How to grow California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) from seed part 3

[@uranusneptun5239]

I always hear from people especially in more humid or winter cool (humid) climates that they are very difficult to grow. In my experience in the Rhineland area in Germany with mild winters it isn't the case at all. I grew them from seed, potted them rapidly and they all looked great. I picked the best looking one and repotted it into a bigger pot. I left the pot outside all winter and only protected it when it was too cold (from my feeling). When it was 2 or 3 years old (I don't remeber exactly) I planted it out with a nice self mixed and good draining pile of soil in a full sun spot. Before I planted it there it sat at the same spot already back when potted. The first 1-2 winters it showed some leaf damage from light frosts and humidity, but the older it got the better it looked. Last year in Feb. 2021 we had a cold spell with a bad freeze and it survived it with most of the leaves in tact!!! Only being wrapped with fleece! I also got a xfilibusta that lost all of it's leaves several times but is doing great now, but doesn't seem to cope as well with winters as the filifera. But this one I bought at a decent size already and I believe it never got through cool winters before. Probably only greenhouse grown. And I also had a seed grown robusta that was doing great in a sheltered spot until the cold spell hit and it died. The other filiferas that were staying in small pots all died for no obvious reason over time. I don't know why but they can't be kept in small conatiners for too long. I also have noticed this with other palm species: If you grow them from seeds in your climate they actually do a lot better than purchased plants. It makes a huge difference!

[@nickde6339]

Unlike the other comment I saw over here, looks more like the neighbor went on with hisher life and underwatered them in the scorching sun. My filiferas love water...but also love heat. I put two outside in the ground, about 25 to 30 cm tall on August 1st. They have not made a single frond (Bogota Colombia, 8,360 feet up in the Andes Mountains), they are not as vibrant green as when I took them out of the indoor tent, the green has faded just a bit, but they are still alive and growing utterly slow. I hope in a few months they will finally adapt. I have seen huge filiferas outside. The two phoenix canariensis, about the same size are doing better outside than the filiferas. I can also agree they dont like having their roots messed with. I left two filiferas in a grow bag 15 Cm in diameter when they had 1 little leaf, 4 months and a half later in the grow tent, they were over 30 Cm tall and the trunk about 3CM in diameter, I thought dividing the piece of dirt with a knife would annoy them more, and instead, submerged the piece of dirt in 20 C degree water to untangle/separate the roots without breaking them or anything, but they didnt like this at all. Three days later, the fronds shrank and it stayed dormant for about 1 month and 10 days making roots slowly, but no leaves. With the others, I did divide the dirt with a knife and they didnt get shocked this way. Conclusion, when theyre too young, they prefer it warm and if you add humidity, better. And dont fiddle with the roots. Just sharing what I have learned so far. Might help someone. I just hope the ones in the ground surprise me in a couple months, or not sure how long...

[@Windmill09]

If you have more seeds you could just grow more! I am going to grow Filifera seeds next week when they come in the mail. Great videos James. Keep us updated

[@okpalms1]

Nice! I have about 5 ca fans that are 2-3 leaf strappings out of 10 that I germinated. I also noticed they are a little less “easy going” than the Mexican fans

[@sagant9761]

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS KEEP IT UP!!!

[@jamestropicals8262]

They are actually more cold hardy then Mexican fan palms and I do agree they don’t like a lot of humidity, they do like to be well watered with very low humidity and they do like a lot of sunlight and heat

[@brandonflores3330]

I have a few filiferas in there own one gallon pots from seeds I collected in phoenix in may, and they really like hot and dry conditions, I think its just the excessive watering thats causing the fungus, torontos humidity is a little lower than what it can reach in the Coachella valley in there native range during the southwest momsoon season, plus they are used to low temps during there winter, often dropping to 34 f at night, idk about the root thing, since our climate during the summer (southwest idaho) is alot better for those, often reaching to 100 f dry, I think they will recover from shock just fine given there wanted conditions, I did that and right after transplant the growth skyrocketed, well watered and baked in the heat.

[@RB-zy1lf]

I do have a question about seeds. I live in Tampa Fl and my queen palms have these huge hanging seeds. Also my Washintonia. How do I know when they are ready to use?

[@TheJames2929]

You can wait until they change color and start falling off and then cut the whole thing off they will definitely ripen up and turn color when they are ready the queen will turn bright orange/Yellow The Washingtonia will be like a dark brown

[@TheJames2929]

Here is a video for you so you can tell when the seats are ready on your queen kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGrFnXpqjZKoiqs

[@DTS1wastaken]

how do you feel about the cold snap?

[@jamestropicals8262]

Part 4?

[@cactiandpalms.931]

Question can Washingtonia fillifera survive in Maryland winters

[@TheJames2929]

No sorry

[@cactiandpalms.931]

@@TheJames2929 thanks

[@jamestropicals8262]

They don’t look too bad

[@TheJames2929]

Well they could look a lot better they did look a lot better before I went to Florida

[@TheJames2929]

Thanks buddy

[@jamestropicals8262]

@@TheJames2929 They should look a lot better later on when they get bigger

[@BuckeyPalms]

Part 4?

[@TheJames2929]

Unfortunately, there won’t be a part, 4 I have to give it up on them. A lot of them died when I went away. And the rest died through the winter again lack of water when I went away. I just didn’t put too much into it unfortunately. Sorry