day "break", another round of sub freezing lows 30, 28, 29, 29, 29 in succession. The kit is little better than a plastic tent, and at best might have added 2 degrees improvement over outside, but perhaps not even that. At least they were relatively dry (except for condensation, dew point in the evening), and no chill factor inside from wind. The Beaucarneau, which barely sat up off the actual floor would have been at or near the coldest level inside, and were completely unaffected. I'm positive they did manage to shrug off sub freezing temps therefor, if that helps you. I believe if they had been outside, I could have achieved a similar degree of protection by covering with a large plastic garbage bag.
I think if there are claims out there of survival even much below that, I would take that as further encouraging information for your intentions.
Maybe someone else can share their experience as well.
I think if there are claims out there of survival even much below that, I would take that as further encouraging information for your intentions.
Maybe someone else can share their experience as well.
- Melt in the Sun
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Re: Beaucarnea
I have the variegated Beaucarnea. No comparison in growth rate to the speedy B.recurvata. Its more tender,but I would not call it very tender. Still, its slow to recover if you do have a frost that gets to it. It might as well be looked at as a dwarf B.recurvata.
Here's the B.recurvata at UC Berkeley.
Here's the B.recurvata at UC Berkeley.
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Hayward Ca. 75-80f summers,60f winters.
- Spination
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Re: Beaucarnea
Stan, what a great specimen they have, and what a great illustration and advertisement of them as potted plants. The girth of that trunk in relation to the seemingly small size of that pot is noteworthy. Fantastic!
- Agave_fan
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Re: Beaucarnea
So tempted to keep it now and just hope for the best.
I am looking for an upright flashy show plant of some sort that can survive in a built-in raised masonry bed and thought this might work. Seeing the photo Stan posted and hearing stories that some of these have made it through some low temps makes me want to try it now.
I also have a trip planned to Yucca Do nursery this Saturday that I am hoping (keep fingers crossed) I can pull off and I might be able to find a solution there so for now, will hang on to the recurvata. Here is a picture of it. It is only 17" tall right now. The base is pretty good size, just doesn't show well in the photo. If this doesn't look like a B recurvata, please let me know.
I am looking for an upright flashy show plant of some sort that can survive in a built-in raised masonry bed and thought this might work. Seeing the photo Stan posted and hearing stories that some of these have made it through some low temps makes me want to try it now.
I also have a trip planned to Yucca Do nursery this Saturday that I am hoping (keep fingers crossed) I can pull off and I might be able to find a solution there so for now, will hang on to the recurvata. Here is a picture of it. It is only 17" tall right now. The base is pretty good size, just doesn't show well in the photo. If this doesn't look like a B recurvata, please let me know.
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Re: Beaucarnea
The B.recurvata come in male and female plants. The males are white flowered,the females sort of orange and its more impressive. Luck of the draw to which you get.
Hayward Ca. 75-80f summers,60f winters.
- Viegener
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Re: Beaucarnea
There must be cuttings of female Beaucarnea available somewhere...?Stan wrote:The B.recurvata come in male and female plants. The males are white flowered,the females sort of orange and its more impressive. Luck of the draw to which you get.
- Agavemonger
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Re: Beaucarnea
Beaucarnea guatamalensis, especially the variegate, is very touchy to cold. I used to have quite a few 15 gallon plants in full sun that were damaged nearly every winter by one-to-a-few degrees of frost. I finally gave up and got rid of them. The key to understanding this Beaucarnea's needs is in it's name: Beaucarnea GUATAMALensis! Beautiful plant for Hawaii!
Beaucarnea recurvata is an easy grow in full sun. I grew one from a large 15, to a specimen with a five-foot base and ten feet high with thirty arms in 12 years. In that time, no damage at all from frost, but we probably never dropped below about 28. I would take Melt's observation of problems in the mid-to-low twenties as gospel.
Beaucarneas can generate either hermaphroditic, and/or both male and female flowers on occasion. Mine once set a ton of seed which germinated well, and still germinates well ten years later. My big plant is right now holding lots of seed even after having been moved with a crane and laying on its side on the back of a truck blowing in the wind uncovered going down the freeway for thirty miles. I expected to lose all the seed, as it was almost mature. I put the plant in a six foot box, where it very quickly re-established, holding it's seed for the entire time. I guess It is time to chance it with the big ladder and get up there this week and harvest some seed!
Interestingly, the base of the big plant was flat, with bark and no roots. The roots came strictly out of the sides of the plant at the soil surface and down about 6-12 inches, completely surrrounding the circumference of the base, but none below that whatsoever. Just a nice, clean, smooth flat base for four feet or so ringed with roots completely around the outside of the base. That was a surprise!
The Monger
Beaucarnea recurvata is an easy grow in full sun. I grew one from a large 15, to a specimen with a five-foot base and ten feet high with thirty arms in 12 years. In that time, no damage at all from frost, but we probably never dropped below about 28. I would take Melt's observation of problems in the mid-to-low twenties as gospel.
Beaucarneas can generate either hermaphroditic, and/or both male and female flowers on occasion. Mine once set a ton of seed which germinated well, and still germinates well ten years later. My big plant is right now holding lots of seed even after having been moved with a crane and laying on its side on the back of a truck blowing in the wind uncovered going down the freeway for thirty miles. I expected to lose all the seed, as it was almost mature. I put the plant in a six foot box, where it very quickly re-established, holding it's seed for the entire time. I guess It is time to chance it with the big ladder and get up there this week and harvest some seed!
Interestingly, the base of the big plant was flat, with bark and no roots. The roots came strictly out of the sides of the plant at the soil surface and down about 6-12 inches, completely surrrounding the circumference of the base, but none below that whatsoever. Just a nice, clean, smooth flat base for four feet or so ringed with roots completely around the outside of the base. That was a surprise!
The Monger
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Re: Beaucarnea
Wow, I feel like I really got away with one this winter with the variegated guatemalensis. It's pot sat on the floor, at the back end's edge of the greenhouse kit. Literally, a layer of plastic between it and the cold outside. I added the heater rather a bit like closing the barn door after the horses have galloped off, but going forward the enclosure will be heated just enough in winter to prevent any possibility of freezing inside.
Very inspiring success story with your large recurvata. That must have been a sight as it was headed down the freeway!
Great insight as well with the nature of the root system. It would appear it is the bulk and weight of the caudex itself that keeps it secure, like a gigantic outdoor paper-weight, with the side roots as shallow anchors of sorts. Very interesting!
I was looking at Geoff's great photos in the Gallery : San Diego Zoo, Lotus Land, Disneyland, HBG... truly they are beautiful and exotic plants as they grow with age.
Very inspiring success story with your large recurvata. That must have been a sight as it was headed down the freeway!
Great insight as well with the nature of the root system. It would appear it is the bulk and weight of the caudex itself that keeps it secure, like a gigantic outdoor paper-weight, with the side roots as shallow anchors of sorts. Very interesting!
I was looking at Geoff's great photos in the Gallery : San Diego Zoo, Lotus Land, Disneyland, HBG... truly they are beautiful and exotic plants as they grow with age.
- Agavemonger
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Re: Beaucarnea
Yeah, Tom; you can forget ever putting your variegates outside, at least permanently. Certainly you could move them outside about May 1st, and then tuck them back in in September. Once they get too big, it would probably be best to prune them every spring, cutting the tallest tops off with about 4" of green stem attached. The fresh heads should root readily, then you can sell them as houseplants! The Mother Plants will sprout new growth as long as you don't get too carried away with your pruning! And then they will still fit in your greenhouses. If you cut the tops immediately before placing the plants outside, you can root the tops in your greenhouse, thereby not burning the tops when you place the plants outside. They will sprout new, hardened growth.
The big Beaucarnea was fun to move, but naturally, rather stressful and expensive. I should have documented it here. I think I might have a few photos around. I think I have the plant sold as a specimen on a mound at a big industrial building, as a focal plant in the center of the front entrance automobile roundabout. That would be cool. If so, I will do an article on the move.
The Monger
The big Beaucarnea was fun to move, but naturally, rather stressful and expensive. I should have documented it here. I think I might have a few photos around. I think I have the plant sold as a specimen on a mound at a big industrial building, as a focal plant in the center of the front entrance automobile roundabout. That would be cool. If so, I will do an article on the move.
The Monger
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Re: Beaucarnea
[quote="Spination"]Wow, I feel like I really got away with one this winter with the variegated guatemalensis. It's pot sat on the floor, at the back end's edge of the greenhouse kit. Literally, a layer of plastic between it and the cold outside. I added the heater rather a bit like closing the barn door after the horses have galloped off, but going forward the enclosure will be heated just enough in winter to prevent any possibility of freezing inside.
You were! Good! In full summer sun they get a nice blush to them.
You were! Good! In full summer sun they get a nice blush to them.
Hayward Ca. 75-80f summers,60f winters.
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Re: Beaucarnea
Ive had this.. 4 or 5 years? Like that. 2 years in ground and it was hit by a frost. This spot next to window seems to help. Potted now. I water the heck out of it- toss fertilizer on it. Slow growth.
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Hayward Ca. 75-80f summers,60f winters.