A Quality Plant - Florida Wholesale Palms

Sold a couple loads of Sabal Palms today. One of the customers is interested in European Fan Palms too.

We worked on Palm removal's today. At one house, we removed a Foxtail Palm and A Christmas Palm and replaced them with 15 Gallon Queen Palms. we removed a 20' of Grey Wood Queen Palm from the other house.

Not too exciting but worth doing!

Rob Pittman
A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com

Don't forget about our other palms. Date Palms, Medjool Palms, Sylvester Palms, Pindo Palms, Canary Island Date Palms, Washingtonia Palms, Chinese Fan Palms, and Ribbon Palms.

A Quality Plant - Florida Wholesale Palms

We completed a landscape installation today. We installed two Sylvester Palms, One Phoenix Hybrid, Two Bismarck Palms, and one Reclinata Palm / Senegal Date Palm. We back filled the holes with top soil as the existing soil was not good at all. We created raised beds for the customer to plant at a later date.



Rob Pittman
A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com

A Quality Plant - Florida Wholesale Palms

October 26, 2010

Sold a few palms today including a Pindo Palm, Sylvester Palm, Pygmy Date Palm and a Ponytail Palm. Sold a Floss Silk Tree too. Cleaned up around the farm and watered all the container plants.

Took pictures of a yard today. This is a new Landscape Project. I will be using a CAD program to create a Landscape Design. The job has Curved Ribbon Palms, Triple Foxtail Palms, Royal Palms, and a really big Bismarck Palm.

We are Transplanting Palms for the neighbor too. We will be moving 4 Foxtail Palms and transplanting the palms on site. The palms are splitting the 4 by 4 planters they are in.

Rob Pittman
A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com

A Quality Plant - Florida Wholesale Palms

October 25th, 2010

Today was a catch up day for me. I did meet with customers at the Palm Tree Farm and discussed palms for their yard. I showed them many different types of Date Palms including the Sylvester Palm, the Medjool Palm and the Canary Island Date Palm. We looked at Grey Wood Queen Palms too. They will be coming back tomorrow to discuss our Wholesale Palm Prices.

It is still very hot and dry. I am running irrigation 24/7 it seems. I am looking forward to the next rain.

Rob
A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com

Sell Your Palm, We Buy Palms

A Quality Plant buys exceptional palm specimens of certain varieties of palms. Among the palms we buy are:

Canary Island Date Palms or Pineapple Palms
Sylvester Date Palms
Medjool Date Palms
Pindo Palms
Ponytail Palms
Reclinata Palms or Senegal Date Palms

There are other palms that we buy less frequently.

If you think you have a palm that fits this description, please contact us at:

866-998-9393 or robp@aqualityplant.com

We remove palms that are unwanted too. Price depends on many factors including the access, travel time, size of the palm, and the potential resell value for A Quality Plant.

www.aqualityplant.com

Phoenix dactylifera - True Date Palm, Medjool Palm, Zahidi Palm, Deglet Noor Palm

Medjool Palms - Phoenix dactylifera

Phoenix dactylifera or The True Date Palm is an economically important tree and one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world. Dates originated in Western Asia and North Africa over 5,000 years ago. Today they are cultivated commercially in Iraq, North Africa and in the U.S. in California and Arizona.

Common cultivars of the Phoenix dactylifera used in cultivation are the Medjool, Zahidii and the Deglet Noor.

The Medjool Date Palm variety is a common sight along roadways and adorning entry ways to exclusive developments.

The trees are dioecious and often reach over 100 feet (30 m) tall or more with a gray slender trunk. The trunks can be trimmed with diamond shape leaf scars for ornamental purposes. The large greenish to bluish gray pinnate leaves often reach 18-20 feet (5.5-6 m) long. The canopy can be up to 40 feet (12.2 m) wide. Although they are very large trees, they can be grown in containers for many years before they get too large. Phoenix dactylifera is slow growing unless in a truly desert climate. Temperatures above 120 Farenheit will push this palm to grow faster (up to 3' of trunk growth per year). The True Date Palm will grow much slower in a Temperate or sub tropical climate (usually less then 2' of trunk growth). They are the most cold hardy of the Phoenix Palms and are hardy in the landscape in USDA zones 8-11.

A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com
866-998-9393

Cold Hardy Palms
Robert Pittman January 10 2009 10:35:05 AM
There are approximately 2500 different species of palms. The vast majority of these species can't be grown outside the tropics.

Palms that can be grown in zones 6-9 are considered to be cold hardy. The chart below shows absolute lows. Average temperatures for a region are of little use when selecting the right palm for your zone. One night below the tolerance of the palms in your yard will mean certain death.

Palms are monocots. They have no ability to sprout back from the roots. If the heart of the palm dies, the whole palm dies. Clumping varieties of palms like the Fishtail palm (Caryota Mitis), Dwarf Sugar palm (Arenga engleri) or the Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens) can come back from the root zone as long as the root zone was not killed during the cold event.

Examples of extremely Cold Hardy Palms:
Rhapidophyllum hystrix - Needle Palm
Sabal minor - Dwarf Palmetto
Trachycarpus takil - Kumaon Palm
Trachycarpus latisectus - Windamere Palm
Trachycarpus wagnerianus - Miniature Chusan Palm
Trachycarpus fortunei - Chinese Windmill Palm
Serenoa repens - Saw Palmetto
Nannorrhops ritchiana - Mazari Palm


Know your zone and the minimum temperatures your palms can withstand. Select palms that can handle the worst your area has to offer.

On calm cold nights the coldest area will settle in the low lying areas. If you are at the base of a low lying area you may be several degrees cooler than higher elevations. The front of my main field is several degrees warmer than the back. The distance is is less than a quarter mile from the front to the back of my field.

There are measures that can be taken to protect palms that are planted out of their zones. Measures like providing wind block and canopy are effective. If your palms are not too tall, covering them with fabric or frost cloth and supplying supplemental heat will help to hold warmth in and keep frost off. A low wattage lamp will work to provide the heat. Christmas lights wrapped around the palm can work on calm nights but help much less on nights with winds in excess of 5 mph.

Rob Pittman
www.aqualityplant.com

Phoenix sylvestris - Sylvester Palm, Silver Date Palm

Phoenix sylvestris - Sylvester Palm, Silver Date Palm, Wild Date Palm, India Date Palm
Robert Pittman January 18 2010 10:40:42 PM
Family: Palmae



Common names: Date-sugar palm, Indian winepalm, sugar palm, wild date-palm
Phoenix sylvestris is gregarious in many parts of India. It is commonly found on low ground in the sub-Himalayan tract, along the Ramganga River in Rohilkhand and along river banks and on stretches of low ground in the Deccan and Mysore (Brandis, 1906).
In Himachal Pradesh, it is found in all the districts in forests up to elevations of 1,350 metres. Wild date-trees are growing abundantly on the hill slopes at Jabli (17 km from Kalka towards Simla) and its adjoining areas where thousands of plants of this species can be seen.
Morphology
An unbranched, erect, tall dioecious, evergreen tree, 4 to 8 metres in height with large persistent leaves in a terminal tuft; stem clothed with persistent bases of leaf-stalks; root suckers, absent.
Leaves, compound, 1.5 to 2 metres in length, green with a. few spines at the base, each leaf containing numerous (120), pinnae which are linear, 26.5 cm long and sharply pointed at the end.
Staminate flowers, sessile, 7 mm long, 5 mm broad; perianth, 3, each 6 mm long, 2 mm broad, creamish; androecium, polyandrous, with 6 stamens; anther-lobes, about 3 mm long; filament, very short; anthers dehisce longitudinally, releasing white pollen.
Pistillate flowers, sessile, 4 min long perianth green, circular, cupshaped, three-toothed, small gynoecium, with. 3 distinct carpels; style, curved and very small.
Flowers, borne on a spadix covered by a spathe which is 29.5 cm long; the spathe separates into two boat-shaped halves, exposing the flowers at maturity; both male and female inflorescences, about 25 cm long, bearing about 2,800 flowers.
Fruits, oblong, 1.4 to 1.7 cm long, 0.9 to 1.1 cm in diameter, weight 542 mg, volume, 447 microlitres, deep purple to black; a bunch of fruits weighed 1,321.5 g and contained 2,390 fruits.
The flowering and fruiting season
The flowering season of this plant was observed to be from the first to the third week of August in the case of plants growing around Jabli. The fruits take almost one year for attaining maturity. The ripening starts from the first week of June and continues till the middle of July.
Yield
A wild date-tree yields very much less than a cultivated date-palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). The trees of Phoenix sylvestris Roxb. under Jabli conditions were found to yield only about 7 kg of fruit.
Medicinal properties
The fruit is cooling, oleaginous, cardiotonic, fattening, constipative, good in heart complaints, abdominal complaints, fevers, vomiting and loss of consciousness. The juice obtained from the tree is considered to be a cooling beverage. The roots are used to stop toothache. The fruit pounded and mixed with almonds, quince seeds, pistachio nuts and sugar, form a restorative remedy (Kirtikar and Basu. 1935). The central tender part of the plant is used in gonorrhoea (Watt, 1892).
Dessert quality
The fruits are harvested unripe by removing the whole bunches. They are then kept covered with wheat straw. They ripen within two three days.
The fruits are seedy, and the seed occupies more than half of the fruit. The fruits are sweet. The overall fruit quality is good.
Utilization
The plants growing in the plains yield a good amount of juice which is used for making toddy and jaggery. The juice, as such, can also be drunk.
It is an ornamental tree and can also be used as an avenue plant.

A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com
866-998-9393

Which Palm Tree is Right for me?

Adding the right palm will increase aesthetic and property value while planting the wrong palm can be a very expensive lesson. AQualityPlant.com has launched a free website with a comprehensive plant guide.
Palms are a beautiful natural symbol of the tropics and a favorite addition to private and public landscapes around the globe. To make the best decision also consider size, growth rate, cold hardiness, watering requirements, maintenance, salt tolerance and light requirements.
Palms come in sizes that range from just a few feet tall, like the Bamboo Cane Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) or nearly two hundred feet tall, like the Wax Palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). Some will max out at only a couple feet wide while others can grow to over fifty feet wide. It is important to know the mature size of a palm before making a selection.
Palms also grow at different rates that are influenced by natures design, growing conditions and the care given by their owner. Tropical palms grow faster than those from desert or temperate regions. Palms like the Medjool Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) grow fastest in a desert climate where daily temperatures well over 100 degrees will suit them just fine. Windmill Palms (Trachycarpus fortunii) prefer a Mediterranean climate and can even tolerate temperatures near zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Buyers often forget to check a palm’s cold hardiness until it's too late like during a major cold event. there are several varieties of cold hardy palms that can endure freezing temperatures for many hours. Some cold hardy palms can even withstand snow and sub-zero (F) temperatures. Popular choices include the Pindo Palm (Butia capitata), the Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunii), the European Fan Palm (Chamaerhopps humilis) and the Medjool Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera).
The watering requirements for palms can vary greatly. Palms planted in fast draining sandy soil will require more frequent watering than those grown in clay based soils. Be sure to account for average rainfall amounts and watering restrictions during the selection process.
Climate compatibility is less of a concern when native palms are used. These palms have garnered recent attention and are highly recommended in most municipalities. Many home owners have jumped on the bandwagon by choosing native palms for their landscapes. In Florida, palms like the Florida Sabal Palm (Sabal palmetto), the Thatch Palm (Thrinax radiata) and the Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) have grown significantly in popularity.
Contrary to popular belief, not all palms can tolerate full sun. Some even require full shade. Most common landscaping palms tend to be the full sun varieties like the Washington Palm (Washingtonia robusta), the Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana), the Bismark Palm (Bismarkia nobilis) and the Pigmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebelenii). Common shade loving palms include the Bamboo Cane Palms (Chamaedoria Species), Dwarf Sugar Palm (Arenga engleri) and the Fishtail Palm (Caryota mitis).
Salt tolerance of palms is an important consideration for landscapes adjacent to bays, gulfs or oceans. Salt spray can damage foliage while salt water flooding can contaminate soil for years. Storm surges in the Florida Keys made this apparent to many homeowners and municipalities. After having their roots submerged for hours, many palms, including native species, suffered. One palm that did surprisingly well was not native at all. The Medjool Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) was among the least damaged by the salt intrusion into the soil. It was noted by residents and has become a welcome addition to many landscapes in the keys.
Some palms can have unintended consequences for their owners. Palms with large seeds like the Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) should not be planted where the falling coconuts can cause damage like over a driveway or walkway. Similarly, palms with extra large fronds planted close to your house could result in damage to the roof or gutters when they fall from great heights or get blown about in heavy winds. Consider that the fronds on Royal Palms (Roystonea regia) can way fifty pounds or more on taller specimens.
AQualityPlant.com has a free database that consumers can use to review all of the characteristics of hundreds of palm species from the comfort of their keyboard. Most have pictures and detailed descriptions to make the selection process foolproof. It’s a great place to start when deciding on a new palm.
Some maintenance will be required to preserve an attractive and healthy palm once it has been established in the new landscape. The maintenance plan should always include a trimming and fertilization schedule. Trimming should be done on brown or yellowed foliage. Trimming green fronds in an attempt to save time can prevent a palm from achieving adequate photosynthesis which can deter growth and fruiting. Some palms like the Royal Palm (Roystonea regia) and the Foxtail Palm (Wodyetia bifurcata) are self cleaning. They don't require pruning. The fronds will brown and then fall to the ground within a week or two. Unfortunately for those in subtropical and temperate climates, self cleaning palms are not cold hardy.
A palm fertilizer that includes a micro-nutrient package of boron, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc and copper should be applied a minimum of twice per year. Once in the spring and once in the fall is sufficient. These micro nutrients are necessary for palms to grow healthy and strong. Fertilizing a third or even forth time will push rapid growth. This is common practice in the nursery trade to grow a sell-able plant faster. These micro nutrients are necessary for palms to grow healthy and strong.
Choosing the right palm is easy when all the factors are carefully considered. Regardless on the unique landscaping circumstances, among the hundreds of palm species there are certainly several beautiful choices that will be a perfect fit.

Rob Pittman
A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com
866-998-9393

Date Palms / Date Palm Trees / Phoenix Palms

The phoenix family of palms is one of the most common in landscapes throughout the tropics and sub-tropics. Among the palms in the phoenix family are the Canary Island Date Palm or Pineapple Palm, the Sylvester Palm or Silver Date Palm, the Roebelenii or Pygmy Date Palm, the Reclinata or Senegal Date Palm and the True Date Palm (The most common varieties in landscapes include the Medjool Palm, Deglet Noor Palm and the Zahidi Palm.

The Pygmy Date Palm is the smallest in the family. The others can grow tall (50' or taller) and in the case of the Senegal Date Palm, extremely wide (30' or wider). The Reclinata or Senegal Date Palm is a clustering palm that produces many canes. Canes can be eliminated to create a symmetrical Reclinata Palm. The Medjool Date Palm will cluster until the palm has approximately 10' of trunk. Suckers can be removed and grown separately from the parent plant. This is how date palm farms maintain the integrity of the date fruit they harvest.

Phoenix palms are either male or female. They require pollination from another neighboring date palms. That is a major factor in the creation of so many hybrids. The hybrid date palms can be very desirable. The mother plant for the hybrid will typically dominate the cross. A Pygmy Date Palm crossed with a Canary Island Date Palm will look more like a Pygmy Date Palm if the mother is the Pygmy Date Palm. To me, the more attractive cross is when the Canary Island Date Palm is the Mother palm. The trunk will be much more robust and the palm will be larger.

Phoenix Palms are easy to germinate. It will take time to see your creations as most of the palms are slow to medium growers.

Good Luck!

Rob Pittman
A Quality Plant
www.aqualityplant.com