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Re: palms and common names

Tristan wrote:
>Of course, if one wanted to get really parochial, you could refer to
>Cordyline australis as the 'Torbay Palm'....! For non-UK readers (ie
>almost everybody), Torbay is the self-styled 'English Riviera'- ie one of
>the few places in the UK where it is possible to grow palms outdoors (and
>very sick most of them look too). 

Now, come on Tristan! :)

I was looking at an extremely nice plant of the  Butia capitata over
the weekend.  It was planted about 12 years ago (in a 'frost-pocket
out at Shiphay) and is starting to look exceptionally handsome.
Admittedly the Trachycarpus look a bit sad at the moment, but that is
because of the wind-burn which they invariably suffer regardless of
temperature.  Every Pheonix that I know of, looks as good as any you
will see and the Jubaeas over at Meadfoot would not have grown so
large over the past 100 years or so if they were unhappy.

>As a result, vast quantities of palms
>(mostly Cordyline) are grown and sold to unsuspecting tourists as 'Torbay
>palms'. 

Oh how I agree with you there!  Outrageously priced, seedlings which
haven't a hope in hell of surviving anywhere outside the immediate
area.  I always feel slightly sad when I see holiday-makers proudly
clutching their 'Torbay Palms' ( I dislike the name too!).

>Personally I prefer Yuccas or the palm-like Eryngium
>pandanifolium, which tend to do a lot better in our climate unless, like
>David Poole, you live right by the sea....

The Eryngeum is nice - I grew it from a recommendation by Christopher
Lloyd when I lived up in the (much colder) Midlands.  It makes an
imposing spectacle.  The only Yucca I grow now is Y. elephantiphes
which is infinitely happier outside than when seen as a rather pale
and flaccid 'indoor plant'.  My youngster flowered for the first time
in '95 and has now branched beautifully.  Sadly, the snails love to
over winter within the shoots and emerge to eat up anything that is
within reach.
>
>Over here it has been an incredibly dry spring, so everything has flowered
[snip]
>For once, I am praying for rain!

It has been unseasonably warm with Callistemons (Bottle-brushes)
budding up nearly 2 months before normal and Magnolias, although
magnificent this year, have 'gone over' in double quick time.  It's
nice to see Wisteria making an early entrance though.  I heard on the
radio the other day, that it is only a matter of days before an
official drought is declared in some parts of the country and that it
is drier here than in the Sahara at the moment.  I don't know how true
the latter part if that statement is ( I very much doubt it), but we
desperately need all the rain that we are supposedly famous for.  

Certainly, conditions along some parts of the south coast are becoming
very 'mediterranean' and this has been taking place for some years.

David Poole
-- 
                        dave_poole@ilsham.demon.co.uk
                        http://www.ilsham.demon.co.uk        
                        From:Sunny TORQUAY in the U.K.
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