This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Sunday 10 February 2013

Cordyline Palm Update

Photo above taken August 2010.
Back in April 2011 I started blogging about my coryline palm tree, which had been badly hit by frost during our Dec 2010 'big snow'. That year I had six burst water pipes in and outside the house!

Like many gardeners I get attached to certain plants in the garden and  the cordyline was one of these. Part of the reason I liked it, was American visitors often commented with surprise  that a 'palm tree' was growing in an Irish garden. I hated to think that the cordyline might not survive the frost... but it didn't. You can see the coryline frost damage photos on my original post - click here.

Above and Below - this is what the Cordyline Palm looks like now. I finally pulled out the rotting stumps and the growth of a new palm is showing. It will take years to reach a nice height but I'm glad there's growth and the plant isn't a total write off.
Above and Below: before and after shots. For years I left the stumps in the ground waiting for the plant to miraculously rejuvenate itself. Stumps gone (they were so rotted I gently pushed them and they came out!), I can monitor the new corydline as it grows over the years.

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.

7 comments:

  1. Yep, a veritable resurrection! I'm happy that your persistence has been rewarded. Whilst it remains small you will perhaps be able to cover it with fleece during any really cold spells.

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  2. Such a shame that it was ravaged by the winter weather like that, but at least there's new growth. I wonder how fast it will grow.

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  3. That's what I also thought - how can palm grow in Ireland? But if you can see new growth, those will take off; you can provide lots of mulch around so that even the stem is covered with mulch. That might help.

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  4. You can imagine how shocked I was upon my first arrival in London to see Palm trees growing along the streets. Its too bad that you lost yours. We all hate it when we can revive a favorite plant, especially tree because they take so long to grow. The new growth will be fun to watch over the next few years. My brother grows palms in Texas, but has had to replace them with some challenge. Our unpredictable weather these days makes gardening a challenge.

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  5. Yes , growing palms in our gardens remain a challenge. You have a rather mild climate but some winters are just too cold. I had a Cordyline in my unheated greenhouse for quite a couple of years, but last year with the late frost it died. Nice you have new growth !

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  6. Kelli, I am so happy to see that new growth! I hated for you to completely lose your Cordyline Palm. It was a beautiful addition to your garden. You must keep us well posted on its growth!

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  7. Hi Kelli, I got distracted by your grasses...very nice!

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